Brother Gary Sunday Evening 12/30/12

Brother Gary Sunday Evening 12/30/12

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Among the things that God hates are the works of the flesh.  The sad thing is that when individuals sow to the flesh, they of the flesh reap corruption.  It brings a defilement to them and it brings an adding defilement.  It brings an infection that if it doesn’t stop it grows and grows and grows.  I read in a paper that someone died being septic.  This is the way the defilement from the works of the flesh is.  It grows and grows.

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

There are spiritual perils as well as physical.  The greatest spiritual peril is men being lovers of their own selves.  It is a selfish way to go and the reaping of it is painful.  If people sow to the flesh, they will of the flesh reap corruption.

Covetousness is a terrible peril.  I was thinking of the things that I have to be thankful for.  Among the things is that I pastor a congregation that is not covetous.  I think of people that withhold from God.  If you do this then you are cheating yourself. 

This congregation would pray even tonight.  The teachers that are here would pray that God would help them to be the best teacher that they could possibly be.  Every mother, father, uncle, aunt, and every one that sings in the choir want their life to be in such order that they don’t withhold from God but give their very best to Him. 

As you all know, I am aging.  I will not be able to preach better than I did in the past, my mind is not as sharp.  The important thing is that I have more of God in 2013 than I had in the previous years of my life.  Spiritually we never want to plateau.  Once you plateau, the only thing to do spiritually is to head down. 

We never want to feel that we have arrived.  We always want the expectation that, “Dear God I’m going to unlock this day with the Word and prayer.”  We may not be able to be awake and alert as we age, but we can pray more and have more of God. 

What a man sows he will reap.  We don’t want to be as others when they come to the end of their life that wish that they had prayed more.  The only thing to do is to be spent for God.

As we close 2012, close it with thanksgiving.  The dear 9 year old brother wants to stay saved and be a light where he is.  He can be by the help of God.

Unnatural affection is one of the perils of the day.  We don’t want to plateau and say, “It is alright.”  No sin is sinful.

Trucebreakers:  If you give your word, then keep it.  Even if it costs more than you expect, keep your word.

Despisers of things that are good.  The wise man Solomon was a little less wordy in Proverbs 6 than Paul was in Timothy.  Don’t be a traitor, heady, or high-minded. 

One of the perils in the world today is for men to be lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.  Never cheat your soul to have a good time or for pleasure.

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Is 65:  God said, “I create Jerusalem a joy and a rejoicing.”  I cannot give you a number, but if you will allow your mind and flesh to let it happen, you will not have any joy the rest of your life. 

The other side of it is that the Holy Spirit brings the reality that we are in the kingdom of God that is righteousness, peace and joy.  Behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy.  We can praise God and be happy.

I am not happy with what is happening in the world.  My brother has a grandson with the first name of Brady.  When we visited his home, there was at least twelve bottles of hard liquor on the counter.  I hope and I pray 2013 that we are able to build a bridge to them and tell them the marvelous gospel story. 

God created his people to be a joy and rejoicing to Him. 

Before they call I will answer.  There will be some burdens that we have to tarry before God for, but you can expect some instant miracles from God.

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.

The fruit of the Spirit is love.  It is impossible to love without making an expression.  We not only talk about fellowship we practice fellowship.  We don’t rush into church and leave early.  There are people that reach their hand of friendship to us but they don’t fellowship with us.  You can mark it down that they don’t love us very much.

You cannot be saved without loving children.  I am not telling you how to express that love to children.  But may God help you and me to get down on their level and let them know that we love and care for them.  A child’s prayer request is as real to them as the request for that sister with cancer.

The aged need to be loved and they also need to put love out.  Sow, according to the Holy Spirit, love.

Peace with the past, the present and the future. 

Longsuffering:  It is wonderful that this is the place where people can have some time to grow.  We will give that new one that comes in time to measure. 

Gentleness: be as gentle as a nurse.  The nurses of the day need to be gentle.  The same in the house of God, we need to be gentle to children, to the aged, and to our brothers and sisters.  What you put out is what will come back.

Faith: I am looking to have more faith 2013 than 2012.  If we sow faith then we will get more faith.  If we practice faith it will increase.

Meekness: may we be humble before God and before His saints.

May we be temperate in all things, how much we play, how much we work, and in all things.