Brother Gary Sunday Morning 3/30/14

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 3/30/14

Act 14:27  And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.

Act 14:28  And there they abode long time with the disciples.

Paul and Barnabus had come back from a missionary journey and had a good report of those that had turned from idols to serving the Living God.  They told how God had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles. 

What is this door of faith?  What is the door of opportunity that is offered?

It is a wonderful thing to know that there is a door of opportunity opened to mankind.

Mic 6:6  Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?

Mic 6:7  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

A very solemn question is posed to us.  We that have reached the age of accountability have come to the realization that we have sinned.  We have a conscience that allows us to know when we have done wrong.  How shall we meet this eternal God that knows that I have sinned and done that which I should not do? 

10,000 rivers of oil?  Could there be?  If Eastern Montana and Canada are as rich in oil as they claim, there may be, but that doesn’t cover for the price of sin.  There was a blood sacrifice given in the Old Testament teaching and in the New Testament teaching Jesus is the sacrifice.

How shall we come before God?  We are each individuals with opportunities.  There is a door of faith that God has that will open to everyone that seeks Him.  There is a great door of opportunity for everyone. 

The greatest door of opportunity that has opened for anyone of us is the opportunity to have our sins forgiven and our past cast as far as the east is from the west. 

Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

It is a marvelous thing how God has a way of teaching mankind of their need of coming to God.  Psalms 19 tells us that nature, the sun coming up in the east and setting in the west tells us of God. 

It brings to our mind the thought of the Sun of Righteousness rising with healing in His wings.  As the sun is designed to shine on the whole world, so the Sun is designed.

When the spring comes and the flowers with the baby lambs and calves, over and over again we see God speaking to us. 

God speaks to us; God requires mankind to do justly, to give that which is due to God.  Every one of us is so blessed to be alive, to have the opportunity to get right with God, to have the opportunity to serve God in this present world.

I was thinking about the doors this last week.  There are some doors that are always open.  The door of thanksgiving is a door that is always open.  All the parents are laboring to teach their children to be thankful and that is important. 

It is vitally important that we have a thankful heart toward God.  Your life may not be perfect.  It is vital that you look for those things to be thankful for.  Know God.  Practice being thankful.  Be thankful for your friends and for the good teachers that you have.  We must have courage to be thankful. 

Isa 26:3  Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Be thankful that you have a sound mind.  If we keep our mind stayed upon God, it is vital to know what to think about.  If you don’t think about right things then you will not have peace, and you will be in a spiral.

Fifty years after the birth of Christ the Holy Spirit moved upon Paul to write to the Philippians.

Php 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Php 4:7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Php 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Think on things that are true:  His Word, life.  Honest:  God, His Son, and the Holy Spirit will always be honest to you.  It is wonderful to have a friend.  Jesus is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.  There are other friends, brothers and sisters in Christ that are honest.  It is wonderful to have an honest friend that says, “Let me help you with that.” 

It is wonderful to have a Just God that is more than just with us.  I think of His justice and kindness.  My heart is moved with His kindness to each one of us. 

Those things that are pure:  Determine to keep your mind pure.  It is a choice.  There is a door of uncleanness that any of us could go through.  You can say, “No I am not going there.  I am going through the door of justice and of faith.  I will keep my mind clean. 

Those things that are lovely:  there are a lot of beautiful things to see in our time.  Thank God for fellowship and friends.

Things that are of a good report:  Tell what God has done for you.  A good report makes fat the bones.  Thank God for what He has done for you.

Things of virtue: valor, modesty, strength.  Thank God for virtuous sisters and brothers of valor and that we can live modestly before God.

The Lord requires that we do justly:  give God that which He is due.  He is worthy of your love.  He is worthy of your youth, he is worthy of yourself.  Give Him your mind.  Give Him your heart.  God created us to love and be loved. 

You may have loved and gotten hurt, that is a part of life but if you will love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength, you cannot out love the lord.  He will love you back and be there at every turn of the road.

Do justly in loving your neighbor, loving one another and being merciful and kind to one another.  Do justly to yourself.  Don’t spend another minute beating yourself up.  Don’t spend another minute telling yourself that you have no self worth or don’t amount to anything. 

Genesis 2:7 The lord created man out of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul.

Do just to your soul.  That sin that is there, if there is sin in your life you know it, it is a black spot and is painful.  If God convicts you of sin, the easiest thing I know of is to get saved.  We come as we are and say, “God I’ve sinned against you and I am sorry.  I know that the door of forgiveness will open and you will forgive me of my sin.”  God has provided for it.

God has ordained that our soul be happy.  There is something about grief and mourning, even though you are hurting past words, you can rejoice because you know that God is there with you.  You can rejoice because even in the difficulties you know that God will bring you through.

Don’t deprive your soul of the joy of prayer.  Jesus taught us to pray, “Our father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.”  I am convicted of light frivolous praying.  Some say, “As I step across the threshold, I say, ‘God be with me today,’ and as I come home I say, ‘thank you.’”

If you are able to get on your knees, get on your knees and say, “God I need you to walk with me today.  I need you to keep me from defilement.”  We pray for our grandchildren and children each day. 

Don’t deprive your soul of having the counsel of God.  You may be here and in the decision making process.  Let God help you make the choice.  He will help you to make the right choice.

Love mercy.  Jesus said in Matthew in the beatitudes, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.”  To love mercy you say, “God may you show mercy even where judgment is due.  Where there is something wrong, don’t take the judgment and the justice but help them to ask God to forgive them and help them.”

Psa 19:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psa 19:2  Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.

Psa 19:3  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

Psa 19:4  Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,

Psa 19:5  Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.

Psa 19:6  His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

As the sun comes up it causes something in us to be thrilled and rejoice.  There is something greater than that and it is Jesus.  He caused the Sun of Righteousness to arise with healing in His wings. 

We cannot heal ourselves.  We have all known pain.  I see Christ covering every part.  When Karen and I go to see a premature baby in the Hospital it looks to me that they have them wrapped too tight.  But it is right.  That little Baby needs to feel that it is secure, wrapped up and cared for. 

There is only one way to deal with sin and that is to ask God to take care of it.  We must come as we are to God and say, “God will you please forgive me?” 

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

He is the Sun of righteousness that arises with healing in His wings.  There may be many that could stand and say, “I was one that he covered in His wings.” 

He’s brought many promises.  He gives us what we need today.  We come tomorrow and need another promise and He gives us healing again.  He gives again and again and again.

Today the door of faith is open.  Isn’t it wonderful that once you go through the door of faith, get saved and do your best to walk with God and obey His voice, that door is always open to you.  We don’t try to tell God what to do; He is God.  God can help with any need because He is God. 

How many times have you gone with a burden that is too big for you and too big for me?  That door is not locked.  You go through and say, “God I am so needy.  I don’t know what to do here or there.”  He says, “Come over to the door of faith.  Remember what I did for Moses, for Abraham?  I am still God and I will do the same for you today.”