Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 5/27/15

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 5/27/15

Isa 55:4  Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.

It is wonderful to know who God ordained Jesus to be.  The stamp of God: His Son is alive and real. 

The prophet here said that His Son is a witness.  You may be here tonight and seeking God for an answer.  Jesus Christ Himself witnesses to our heart.

There are times that we seek Him in prayer and we may not receive the answer that we need, but we feel the witness, “God has heard prayer.” 

You may have a family situation that is headed in the wrong way.  You begin to pray and seek God and He witnesses that He is going to work.  “Father, we feel the witness that there is going to be a breakthrough from God.”  We serve a mighty God. 

You may be in a very difficult situation, you may be in a very blessed situation.  One thing you want to remember is when you serve God His Son witnesses “This is the way,” or he witnesses, “This is not what you should do.”  God sometimes witnesses, “This is a fine thought, but it is not according to the Word of God.”

My mom and dad were in the movement and they heard of this Brother Lawson that was going to come and preach the Revelation message.  They walked in and saw this old brother as skinny as a rail.  They looked around and wondered, “Where is everyone?”  He spoke and God witnessed that that was truth.

Jesus is a leader.  It is wonderful to have a leader today.  You look around and other than those that are serving God you will see those that have no direction in their life.  Isn’t it wonderful that God has direction for every season of our life? 

He has direction for us to be able to know how to deal with souls. 

Psa 126:5  They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

Psa 126:6  He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

God has a way of breaking us and helping us to have that brokenness so that we can help souls.  You say, “I think they need to have a piece of my mind.”  I wouldn’t give it away.  If you go forth weeping bearing the precious seed, the bible says you will come again with rejoicing.

He is a commander.  It is wonderful that Jesus Christ is a governor with the heart of a shepherd.  We love to read books of shepherds and sheep.  How they love and care for the sheep.  They can tell by the sound of a lamb or ewe whether they are ok or need help. 

We have a shepherd.  We have one governing our lives that really cares for us.

1Jn 5:5  Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

1Jn 5:6  This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.

In a world today, May 27, 2015, where you are blasted in the religious world with the idea that you cannot overcome the world.  I opened a book given to me on humility; the thought they tried to push was, “We all have to sin so that we stay humble.”  I thought, “This book has to burn.” 

I am glad that I serve a God that saves from sin.  He that overcomes the world is he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 

It is the Holy Spirit that witnesses, because the Spirit is truth.  We have God to witness to us, Jesus to witness to us, and the Holy Spirit to witness to us.  God will witness to the plan if we will follow the plan.

1Jn 5:7  For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

1Jn 5:8  And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one.

Isn’t it wonderful that the blood of Christ on my soul agrees with Jesus and the Holy Spirit of God?  No jangling or tangling, we agree.

1Jn 5:9  If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son.

Isn’t it wonderful to have the witness, “I am a child of God?”  When I wake in the night it is wonderful to lay there and say, “God I am your child, what is your will?”

1Jn 5:10  He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.

1Jn 5:11  And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.

1Jn 5:12  He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Isn’t it wonderful that “He that hath the son hath life?”  Let Him be your witness, leader, commander, and governor with the heart of a shepherd.

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 5/24/15

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 5/24/15

Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

God told Moses to make all things according to the pattern.  If you study the Old Testament, God was very clear and exact as to how He wanted everything done.  God likes things done right for Himself and God wants things done right for His people and for His church. 

The outer court was about 50 feet by 150 feet.  The tabernacle itself was about 15 feet wide and 45 feet long.  The last 15 by 15 feet was the Holiest of Holies. 

The oxen or lamb was taken alive, slaughtered, the blood was retained, and the beast itself was burned by fire in the outer court.  This was done every day twice as a continual sacrifice.  It was done in the morning, a sacrifice for sin, and it was done in the evening, a sacrifice for sins. 

The effect of the sacrifice:  an ox was slain and offered and it did give forgiveness for sin.  It was much to be appreciated, but it did not give a changed life where they could live victorious.  So that they could have a relationship with God of being able to commune with Him.

Heb 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

This is speaking of Jesus Christ.

Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

Heb 8:4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

You seamstresses probably understand patterns.  If you have tried to build anything you would need a pattern.  A pattern is not the substance itself. When you look at the blueprint of a house, it is just to show what the finished product would be. 

It is the same way, God wanted Moses to make all things according to the pattern so that it would be exactly as God had shown him.  It was to be a pattern of all that Jesus Christ would be so that He could accomplish what He desired in our lives.

I have grandchildren, and I have a heavy burden for children.  God has a definite pattern for their lives.  Children, however young you would be, however old you are, God has a definite pattern for your life. 

You might say, “I didn’t become interested in God until whatever season in life.”  God still has a pattern for you today.  God has a pattern for every one of us in our exact season of our life.

If children can grasp that there is an eternal God and His greatness… we are taught in the Word of God that God is great, “Ascribe greatness to God.”  Jesus came to set up His kingdom which is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

It is wonderful that when we come to a place where our body will no longer endure, we have a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens.

Paul’s testimony was, “I was the chief of sinners.  I was injurious…”  He did his best to hinder the saints of God.  God in His mercy brought him to bible salvation and give a pattern of what God is able to do for sinners.

Heb 8:6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

Isn’t it wonderful that we don’t have to wait for the morning or evening sacrifice to be forgiven from our sins?  We can live right and act right and do right throughout the day and have that pattern lived out in our life.

Jesus became the supreme offering that we could have our conscience purged.  Sin is a continuing thing.  People that start lying as a child, unless they get saved, the only change that takes place is that they go from being a little liar to a big liar.  If a thief, then they go from being a little thief to a big thief.

Jesus was offered as the perfect sacrifice as a lamb without spot or blemish.  Once and forever a new covenant was put into place.

The first covenant did not save men from sin, they kept offering sacrifices because they kept sinning.

Heb 8:7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

Heb 8:8  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Heb 8:9  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Heb 8:10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

It is a wonderful, marvelous thing.  We need to ascribe greatness to God that He made a plan available to us so that we are not just religious, not just a nice person, not just an individual that wants to do good.  He puts His law into our mind and writes it in our heart.

“I will be their God.”  God was given to detail, very close detail.  I was reading that in the holiest of Holies the ark was to be made in a certain way and of a certain size and there was to be gold inlayed on the outside and on the inside. 

God has a definite pattern for our lives, so that you can know beyond a shadow of a doubt that your sins are forgiven.  It is wonderful to know our sins are forgiven and we are right with God.

 Not only does He forgive sin, but He puts His law on our heart and in our mind.  It is wonderful, because no matter the temptation, your heart says, “I want to serve God.”  And your mind says, “No matter what the world offers, it is better to serve God.”

God deals with mankind everywhere, even if they don’t have the bible.  He deals with their hearts and minds “this is right, this is wrong.”  When they realize that they have disobeyed God and need to ask forgiveness, God has witnessed to their need and is ready to forgive.

Heb 8:11  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Heb 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 8:13  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Any that would have the thought, “I don’t want to accept Jesus; I want to remain under the old covenant of sacrificing animals.”  Jesus did away with that.  The pattern of Moses can never give redemption.  The only thing that can give redemption is the blood of Jesus Christ.

Redemption means to redeem the soul back.  All of us when we came to the age of accountability: “I know this is right and I have disobeyed.”  Every individual knows when they reach that age that they are accountable before God.  Once they reach that age, they are responsible to God and they need to be responsible to their parents, and to the pastor. 

They don’t have to go down the road very far and they realize, “I am doing things that I never thought I would do.  I am finding myself entertaining sin, taking pleasure in things that I never thought I would do.”  Often that is known as condemnation.  With that Jesus comes with conviction. 

There is a vast difference between condemnation and conviction.  Condemnation is something that we do to ourselves.  With condemnation comes hopelessness.  We know people that are bound, whether by alcohol, cheating, lying, drugs, etc.  Under condemnation they don’t feel they can ever change, “This thing has me.”

Ascribe greatness to God.  When His Spirit comes, it convicts men and women of sin.  Godly sorrow works repentance.  Godly sorrow is conviction. 

Repent means to confess to God and to turn away.  It is not saying, “God I am sorry and I plan to do it again.”  It is saying, “God I failed; God I sinned.”  Godly sorrow causes people to turn from their own way to God.

The reason that people are bound by sin is because they yield to sin and not because of their dad or their nationality.  Condemnation leads you deeper into the awful pit.  When conviction comes it says, “Repent.”

Godly sorrow brings us to the place of saying, “I want to get saved and I want to quit that sin business.”

Redeemed:  say you were drowning and there was no way of you getting to shore and someone realized, “that individual is in trouble,” and got a rope to you and pulled you into the boat.  This is why Jesus came, to redeem us out of the drowning condition.

Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

The blood of bulls and goats served its purpose prior to when Jesus came.  When Jesus came and went to the cross and shed His blood.  The blood of bulls and goats was done away with in the thought that there is no salvation through offering a sacrifice, but through Jesus alone.

Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

All of us were born as a child with a conscience.  We are sad that we educated our conscience and did that which was wrong for way too long.  That blood that forgives from sin, the power of the blood casts our sin as far as the east is from the west, the power of the blood wrote our name in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and it purged our conscience.

All that are parents and have tender children, when you correct them you see the little tears come into their eyes.  They have a tender conscience. 

Everyone that is saved in this audience, keep your conscience tender.  My conscience bothers me extremely whenever I misspeak or say or do anything that displeases God.  I want it that way. 

You say, “There are somethings that don’t matter.”  God is given to detail.  If you will keep your conscience tender, keep a tender conscience husbands and wives.  Being the head of the house is more taking responsibility than being the boss. 

The blood of Christ purges our conscience.  That conscience between us and God, “God I want everything right.”  The conscience between us and the saints of God, between us and whoever we work for, having integrity when they give you back too much change at the store.

This is the book of patterns.  There is only one pattern for salvation.  This Word of God has a pattern for the widow lady that will not work for my wife, she has a husband.  There is a definite pattern for young ladies and young men, know the pattern.

There is a pattern for the older sisters and for the older brothers.  God has a pattern for each one of our lives.  You may have wasted a lot of your life in sin.  You may feel really bad.  All the training you missed from your teenage years to when you got saved, don’t spend much time there or a lot of things could begin to work.  The thought is, “I want to find the pattern for me today.”

“Is your all on the Altar?”  That is the way to find the pattern.  In the world people are opinionated.  Usually they are the most opinionated about what others ought to do.  The pattern shows us what we ought to do, how to have fulfillment in life, and really enjoy life.

It is important to know the pattern.  If you are old, you are not useless, find the pattern.  You will always be unhappy and discontented unless you say, “God show me the pattern from the Word of God.  Show me how I can measure.”  You must be all on the altar.

God has a pattern for His church.  We are a long ways from AD 33.  I doubt they had Daily Vacation Bible School at that time, but they were busy teaching the gospel.  We have reached 2015, the same God is a God of exploits.  He has challenges for us; God show us the pattern.

There is a right way to treat each other, there is a right way to greet each other.  The pattern is the Word of God.  We look into the pattern of the Word of God.  You sisters that know how to sow or knit, Brother Rick that knows how to buy a board and make a guitar out of it.  The board is not the pattern. 

You might get by with doing things your own way in cooking, but it is a disaster in life.  God told Moses to make all things according to the pattern.  They worked and built the tent tabernacle according to the pattern. 

If you feel, “I don’t know if my life has a pattern, I go this way and that, I wonder about God and I wonder about religion.”  Yes but when you come face to face with yourself and say, “God I want to make everything in my life according to the pattern.”  He says, “Ok, I will give you the blueprint.”

Often before a message is ever preached, God puts the pattern on an individual’s mind, heart, soul, and spirit.  They realize, “I am looking for something.”  Then God sends the pattern.

Sister Teri Sunday School 5/24/15

Sister Teri Sunday School 5/24/15

God works our perfecting through difficulties.  God desires for all things to work for everyone’s good.  It comes down to the question, “Will they let it?” 

If they continue resisting God then they will not get the good out of it.  We can pray for our unsaved loved ones, neighbors, and the world that God will turn their hearts to Him.

God works to His glory.  It is His power, His might, His purpose being displayed.  The wholeness of Him displayed is His glory.  He desires to work this through us.

Isa 43:7  Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

He has created us for His purpose and glory: for Him to be displayed through us.  As this He has given us His spirit.

Act 1:8  But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Without His Spirit we cannot display the Glory of God as He would have us to do.  By the power of the Holy Spirit we can witness to God’s glory everywhere: at home, with our neighbor, with the saints, with Babylonians, and with those openly opposing the truth.  God can give us power to display His power wherever we are at.

2Co 4:3  But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:

2Co 4:4  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Without being in the presence of God we cannot be under His authority or for His glory, to come to His presence and get the direction, strength, and help to work that which He would desire in us.

Sinners are blind and cannot see the truth that God has all around them.  God wants us to be a light to shine all around in that darkness.

2Co 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

He gave us this light not only for our benefit but for the benefit of all that are still in darkness. 

2Co 4:7  But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

We are still in the body of flesh.  We still have our quirks.  A lot of that doesn’t change.  The excellency of the power must be of God and not of us.  Everything we have we could lose if we stop walking in the light, if we don’t take hold of the Word that we hear.  It is more than just to have it sitting somewhere, a bible sitting on the shelf.  We need to take hold of it.  If we don’t we could lose what we already have.

2Co 4:8  We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

We are not distressed because of the grace of God in our life.  Without that we would be in despair because of the things that are going on around us in the world.

2Co 4:9  Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

In order to show forth the body of Jesus we must be dead.  As we die to ourselves and yield fully to him, realizing that in our own strength we can do nothing; He empowers us.  It is only through His strength, we can live holy.

2Co 4:10  Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

2Co 4:11  For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

It was by faith that David threw his stone at the one unprotected place and brought Goliath down.

Gideon brought 300 men through the strength of the Lord to defeat an unnumbered host.  They didn’t have weapons but a lamp and a trumpet.  At the given time they broke the vessel containing the lamp and blew their trumpet.  They were victorious with nothing but the power of God.

Jesus suffered in the flesh, He was lonely at times, criticized, maligned, and suffered unjustly.  We will suffer at times.  We want to handle it as Jesus did.  He had to get alone in prayer with God even though He knew Him personally. 

God can use those dark and stressful; times for good, to teach us how to trust Him and to help unbelievers.

2Co 12:6  For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me.

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

2Co 12:10  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

There was a lot that God did through Paul.  He said, “I am not going to glory in myself in this.  I am not going to let anyone else glory in me.” 

He had something that was really a hindrance to him.  He wanted deliverance from it.  God said, “I am going to leave that there because I want you to always look to me for the grace and the help to overcome and to go through. 

Accusations can be like this.  We would love to be delivered, get the victory, and never have to suffer again.  God allows the enemy to do that because then we seek God, get before him and seek His grace to face the enemy. 

When the enemy came to Jesus, as He fought against the enemy that is how we are to fight.  We lift up the Word of God.  The enemy has to leave.  The Word of God is our defense.  It is a part of the power of God. 

When we recognize our infirmities that is our opportunity to display the power of God and we can take glory and pleasure in that.

1Pe 4:10  As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

1Pe 4:11  If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

In all that we do, in every gift that God gives us, use it for His glory and realize that it is from God.  Do everything with the realization that every gift is from God.

1Pe 3:9  Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.

1Pe 3:10  For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:

1Pe 3:11  Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.

1Pe 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

1Pe 3:13  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good?

1Pe 3:14  But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled;

1Pe 3:15  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

1Pe 3:16  Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.

When persecutions come we are not going to render evil for evil but handle it as God would have us to.  Handle it as Jesus did.  He didn’t rail against His accusers; He didn’t call the angels down.  He went through it as God would have Him to.

We want to lift up the truth in the right way.  We want to refrain our tongue from evil, that our lips speak no guile, that we eschew evil, and do good.

The one that asks in meekness and fear can receive an answer.  We also need to answer in meekness and fear.  We don’t need to respond to people that are wanting to beat us up. 

Joh 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

We are carrying a message of great love.  They need to see that they are bound and on the wrong way.  They need to see the right way.  That is the message that we are carrying.

Joh 3:17  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

We were all in darkness and condemned by our darkness and our actions.  We needed to hear that we were in darkness and could be delivered.

Joh 3:18  He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Joh 3:19  And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

Those that love evil, hate the light.  They would rather us leave them alone and dwell in darkness.  Because they hate the light it causes an emotional response to come up in them.  They think it is coming from us but it is coming up in them.  It is their hate.  Our silence will not keep them from it.  They will hate us even then.

We have to let God work.  If He wants us to say something we shouldn’t back off.  But it will be God that works.  We don’t want to respond on attack.  The most powerful response is love.  By showing compassion on them when they go through difficulty the Spirit of God can cause them to realize our love.

God help us to love them as He loves them.  He doesn’t want any to be lost.  He wants to save them from destruction.

Our nation was established to pursue happiness.  The pleasures of sin bring grief and destruction.  There is no happiness there.

1Pe 4:1  Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;

1Pe 4:2  That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:

1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.

We are to live for God’s glory:  God’s presence, power, and purpose revealed in us and through us.

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 5/20/15

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 5/20/15

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

There is a way that our heart can be healed and we never have to go back to that horrible pit.

I will love them freely:  I still remember Sister Klemstein preaching a message where she said that after she got married she loved Rhiney, but she was afraid to trust him with all her heart that he would really love her and be good to her all her days.  God spoke to her, “You need to love your husband, and as I have loved you, you need to love him.”

It is so wonderful to have found the treasure of His love.  It is wonderful to be loved.  Sometimes people that haven’t found love have hesitations and reservations.  But it is so wonderful that God will love you freely.

God spoke to Jeremiah, “Tell these people, if they will turn to me, serve me, live for me, and follow me, I will turn to them with all my heart and all my soul.”

Isn’t it amazing that we can experience so much love, affection, and Him desiring the very best for us.

His anger is turned away:  As angry as God is with sin, when we repent it breaks.  Isn’t that wonderful?

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

I will be as the dew to Israel.  Every one of us will have storms in our life.  We need to check out where the storm is coming from.  Some storms are self-made, some are imaginary in our mind, some storms would just be called life. 

Karen and I went through a storm a month or two ago and it was really tough.  There was nothing that we could do to change the storm. 

The dew of heaven doesn’t come in the storm.  You may not understand why the car broke down, or the deal went through, or why someone that is usually happy to see you is not happy to see you anymore.  There is a power in submitting everything to God.  When we submit everything to God and take our hands off and say, “It is all on the altar, I am totally submitted to God.”  There is a dew that comes.

This dew is a marvelous phenomenon that the world cannot figure out.  These little droplets of water get on grass and other plants.  How fertile it makes the plants!  How green and productive!

Psa 133:1  A Song of degrees of David. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!

Psa 133:2  It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;

Psa 133:3  As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

In any congregation there will be many different personalities.  There is one thing that we need to remember.   Our unity is based on our love for God and our love for one another.  We have to suffer some things sometimes.  My opinion isn’t always going to be yours.  There is nothing worse than having our unity suffer.  If we do then we will lack the dew.

We need the dew of heaven to keep us alive spiritually in our times. 

He shall grow as the lily.  I understand seedtime and harvest.  I understand the Word of God is the seed and it can be planted in this earthen vessel; prayer, praise, and the saints of God water the seed that is sown.

Bulbs must be planted and go through a winter.  It must reach a certain low temperature that doesn’t freeze them to death but so that when the spring sun comes out and the moisture comes, something begins to come up out of the ground and soon with tender loving care there is a beautiful lily.

We will have some dark seasons in our life.  There will be times when we go right on serving God and we don’t feel much emotion.  We say, “I am going to be true to serving God.”  We go right on living, singing, testifying, and being faithful.

There is something from God, the experience of being saved, sanctified, settled and determined that will cause the bulb in our life to begin to grow and produce.

The roots of Lebanon:  There are tall trees in Lebanon.  In order to have a tall tree, we must have our roots down.  There will be winds that will come to knock you over.  We must have our roots down and bear fruit upward.

God wants every one of us to not colonize and say, “I have two or three saints around me…”  God wants us to put our branches out and reach where we have never reached before. 

You may say, “Rejection really bothers me.”  When I say that, they look at me as if, “I cannot believe that anyone with as strong a voice and a set jaw as you would be bothered by that.”  When we reach out to others we have nothing to lose and everything to gain.  The Word tells us that we will not be rewarded for how many get saved, but for obedience, labors, and reaching out.

Hos 14:6  His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.

Beauty as the olive.  The olive is always green.  It is a very, very wonderful tree that bears olives that not only give food but olive oil has healing powers.  It fights infection and is a pure oil.  God help us to be like the olive.

The smell as Lebanon:  We want to be very refreshing to be around.  I love to walk in a healthy forest.  Live trees take in the bad and put out the good.  I love to breathe deeply that air that is so full of oxygen.  It smells so good. 

All of us want to have an aroma around us of being alive.  We don’t want to be half dead and stinky with a stinky attitude.  We don’t want to have a lot of complaining.  We want to have the thought, “I want to do my best and be my best.”

Hos 14:7  They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.

Revive as the corn.  Corn can get a frost, look dead, and then revive.  There are times that you will go through things and feel, “I don’t seem to make the progress that I want to make.  I seem to be losing a bit here.  Have I gotten frost bit by too much internet or radio?  God less of that and more of you.”  He has a way of sending the dew and sunshine and we revive.

There will be times that we get convicted.  I started reading the Preacher and Prayer, by EM Bounds again.  Preaching without prayer kills.  Exhorting without prayer and teaching without prayer kills.  If someone is struggling, pray.  Then show how much you care.  Until someone knows how much you care, it is almost impossible for you to be of any benefit to them. 

Grow as the vine.  God has ordained that we be graft into the true and the living vine.  Jesus helps us to grow and we help one another grow.  A vine is a tangled thing; it is difficult to try to tear them apart.  You can pull and yank and there is strength in a vine.  We want to be graft into the true and living vine.

The scent shall be as the wine of Lebanon.  I don’t know of that but I know of the wine of the Holy Spirit of God.  Don’t you love it when you can feel the Holy Spirit moving in your soul and moving in another’s soul? 

Hos 14:8  Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.

I didn’t get where I am today the first year that I was saved.  The journey has taught me so well, I knew then intellectually but I know it now experimentally.  Serving God really pays.

The idol of money, the idol of things… Don’t get me wrong, it is not wrong to buy a scooter this summer.  Idols cannot give anything back.  God can.

Hos 14:9  Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.

Hosea ended with the marvelous text: the ways of the Lord are right.

We know the general way: salvation, repentance, forgiveness, sanctification, water baptism… we know these things.  The way that God has you handle whatever you are faced with tomorrow is right. 

I’ve really been praying for our grandchildren and for all the children of the congregation.  I first had the thought, “May the seed of the Word of God be planted in their heart and life.  May they know that we love God and love them.  May they experience the love of God and the love of the saints.” 

When I was a child I had a Sunday school teacher by the name of Cleo Blanchard.  She loved me.  She has loved me for probably 60 years.  I will never forget one day I saw Cleo and her sister Candace.  I said, “Hi, it looks like sisters are having a nice time.”  As I walked by they said, “I don’t care what anyone says, I like him.”

Pour love into children, these children are so blessed to have those that love them.  The ways of the Lord are right.  Love souls.  Love grandmas.  Pour out love.

God is a God of Judgment and says, “This is the line I draw, you need to step to it.”  He has done this many times.

If you have gained ground and lost it or have had the victory and lost it, it is vital that we have the dew of heaven refreshed. 

He will heal their backsliding.  It is vital that we love one another and love the Word of God. 

Deuteronomy 33 says, “When rain is needed he will send the rain, when dew is needed he will send the dew.”  There are times when I feel my need of a drenching rain.

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 5/17/15

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 5/17/15

Pro 31:27  She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Our burden is to help us as the church realize our responsibility to help one another.  Sometimes events of life put us in a position where we feel that we are on our own in this journey.  If we as the church will function as God would have us to function, then everyone will know that they are loved and cared for.

Courtship and marriage are a journey and there are things that are unknown and a certain amount of risk.  There will be times when us as the church will take our heart cry to someone to try to be a help and it is very well received and other times we reach out to someone and they say, “I don’t need help.”

In Proverbs 31 it describes a virtuous woman.  The bible also speaks of men of valor.  The meaning is the same.  The Bible wants both the sisters and the brothers to be men of virtue and honor.

We live in a world where for centuries there have been those that have chosen to be men of valor or women of virtue.  There are also those that say, “I don’t want to do good in life.  I don’t want to be a father or a mother to my children.  I don’t want to have responsibility.  I want to live by sowing my wild oats.” 

I don’t think I have ever met anyone live with that attitude to their dying day, but I have met lots of them with regrets. 

Virtue means a miracle.  I want it real in my life, in my relationship as a brother, and as the family of God.  Many times we feel strongly the great need of instruction and help of one another.  That is a part of looking to the ways of one another. 

May is a difficult month for the church in Paradise.  As a church, God has entrusted us with virtue: the ability to handle the challenges of today.  The ability to edify.  We are thankful for the young couples that are here today.  I wouldn’t want them to make the mistakes that I made in my marriage. 

Virtue means ability.  God has entrusted us with the ability to accomplish everything that we need to accomplish.  You all know and understand the parable of the talents.  What God has given to you, use. 

I am preaching to a congregation that has been entrusted with a lot of things from God.  Unless we use them we become dormant, and sad but true many have lost what they once had because they didn’t use it to the honor and glory of God.

God has entrusted us with strength.  The thought of virtue is having strength.  I look upon us as the family of God.  I think of the thought of rescuing the perishing and the challenge of being the church of 2015.  We see Babylon playing: coffee carts in the church, party time, very little gospel, and a lot of playing.

We can still be the church set upon the hill.  The church that loves God and God comes down and meets with us.  People come and go and say, “I have met with God and received instruction.” 

My challenge this year is that we as the church and I as an individual will experience Zion in a greater way.  That sinners will be fearful in Zion.  That the Holy Spirit of God sends a realization to those individuals, “You have not measured.  You need to measure to the Word of God.”

God doesn’t want us playing church, but to have a purpose in our life.  God wants you young people to have a purpose in your life.  May God help me as the pastor and your parents as parents, and us as the church to encourage every individual to have a real purpose in your life: “I want to know God.  I want to be an example of the believers.”

As far as following the crowd, whether you are a child or a senior citizen, following the crowd is not the answer.  Following Jesus is the answer.

Pro 31:10  Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

You might say, “When I came to Jesus Christ, I had a colorful past.  When I came to Jesus repenting and confessing and turning from my sin.  Jesus forgave me of my sin, buried it in the depths of the sea, He cleansed my heart, wrote my name on the Lamb’s book of life, and started me on a journey to virtue.”  For Brothers the journey is to valor.

Her price is above rubies.  The value of the Church.  The church is not a building. 

Act 2:47  Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

Mat 18:20  For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

The value of the church is far above rubies.  It is the household and family of God.  The household puts much effort into being a household.  My wife and I both work so that we can have a home.  There must be effort put forth. 

Don’t try to teach, or preach, or sing, or testify if you don’t pray and seek God.  The value of a message or a song that is prayed out of heaven money cannot buy.  It is far above rubies.

“I think I can get by on my own.”  That is your thought.  The bible doesn’t teach that.  We need one another.

Pro 31:14  She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar.

There is no place on earth that God ordains to send messages out for the church to preach.  The old messages of DS Warner, FG Smith, or Emerson Wilson were good.  But don’t ever try to preach someone else’s message.  Those messages will be sounding brass and tinkling cymbal if they are not born out of heaven.

In Jeremiah the bible teaches us if we turn to God with all our heart, soul, mind, and desire that God will turn to us with all His heart, and with all His spirit.

Thank God we live in the Gospel Day where it is the desire of God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost to open the windows of heaven to our soul.

Pro 31:15  She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

There is the night of the soul.  I haven’t visited with many people this last week or had many phone calls, but there will be times when you feel that it is a tough season of your life.  A couple weeks ago I had a phone call where one of the saints told me, “My heart is broken.” 

We have been entrusted with the thought that when a brother and sister is in a difficult spot we arise and say, “What can I say from God, what can I give from God?  There has to be food from heaven for that soul that is in a difficult spot.”

There is nothing like the dark night of the soul and someone calling and saying, “I have had you on my mind.  I am praying for you.”

We have to forget about ourselves.  As a pastor, I preach against knowing everything that is going on in everyone’s life.  We can’t be so calloused that we can’t call everyone that is here or absent and say, “I am praying for you.” 

You will not be rewarded with how things were received.  You will be rewarded for being faithful.  There are some people that are so starchy that they will never admit that they have a need.  Don’t let them hinder you from obeying God. 

Pro 31:16  She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.

I want to preach on the thought of desiring a field of labor.  In the harvest field so ripe there is a work for all to do.  It might be your neighbor.  It could be anywhere else that God would choose.  It could be your classroom, it could be these little towns… the emphasis is to work with the soil until you can plant the Word of Life.

We are taught to be examples of the believers and we are taught to sow the seed.  Get your Bible out and have the seed of the Word of God to sow.  It is a powerful thing.

Pro 31:17  She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms.

Put on the whole armor of God.  Whatever God has convicted you of, when God shines light, “Son or God You need to measure here or there.  Son or daughter, walk in this light.”

If we don’t put on the whole armor of God we will not be able to stand against the wiles of the enemy.

Pro 31:18  She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night.

I don’t know what difficulties will come for you or what your trial will be, keep your lamp trimmed and burning. 

When it feels, “All I had hoped for is gone.”  America has the thought, “Youth has everything and let’s just take the old to a mountainside and let them die.”  No.  While you have breath you are of value.  Hold your testimony.  Keep your lamp trimmed and burning.  Walk in the light and hold your testimony with God.

Pro 31:19  She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff.

Pro 31:20  She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.

That man, woman, boy, or girl that doesn’t know the plan of salvation is poor.  Know how to explain the plan of salvation: that all have sinned; that Jesus came to save all. 

Know how to explain what condemnation does.  God doesn’t condemn us, it is the sins of our life that bring condemnation.  The reason that so many are sick, unhappy is because of condemnation.  The reason that so many are rude, crude, and ugly is condemnation.  They feel so terrible because of how they treated their children, their parents, their teachers… those that they should have been good to.

Condemnation produces hopelessness.  “I failed God.  I failed my fellow man.”  That is different than conviction.  There is an answer to our problems today, it is Jesus.

You and I cannot stick our head in the sand.  “I cannot say anything because someone will not like me.”  Heaven will not be yours because you won a popularity contest.  If you love someone then tell them the truth. 

Virtue reaches out to the poor and the needy.  We are all heartbroken when we think of a young man, a junior in high school, his mother died one day last week in the hospital.  You think of all his needs:  car, money, food, cloths… You know what his real need is, it is salvation.

If you have a lot of money, what I know of America today, put it to a good use.  But what he really needs is God.  Reach to the poor, the needy.  Not just those out of the church.  Sometimes it is your brother or sister on the next pew that needs a word of encouragement.

Pro 31:21  She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet.

God so marvelously ordained that there would be the garments of salvation and sanctification, the garments of humility.

Pro 31:25  Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

When God comes in He gives strength, honor, and rejoicing.

Pro 31:26  She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Wisdom comes from God.  One of the fruits of the Spirit is kindness.

Pro 31:27  She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

Look well to the ways of the household, the body of Christ. 

I will never forget one time going to camp-meeting and seeing this pickup and camper pull up.  I got excited.  A dear sister said, “Young man be careful.”  That was before Karen.  I look back to the snare that was laid for me.  I wouldn’t be here or serving God this morning.  Children, can you be told and instructed? 

Parents teach your children to receive instruction.  Godly instruction.

You cannot help someone that you haven’t made deposits of love in their soul.  If there is someone that there is a gulf between you and them, build a bridge before you try to help them. 

Look well to the ways of your children.  My mind goes to the thought, “What will happen when you get a little older?”  Know how to encourage, God will take care of you.

My mother became a widow way too young.  My dad wasted his fortunes prior to salvation.  Thank God he got saved.  My mother had nothing.  They might have owned a little old house.  They had very little money.  My dad was a lumberjack.  God never failed her.

The night she died, the furnace quit.  It froze every one of the African violets.  Young people, let the church and your parents help you to look well to your ways. 

Moms and dads live so that you have discernment.  Live close to God so your children hear you pray.  I have a lot of wonderful memories of my mom and dad.  I thought as I was getting ready for today, “Oh if I could only hear my mother pray.”  I remember when I shut off my power saw as I was working in the woods, hearing my father pray.

Parents, grandparents live close to GOD.  Look well to the ways of her children.

Pro 31:28  Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

There is nothing as wonderful as brothers and sisters in Christ saying as Paul, “I thank God on every remembrance.”

Christ’s attitude toward His church:

Isa 62:3  Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the LORD, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God.

They will be as a royal diadem in His hands.

We are living in a churchy world but it is a world that the Word of God has designed to cause God’s church to be as a city set on a hill.

The redeemed are a treasure in His hand.  How beautiful!  How much He cares for His own!

Jer 32:41  Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.

God’s attitude toward everyone that is saved is, “I am going to bless them.  I will open all my spirit and all my desire to them.  All the blessings that I can bless them with, I will gladly give to them.”