Sister Brenda Sunday School 12/6/15

Sister Brenda Sunday School 12/6/15

We can know and do the will of God in our lives. 

Luk 1:26  And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

Luk 1:27  To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

Luk 1:28  And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

Luk 1:29  And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

Luk 1:30  And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

Luk 1:31  And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

Luk 1:32  He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

Luk 1:33  And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Luk 1:34  Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

Luk 1:35  And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

Luk 1:36  And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

Luk 1:37  For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Luk 1:38  And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

Verse 26: Think of what made Mary worthy of this honor.  What kind of a person do you think that Mary was? 

Verse 28: She was a young virgin that was espoused to Joseph.  She was bound to him and for the espousal to be broken, you had to go before the magistrate and so to speak be divorced. 

Favored:  to grace, to endue with special honor, to make accepted.

There were some criteria for Mary to meet to be the one chosen by God to bring His Son into the world.  I think of her as meek, sweet, and humble.  In the home with her parents and with her siblings, she was kind.  She was disciplined.  This was to be a big task. 

She was probably helpful in the home and to other people and looked for opportunities to be kind and helpful.  We all have to work at being these things.  We must be saved and have a nature change, a pure heart, to be like this. 

For God to use us and have his hand upon us, we must know that we are saved and have our sins forgiven.  Then we must go on to sanctification.  The song, “Thou shalt be first.”  Has been really good to me.

Mary was one that pondered things in her heart.  She was exceptional.  We think of youth as being impulsive.  She could have been 13 or 14 years of age at this time.  She was of the royal linage of David, yet she was poor and low in the world.

She was a virgin, pure and unspotted, engaged to a man of the lineage of David.  She was dignified, full of grace, and highly favored. 

We have to live close to God and be humble to be dignified and full of grace.  It doesn’t just fall upon us.

She had the presence of God with her.  The Lord was with her.  “The Lord is with thee.”  We want that to be said of us.  We want people to be able to tell by our atmosphere that we have been with Jesus.

She had the blessing of God upon her.  God was pleased with her.  “Thou art blessed among women.”

She was troubled at this saying when she saw Him.  This was a sign that she was humble.  She was troubled.  She didn’t feel that she merited the kind words.  She was not conscious that she was worthy of or merited the honor of the great things said.

She cast in her mind the manner of the salutation.  She was not impulsive and was humble.  She was cautious and even a bit on her guard about this. 

We don’t want to just jump at things but be cautious and on guard.  Let us not be impulsive but cautious and pray about things.  We want to know and do God’s will in our life.

If we are impulsive and just jump at whatever falls in our path we will make mistakes and have troubles.  Not everything that presents itself to us is of God.  We need to meditate and pray about things.  A lot of times we have time to consider things before we make a decision. 

Her desire was to do right and to make good decisions.  She wanted to serve God. 

Fear not.  When things come to us that can stir us and scare us, God knows how to, when He is in it, to say, “Fear not, I will help you with this.”

Mary said, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord.”  She was willing.  This was an honor but there were risks with it because of Joseph.  She was willing to say “Amen” to God’s will for her life.

When we do our best and follow God’s will and His way there is safety in that.  His will was her will.  “I am at your service.”  She submitted her entire life and will to God’s will.

This was not a moment’s action.  It happened because of her lifestyle.  She put her amen on it.  “Be it unto me according to thy will.

Mary was obedient.  She had victorious faith.  She was astute according to the things of life and was not afraid to ask a question when she needed clarification.  We are to ask God for clarification.  Obedience is not blind.  We can talk to God.

She was a precious young lady and a mother.  It was not an easy life that the Spirit of God lined her up for.  She was the vessel for the Holy Spirit to work through and has no power to answer prayer or above the power that anyone has today that is truly consecrated to God. 

All of us should be like Mary and have the same attributes.  It was never God’s will for her to be treated as Catholicism has treated her.  It was not her desire and was not what God wanted.  Mary was humble.  It was not all roses and easy.  In the first place, they had to go to Egypt and leave her family and home for quite a while. 

When Jesus went to the cross and went through all he went through it was hard for His mother.  She saw His suffering and all He went through.  She had to be consecrated and trust Him in God’s hands.

I wonder if there was a preparation that God had put her though before she got to this day.  Even with us, there are things that we go through that there has been a preparation for before we enter it.  God created the world in a proper order.  He did not make man before he made food for man to eat. 

May it be a challenge to us to let God prepare us.  We don’t know what God is preparing us for.  We wonder sometimes why we go through some things when we have done our best to do right. 

Let us believe God and continue to do well.  Let us keep the right attitude.  We know that God is faithful and just and everything He allows in our life is for a purpose.  It may be for something that is down the road.  One thing we know is that He is preparing us for heaven.

Luk 1:46  And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

Luk 1:47  And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Luk 1:48  For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

Luk 1:49  For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

Luk 1:50  And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

Luk 1:51  He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

Luk 1:52  He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

Luk 1:53  He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

Luk 1:54  He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

Luk 1:55  As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Luk 1:56  And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

This is a beautiful song that Mary gave here.  Verse 48: all generations shall call be blessed.  Her intention and God’s intention was not for her to be exalted in a wrong way.

Back to Joseph:  What kind of person was he that God was able to use him?

Mat 1:18  Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.

Mat 1:19  Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

Mat 1:20  But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

Mat 1:21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Mat 1:22  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,

Mat 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

Mat 1:24  Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:

Mat 1:25  And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

What kind of a man was this?  How would you explain to someone who he was?  We know that he was espoused to Mary.  This was binding like marriage.  You didn’t just break it.  It was a binding commitment. 

This angel came to him in his sleep and spoke to him.  He was just, honest, honorable, merciful, and kind.  He must have had doubts because the angel told him, “Fear not to take unto you Mary.”  He considered the situation.  He was not impulsive. 

He had respect to what God said was right and what God said was wrong.  There were consequences that God’s law had set in order to deal with what appeared to be wrong. 

Because he was compassionate, he didn’t want to handle it in a way that would be hurtful to Mary.  He realized that there were consequences and a result that needed to follow but wanted to do it with compassion.

They were chosen vessels.  Designed from the beginning. 

We all have choices.  Both of them were willing and obedient.  When he was told to marry Mary, he did it immediately and cheerfully.  It may have been a shame for him too, but he did it willingly.  He was willing to suffer the consequences on him too. 

He is a perfect example of a gallant and gentle man.  He had the height of valor.  He was continually listening for the voice of God.  When they warned him to flee to Egypt he was immediately on it. 

We don’t hear about Joseph later in Jesus’ mission, perhaps he had died, but he was a perfect example of a good father and obedience to God.

He was accustomed to knowing what the voice of God sounded like.  He was familiar with the voice of God.  We have all kinds of voices come to us, but he knew the voice of God.  He listened and obeyed.  When he knew what God wanted him to do he did it. 

I wouldn’t doubt that within the next few days they got married after the angel told him to.  You can imagine Joseph’s mind battle but he purposed to do what God told him was right.  He purposed in his heart to do what is right.

The consequences of being caught in adultery: in Egypt they cut off her nose, in Persia they cut off her nose and her ears.  Joseph knew this.  He didn’t want her to go before the magistrate.  In Judea the consequence was death by stoning. 

Joseph had great compassion.  He was merciful, and kind, and just in time God came through.  God always comes through.  Joseph’s heart was pierced by these thoughts.  The angel came just in time and told him to fear not to take Mary for his wife.  

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 12/2/15

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 12/2/15

Mat 13:51  Jesus saith unto them, Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea, Lord.

Mat 13:52  Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.

We are blessed to have the Word of God and to know the value of studying.  “Have you understood all these things?”  This chapter, Matthew 13, is a lot to hear at one setting but they were doing their best to understand it. 

Jesus asked the multitude:

Mat 13:1  The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

Mat 13:2  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

“Do you understand what I have said?”  They said, “Yes.”

Then He said, “Every scribe…”  Some would say, “Every teacher, pastor, or minister...”  I believe He was saying, “Every servant that is instructed in the kingdom of heaven is as a householder that brings out of his treasure things that are new and things that are old.”

We have treasures that are from the Old Testament and some that are from the New Testament. 

Old Testament prayers: when we are dealing with someone and ask them if they are praying, it is vital that we help them to know that David prayed earnestly in Psalms 51 for Forgiveness.  It is vital that people truly repent.

We are burdened for and to whatever degree are working with individuals that need to repent.  I talked to a man in the rest-home and asked if he was praying.  He said, “I should be.”

In the New Testament it speaks of two men that went up to pray and the one was a Pharisee that told God how good he himself was.  That Pharisee even thanked God that he was not a sinner like the publican that was praying next to him.

What a sad and pitiful prayer.  He had very little understanding.  We know from the scripture that every man that compares himself with someone else is a very unwise man. 

The publican would not even lift his head but prayed, “Lord be merciful to me a sinner.”  Jesus said, “This man went down to his house justified.”

As full as Matthew 13 is, Jesus in his discourse said to the multitudes, “Do you understand what I said?”  After they said, “Yes Lord.”  He said, “ A scribe, a teacher, a minister, a grandparent, (or any one that is saved that is trying to reach someone) is as a householder that goes into his treasure and brings out some things that are new and somethings that are old.”

There are things in our life that we will never quit thanking God for.

Isa 65:18  But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

You and I remember how God witnessed to our heart that we were saved and had a changed life.  We were a new creature in Christ Jesus.

The New Testament wealth brings to mind:

Luk 10:19  Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Luk 10:20  Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

Jesus said, “Rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”

It is wonderful to know what to rejoice about.  We have something to really rejoice in: Our name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

There was a day coming that Jerusalem would be a land of rejoicing.  There are times that we must choose to rejoice.  (Isaiah 65:18)

There is a reason why God spoke to Isaiah in chapter 35: “The parched land, the wilderness, and the solitary places…” We live in a lonely world. 

I am not just talking about those that are married and don’t have a happy relationship with their companion.  There are a lot of married couples that are a great distance apart.  Lonely men and lonely women with husbands or wives and families.  We would be a very lonely couple or individual if we did not have God in our lives. 

With God, we are never alone.

Time alone with God:  I would like to write on this.  I have it in my mind a bit.

To be without God is to be alone without the care of brothers and sisters in Christ. 

New Testament wealth:

Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

I don’t know whether to tell you if this is a treasure that is new or a treasure that is old to me.  There is something about God meeting with us!  He comes at times when we so desperately need Divine intervention.  He strengthens us.

There is no release through people from anxiety.  I need to preach again the message about being overwhelmed.  We live in a world where people are full of anxiety.  It mars their life and their relationships. 

If you have trouble with anxiety, then there is someone waiting for you in the Garden.  There is a place to go.  My wife cannot prop me up.  If you have someone that is challenged with whatever, you are not the ‘propper upper’.  God has to come on the scene.

Jesus said, “If you love me keep my commandments.”

Abraham believed and it was counted to him for righteousness.

New Testament righteousness:

Rom 5:17  For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

It is wonderful that through Jesus Christ we can be righteous.

Rom 6:13  Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Old Testament hunger:  David wrote, “As the hart pants after the water brooks… oh when can I appear before God?”

New Testament wealth:

Rev 22:17  And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

It is ok to be thirsty but it is vital that you know where to come.

As I got up to have my devotions this morning an old song came back to me.  “The Beautiful Garden of Prayer.”

I hardly got started reading it and my soul was thrilled.

1.   There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
There’s a place that is wondrously fair;
For it glows with the light of His presence,
’Tis that beautiful garden of prayer.

o   Refrain:
Oh, the beautiful garden, the garden of prayer,
Oh, the beautiful garden of prayer;
There my Savior awaits, and He opens the gates
To the beautiful garden of prayer.

2.   There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
And I go with my burden and care
Just to learn from His lips words of comfort,
In the beautiful garden of prayer.

3.   There’s a garden where Jesus is waiting,
And He bids you to come meet Him there;
Just to bow, and receive a new blessing,
In the beautiful garden of prayer.

Eleanor A. Schroll

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 11/29/15

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 11/29/15

2Ch 1:7  In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.

God appeared to Solomon and asked a very serious question, “Go ahead and ask what I shall give thee.” 

This question was asked after Solomon had offered 1000 offerings at the tabernacle of the congregation.  The tabernacle of Moses was at Gibeon.  David had moved the ark to Jerusalem but Solomon went to the tabernacle of the congregation.  He had taken a large number with him and Solomon and the congregation offered 1000 offerings there.

This took place when Solomon was 16 years old.  Some of you are at the teenage years, others of us passed the teenage years many years ago. 

This was quite a question to ask a teenager.  Our age may have educated us to not think of teenagers as able to make a good choice.  There were many prayers that had gone up for Solomon for this exact season of life.

Solomon’s testimony: verse 1, God was with him. 

This eternal God has a design to be with teenagers, with children, with those that pass through the teenage years and from then to when we are summonsed into His presence.  We have the testimony as Solomon that God was with him.

God strengthened him as a teenager. 

There is a great need of strength and a great warfare turned lose against God’s people everywhere.  Wherever men and women love God and truth, the enemy is fighting in a strong and vehement way.  The battle is pronounced.

Solomon had a great task before him. 

We each have a great task before us.  We have a job.  We have a task of a wife or husband, a parent, a grandparent, we have a task of being the church of God.  May we realize that we have a God in heaven that is very interested in strengthening us. 

When we recognize the call of God and that there are souls weighed in the balance, we realize that we need God to give us strength.

God magnified Solomon. 

The word Magnified means that God increased him in every necessity for the responsibility that God had given him.  God knows how to make us able ministers of the New Testament.  We are ministers, servants, of the Most High God.  God knows how to make you a bigger person. 

Let us follow the steps of Solomon after he was anointed King.  He went to the tabernacle, took others with him, and offered 1000 sacrifices.

God dealt with Solomon after he worshiped.  “Ask what I shall give thee.” 

You are not wrong to have desires and requests.  You are not wrong to have thoughts in your mind.  There is a time when after we have worshipped, or while we are worshipping, that God appears to us, brings a solemnness to our soul and our spirit, and asks, “What would you like from me?” 

Solomon answered wisely, “Thou hast showed great mercy to my father.”  It was a request of David that Solomon follow him as king.  God said, “You will not be able to build but your son will.”

“Grant me wisdom and knowledge that I may go out and come in and judge this people.”

One of the greatest privileges that we are afforded is to know tabernacle worship.  One of the greatest privileges what you and I have is understanding the symbols of tabernacle worship.  The brazen altar represents Mt Calvary and the sacrifice that was given to buy our salvation. 

Salvation means more to me the longer that I live.  It is not a cliché to me.  It brings a great deliverance, a great change.  It totally changes our life and our eternal destination.  When I think of where sin would have taken me fast… I would have already been in torments in hell had I not gotten saved.  God has been wonderful. 

As Solomon was in the presence of God, he prayed for wisdom to know how to go in and to know how to come out. 

There are so many things to cloud our vision, to dust our life.  I studied on the thought of the laver, it thrilled my soul that there is no measurement to the laver.  To every other piece of furniture there is a measurement.  It was vital that the priests would wash any impurities that they had picked up from the point of sacrifice to coming into the Holy place from them.

There are many conveniences afforded to us here.  There is a crock pot cooking in many homes today.  When we get home there will be a meal ready for us.  I appreciate Sister Julie being able to call this morning, Kathy being able to call this morning, and Sister Dorothy being able to call last night.

There are a lot of things about living today that are scary.  We can receive spots on our garment that we must be washed of before we can enter into the holiest place. 

“Here I am.”  It was taught in Sunday school and was sung by the choir. 

There is a strong conviction on your and my soul, “God from the time I thank you that Jesus paid the supreme sacrifice that I can be saved; to enter in the Holy place, I come by the laver.  Of anything that my mind would bring, of anything that I have heard, I want to be washed.  There is nothing more valuable than appearing before God and having Him meet with us.

2Ch 1:8  And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.

2Ch 1:9  Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.

2Ch 1:10  Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?

2Ch 1:11  And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:

2Ch 1:12  Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.

God spoke to Solomon.  You and I know that Solomon knew the value of appearing before God before he appeared before man.  He wanted wisdom to go out and come in and judge righteously.  

God granted this request and added riches, wealth, and honor.

I would like to look at the New Testament riches, wealth and honor.  This is a definite riches and has definite value to you and me and is given to every man:

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

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.

The word of God is designed that the little seed of faith that was given you by God would grow exceedingly.  One of the greatest battles that we face as a saint of God is the battle of faith.  The enemy doesn’t want you to believe God.  He doesn’t want you and me to believe that we will receive wisdom, wealth, and honor.

There are two things that I was well instructed of as a child by my mother, father, and Sunday school teachers.  I learned John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” My mother wanted me to know how rich I was. 

Our neighbor told us that had I been a privileged child and been given a pedal car, they are worth anywhere from 50,000 to 75,000 dollars today.  My mother gave me something more valuable than a pedal car.

God help us to realize how valuable true riches are.  My mother and father and the Sunday school teachers gave me Genesis 1:1: “In the beginning God created heaven and earth.”

I want to tell you teachers and parents; I want to preach to myself this morning:  The most valuable thing that we can give to our children is truth under the anointing of the Spirit of God.  It is unjust for children to be left untaught the plan of salvation.  (That is not the message I want to try to preach.)

We were given Romans 6:23: “The wages off sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The plan of God is not for you to be spiritually poverty stricken, it is not for our children and grandchildren to think too highly of anything that is tangible.  I am not here preaching against gifts or loving your children, but those things fade fast.

There are things that are such riches that I remember after I got saved of the unsearchable riches of Christ.

1Pe 2:2  As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

I have never been good with journaling.  I regret that.  I remember getting saved and having a deep desire to serve God:  Colossians 3 “If you be risen with Christ, seek those things that are above and not the things of the earth.”  These are riches that will not pass, they will never cease to give a bountiful reward in our life.

Shun the very appearance of evil:  There are somethings that you never want to touch.  Once the door is opened then it swings more freely than it did before.

What is wealth?  It is accumulated riches that become treasures.  In our lifetimes there are things that you are given that to the world may not be significant, but because of where it came from it is a treasure to you. 

These riches have become treasures in your and my life. 

Rom 12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2  And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Do you realize the treasure that this is and that it becomes a great wealth?  There are a million people that do not have that wealth this morning and yet are religious.  They have not grasped, been taught, or have not hungered and thirsted enough to go from that stagnate state of “I can do no better than sin more or less every day.” 

What a wealth to have our sin all taken away!

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

It is interesting how even children become weighted down.  Last year my daughters’ families decided it would not work for them to come for Christmas.  The little boys wanted me to know that they didn’t want me to feel bad because they would not be coming but would have Christmas at their house. 

Danny bought this car and told little Danny that there wouldn’t be much money for Christmas, little Danny decided he needed to get a job.  Little children take things on.  They take on more than they should.  We need to be careful what we tell them.

Lay aside every weight.  There are many things that will weigh you down.  Do we know how to lay aside every weight?  This is an old message but it is almost a new experience every day. 

“I am not going to be weighed down with that.  God is this what I should be doing?  Is this going to help me as a servant?  Is this going to help my brother, my sister?  Is this going to help my joy?”

Before I leave the house Monday morning, my mind will be busy with a lot of things.  I usually choose to not look at my computer in the morning.  I want to give my best to God.  I am sorry for the trouble that is in America; knowing about it is not going to cure it.  Praying about it will bring healing to me.

I am convicted to pray for the prayer requests that have come in Wednesday and Sunday.  There are somethings that are a pleasure to carry, your request for a soul, your request for a decision.  I will pray.  I have learned long enough to know that prayer really works. 

You say, “I am going to do things my own way.”  You go ahead and do it.  People can do things their own way.  I will not be hoping something goes wrong.  I want to tell you that it is a value to have the saints of God pray.

When I am in a battle of unbelief I tell God, “God you have never failed.”  You did not fail in 1965.  There are a few occasions that I have just brushed death.  Last year if that logging truck would have hit us Karen and I would be buried.  We serve a might God, He has a mighty hand.  He can move logging trucks, he can move Toyota pickups. 

Heb 12:1  Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Heb 12:2  Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb 12:3  For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Saints love to sing about heaven.  Oh the glory that must have been there when the saints wrote those songs.  I would love to ask some of them of their testimony when they wrote the song, “Did you write this before or after you were hurt?”

I can’t help but think of what it will be like when I am usured into the presence of God.  Can you imagine being there and hearing the saints singing and hearing the music? 

Such wealth is ours:  “Jesus, for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross.”  When I think of what He went through… I would not want to miss it.

He will give us honor.

Rev 2:17  He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.

If you think that no one but you has ever had a battle, then go back and read Revelations.  To every church age it is written, “To him that overcometh.”

I will give to eat of the hidden manna:  “Poor old so in so was saved but kept sinning al the time.”  What an abomination!  I will give you the hidden manna. 

You must overcome to get there.  You must face something.  You must feel the violent attack of the enemy.  Then you and I will have to get violent.  I will give to eat of the hidden manna.

Give him a white stone:  you talk about the honor of having that stone.  It came from the day when individuals took stones, cut them in half, inscribed their name in a very place that might not be known by anyone but the one that had it and the one that would receive it.  They would give it to someone and as they would travel, they could ride into or walk into a place and say, “I was told to stop here.”  They would look at the stone, recognize it, and say, “Yes, come in.”

God wants you to have that white stone.  He wants the name of the savior on that white stone.  For whatever you need, when you present the stone, every need will be supplied.

There are two parables in Luke 12 that I would like to bring out:

There was a man that was covetous.  “I have a plan.  I will pull down my barns, make bigger ones…”  It was said to him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.”

The second parable was the man that heard of a treasure hid in a field.  He heard of salvation, of total surrender, and he sold all that he had and bought the field with the treasure in it. 

Solomon was asked a question and he answered it right.  God said, “Not only will I give you wisdom and knowledge, but I will give you riches, wealth, and honor.”

We are blessed to be this close to eternity and have so much available to us.  May we not be as the covetous man, but as the man that heard about the wealth of total surrender, of totally trusting God.  He heard of the wealth that David spoke of, “All my springs in thee.” 

The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

I think of hymns that have been written, “Why should I long for this world and its pleasures?” or “Is your all on the altar?”

There is no rest in anything other than total surrender to God.  Fanny wrote, “Oh the unsearchable riches of Christ!”

May God help me to answer right when He asks, “What do you desire?”