Brother Danny Sanders Friday Night 11/2/12

Brother Danny Sanders Friday Night 11/2/12

Act 2:41  Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

When we think of someone getting saved, we tend to think in terms of one, if we really get thinking big then we think of a family.

Act 4:4  Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.

Act 2:44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

Act 2:45  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.

Act 2:46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

Act 2:47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Men and women were willing to sell all.  What kind of atmosphere does it take that men and women might be willing to sell all?

 What would happen if we started our services with an altar call?  That seems backwards; we usually have songs, testimonies, prayer, and a message before the altar call. 

If we had the altar call first and every need in the house was met at the beginning, how different would our worship service be?  How different would our series of meetings be?  The Holy Spirit would have more freedom and we more willing to give God praise, because our mind would not be focused on our need.  If I have something on my heart that is really burdening and troubling me, then I cannot wait to get to God in prayer. 

Our thoughts tonight are concerning our individual responsibility in promoting an atmosphere that is fertile for souls to get saved. 

Fertile means capable of initiating, capable of sustaining, of growing, of developing, of being able to mature. 

An atmosphere that is fertile is an atmosphere that is capable of seeing souls saved, of sustaining life, of seeing souls grow and develop to maturity.  That is an exciting atmosphere.  We are looking for a live birth from cradle to grave: a soul come in, get saved, and stick.

We need this type of atmosphere, where souls are willing to sell all.

The four elements that are necessary for this atmosphere to develop is us staying clear in our experience, knowing what we possess, knowing how to express it in such a manner that others know, being aware of our influence, and investing in the needs around us.  These contribute to an atmosphere that is fertile for souls to be saved.

1Sa 12:1  And Samuel said unto all Israel, Behold, I have hearkened unto your voice in all that ye said unto me, and have made a king over you.

1Sa 12:2  And now, behold, the king walketh before you: and I am old and grayheaded; and, behold, my sons are with you: and I have walked before you from my childhood unto this day.

1Sa 12:3  Behold, here I am: witness against me before the LORD, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you.

1Sa 12:4  And they said, Thou hast not defrauded us, nor oppressed us, neither hast thou taken ought of any man's hand.

1Sa 12:5  And he said unto them, The LORD is witness against you, and his anointed is witness this day, that ye have not found ought in my hand. And they answered, He is witness.

Samuel’s character and integrity were without reproach.  He remained clear before God and his fellow man.   

Our integrity before the saints, before God and before our fellow man is imperative in order for us to lead souls to God.  Our neighbors would see right through it if we were to be other than what we profess.  Men and women are watching our lives.

When we are clear in our experience and have gained the confidence of our fellow man it will produce trust which is necessary for others to come all the way.  Our fellow man needs to know that they can trust us.

Our employer needs to know that we can be counted on.  They need to know that they can call upon us and the job will be done.  We want our neighbor in need to call us.  We want them to trust us and it may open the door of opportunity to express to them what God has done for us. 

Would you take your car to someone that you have no confidence in?  Consequently when you find someone that can take care of your car, you tell others about it. 

It is all about one thing and that is trust.  Trust is huge.  We need to earn the trust of our fellow man.  It will be easier for them to believe that they can receive help from where we’ve received help if they trust us.

If something is shadowing over our experience where we haven’t obeyed God, the first thing that happens is that we start to draw back.  The zeal that we once possessed isn’t there.  Then we start to grow quiet and don’t back the message as we used to.  Finally we get independent and fail to ask and receive what God has promised. 

That individual starts to rely on themselves.  The next thing that you know is that they are gone.  All they had to do is humble themselves before God and acknowledge that they were wrong.  If you get a splinter, it festers until it is sore.  The same thing happens when something is in your life.  It will occupy your mind and grow until it occupies our entire lives.

Brother Maconahae told of a man that every time he knelt to pray he saw a rooster.  The reason why was because he had some restitution to make.  He could not grow until he had made restitution. 

It doesn’t always stop with hurting us.  It can grow until it affects the entire body.

Jos 6:18  And ye, in any wise keep yourselves from the accursed thing, lest ye make yourselves accursed, when ye take of the accursed thing, and make the camp of Israel a curse, and trouble it.

The rules of engagement were clear.  Keep yourself from the accursed thing.  We know when we go to do something and we feel the check inside, we know that is the accursed thing and it will lead to trouble.

Jos 7:1  But the children of Israel committed a trespass in the accursed thing: for Achan, the son of Carmi, the son of Zabdi, the son of Zerah, of the tribe of Judah, took of the accursed thing: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against the children of Israel.

Jos 7:2  And Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai, which is beside Bethaven, on the east side of Bethel, and spake unto them, saying, Go up and view the country. And the men went up and viewed Ai.

It doesn’t say an individual committed a trespass; it says the children of Israel committed a trespass.  It addresses it as the whole camp, the whole body.

Jos 7:12  Therefore the children of Israel could not stand before their enemies, but turned their backs before their enemies, because they were accursed: neither will I be with you any more, except ye destroy the accursed from among you.

When you have a problem you must deal with it or it will fester and create a worse problem.  It could be anything in our lives; it could be a disagreement or a misunderstanding.  We need to deal with it.

Mat 5:23  Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;

Mat 5:24  Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

This doesn’t say that you have done something against someone else.  First be reconciled to your brother. 

I can’t in my mind get a conception of what it will be like when the earth comes to an end and we go to heaven.  There will not be two lines: those that we were able to worship with and be kind to and have strong fellowship with, and then another line over there of those that we were not.  This will impact our children. 

It won’t be that way.  We must be clear before our brother, before our family, our boss, our neighbor.  It produces liberty, freedom, and a boldness to claim the benefits offered by God.  This is important; when you know that you are right with God then He is there. 

I had a situation where I needed God.  I was with this other fellow and we were locked into this area and couldn’t get out.  It looked like we were going to be locked in for the weekend.  He went to his cell phone and I went to God.  It wasn’t twenty minutes until someone came and unlocked the gate.  He had just decided to come by and check on the place as he was going to be showing it in the near future.  You see how big our God is?

Our young people and our children need to see that we are clear with God and with our fellow man.  They will know if it is otherwise.

Know what you possess and in turn express it.  We have power over every power of the enemy.  Every mind battle, every sickness, everything that the enemy tries to lay on you, you have power.  A kid will say, “I’m going to get my dad.”  I say, “I’m going to get my God.”  We have a big God. 

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

Others are watching our lives.  We need to know what we have.  We need to express it with meekness and fear.  If we are lucky enough to have gained the confidence of our fellow man and if they should approach us and ask us the reason of the hope that is within, how we respond is so important.

Joh 3:1  There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:

Joh 3:2  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.

Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Nicodemus saw the light, the fruit, and the power in Jesus’ life.  People are watching our lives day by day.   We want them to see something different in our life that will drive them to ask the reason of the hope that we possess.

I was being persecuted at work; there was a man that went to great lengths to try to get rid of me.  I had gotten the job that he wanted.  This draftsman that works with us was watching what was going on.  One day he took me out to lunch.  On the way back He asked me, “How do you do it?  How do you deal with all that stuff?”  (the reason for the hope that is within us).  It drives people to ask that question. 

How we respond is important.  I said, “Thank you for noticing, I do have a hope but it wasn’t always this way.”  When people ask us then it opens an opportunity for us to tell them.  That man ended up getting saved; didn’t stick but it was a success in that he asked and saw a difference. 

God can do the same for any individual as He has done for us.  The bar is not so high that people cannot get in.  It is not our bar to raise. We need to know how to express it with meekness and fear to show the one inquiring that it is attainable.  They can get saved.

It is not, “Let me go get my pastor.”  We are the ones that need to be able to show them the reason of the hope.  I’m a little surprised when I knock on doors and ask people what they possess.  I’m surprised at how many don’t know what they possess.  They don’t know who founded their religion or what the teachings are yet that is where they are. 

The delivery of our answers is so important and our being able to guide them is important. 

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

We need to be able to back up our life with the Word of God.  I absolutely love to have Bible studies with people.  It takes you back to the beginning and you get to see all over again how God can get you out of all those troubles and mold your life.

2Ti 1:12  For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

We are not ashamed of the things of God.  Our God is able.  If we know what we have, then we will not be ashamed and we can have confidence in the things of God.  We will know what God has done for us.  We are living a life free from sin in a world that is just messed up.  Think of it!

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:36  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

Rom 8:37  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Persuaded means determined.  I am determined that nothing shall be able to separate us.  We can have confidence to pray for healing, and to trust because God has our best interest at heart.  God came to not destroy men’s lives but to save them. 

Luk 9:56a  For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them.

This is the God that we serve.  We can know what we possess.

Be aware of our influence.  We live in a world that needs, at every level, mentors that are stable, trustworthy, and whose influence hasn’t been tainted by the influence of sin.

1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

We need to remember that we are not just any one.  We are the chosen of God’s people and we do have influence.  Not everyone in society wants to fall in with the masses.  If we will follow God there will be others that will be looking for something that will be stable and that they can trust in.

Don’t let curiosity turn into a negative.  People are going to be curious.  They are surrounded by people just like them.  Plant a saint into a workforce and they will behave differently and react differently.  They will stick out like a sore thumb.

We can turn the perceived negative into a positive.  They may ask the sisters why they always wear dresses.  They may say, “We have all kinds of choices in the world today.  I’m glad that I have the freedom to dress so that I can show the modesty that is in my heart.”

We don’t have to be ashamed of what we possess.  It is ok that we are the way that we are and dress the way that we dress and are what we are.  Both a negative and a positive answer have tremendous influence.

I want to slow down sometimes when people ask about my faith.  I don’t want to turn a curiosity into a negative experience.  That is why if we have something troubling us then we need to get it taken care of.  Our reactions can be positive and negative.  God help us to respond so that others can be drawn to this way.

Mat 5:43  Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.

Mat 5:44  But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

Mat 5:45  That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Mat 5:46  For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

Mat 5:47  And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?

Mat 5:48  Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

The thought on my heart is our individual responsibility in promoting an atmosphere that is fertile for the salvation of the souls around us.

We need to invest in the needs of the people around us.  One of the most important things in life is to invest in the souls around us.

Jesus went about…healing all manner of sickness.

Jesus knew that to win souls we must be willing to invest in the needs around us.

Mat 8:5  And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him,

Mat 8:6  And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented.

Mat 8:7  And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him.

Mat 8:14  And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.

Mat 8:15  And he touched her hand, and the fever left her: and she arose, and ministered unto them.

Jesus exercised compassion.  He recognized the need and acted accordingly.  We cannot heal, but our God can.

Mat 14:13  When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

Mat 14:14  And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.

Jesus exercised compassion.  Sometimes our investment in souls will get to the core of what we are made of.  It may take compassion for people to spite the circumstances that have taken them to where they are.  If we cannot over look our disgust for the circumstances then we will not be able to reach out to them.

I saw a poster of a man laying in the gutter with a beer bottle beside him passed out.  It said, “You can only love me in proportion that you love Him.” 

Jesus always stopped to take time to invest in souls.  Does your walk with Jesus produce an atmosphere that is fertile for souls to be saved?