Sister Laurel Sunday Morning 10/18/15

Sister Laurel Sunday Morning 10/18/15

The lesson this morning is “Trapped, snared, snagged, and hogtied.”  We had problems with ground squirrels this spring.  Kent got a bunch of traps and our boys became trappers.  They really trapped a lot of them, 30 or 40. 

The devil’s intent is to trap and snare everyone. 

There are different ways to be hogtied.  They put both sets of the pig’s feet together and they cannot move.  When they hogtie prisoners, they are on their belly and they put an iron around their neck and tie their feet to the iron.  It can kill them because they get tired and can no longer hold themselves up so they strangle.

I thought of the people in sin, they are caught in traps that cannot be seen.  A liar has a trap on their tongue.  Picture them with their tongue stuck in a trap.  A liar will tell a lie when there is no cause for it.  A person when caught in that may never be freed. 

A guy with a fishhook in their eye.  They are trapped with bad internet, bad pictures… 

A cow or pig with a ring in their nose, it is a tender part of their body.  If they are led by the nose, a big old bull will not do anything against it.  They can be led by their nose.

A troublemaker always stirs people up. 

When God says He hates something and it is an abomination, we don’t want to take it lightly.  We don’t want to be caught in a trap like that.

Pro 6:16  These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:

Pro 6:17  A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

Pro 6:18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

Pro 6:19  A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Some of those things you may think aren’t so bad, but they can cause a world of hurt.  When it happens against us it is a horrible wound. 

I hate the thought of someone here today that is sitting in the pew and yet has their soul snared in a snare or trapped in a trap.  You can be free from sin.

The majority of denominations out there do not teach that blessed truth that we can be free from sin.  

There are people so snared that they are stuck and cannot even wiggle.  We want to see every soul that is bound, freed.  You children and young people: we want you to recognize the trap and the snare so that you don’t get caught in it. 

We need to not go through life lazily but watchful.  The devil is even now laying snares for you and me.  Make yourself strong where you know you have a weak area.  We want to be watchful, having our devotions, and never become lax. 

If you do get caught, thank the Lord you can get turned around. 

Maybe you are a child or young person that has never given their heart to God.  God is looking on with sad eyes.  He sees down the road at the snares that you will get caught in.  It makes Him sad. 

Don’t give up if you are saved.  Now is the time for each one of us to set our feet and purpose that we are not going to turn back.  If you are saved, He wants you freed and not fallen into a trap.

Ecc 9:12  For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare; so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon them.

That is how a snare is.  It is just there all at once. 

Adam Clarke - Man acts so heedlessly, notwithstanding all his wisdom, and all his warnings, that he is often taken, as a fish is, by the baited hook; and the bird by the baited snare. And thus, an evil time, like the snare, gin, trap, hook, falleth suddenly upon them; and they are taken in a moment, and have no means of escaping. How frequently do we see these comparisons illustrated!

A snare is often a noose designed to catch a bird or an animal.  It is designed to look deceptively attractive.

Pro 12:13  The wicked is snared by the transgression of his lips: but the just shall come out of trouble.

The enemy wants to bring something appealing to you and trip you up in it.  You could be ensnared by your tongue if you are a good story teller. 

I like to listen to a good story.  If you are a good story teller you don’t want to embellish too much and make the story not true.  You may think in color and the story is black and white.  You don’t want to be ensnared by your tongue.  Make sure you stick to the truth in your story.  It is good to be excited, make sure you are not ensnared in that.

Half-truths: you are tempted to tell a little part, just the part that makes you look the best.  You might be afraid that you will get in trouble.  We don’t want to be deceptive in our speech as saints.  Some of us may want others to like us.  Telling half-truths is a lie in God’s book.

Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

We don’t want to be ensnared by our tongue.

Pro 18:7  A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.

We don’t want our lips to be a snare.  Have you ever noticed that you think you have something conquered and the enemy will bring the old trick back and try to ensnare us again?

In Revelations 21:8 it speaks of the unbelieving.  It can be one of the biggest snares that can catch us if we have been walking this way a while. 

There are things that we as adults fear.  We fear for our children.  We get sick and fear, “I believe He can heal so-in-so but will He heal little old me?” 

We want to keep a watch out for fearfulness and unbelief.  We can be trapped by ways of thinking.  We want to break that habit. 

God is a great big wonderful God.  He does not want to be doubted in His abilities.  He is well able and He doesn’t want us wondering if He is going to take care of the petitions that we bring before Him. 

There are times that we should be silent.  We should never express feelings of unbelief.  When the children of Israel’s song of victory turned to doubt…

Exo 14:13  And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.

Exo 14:14  The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.

In times of unbelief, insurmountable problems, when you cannot speak faith and trust in God, then don’t say anything at all. 

When we come to a hard spot, we look back at our memorial stones set up, “When we thought we were at the end, He has never failed.”

The battle of Jericho:

Jos 6:10  And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.

God did not want the people as they walked about the city to express thoughts of unbelief:  “What are we doing?  We are marching about this city and they are laughing on the wall at us.” 

There was only one thing that He wanted to come out of their mouth: a shout of victory.  When they shouted, the walls fell.  What an incredible act of God.  He did this because they didn’t express unbelief and shouted victory.

In the story of Pilgrim’s progress Christian and Hopeful decided to take a shortcut.  Beware of shortcuts.  The old paths are safe, secure and they work.  He is not changing His will and His way in 2015.

On their shortcut a bad storm came along and they tried to turn about.  There was a flashflood and they found shelter.  The next morning giant despair threw them into the doubting castle.  He didn’t feed or water them, he showed them the bone pile and encouraged them to take their own lives.

He repeatedly beat them and starved them:  Doubting and despair will beat you up.  To remain in doubting castle will end in spiritual death. 

Christian while praying remembered the key called promise.  When the enemy tries to beat you up, God’s promise are key.  They tried it in the castle lock, it worked, and they were freed. 

We need to keep our mind on God’s promise and not on mountains of doubts. 

There was also a man named Ignorance.  Christian ran into him several times along the way.  He didn’t have the passport and he wasn’t saved, but seemed to be making it.  He got down to the river at the same time as Christian did and instead of swimming he rode in the boat across the river, a boat called Vain Hope. 

They asked him where his summons was and he pretended to look and then said, “I am here, surely I can get in.”  They told him, “You cannot get in without a summons.”

A few years ago I was speaking to an elderly lady about her soul.  She was raised in the Church of God here in Paradise.  I asked her if she was saved and she said, “I think I am alright because God answers my prayer.”

That is not a sure answer, it is an ignorant answer.  Saved people may be praying for you and He is answering their prayer.  Many want to feel that they are ok.  They “feel the presence of God” or “feel that He is answering their prayer.”  It is a terrible snare.  It left a question mark in my mind.  I don’t know if she made it. 

It is ignorant to hang your hope of your experience on that at the end.  The enemy loves to rock the baby, put the pacifier in, and try to keep them happy in sin. 

Moving on to the goose or duck decoy:  There are weights on them, there are a lot of them.  You put them in the water early in the morning and start calling.  The ducks and geese think that their pals are down there and they get out of the sky and are shot. 

Who are we following?  Do we care too much what our peers think?  Are we going to follow them to the path of destruction?  We want to be in the in-crowd?  We don’t want to be fooled by decoys and lose our soul because of it.

1Co 15:33  Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

You need to make good friends.  You need to recognize in your life if someone is more of an influence on you than you are on them.  Have a back bone.  We don’t want to please our friends, but please God.

Pro 22:24  Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

Anger is a leaven that leavens the lump.  If you are around people that are angry all the time then it can cause us to follow that path and you will have something that you are always cross about.

Pro 29:22  An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

Pro 22:1  A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.

Ecc 7:1  A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

A person with a good name is one that is called when help is needed.  They are called when prayer is needed.  Keep growing character and grow in the Lord so you can have a good name.  People know how you will react.  Keep that good name.  If you let it down then it is hard to get it back and it gets thrown in your face.

If we are afraid of what our friends think, then we need to recognize that we need a good backbone and to be a strong leader and not a fearful follower.  Fear God and not man.

God wants us to be the good influence, taking the lead, taking a stand.

Jdg 2:2  And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?

Jdg 2:3  Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.

This happened because they made a league with the inhabitants.  Remember there was a people that dwelt right among them and yet they acted like they had come a long way and they made a league with them.  They were ensnared by them. 

The fishhook can be hidden in a lure.  The devil likes to hide the hook under some good bait.  There are flashy hooks.  The devil wants to make sin appealing.  The devil will make sure that you have some fun in sin. 

There might be a pretty girl or a handsome guy.  It might be partying and being on the in-crowd.  You might enjoy popularity.  You want to be liked; everyone likes to be liked, but I guarantee that you can be liked and still be godly. 

People don’t want to look down the road to how they will look when they are decrepit and ruined by sin.  The enemy wants you to see today, here and now.  What benefits do you get today? 

Maybe you want to climb the ladder; you just have to step on someone to get there.  There are benefits…  You are bound and when it comes time that you want to be free, then it is hard to be free.  We are creature of habits and it is very hard to get rid of bad habits. 

The devil doesn’t play catch and release.  He is playing for keeps.  He wants you until the end of your life.  And it is always open season.

Pro 7:23  Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

It is for your life.  Your life is not a plaything.  We don’t want to see you damned by the devil.  We want you to be saved and not scarred by sin.

2Ti 2:22  Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Tit 2:12  Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

It is not God tempting you but your own lusts.

Jas 1:13  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

Jas 1:14  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

If you are feeling tempted then look at your life and think, “What is there in me that is causing me to not let God meet my need?”

Have you ever snagged a fish?  I have snagged a fish right in his eye before.  Are you snared in your eye?  Are there movies that you view that you would not be showing to Jesus?  What about the internet?  The devil is wicked and mean.  He will ensnare even a child. 

What pictures are your friends trying to show you on their smartphone?  Tell them before you even look, “I don’t want to see anything indecent.  That poor person deserves their modesty.”  People will respect a decent person. 

Kids, be careful what your eyes take in.  The enemy wants you to be caught in your eye at a young age.  Be careful when you are on the internet.  You can type in an innocent thing and something else will pop up.  Know where the x-button is and be ready to use it. 

Back in the day there maybe was not bad pictures to view that were easily available:

Ecc 7:26  And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

We all want to live.  You don’t even have to visit that woman, it is available very easily.  It is the exact same sin.

How to help someone that is trapped: I want to help them.

2Ti 2:24  And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

2Ti 2:25  In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

2Ti 2:26  And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

That is our goal.  As Christians, people that are saved, we don’t want to go to heaven by our self but help others get out of the snare.

Luk 22:31  And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat:

Luk 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

This encourages me for my loved ones that are not saved.  Peter did fail.  He totally denied that he knew Christ.  How awful he felt!  He repented and did exploits for Christ. 

Let’s not dwell in doubting castle where our unsaved loved ones are concerned.  We need to continue on our path to heaven and speak truth in their life. 

Can we speak to them in faith, “When you get back…”  Build the dream of it to them.  “When you choose to serve God again, when you come to the end of the way…”  When we look to the end of them being restored, then they may see it themselves and it helps them not get a false profession. 

“We sang that song that we used to sing together the other day, I look forward to when you are back in your place and can sing with us again.”  Help them know that you see them getting back and there is hope.  Look with the eye of faith and hope.  It might look impossible, but look that we might see the return of the backslider.

We don’t have to be trapped.

Psa 119:110  The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.

Pro 13:14  The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Psa 124:7  Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped.

There are two testimonies here.  The one is, “There was a snare laid but we didn’t fail or error.”  The next testimony, “The snare was broken and I am no longer ensnared.”

Thank the Lord we can be escaped from the snare.

The devil could use some real thin thread to ensnare you.  You could break one strand but with each sin you commit you get bound stronger and stronger.  One line can be broken, but get enough of them wrapped around you and you cannot break them.

Isa 28:22  Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord GOD of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.

Be you not mockers lest your bands be made strong.  You thumb your nose at God: you form those habits and enjoy that sin and your bands get stronger.  I have seen people mock God and choose their own way and their bands are strong. Their road is rocky.  It is mocking God to play in sin.