Bro Gary Sunday Morning 1/29/12

Bro Gary Sunday Morning 1/29/12

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Joh 15:16  Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

Jesus is teaching upon the true vine: He is the true vine; the husbandman is the Father.  The Father takes care of the ground, the vine, and the trees. 

How does one abide in Christ?  There must be a beginning. 

Rev 21: Jesus spoke to John at Patmos of eternal things and of things in the time world: “Behold I make all things new.”  We know and understand the importance of having a new life.  It is nothing that we have done on the outside that gives us a new life.  It is the result of confessing and repenting and being made a new creature in Christ Jesus.

Luk 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

We can tell God that we are sorry or wish that we hadn’t done something but unless there are fruits from the repentance, there is not a new life.  Many things people say of their regrets of their past is good.  God wants us to deal with our past and then He wants us to have a new beginning. 

It is fine to use your past as a lamp to guide you but never use it as a hitching post to bind you.  We must repent of our past and have a new beginning. 

Know what the Bible teaches of repentance.

2Co 7:10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

We must ask people that we’ve wronged to forgive us, but this is not the most important thing.  Whenever we are the servants of sin, we directly oppose Jesus Christ and it is He that we have sinned against.  If I intentionally harm another, not only have I done them wrong but I’ve also wronged God.

Godly sorrow really makes one uncomfortable.  Many times people block it out of their mind.  If chastisement makes us uncomfortable then scourging will really make us uncomfortable.

Godly Sorrow works repentance to salvation.  God’s plan in dealing with you and me is that we be brought to repentance and to salvation.  Salvation is in the Old Testament and in the New.  In the Old Testament Jesus hadn’t come so there was no full understanding of salvation.  They had a glimpse that the Messiah would come and would deliver them from their sin. 

Salvation means deliverance.  Only through Jesus Christ can we be freed from the bondage of sin. 

Salvation means help.  God is a present help in every time of need.  He is no respecter of persons and He is no respecter of age.  God helps children; He helps young people.  Whatever our age may be, He helps in the most difficult years of life. 

From where ever you are to where you look back to, you may see difficult years.   Some may be experiencing this year as the most difficult year of their life.  There will be hard years and difficult times yet when you have salvation, you have help. 

He doesn’t just help you with your attitude or your garden; He helps with everything.  For you that have children that are little or for you that have children that are aged, God is a wonderful help.

Salvation means safety.  You don’t want to fail God:  “Something within me that holds the reigns.”  We don’t want to fail God; in Him is safety.

Salvation means victory.  You can live a life of overcoming.  “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with Good.”

Salvation means health.  Jesus added this meaning to salvation.  God wants us healthy, physically, spiritually, emotionally, and all ways.

Godly sorrow brings us to confession to God.  There is only one way to have our sins forgiven and that is to confess our sins to God.

1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When we have Godly sorrow and confess, He is faithful and just to forgive.  As uncomfortable as Godly sorrow may be it is wonderful, because it brings us to the place where we confess and are forgiven.

I used to try to sleep off sin; I tried to sleep off conviction.  I found that when I woke up I was just the same man that I was before I went to sleep; it did nothing for me.

Rom 11:17  And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

Most of us were Gentiles, a wild olive tree.  At that time we were without God and without hope, strangers to the covenant of promise.  God concluded us all in unbelief so that we could be grafted in with the Jews and partakers of the true vine and the true tree.

Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Every one of us needs to receive life from something.  Christ is the source of true life.  He is the source of every good and perfect gift.  God is the Husbandman. 

When we think of the vineyard:  Every branch that beareth fruit…  In a vineyard, the goal is not just to have the plant; the goal is to have the fruit.  This is the reason that Jesus brought us this lesson.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are full of parables.  This is not a parable.  Jesus was telling a real account. 

Jesus is the vine, we are the branches, and the Father is concerned about the fruit.  It is God’s design that you and I bear fruit.  Every branch that bears fruit He purges.

All of you that are gardeners, grape growers, or have trees know that sometimes it is a little difficult to chop away on the vines.  If we want good fruit, the dead must be taken off and the vine must be purged, cleansing and cutting away that which would hinder or take nourishment from the fruit.

When we get saved we are as a babe.  Life will be a learning process.  Something more than just sweetness comes out of these little children that are here this morning.  They must be trained. 

The deeper meaning to the scripture: everyone that gets saved becomes a babe in Christ and babes must be trained.  We all know the truth to this: we were all a babe in Christ.  I didn’t learn the lesson all the first day. 

I remember the training of my mind.  Phil 4:8 Whatsoever things…think on these things.  God has worked on me on this scripture for years.  The purging doesn’t feel good.  He’ll come by and say, you’re wasting your time thinking vain thoughts.  Thoughts that will not bring forth fruit.  I want you to get rid of that.

If you and I draw back, He will never force you.  He’ll never force you to measure or to think on whatever it might be.  I’m so glad that God is the husbandman; he deals with us real nice. 

There is something about God and you:  If you love to grow tomatoes, you don’t pluck it out of the ground and say, “I’m going to prune you.”  You try to figure just how much you want to take off so that you can have fruit, big ripe tomatoes not just small and green. 

We tell him, “Make me what you want me to be.  Show me all my faults.”  God looks down and smiles at us and says, “If I showed you them all at once it would kill you.”  He begins dealing with us and takes the sword, which is the word of God.  He deals with our tongue, He deals with our attitude. 

He says, “Son or daughter, I want to help you but you have to let me.”  When you look into the Bible, the mirror, you see way too much of self and not enough of Jesus.  You say, “I want self to go.”  He says ok, let it go and then train yourself to not pick it back up.”

Psa 119:9  BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

 This is the same whether it be a man, woman or boy or girl.  His design is to cleanse and set us apart.

Abide in me.  We were created to desire a true friend.  The scripture says, “There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.  A friend loves at all times.”  We need friendship and love.  It is a wonderful thing to have someone love you and tell you that they love you. 

Our husband or wife cannot always be there for us.  It doesn’t mean that our love is broken; it means the events of life position us so that we need God.  God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit have no place where they cannot always be.  When you need a friend if you will abide in Him He will always be there.  His word and Spirit will come in the shadow of death and in the valley of weeping.

Paul in the terrible storm: they were going to suffer shipwreck.  The storm was wild.  Paul showed up and told them that one from God stood by him that night and told that there would be no loss of life.  “Be of good cheer.”

We are all going to encounter great storms and it will not always be in the prime of life.  The strong will have storms as will all the rest of us.  Learn your lessons well when you are young.  The storms will continue to come as we go through life in order that we can know that there is still a God on His throne. 

A branch cannot bear fruit of itself.

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

It is wonderful that we can be graft into this vine: the source of strength, wisdom, and counsel.  It is a guide.  Just being the branch gives you a resource of living sap, living water, living nutrients. 

Whatever season of life that you are in, these children that are going to school, we’d tell them to enjoy the good days.  There will be days when it is a hard day: the lesson is hard or things will not go well.  This is the way it is with life, but there is a source. 

The world cannot give you contentment.  As wonderful as the benefits of having a companion and children, having a home, having a little money… it cannot bring contentment.  Remember the story of the rich young ruler, “I’ve done all this, yet what do I lack?”  He felt a void and an emptiness within. 

When we abide in Christ and the life giving sap comes into our earthen vessel it begins to feed the inside.

Rom 6:22  But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Php 1:9  And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;

Php 1:10  That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;

Php 1:11  Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

Sis Dorothy Sunday School 1/29/12

Sis Dorothy Sunday School 1/29/12

Seeking God’s will in the gardens

The first garden, the Garden of Eden, God created man a two-fold being, first made of dust and the second that He breathed into Him and he became a living soul.

1Co 1:23  But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;

1Co 8:9  But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil became a stumbling block.  If we are not careful the liberty we have in salvation can be a stumbling block.  There can be no sin.  We can stumble if we’re not careful.

In reason there is the power to act.  These capacities were played out in the Garden of Eden.  The serpent deceived them by means of reason.  God then told the serpent that He would bruise his head and did this through Christ.  He destroys the power of Satan through Christ. 

The seed of the woman symbolizes the remnant which are born from above and have turned from the power of darkness unto the light of God.

1Co 15:45  And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.

1Co 15:46  Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual.

1Co 15:47  The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.

1Co 15:48  As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

1Co 15:49  And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.

1Co 15:50  Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

When Jesus washed the disciple’s feet He told them that they would not understand what He had done.  He washed their feet and told them to be humble as He was.  A servant is not greater than his Lord.  Love one another: by this shall all men know that you are mine. 

Mansion means abode.  He wants us to be where He is.  He has sent the comforter to teach us and give us peace. 

John 13-17.  Jesus’ words:  He that is purged can bear much fruit.  There is no greater love than that a man lay down his life for His friends, you will also bear tribulation and sorrow.  I came from my father and must return. 

I seek eternal life for those that you have given me.  Keep them from the evil that is in the world.  I sanctify myself that they may be sanctified.  I also pray for all that may believe on me through their word.  You loved me before the foundation of the world; I pray that this love may be in them and I in them. 

Jesus was also a two-fold being, flesh and spiritual.

I would like to show three scenes in the garden: Christ’s agony, the love of the disciples, and the betrayal of Judas.

Joh 18:1  When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which he entered, and his disciples.

In the temple there was a chamber called Gethsemane where they put their wine and oil used for worship.

Jesus went often to the Mount of Olives to Pray.  Judas was with Him a lot so knew where to find Him.

Gethsemane was a closed garden at the foot of Mount Olive and there are still eight very old olive trees standing there.  You can tell they are ancient by their gnarled trunk and scanty foliage.  It is neat to think that they may have been there when Jesus was there praying.

Isa 63:3  I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me: for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment.

No created being could have any part of the sacrifice that was of divine merit. 

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

Jesus bid them to enter into His suffering, “Watch and Pray.”  He wanted someone to share His suffering and yet He knew they couldn’t.  He had to suffer alone.  When we have suffering to do, it is so wonderful to have someone to suffer with us.  “Just stay awake, share with me as much as you can.” 

Those who are best prepared to suffer with Christ have shared with Him His glory in worship.  Suffering will come our way.  This day and age it may be that we will have to endure some hard persecution.  While you can, behold His glory. 

“Now is my soul troubled.”  He was close to that time and began to feel the anguish.  He put Himself in that agony to show that He was a freewill offering.  “I lay it down of myself.”  He let them know that they did not take His life, He gave it.

The disciples were sleeping from sorrow: sadness and grief.  Sometimes when people are sorrowing they sleep; it is a balm and a release from sorrow.  There was much that they didn’t understand; they were grieving so they slept. 

He cautioned them to wake and watch because there is danger coming.  Many times if we will just take the instruction of our pastor or the instruction from reading the Word we will be prepared and be on our guard when trouble comes. 

Sleep is the body’s natural response but Jesus was telling them to not yield to that because we need to be fully awake having prayed and sought God, and not yield to the tendency to withdraw from the stress of whatever trouble it might be. 

We need to spend more time in prayer and draw closer together.  We need each other.  We don’t know what will come on us in our life and in our day.  We need the time with God and in prayer and we need each other.

Jesus knew what was going to happen and was trying to prepare them for the onslaught of the enemy.  Be close to each other.  Don’t let one thing come between another and us.  Jesus said, watch with me; that means that they were together in this.

Jesus’ agony or conflict was not of mortal wounds but within.

Psa 22:14  I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.

Psa 22:1  To the chief Musician upon Aijeleth Shahar, A Psalm of David. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?

Heb 5:7  Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

Heb 5:8  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

God was not going to take this suffering from Him.  His suffering was not just from the agony of the flesh but also from the weight of sin. 

Luk 22:53  When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.

Jesus encountered the power of darkness.  This is a great darkness.  Darkness can be overwhelming. 

Joh 14:30  Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.

The prince of this world cometh; he is rallying his forces and preparing for an assault.  Jesus was prepared for the battle.  Jesus’ flesh was a stumbling block; He did not want to suffer.  But the greater agony was the weight of sin.  “Father let this cup pass from me” were His words.  “Never the less not as I will but as thou wilt.”  He was victorious; He did not stumble over the stumbling block.

Luk 22:43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

Luk 22:44  And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

Luk 22:45  And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

When the angel came and strengthened Him, Jesus prayed harder.  He became totally prepared for battle and went willingly.  Jesus went through perfectly and did not stumble.  If we are in a struggle, be of good cheer, He has overcome.  We can use those stumbling blocks to step up on and go forward and not stumble.

This word is wonderful, it fits every situation in life.

Judas had a mission, we see him approaching Jesus and kissing Him. 

Matt 26:56 All the disciples forsook Him and fled.  If they would have watched with Him they wouldn’t have entered into temptation.  They stumbled and this is used as an example to us and probably was a great help to them down the road.  When we stumble it also works to help us stand firm down the road. 

Judas may have expected Jesus to escape from His enemies: Christ would then have the honor, the Jews would be ashamed, and Judas would have the money.  He probably thought everything would be all good. 

Sin is a downhill spiral and Judas cursed the day he was born, the bag of money, and those that crucified Jesus.  Sin will soon change the taste.  If you fall into it then what had looked so good will not taste well.  There is a law of sowing and reaping.  Sin is a detriment to everything. 

Judas tried to make restitution and give the money back.  He confessed.  He did not lay blame.  But he did not confess the wicked love of money that was the fault of his sin.  The priest threw it back in his face and said, “What is that to us.”

He left the money and went and hung himself.  He said as Cain did, “The weight of sin is more than I can bear.”

When we come to one that is in despair, point them to Jesus; He is the only one that can deliver.

Luk 22:61  And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Luk 22:62  And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

The look Jesus gave Peter broke his heart.  With that look Peter was torn up inside and went out and wept bitterly.

Where was Peter when Jesus was being crucified?  John was there, where was Peter?  I think that He was weeping bitterly.  Could it be that He was the very first one to plunge under the blood of Jesus?  The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses from all sin.

One of the first things we see when people backslide is the worldly appearance; they don’t want to be associated by look or anything else that they are one of ‘those people’.

There was young man sitting by the sepulcher of Jesus that said to tell the disciples and Peter

How big is His Love?  Don’t be ashamed; hold your head high and give the look that Jesus would give when people are being rebellious.  When the woman was caught in adultery, Jesus didn’t have to say anything, He just bent down and wrote in the dust and their own consciences convicted them.

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

Mat 16:26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Except a corn of wheat die… 

Complete dying to self and Satan.  Deny the right to yourself.

Bro Gary Wednesday Evening 1/25/12

Bro Gary Wednesday Evening 1/25/12

Hos 14:2  Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.

All of us can remember the wonderful experience of coming to the Lord knowing that we needed a savior, needed forgiven from sin, and knew we needed a new life.  When I got saved I knew this, but time, experience, and life have caused me to know this in even a greater way. 

We are not happy to see someone waste their life in sin.  We know individuals that are very intelligent and have good careers in life that couldn’t handle one thing and that is sin. 

Sin is a destroyer.  I knew that when I got saved, I didn’t have much understanding, but today I have much to thank God for.  He reached to me when I was in sin and gave me a new life and gave me the family of God that taught me how to stay saved and how to grow.

Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Paul may have been quoting Hosea when he wrote this.  God only requires what we are able to give.  Tonight if a lamb was required or an ox I would have to go find one.  I’m sure there is a dime at home, but I don’t have a dime in my pocket.  If God required money we would run out fast. 

There is one thing that He asked of us and that is the fruit of our lips.  All of us here are able to talk and to thank God. 

Life isn’t easy: many times our heart is breaking; we understand disappointment.  We understand there being situations where we don’t know how it is going to work out.  But it is wonderful that we know God will be God no matter how it works out. 

Our present distress is often very alive and weighty.  If we go over the prayer requests just for January our hearts can get really heavy fast.  Right in the midst of our burden we can praise God for what He says, for what He is doing and for what we believe He is going to do.

A good report makes fat the bones.  The report of Nina Dunks getting saved has thrilled my heart every day.  All glory goes to God.  He is wonderful.

Psa 4:1  To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

Distress is a part of life and we have experienced distress and if life continues we will feel distress again.  David said, “Thou hast enlarged me.”

Psa 4:7  Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

There are times in life when you and I have felt that our entire heart is distressed.  In the time of our distress, we live in a time when there are a lot of concerns that are right concerns.  In the audience there are parents that have lots of concerns. 

We live in a world that we know a little bit about and we are praying to have an understanding of the times so that we can pray and teach and train those that we are burdened for.

We live in a world that is upside-down.  We have a heart and there are times that we are really burdened this is right and good. 

David may not have had the distresses that we have today.  He didn’t have to worry about his car breaking down.  But he lived in the world and had lots of distresses. 

When his baby died he was fasting and praying that God would heal the child and that it wouldn’t die.  Yet it died.  You and I can understand that this was not easy.  He said, “He cannot come to where I am but I can go to where he is.” 

All of us that are blessed to live past sixty realize as we visit the rest home that 10 years doesn’t seem long.  Mr. Robbins was driving a cat not too long ago and is sitting in a rest home beside his wife today.

The Psalmist said, “God has enlarged my heart.”  I’m not saying that God is going to move in and cause you to not be concerned about your son or daughter, and you need to do your best to take care of that car.

God is going to do his best to enlarge your heart and he wants to put in it gladness.  We may not be able to change conditions but we don’t have to let them change us.  God is still God, God still answers prayer.   

Heaven is just as real as it ever has been.  The plan of salvation is just the same.  All the promises in the Bible are just as true as they have ever been. 

I don’t lessen any heartbreak or any burden, but when we have a heart that is filled with distress God wants to come along, enlarge your heart, and put gladness in it.

Psa 4:1  To the chief Musician on Neginoth, A Psalm of David. Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

Psa 4:2  O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

Among the things that David was distressed about was that people were choosing the wrong ways.  It is distressing to see people facing eternity that are abominable.  We love even those people that we don’t know.  We love souls.

David called upon God and God told him that He was the God that wanted to enlarge his heart and put gladness in him.

Psa 4:3  But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.

God has respect to them that He calls His children.

Psa 4:4  Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

I am really impressed that God would send His word to us.  From teen-age years to elderly, God never fails to speak to the heart.

I’m burdened to teach on a trained heart.  People may say, “My heart wanted to do this or that…”  as if that makes it right.  We want to have a trained heart by the Word of God and the Spirit of God.

It is alright to talk to yourself.  “Speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.”

Be instant in season and out of season at six o’clock and later. 

Be still – I can wake in the middle of the night and I have to call on God or I’ll be thinking about the snow falling off the roof and knocking the power out.  Be still, o heart, God is still God and will not fail. 

Psa 4:5  Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

Psa 4:6  There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.

When God shines His light down we feel like the writer of that song, “Count Your Blessings”, “God can do anything but fail.”

Psa 4:7  Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased.

Psa 4:8  I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

There is no searching God out.  We will never know it all.  But we know that there is real value to understanding the deep things of God.  It is a good desire to say, “Lord help me to gain depth.”

Rom 11:32  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

Before we knew of God and His Son it was all a world of unbelief.  Before the Gospel came to the Gentiles they were all in unbelief; they were worshipers of idols.  The Jews are looking for something that will never come because it has already come.  They are all in unbelief.

The Wisdom of God concluded them all in unbelief that He might have mercy on them all.

Whoever is on our prayer list that is not saved is in unbelief.  If they haven’t gotten a Bible and found out how to get saved then they are in unbelief. 

When a sinner will believe, confess, repent, and become a new creature in Christ Jesus then He will have mercy on them right like that.  He will then continue to have mercy and show that there is a depth of the wisdom of God.  There is a depth of the knowledge of God. 

We will look back and see where we didn’t understand all at one time but we kept believing God and walking with God and now faith has become sight and we can see the wisdom of God in bringing things to pass as they were.

Rom 11:33  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

His judgments are unsearchable.  The story isn’t over for those that we are burdened for.  There is a God in heaven that moves upon men and women.  He moves in such a way that they begin to understand and question and wonder: “Is the Bible really true?”

God knows how to work.  He knows how to speak to every soul on the face of the Earth.  God is speaking; are they listening?

His ways are past finding out.  A lot of times we don’t know why we are where we are but God knows.  The Bible tells us to sow beside all waters. 

Rom 11:34  For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?

Rom 11:35  Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

God has the answer; He knows how to work and how to move.  He causes us to cross people’s paths and all the time we are just doing what we think we should be doing, carrying out our duties.  God is working out His purpose. 

Everything that we give to God He gives to us first.  Of Him, through Him and to Him are all things. 

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We are not our own, our bodies are lent to us.  Yet we have the privilege of giving back to God what He has given to us.  Present ourselves a living sacrifice.  Not a dead sacrifice, one that has been born again, made alive, and cleansed from committed sin and inherited sin.  It is acceptable to God and He is reasonable with us.

Talk about freedom!  Aren’t you happy to not be trying to keep up with the world?  It is wonderful to march to a band that plays such good music.  I’m happy to be free from that jazzed-up ungodly music that would make Jesus out to be a monster instead of a savior, the giver of peace and joy, the giver of life, and the one who causes men and women to live moral lives.

Be not conformed to the world – it is wonderful to love the old paths, to have a place where there is rest of the soul.  I’m traveling a highway that leads to heaven.

 It is wonderful to have a renewed, trained, disciplined mind.

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

Rom 12:4  For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.