Brother Gary Sunday Morning 3/16/14

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 3/16/14

Luk 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

The setting of this scripture:  Jesus had been crucified and placed in a tomb.  His followers were in desperate straits.  Jesus had tried to prepare them that He would be crucified, and they were not able to grasp it.  They took the attitude, “Let it be far from thee.  Let thy kingdom be established and the bondages from the Romans broken.” 

Most of us will not look down on them for this.  We have been in positions where God tried to speak to us and we didn’t fully understand and as we traveled along we said, “Oh yes.  That is the reason that He gave us that song, and that we felt we needed to spend more time in prayer.  Now I understand.”

Jesus caught up with these two and began to walk and talk and visit with them.  All of us understand the thought of Jesus catching up with us.  We have all been traveling down the road of life going somewhere.  Sometimes He catches up on us in our job.  God visits with students.  God visits with teachers.  I pray for the superintendent in Plains.

These visitations from God are marvelous experiences in life.  I want to leave it clear in your minds how Jesus and the prophets of old taught us that we would be visited by God.

Isa 42:1  Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

Behold: let us stop and look at who this is about.  It is a prophecy of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Isa 42:2  He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.

Isa 42:3  A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

We want to realize that when things are not perfect in our life, when there is difficulty in our life, when we are challenged in our life, when we feel that we didn’t handle something as well as God would have had us to.   When we feel that we are hindered in our journey by our self.  We are to have the law of kindness in our mouth, both men of valor and women of virtue. 

When allow something to become a stumbling block in our way.  God promised that a bruised reed He would not break.  If you want to serve God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, all your strength, if there is a flame in your soul, however small it would be burning, perhaps just a smoking flax, not an open flame, just a little smudge in the firebox as we would say.  The bible says that Christ will not quench the smoking flax.

He will bring forth judgment.  When God brings correction and light to us in this time world, they don’t come with the thought, “You are wrong and hopeless.”  That is not the voice of God, the good shepherd, but of the thief and the destroyer, the enemy, the devil. 

The bible says that He will bring forth Judgment unto truth.  Jesus comes to us and when He shows us error in our life, if you are living in sin you will feel the convicting power of the Lord Jesus Christ when you realize that there is sin in your life; you have failed God, and purposely done that which displeased God. 

The scripture teaches clearly what sin is: “To him that knows to do good and doeth it not to him it is sin.”  We serve a balanced, just, and fair God.  When we know to do what is good then he walks, talks, and fellowships with us.  God wants you children to do what is right. 

When Jesus comes and shows us a need in our life, He always brings us His Word and His Spirit as a promise.  You may not know many promises, but this God and His Son are the Bible.  When God comes he always comes in His fullness.  When he comes and shows us a need He always brings hope with Him.  That hope is Jesus Christ and the Word of God. 

When we say, “God I want to do what you want me to do.”  He floods our soul with the Word of God.

Isa 42:4  He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: and the isles shall wait for his law.

God doesn’t look at us as unqualified.  He looks at us and says, If they will turn to me and let me live in them then they will be able.

God helped Moses and helped Joshua.  In one chapter Moses told Joshua many times to be strong and of good courage.

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.

When there is a need in your life, don’t be afraid to express it to God.  Say to Him, “Receive us graciously.”  It is wonderful to know that you can go to God and you can know, “I displeased Him, but He is waiting for me to come to Him.”

We will render the calves of our lips:  I will testify what God has done for me.  What you are challenged with something, don’t fail to tell what God has done and is doing.

Hos 14:4  I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.

Isn’t it wonderful that God has a plan that you don’t have to live defeated?

The love of God constraineth the heart of the redeemed.  We love Him because He first loved us.  There is someone that really loves everyone. 

It is a wonderful thing, God is angry with the sinner, but when we turn to God and begin to repent then His anger is turned away.

Hos 14:5  I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

In order for dew to fall it must be still.  The temperatures have to be just right.  Dew is a moisture that has more moisture in it than your watering can.  God promised to be the dew unto God’s people. 

God doesn’t want you to wake up every morning in a storm.  Waking up in a storm is a part of life, but God only wants the storm to be around so long.  He designed that He show up and say ‘peace be still’ to the storm.  He wants us to experience the dew of heaving come to our soul.

The dew comes to me personally usually when I am reading my bible and having devotions.  I like to take the Hymn book and read songs.  Over and over again the dew of heaven comes while reading a song. 

I preached a message on the song, “A Very Special Grace.”  I read the words to you and told the story of the first time that I heard the song in Miami Florida and that a year or two later God told me, “You need a very special grace.”  After He dealt with my heart and helped me through the challenge I was in, He then said, “You need to preach that message I gave you on Sunday morning.”

God has a way of giving you the dew, the moisture that will cause your spiritual life to not feel dry and empty.  It will cause our spiritual life growing and bearing fruit for God.

Joe 2:12  Therefore also now, saith the LORD, turn ye even to me with all your heart, and with fasting, and with weeping, and with mourning:

Joe 2:13  And rend your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil.

We can look sad, wear dark cloths, put on mourning of whatever kind and express our sadness.  God is looking for individuals that will rend their heart.

Adam Clark - Let it not be merely a rending of your garments, but let your hearts be truly contrite.

“God, I desire an audience with you.”  God speaks, “Son or daughter, come closer to me.  Break up that fallow ground.  I have more of me that I want you to have.”

God is good and benevolent.  That is His nature.  He is merciful and slow to anger and of great kindness. 

Joe 2:14  Who knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him; even a meat offering and a drink offering unto the LORD your God?

For someone going down the road of sin toward hell, when they turn, God repents and says, “They are not going to hell anymore.”

Luk 24:27  And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

Jesus began in Genesis and through the books that Moses had written and explained that it was planned from the beginning.  He brought out how God had planned that Satan bruise the seed of the woman’s heel and He should bruise His head.  This is just what had happened. 

The way had been made for people to be forgiven of all their sin and they could now live a life free of sin through Christ.  God ordained that we could triumph through Christ.  You and I are the servants behind the one that has gained the victory, Jesus Christ.

Rom 16:20  And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

If you are challenged with anything spiritually, if you realize that God is speaking to you and you are thinking, “Should I serve God or go see what the world has to offer.”  There are millions that have tried the broad road and they echo, “Don’t go this way.”  I wish I had a recording of all that have called me and said, “I wish I could help others not go this broad road.”

You can have victory.  There is something about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit; they like to give individuals victory in their life.

Grace means the influence of the Divine upon your soul and it’s reflection out into the life.

Jesus Himself drew near; they were walking together and came to where they were to turn in.  They had traveled together for a distance and were about to Jerusalem.  They said, “Will you come in and abide with us?  It is almost evening and the day is almost gone.” 

Jesus tarried with them.  That is beautiful.  I know a little bit about visitation I know a little bit about having company.  I know a little bit about someone visiting with us and tarrying with us. 

He took bread blessed it and brake it.  I believe beyond a shadow of any doubt there is a spiritual application.  Jesus wants to tarry with you and me and take the bread of life, Himself, and bless it.

God is God.  He is the same God to every individual that knows Him and serves Him.  God is not a God of respecter of persons.  There are no big I’s and no little you’s with God.  My dad could preach that better than anyone else.

If everything is perfect in your life, enjoy it because it will not be that way long; that is how life is.  There is something about having Jesus tarry with us.  Find a still quiet place take the Word of God and say, “I want to be alone with God and ask Him to come and tarry a while.”

He took bread and break it.  This bread that He breaks is the Word of God.  He blessed it and gave it to them.  Their eyes were opened.  I don’t know everything; I know very little, I need others to teach me.  That is the reason that we need each other.  He opens our eyes and your eyes.