Brother Gary Sunday Morning 3/1/15

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 3/1/15

God is a God of instruction.  All thy children shall be taught of the Lord.  We are happy that God designed from eternity that every individual should know the Word of God.  There have been times in history that men kept the Bible from people.  That did not change the Word of God.

There were seasons in the Dark Ages and in the Old Testament where the Word was hid.  Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found.”

Jer 31:34  And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

For everyone that has reached the age of accountability and realizes, “I have failed God and I need a savior.”  The plan of God was not an afterthought but started from the beginning.  The plan of salvation started from eternity. 

God knew that man would fall into sin and would need a savior.  There is only one savior and that is Jesus Christ.  In the Gospel Day it is designed that there be an understanding that we need a savior.  God ordained that there be teachers, preachers, and evangelists to edify the Body of Christ. 

God has given us a built in seed of faith.  He has given us a light that is lit by Jesus Christ and discernment to know what is truth when we love God with all our heart, mind and strength.  God witnesses to our heart, “That is truth.”  Or to those things that don’t line up with the Word of God, “That is error.”

Jer 31:31  Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

Jer 31:32  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

Jer 31:33  But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Prior to confessing and repenting, when men longed after God but didn’t have a heart change they were not able to keep the law because they didn’t have a new heart and the law written on their heart.  Jesus came to give us a new heart, a new spirit and to write His law on the living, fleshy tables of our heart.

It is not serving God from head knowledge but from heart knowledge.  He wrote it upon our heart to love, serve, and obey His teachings.

That he would be our God: It is a wonderful thing to have the only true God as our God.  I have been reading and thinking recently of all the many gods of this world.  The antichrist is spoken of in John.  He said that there were already many of them, many people denying Jesus.

America and the world has not changed.  There are many antichrists today; they deny Jesus.  They believe that they are the messiah and have the answers to the problems of the world without Jesus Christ.

The chorus I sang this morning says, “He is all I need.”  For these precious children, and all the children of the world, they have a lot of needs, but the great need is Jesus. 

The young people of our day have lots of needs, “Stand in the ways and ask for the old paths.”  There are a lot of different ways.  There are many that would say, “Go this way or that way.”  Look at the end of the path.  Look where it leads.  If it doesn’t lead to peace and eternal life, don’t go that way.

God held the hand of Cyrus.  He said, “Whatever you face, I will be there to give you victory.”  This God wants to be close enough to you to lead you.

“God said, “I’m going to hold Cyrus’ right hand.”  Whatever we are facing, if we have our hand in the hand of the Lord, we can rest confident that He will provide for all our needs, in what we need to overcome and in what He has given us to enjoy.

Joh 6:44  No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Isn’t it wonderful to have God the Father draw upon our heart?  I remember as a child that I wanted to know about God.  My mother and father were Christians and I remember asking specific questions about God.  The Father draws upon you. 

There would be something so awesome:  to receive a call from home, to have your dad tell you that he loves you, to have someone call to just check on you.  That may not happen for many of us here.  But we are still not without parents, we have a heavenly Father and He called upon us when we were in sin.

I was in deep sin and there was a heavenly Father that called.  There are times when we definitely hear the voice of God speaking to us, there are other times when we feel the hand gesture, “Come closer my child.” 

That is the way that our heavenly Father is.  Jesus said, “No man can come to me except the Father call him.”

Joh 6:45  It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.

It is vital that we keep the right heart and mind attitude, “God I want you to teach me.”

Rom 12:3  For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

It is wonderful to know that God has given every man a measure of faith.  These little children have faith.  What they are taught, they believe to be true.  That is good.  They believe that there is one true God.  That is good.  To everyone here, God has gifted us with a measure of faith. 

God designed that your faith grow exceedingly.  You might say, “I have a very little bit of faith.”  God will help that faith to grow if you will let Him.  Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.

Begin reading in Hebrews chapter 11.  God was with Moses, with Abraham, and others.  Paul decided that the chapter was getting too long and said, “I don’t have time to write of all the rest.”

Mar 10:27  And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

Joh 1:9  That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

For every individual, Jesus comes and lights that little light in their heart and in their conscience.  It causes them to want to know God.  It causes them in their conscience to have an awareness, “I need to do what is right.” 

The conscience can be educated to become crusty, but we don’t ever want to do that but keep it tender towards God.

2Ti 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I believe that I have a learning disability.  It is so wonderful that you don’t have to have a master mind to know about God.  When you read His Word, God is a marvelous teacher.  Jesus (Matt 5:2) is a teacher.  A great multitude had come from all sorts of places, there were those in that audience that found it difficult to learn.  Jesus began to teach. 

It is marvelous how the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost will teach us.  Maybe you have wondered all your life, “Surely God has something for me.” 

Buddy Robinson had problems stuttering.  He wanted to know about God.  An evangelist came and told in the open air the wonderful plan of salvation.  He thought, “I want that.”  Even though he stuttered and stammered as he repented, God heard his heart. 

He hungered and hungered for more and more of God.  He heard the wonderful message that after you are saved, you are to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, a reasonable service.

He said, “That is what I want.  I want to give everything to God.”  One day while he was out working, he was praying and seeking after God.  He felt God’s hand saying, “I want you to preach the Gospel.”  He thought, “Me, I cannot even talk so people can understand me.”  

He wrote to the people that he was associated with, “God has called me to preach.”  They said, “You just preach on the outskirts.”  He knew they were pushing him aside but God wasn’t.  When he got into the pulpit, he didn’t stammer and stutter anymore. 

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

Isa 64:4  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

God has a wonderful way of giving us more than we ever asked for from the Word of God.  Study to show thyself approved unto God.

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

This Word of God doesn’t know the thought of just turning on after 8 in the morning.  All scripture is given by inspiration from God.  It is inspired 24/7.  It brings the teaching right to your heart.

It is profitable for doctrine:  we live in a world that some say, “Doctrine doesn’t matter.”  It does.  The scripture tells us, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.”  You must know the truth to have freedom. 

The Bible is the book to believe. It is above all manuals, above every book that has ever been written.  It is forever settled in heaven.  People write books and then write revisions.  This is the only book that we need when it comes to doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is a doctrine of reproof.  When we need to be corrected, He corrects us by His Word.  You say “Sometimes I feel that there has to be something wrong with me but I don’t know what it is.”  When there is something wrong, He won’t come with a feeling, He comes as a serious heavenly Father and says, “Son there are some things that we need to talk about.” 

He doesn’t come to condemn.  We are already convicted if we’ve done wrong.  He always says, “This is the problem.”  Then from the Word of God, He always gives us the answer.

I remember the days when there was pride in my heart and I knew that God has always hated pride.  You heard my wife’s prayer that she used to be bitter.  God didn’t come with a club and beat that out of her.  He says, “This is the way to get rid of that which displeases me.”

The scripture says, “Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God.”  Only by pride comes contention.  If you are contentious, then the Bible tells you that there is pride there.

He doesn’t deal with maybe’s, or “There is something wrong.”  He comes and says, “I am displeased with this.”  You say, “Thank you for telling me.”  He says, “This is the way to deal with it according to the Word of God.”

The proper way to deal with when someone does you wrong is as the Bible teaches you, “Go to them.”

The Word of God is profitable for instruction.  There is not a season of your life where you don’t need instruction.  Children, know what the Bible teaches you about being a child.  Young people, 2 Chr 1:9; Solomon was about 16 to 18 years old.  He had become king.  Went to Shiloh to worship and while he was there God said, “Ask me what you will.”  Solomon said, “That I may have wisdom from thee.”

Paul told the Corinthians that they had 10,000 counselors.  If you have ever felt that you have way too many people telling you what to do, there is one that has the right counsel every time.  If he asks you, “Son or daughter what is your request?”  I plead with you to consider saying, “That I would receive instruction from God.”

Being a grandparent is not designed to just be fun and games.  I am not trying to be their parent, I am their grandpa.  They need to hear from grandparents, “Love God.”  They need to learn to obey their parents.  They need to say, “Please, and thank you.” 

When we are alone with God, we pray, “God help me to know how to be a good grandparent.”  Some pray, “God help me to know how to be a good in-law.”  Help me to know how to serve my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

He is a God of instruction. 

They came from all over to the Sea of Galilee to see Jesus.

Mat 5:1  And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Nine times Jesus said that we are blessed in this account.  To be poor in spirit is to recognize that you need God and His help.

Someone told me recently the way to happiness and it was wrong.  Romans teaches us, “The kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”  If you want to be happy, serve God.  Know Jesus and be a part of His kingdom.  Have Him reigning in your heart.

If you have had some losses then you have had some mourning.  “Blessed are they that mourn.  They shall be comforted.”  God has a way of comforting our heart past what we can comprehend.

Blessed are the meek:  humility.  They shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are they that hunger:  if you feel that hole in your heart this morning and you realize, “We have so much.”  We have way too much.  We didn’t go to the market to buy meat.  We have meat in the freezer.  The cellar is getting empty but is not empty yet. 

Blessed are they that hunger:  that soul that wants everything right between you and God and between you and your enemy.  If you are struggling that is ok.  Let Him help you with the struggle. 

Blessed are they that hunger for they shall be filled.  Part of hungering after God is hungering for fellowship.  I get hungry for God, for the hymns.  It is wonderful to have a hymn book and open it.  The wonderful song, “Yielded to thee. Lord, Yielded to thee.”  God has a way to give us a song.

Blessed are the merciful.  If it has always been a problem to forgive, let me help you this morning.  If you will forgive then you will be forgiven.  We need a lot of mercy in life.  We don’t know the many times that God in his mercy puts forth His hand and shows mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart:  You say, “How can you be pure in heart?”  Confess your sins to God.  He forgives.  I have known forgiveness.  I have known individuals that cried out for forgiveness.  

When He forgives several things happen.  All our sins are remembered no more.  Thank God the record of all my sin was canceled.  Then He casts our sins as far as the east is from the west.  Never to be remembered against us again. 

God spoke to Jeremiah and said, “As terrible as things are in the literal church in Jerusalem.  If they would repent I will bury their sins in the depths of the sea.”  Think of it this morning.  When God looks at a soul that has confessed and repented, he doesn’t think of their sins, he thinks, “There is that one that called out to me.”

He said they would be cast as far as the east is from the west.  And He casts them in the depths of the sea.

Isa 50:4  The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned.

It is a wonderful thing how the ear can be trained to hear if there is a baby crying or a call for help.  God has a way of training our ear so that we can hear Him speak to us.  You say, “How will I know when it is God?” 

He doesn’t come as a barking dog.  He comes as a shepherd and always comes through the door to His sheep.  He comes in a way that you know it is God.  The Bible says, “My sheep hear my voice and they follow me.”

God’s voice always speaks according to His Word.  His spirit reveals our needs and the path to instruction.  Then as the song said, “Every need He fully supplies.”