Brother Gary Sunday Evening 1/12/14

Brother Gary Sunday Evening 1/12/14

Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

There is a vitalness that Jesus taught us after he had taught so well on the beatitudes, entering the closet and shutting the door, after he had taught the Sermon on the Mount.  He concluded the Sermon on the Mount and emphasized that it is not enough to just hear or read or listen to teaching on the Word of God.  It is vital that we do the teachings of the Word of God.  

He went on to say, “I’m going to show you what that individual is like.  He is like a wise man that built on the rock.  The Rock is Christ Jesus and it is vital that when an individual begins seeking after God that he digs past everything to get his house settled on the Rock.

One cannot get saved to get a girl friend or so that they will prosper in the world and have an island or river front property.  We get saved because we have heard the Word of God and realize that we need a savior and the savior that we need is Jesus Christ.

Some tell you that they have seen angels or that their father was a minister so they are saved.  It is vital that we know and do what the Word of God says.  You cannot count on feelings, emotions or experiences.  What we can count on is what the Word of God says.

The events of life: we don’t know even tonight when we get home what the events of life will cause there to be a message on our phone.  We don’t have to be afraid to check the messages, but the rains descended, the floods came and the winds blew and it beat upon the house.

Every one of us will find ourselves in this exact storm of life.  That is the reason that we must be on the rock because when we are on the rock we can find the refuge.  From Genesis through Revelations it so well teaches us that there is a refuge.

“A man shall be a culvert from the tempest.”  From life:  those things take their toll upon us.  We can look at our dear ones here tonight that have family members that are really struggling and they don’t need to tell you that it is having a profound effect upon them.

God sent His word and teaches how to close last year and start a new year, “Forgetting those things that are behind and pressing forward…”  You don’t want to spend too much time looking back at failures, discouragements, and disappointments.  You want to come to the place, “I am resting the past and looking forward.”

One of these days the gates of heaven are going to spring open.  My mother would have been 100 years old January 31^st.  In my mind I wondered if I will see mom as a silver-haired lady.  I don’t know how I will see her but we want to be on the rock so that when the storms have come we have heard, read, and measured to the Word of God.

The sand is worldly ideas.  There are a lot of worldly ideas.  There are those that think that everyone is going to heaven.  We don’t have to build upon the sand.

Mat 13:18  Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

Mat 13:19  When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side.

I had a wonderful childhood.  Many of us here did.  There are those that didn’t have good childhoods.  I got a letter from a boy that is a son of a missionary.  He said that he had a tumultuous childhood.  It breaks your heart.  Children ought to have a good childhood.

When we go to talk to someone, whether they had a good life, a good childhood, or a bad one, we have the desire that they could understand about the kingdom.  It is a kingdom of peace, righteousness, and joy.

When they hear and do not understand the devil comes and catches away that which was sown in their heart.  How sad it is for everyone in the past that received seed by the wayside.  Karen was praying, “Oh God help our hearts to be broken so that we receive the seed from the Word of God.”

In Isaiah it says to send out the creatures to break up the ground.  Sometimes you and I are that instrument that we have to work to break up the hard ground in souls.  They resist it.  Sometimes because of conviction they really resist it.  There are times that you have to push past that soil.  I know a God that can turn wayside soil into good ground.

Mat 13:20  But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

Mat 13:21  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

We all know of individuals that want to be saved and will tell you that they are ready to be saved but do not do so because they don’t have stability in their life.

Every soul that makes it has to have it settled.  Everyone that gets saved will be tried and have manifold temptations but we must help them to have it settled because it is worth it.

He in the thorns hears the word.

Mat 13:22  He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

The cares of this world go on and on and on.  I am happy for everything that we got done on the church property and at home this last year.  But my whole thought is this, there will still be lots of cares.  Every one of us that has a vehicle that will tell you it is time for an oil change, when it comes on you think that it needs to be done immediately.

All of us need to have enough money to get by, but don’t put any trust in your riches.  Sow good seed to God.  Give and it will be given to you, pressed down and in a good measure.

How many have started to serve God, but cares overtook them?  How many have sacrificed their soul to get an education.  It is good to get an education but don’t risk your soul.  All that have jobs that have certifications where you have to have continuing education.  There is no end to that.  It is not wrong but don’t let it be your God in your life. 

There are always things coming on to see if it can keep you from doing the Word of God that you heard.  Listen to the good side.  Jesus is the best teacher that you have ever heard.  He told us all about the wayside, the thorns, and the stones.  It fit then and it is right on target 2014.

He that hears and understands:

Mat 13:23  But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

The truths of God’s Word are written for us.  It is written that our mind, our heart, our tongue, everything would be cleaned up and we would grow.

Everyone has the ability to bear fruit.  If you are saved then you have the ability to bear fruit.  I cannot sing or play the guitar like Brother Rick, but I can bear fruit. 

I believe in letting God take care of the percentages.  I believe in stepping to the line and saying, “I’m going to let God draw the line and I’m going to do my best to bear fruit for God.”