Brother Jack Klemstein 10/3/14

Brother Jack Klemstein 10/3/14

Prepare for the blessings

Gen 22:17  That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;

Gen 22:18  And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.

We can prepare for many things; brides seem to enjoy preparing for the wedding.  Some people prepare for other things that are not near as positive.  We have a choice tonight of what we are going to prepare for.   We should be careful what we expect in life and in eternity.

It is important that we know and acknowledge the truth and that the truth sits firmly in our plans. 

It is not a good thing to prepare for a beating, desolation, or hell for that matter.  I am thankful that we have a choice.  We have the kind of God that has given us the ability to choose Him and everything that that entails.

There is no bad or evil in the blessing of God.  We serve a very positive God.  We read about God’s plan for us and they are all good plans.  He has never set any one up for failure.

My parents played funny games when I was younger.  One of those games was called, “the goat.”  They would send a person out of the room and say, “This is what we will tell this person to act out, and here is the thing, you do not guess what this person will act out.  You guess everything but that, because that person is the goat.” 

My dad went out and came back in and was to play the violin.  They guessed everything but that.  He kept saying, “No”, and playing harder.  Finally they said, “You’re the goat.”  He said, “No”, and played harder yet.

God never sets up to be the goat.  He is the good God and if we suffer personal setbacks it is generally because of poor choices that we make.  There are trials in life we are promised that.  But generally with grave setbacks in our life it is because we made poor choices.

We look back on our life and see many poor choices.  I was an only child and had to learn a lot of things the hard way.  I had expectations that were unrealistic in how people should react to how I acted. 

I got saved because God reached out to me.  People think, “I know that I should be saved so some day I will.”  That is not necessarily the case.  The Spirit must reach out to you.

Abraham was blessed and was blessed for a reason.  What did Abraham do to be blessed?  Was He just fortunate to be born at that time, that place, and that community? 

From the time of Abraham’s relationship with God, God gave Abraham some pretty tall orders.

The first thing that God requested of Abraham was to leave his own country.  Abraham was asked to leave his country, his family, and his father’s house.  He was asked to go to a land that he knew not.  He had no idea where he was going, just asked to go there.  He believed God.

God told Abraham that He in blessing, would bless him at that time.

Abraham had a history of obeying God. 

In Genesis 22, God had asked of him to sacrifice his son that He said that he would have and the years went by and by and by.  His wife thought it was comical that someone would say that they would have a son after all those years because they were older.  We would call them old today.

They had the son of promise.  After they had him, and found him to be a wonderful gift of God, after they had gotten used to him, this young man was very precious to his parents.  God said, “I want you to sacrifice your only son.” 

Abraham obeyed God.  Isaac said, “Where is the sacrifice?”  Abraham had this confidence in God because he knew God.  Abraham said, “God will provide sacrifice.” 

When God says something to you, you don’t have to have nervous prostration, because you are trusting God.  You have experience with God.  God has asked you to do some things and you have done them.  You have asked him to do some things and He has done them.

We are talking to night about preparing for the blessings.  What should we do?  Never disobey God. 

Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  There are people all across the land that say they believe God but they will not obey God.  They have no respect for Him or His Spirit.  When the Spirit speaks to them, they say that they are not interested.  God says, “I am holy, you be holy.”

He is holy; He is absolutely trustworthy.  Is it too much to ask of you to be trustworthy?  Would you young ladies marry someone that says, “If you want to marry me then you will be absolutely trustworthy but I will not be.”  Some people approach marriage that way. 

Is that a good way to approach marriage?  If it is that way, will it last?  If it does last, is it satisfactory?  Is there something there that will last the test of life?

If we trust God, is it not important that He trust us?

My wife and I will be married 40 years next year.  Today is our anniversary.  We have been married 39 years.  She can trust me and I can trust her. 

To old and young alike, I remember what a minister said to me recently.  We were talking about being married and the grace of God.  We are still married because of the grace of God.  One spoke up and said, “If we would have gotten divorced then it would have been my fault.  I would have been a big jerk.”

I was that.  My wife got a rocky start.  I was not easy to live with.  I told you I was an only child.  I was spoiled.  Thank God I learned some things.

The grace of God means something and brings us through many trials.  We have been married 39 years because of the grace of God.  I have been faithful to her and she has been faithful to me. 

She knew always, even when I was kind of stupid, that I always wanted to be saved.  You can be kind of a bumbling idiot and still be saved.  I’m saying that about me.

We can be saved and still make idiotic mistakes.  God makes the decisions on these things.  I am not talking about being disobedient; I am talking about being dumb.  You just keep obeying God and doing all that you know to do and you will pull out of it.

My dad used to wrestle his friend and this guy wouldn’t start out too well.  My dad was quick and strong and would get him down but no matter what my dad would do this guy would never give up.  My dad would tire out and then the other guy would beat him.

My dad told me this and it stuck out to me.  He told me, “Never give up.” 

If you never give up then you will make heaven your home.

Gal 3:14  That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

We see that God blessed Abraham because of his obedience but did not limit the blessing to Abraham but also to his seed.  We are the children of promise, if we believe God and obey God then we can have the blessing of God. 

We can be the children of Abraham if we believe and obey God, not part time.  I cannot understand a part time Christian.  What if you are taking time off when your soul is called home?  Do not gamble with your soul.  Whatever you take chances with, don’t take chances with your soul.

You only have one soul.  Where ever it will land is where it will stay.  You only have two choices. 

Abraham was blessed of God and was called upon to sacrifice.  We a lot of times look at sacrifice as negative, “I really gave up a lot.”  In reality we are giving up something of less value for something of greater value.  If God asks anything of you, it is only because he has something better for you.  That is how it goes in the economy of God.

We have had easy times and we have had hard times: unexplainable, no explanation for it.  It gets rough and doesn’t get better for a long time, about seven years.  It is hard on women and it is hard on us because it is hard on them.  We don’t like to see them suffer because of it is not as good as we think that it should be.

We go through it month after month after month.  There are a lot of months in seven years.  The electric company wants to be paid every month.  The car always wants gasoline.  God got us through the last month and He has never failed us or let us down. 

If you think that it is nice or something or that you would be comfortable with living off of charity then try it.  A lot of people like to live off of the government.  I wouldn’t suggest it.  They are not trustworthy.  They give you money and then want the money back, “We made a mistake.”

God is better to trust than every other individual.  That it is better to give than to receive is bible.  If you are on the receiving end, then over and over again it is a humbling process.  It is good for us.  Suffering brings patience.

God is the giver of good things.  Every good thing comes from Him.  When you find that there is nothing that you cannot trust God for, that is healthy.  Paul said that he was fine with living or with dying.

Walking with the Lord and being trained by the Word and the Spirit of God produces the peaceable fruits of righteousness in us.  It is better to trust God, and what He brings is ok.

I hope that I never fail God when it comes to trusting Him in whatever He wants to do.  Just keep believing that He knows best because He does.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Rom 8:15  For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

Rom 8:16  The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Rom 8:17  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

I shared a book once with a Baptist fellow; I thought it was a good book.  I had a reason to give it to him because he was going through a tough time.  It was about suffering.  He gave me my book back because he didn’t like it.  He said that he wasn’t interested in suffering.

The gentleman that wrote the book was mightily used of God and suffered tremendously.  He was well equipped to write the book.  Thousands of people in his life got saved.  His name was Priem. 

He got saved in the 50’s in a street meeting in India.  He was a Buddhist or a Hindu.  The preacher told him that he could teach him how to escape eternal punishment.  He was taught eternal punishment.

He went to the preacher and told him he wanted to know how to escape eternal punishment. The preacher said, “Let’s pray.  Ask Jesus Christ to come into your heart and He will and you will be saved from eternal punishment.”  They did and he was saved.

He was a major in the army and went back to his soldiers and said, “We’re going to read the bible and what it says we will do.”  They all told him that they were Christians too.  They were this kind of Christian or that kind or another and they still lived how they lived. 

He went back to the preacher and said, “What kind of chirstian am I?” The preacher told him, you’re just a Christian.    He went back to Nepal and witnessed to others and did his best to help others get saved.  They put him in prison.  There were many people saved in the prison.  They kicked him out and said, “You are more dangerous in prison than out.” 

He was determined to make constant converts.  He labored two years in Nepal with not one convert.  One night he was sleeping in a tree because he was traveling to a little village and there were lions and such around there.  He said, “God what is the problem?  I want to make converts to you and no one is getting saved.” 

God said, “Priem, too much of Priem and not enough of God.”  The Word of God says, Seek and you shall find.”  God was faithful to him and he got sanctified in that tree. 

He went into this village and preached to the people and the man said, “Marvelous, the Jesus you preached about could heal anyone.  My mother needs to be healed.”  Priem didn’t know what to do but thought, “I preached the truth.”  He went to the woman and prayed for her. 

He prayed the prayer of faith said, “God has healed you, get up.”  She got up and strength came into her legs and she went running through the streets and said that Jesus had healed her.  There were 10 or so converts there and one was a priest that went back to the monastery and testified and they poisoned him.

No one enjoys suffering.  Paul was not bothered by suffering.  People recognize that Jesus suffered, and Paul suffered, etc.  People have a choice to make when we give them something to read.  Let us make our choice for Christ and never renege.

We are heirs and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.  Have you thought about what that really means?  Jesus suffered on the cross for us and so that we could be saved from our sin.  God said, “Because of what you did I am going to lift your name highest.  And I am going to make you joint heirs.”

I don’t understand why people don’t have a higher opinion about God.  It is because someone has lied to them.  Don’t look about; it is the devil.  The devil always lies.  God always tells the truth.  You can tell me something about my wife and I can tell you if it is true or not. 

Is there anything wrong with standing up for God?

We live in a society that says, if you don’t think like everyone else then there is something wrong with you.  You need pills, mind changing pills.

Jesus thought it not robbery to be equal with God.  But humbled himself and was obedient even to the death on the cross.  The next time that you are asked to do something, then think twice before you hesitate. 

When some people are called upon to do certain things then they resist.  What if Christ had resisted the Spirit of God in the garden?  He was asked to do more than what we can comprehend.  We are asked to do things that we can comprehend. 

When I was young, then I didn’t like work.  It was not included in what I wanted to do.  As I went on I learned to like working.  People respected me more when I worked.  I respected myself more when I worked.  You will get married easier if you work. 

Some people quit their job because they are not recognized like they think they should be.  We need to recognize what God has called us from and what he has called us to.  We are called to be kings and priests, not punching bags or door mats.  It is not a calling of God. 

We are called to be kings, priests, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.  Since that is true, let us go back to the natural for a moment.  Some people have fallen into high paying jobs because of how they are connected; maybe because of the family they were in they got a certain job. 

This person is given a job they really didn’t deserve.  It happens sometimes.  They are not educated or well equipped for their job.  They are asked to do minimal things.  The job has a salary and they can be productive and be a respectable citizen by simply doing what they are supposed to do: like show up.

A guy had a job like that, he knew some things.  A bank gave him a job and a nice office and was he was paid a lot of money but it got old because he never did anything. 

How many here feel like they deserve what God has given us?  The office and high calling he has called us to? 

All the benefits God has called us to and what does He ask of us?  Showing up is a part of it.  Obeying God.  He never asks of us what He has not given us in the first place.

It is more blessed to give than receive; give and it shall be given unto you.  Whatever He asks us to do He equips us for.  You can never out-give God.  Whatever He asks the more He gives us.  Who would give up a job like that? 

I have known many people that have backslid.  If we were working for the praise of man, earthly fame or compensation it would not be worth it.  We are not working for earthly gain or compensation.  We are talking about eternity, our eternal soul either being in hell or heaven.

The very best that we will experience here is just multiplied in heaven.  Everything is better and grander on a scale that we cannot comprehend.

What are some of the things that you struggle with in your life?  What has Satan tempted you to give up God for?  I don’t care who you are or how old, Satan is still working to derail us. 

A brother testified that on his death bed at the last it was a tremendous battle.  Thank God he succeeded.  When we think of all that God has given us, it is worth it to make an effort to keep it.

Mal 3:1  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts.

Mal 3:2  But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

If you are a germ, you hate Lysol.  It is not a good thing to be a germ when Lysol is around.  The germs probably scream bloody murder when they see it coming out. 

Some people have that kind of attitude about God.  God doesn’t tolerate anything that is not good for the human race.  He doesn’t tolerate sin.  There are a lot of things that are not good for the human race that people will protest and fight for because they want their sin.

God just wants to do away with what would not be good for the human race.  People fight for it.

You don’t have to be a bigot; you can just be a Christian.  Do the right thing because it is the right thing to do.  It is ok to say to a young man, “You are a creation of God and God has called you to something higher than that.” 

If we don’t tell the young men and women that they are called to be kings and priests and God has something better for them than tattoos, piercings, and messing your body and soul up, then who will?

God wants us to be a part of Him.  He wants us to be in His presence but He cannot tolerate sin.  He sent John the Baptist to prepare the way of the Lord.  John the Baptist had a message:  Repent and be baptized.

We are to do something about our heart.  God has a cure for the sin problem.  There is no excuse for sin because we have the cure.  If anyone teaches that you can sin and go to heaven then they are lying to you. 

For young people to go to college is a challenge.  It is hard to be around people that have no idea where you are coming from or what you are standing for.

I believe that God wants us to stand for the truth.  You can stand for truth and always be kind.  You don’t have to be arrogant or proud. 

I believe that you can be a red neck and go to heaven.  But a sinner cannot go to heaven.

God has a prepared place for a prepared people.  If we are not prepared then we cannot go to heaven. 

God has made it possible that we can be freed from sin.  God has made it possible that we can go to heaven. 

When we measure to the Word then we are perfected.  I have seen people over the years get better but not bitter, get better but not arrogant, get better but care more about people.  The more they did for God the more that God facilitated the work that He called them to do.

What we have is very good.  We want to preserve it by the Holy Ghost and share it with whomever we can because it is what God has called us to do.