Sister Brenda Wednesday Evening 4/27/16

I had trouble being honest and getting a clear first experience.  I got saved when I was six years old.  I know I got saved because it made such an impression on my heart.  I didn’t stay saved.  I remember things in my life that happened. 

We were always church goers, but my dad backslid after that and was no longer a religious man. 

In 1962, the Kelly family came to our door.  I was the one that went to the door and I remember the impression that they made on my heart.  I will never forget the beauty of holiness I saw in Sister Kelly.  I was very attracted to her.

I remember the first time I went to the altar and they asked me what I needed; I told them that I needed to be sanctified.  What I really needed was to get the first work taken care of.  I was troubled for several years with the thought that I didn’t know that my sins were forgiven. 

When we were at a service in the basement at Hoppe’s house, I did that.  We need to be able to point the enemy to the time and place that you started serving God the bible way. 

Act 1:1  The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

Act 1:2  Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

Act 1:3  To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

Act 1:4  And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

This is the foundation of our thought.

Act 2:37  Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

Can you remember being pricked in your heart? 

Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

1Co 3:10  According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

This is the foundation: Jesus Christ.  Repentance, doing the first works, and turning from our sin is the foundation.  We must have this before we can have the Holy Spirit in our life.  When I got the first experience going then I was able to go on and make progress in my spiritual life and go on to sanctification.

Rev 2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

We have the command, “Repent.”  Make sure you have repented, turned from all sin, stopped the sin business, and turn to God.

Rom 10:10  For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

This is the proof of our salvation.  We become a new creature.  People claim to be saved that have never had a changed life.  We want to have the clear experience, “I was going one way and I turned and went the other.”

We need both works.  We need a fresh infilling in our life, quickened by the Spirit and power of God, many times.  It is not that we backslide, we just need the fresh oil in our life.  We need it in our life and in the world as it is today.  Life can be busy.  We can be pulled many ways.  We need to come back and have the fresh anointing in our heart and life.

Luk 24:45  Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

Luk 24:46  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:

Luk 24:47  And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Luk 24:48  And ye are witnesses of these things.

Luk 24:49  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

He told them again, “I send the promise of my Father upon you, but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until you be endued with power.”  It takes time to be renewed.  We need to be a people of prayer.  People that take time to be alone with God and that listen and receive that anointing in our life.

Joh 14:15  If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Joh 14:16  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;

Joh 14:17  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Joh 14:18  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Act 1:5  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

Act 1:6  When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

Act 1:7  And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

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.

Act 1:9  And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

Act 1:10  And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

Act 1:11  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Act 1:12  Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.

Act 1:13  And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.

Act 1:14  These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.

The enemy would like for us to be distracted.  We don’t understand everything.  We have to leave some things with God.  Do our best.  We have a job to do for God.  We want to be filled with the Spirit of God and do what God wants us to do in our region.  Leave who will be president next with God and do your best to vote for the one that you think is best. 

We can plan on Him coming back just this way.  We want to be ready.  We want to be expecting Him and not surprised.  We want to be watching, praying, and ready.

These all continued with one accord in prayer.  We all want to be into this.  We don’t want to be as Thomas who was missing from the gathering.  We want to be a part working for the building up of the kingdom of God.

We have to yield and submit and give everything to God.  We have to give up our carnal nature to God that we were born with.  We have to give God a blank sheet of paper.  “I have plans, but I let go of them.”  I remember praying, “I love Bob but if it is not your will for us to get married, I will serve you and go on even if we don’t get married.” 

This is what it takes to have the Spirit of God and power of God alive in our life.  We have to obey when God speaks to us in order to have the power of God in our life.

We want to be spiritually minded.

Php 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Think of the mind of Christ.  How Jesus was.  He had compassion.  He stood for what was right.  He didn’t show respecter of persons.  He was just and fair.  Think of all the things that represent the mind of Christ.

Be sold out to God. 

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.

Present your body a living sacrifice.  It is easy to say the words.  God help us to be everything that He wants to be.  Completely sold out.

Deny self.

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

We have to love God more than anything else.  It means something to Love Him more.  We know what love is.  We have to love God more.  For us to have his full approval and blessing on our life and be filled with the Holy Spirit.  He has to be first place.  He will not take second. 

Luk 14:26  If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.

To hate is to love less.  If we don’t love it less then we cannot be His disciple.  We cannot please God and be filled with the power and fullness in our life if we don’t have Him first.

Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Gal 5:24  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

1Th 4:3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

1Th 4:4  That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;

This is the will of God for us to be sold out to God and enjoy the power of God.  When we know something is the will of God it gives us the confidence that we can have it and that it can be a part of us. 

I remember as a young girl struggling with knowing if I had gotten sanctified.  The enemy would battle me, “You are not.” 

God will help us to know if we have paid the perfect price and help us to know that we have the power in our life.

It is His will that we should know how to possess our vessel in sanctification and honor and be filled with His spirit.

Brother Gary Sunday Evening 4/24/16

Tonight definitely beyond a shadow of a doubt, God has a field of labor and calling for every one.  He has a definite work for us to do. 

We refuse to be Laodicean, we refuse to take the mountain of the world: “I am so busy.”  You talk to people and all they can talk about is all that is going on and how busy they are.  They miss the best things of life: of laying aside things to be in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.  

A lady, unknown to me that I will probably never see again, asked me to make an expression to the church.  “What a welcome to come across the river and see such a beautiful church.”  May God visit her and she realize that the emptiness in her life can only be filled with the reality of the Lord Jesus Christ and by finding how to be in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.

Joh 4:35  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

We think of harvest time as down the road sometime.  The beets will be ready fifty days after we plant them but they are not planted yet.  We think at times, “I am not sure this is the right time to work with souls.”  When you know your field then it is the right time.  The bible teaches us to not procrastinate in being prepared.  In Matthew, Jesus taught us of those that knew the Lord’s will and failed to do it. 

I mentioned my sister that is long in eternity this morning.  On one of the last phone calls I told her that she needed to pray, to get saved, and to leave a testimony to her children that she had a changed life.  She and I grew up in the same house, we went to the same church.  We sang the same choruses as children. 

She chose to choose her own way.  You talk about sad stories.  No one will be the exception.  Sin is terrible.

Here Jesus chose to pass through Samaria.  As He was passing through He thirsted.  He sat down by a well and a lady came.  The commentaries will lead you to believe that this lady was not a very good lady.  Whether or not she was virtuous, she needed a savior. 

We are not going to choose our field of labor.  We need to let God choose it.  We need to have it settled, “I am going to be true to you, God.  I am not going to be distracted by fear, fearing those that are morally corrupt or fearing to speak to the banker or the superintendent.”

Jesus sat down and this lady came.  He made an expression and she said, “How is it that you ask a Samaritan for water?  The Jews have no dealing with the Samaritans.”  The Samaria was a country that worshipped Baal.  Jezebel made it a center of worshipping Baal.

If you and I don’t take the gospel to individuals, their lives are very empty.  This lady said, “How is it that you are asking me for water?”  Jesus said, “If thou knewest the gift of God you would have asked and I would give, living water.” 

Then the question of worship came up.  “Where should we worship?”  Jesus is a marvelous teacher; the Holy Ghost is a marvelous teacher.  If God has given you a field to work in then Jesus and the Holy Spirit will teach you how to labor in that field. 

 Where to worship? 

Joh 4:19  The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet.

Joh 4:20  Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship.

Joh 4:21  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.

Joh 4:22  Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

I am going to be in spirit in prayer, in worship.  We must worship God in sprit so that we have something more than just talent.  There is a difference between religious entertainment and the Spirit of God that brings conviction. 

When we go into that field to work, we are not going in there to make friends.  But we should be the friendliest people.  We are working for eternal purposes.  The only way that we can be prepared is in the Spirit of God and in truth.  Truth draws the line between being religious; and saved sanctified and serving God.

Sometimes I think of the thought when I am having devotions, “The Father is waiting for people to worship God in Spirit.” 

After this discourse, the lady went to tell others what she had found.  Then the disciples came and said, “Master eat.”  He made a profound statement, “I have meat to eat that you know not of.”  Working with a soul will do for you what nothing else will do.

Joh 4:31  In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat.

Joh 4:32  But he said unto them, I have meat to eat that ye know not of.

Joh 4:33  Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him ought to eat?

Joh 4:34  Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.

Joh 4:35  Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

I believe there is a field of labor for each one, you will know it because God will witness to your heart, “This is what I want you to do.”

Joh 4:36  And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.

Lay-up treasure in heaven.  One soul, one little boy, one little girl… Where you ought to go is on your knees before God.  Most of us live in a little circle and we don’t want to get out of that circle.  They are comfortable.  The people there actually expect you to come.

“I shake and tremble to go there.”  That is what this is all about.  You say, “I wait for someone to call.”  Unless God gives you the ministry of the telephone, that wastes your time.  You are on a religious mountain that you have chosen that makes you feel good.

Lift your eyes, get them off of yourself, off of your circle, off of your comfort zone.  If you have never been an alcoholic then tell the alcoholic what God did for Brother Simcox.  You say, “I could never deal with someone that messes with drugs; that makes me nervous.”  God delivers people from being drug addicts. 

I have faith that God can deliver the drunkard.  You don’t need to fear anything.  God is God.  You say,

“I would be hesitant to talk to any woman because I am a man.  How big is your God?  I settled it a long time ago that I am going to stay clean before God.  I can pick up a woman that is walking in the rain and give her a ride and stay clear before God. 

We have one interest, souls being saved, sanctified, and delivered from the enemy.  I want to see children in Sunday school and in vacation bible school.  I want to see children under the gospel.

We don’t know who sowed seed before us in a soul’s life.  We don’t know who tried to steer them toward truth.  We are not the one to decide where to work.  We are not trying to move in on anyone else, we want to see souls saved. 

Joh 4:37  And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth.

Joh 4:38  I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

If we are in the Spirit of God then worship will be wonderful.  If we are caught up on another mountain, there are a lot of mountains other than Mount Zion.  If you are caught up elsewhere then you will never bring something of value to the church of God.  It takes a lot of labor and prayer to receive something from God. 

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 4/24/16

Rev 14:1  And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

John saw a beautiful vision: He looked and he saw the Lamb, on Mount Sion.  This is a spiritual mountain that is mentioned in both the Old and the New Testament.  He saw this beautiful Lamb of God on Mount Zion and with Him were 144,000 who were the redeemed of all time.

There are many mountains.  Everyone that has even become a teenager has felt the mountains of the world, the mount of discouragement and the mount of success.  These are offered to everyone. 

John was exiled to the isle of Patmos.  It was a small rocky island inhabited in his day, AD 95, by mostly prisoners.  It was a long ways from home. 

You don’t have to be far from home to feel: “Home is quite a ways away.”  Especially if you are walking or are separated by a large body of water.  He was about 800 miles from Jerusalem.  He had a particular testimony and had come into the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

Rev 1:9  I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.

He and his brother had been called after Peter and Andrew were called.  He was there during many seasons with Jesus.  He was there when Jesus suffered in the garden, he was there when Jesus spoke on the Holy Spirit, and he was there when Jesus spoke of the resurrection and the crucifixion.  He was there when Jesus ascended into heaven.  He was there when Jesus spoke the words, “Lovest thou me?  Feed my sheep.”

There is a mountain of bitterness.  You may feel that it could never touch you.  That is today.  You live a while and you will understand why Paul wrote to the Hebrews, “Looking diligently lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you and thereby many be defiled.”

“I, John, who also am your brother.”  Isn’t that beautiful?  “I am your brother.”  He wrote to all the servants of the gospel day.  “I am your companion in tribulation.” 

Tribulation means a lot of things.  It means anguish, stress, and it covers every possible difficulty in life that you could possibly face both literal and spiritual.  He said, “I am your brother.  I am in the kingdom and I am in the patience of Jesus Christ.” 

I have never spent any time in a snake infested island.  Patmos was such.  My mother was bit by a rattlesnake early in her life and in her marriage.  It was the great mercy of God that she survived and was able to raise a family.

John was there on the snake infested island.  He was inspired of God to write the Revelation.  He wrote His testimony: “I am in the kingdom of God.  I am here in the patience of Jesus.”  He was an elderly man who was exiled.  He was sent there by an ungodly king.  “I was there for the Word of the Lord.”

I appreciate your calls and reminders of the wonderful things that God has blessed us with in the Saints of God.  I know that you want me to make it.  I want those, when I am gone, to be able to say, “He finished his course and kept the faith.”

“I am here for the testimony of Jesus and I am here for the Word of God.”  We appreciate everything that God set up and that He had a willing vessel on the Isle of Patmos.”

Rev 1:10  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,

Do we realize about the Holy Spirit of God and you and I being in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day?  There is more to the Holy Spirit than just one thought.  In the subject index of my bible it is almost two full pages. 

There are three things that are clearly taught by Jesus about the Holy Spirit.  He is a comforter.  We often think of the comforter when someone loses a loved one.  Yes He is a comforter.  It goes past that.  It is that plus more.  He is an advocate. 

I read an account of Mel Trotter.  I identified with it as I read it.  Mel started as a gifted young person like those we have in our audience.  He ended with a life story like mine would have been if it had not been for Jesus.  He became addicted to alcohol. 

Whenever you see an alcoholic whose nose is becoming red and has that red face, think of me.  There go I but for the grace of God.  My friends were drinkers before salvation. 

If you walk the road where the subway is, you will find one white stem and three crosses: My uncle, his son, and Dennis.  They left the bar here Sunday night when they should have been in church and went into eternity.

My brother: you go to Hotsprings through the blinking light and keep going.  You will see a bridge with a white cross.  He left one bar headed to another bar on a Sunday night. 

I am not here to scare anyone this morning, but if I can help you to grasp the effects of what being in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day will make: you will have an advocate.  One that offers you the best from eternity.  He is not just one that goes to court for you.  He is interceding with the Father, “God remember those children in school.”

Mel was a fine looking gifted young man.  He was bound for success, before he went so far.  He stole the new shoes off of his dead baby’s feet. 

We need an advocate.  There will be people that tell you, “Go this way and climb this mountain.”  There is only one way to know where to go and that is to have Jesus for your advocate, and have the Holy Spirit of God.

He is the guide.  People think they will take the attitude of a duck or a goose: wake up every morning and say, “Which way should I fly?”  That works for a duck or a goose but not for people. 

Our day wants to destroy worship on Sunday.  Where Tommy Castle came from he said that even Sunday is not kept for the house of God.  Can you imagine what it would be to not have the opportunity of not being in the Spirit and in the congregation on the Lord’s Day? 

Can you imagine there being no one to pray and no place to gather to worship.  Can you imagine that there would be no place to have a wedding? Can you imagine wanting to serve God and there being no place to go to find a people that wants to serve God? 

We need to be the church so that someday these young girls can say, “God has helped so-in-so to get saved and he has asked me out.”  I will look them right in the eye and tell them, “You make sure you are worshipping.” 

John said, “I am your brother and I am in a difficult spot, but I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.”

The Spirit is an advocate and a guide.  I don’t care what the scholastic tests tell you what you would be good at, you go to the guide and have Him lead you.  He is an advocate, a guide, and a teacher.  That is the work of the Holy Spirit. 

The redeemed stood on Mount Zion with the Father’s name written in their forehead. 

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

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

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

Our mind is an inward part.  I am alive today because my brain is protected.  The infections from my tooth came out on my forehead but they missed my brain.  I know God.  I know that He is a rewarder to those that diligently seek Him. 

He puts His Word in their mind and heart.  “I will be their God and they shall be my people.”

Heb 10:15  Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

Heb 10:16  This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

His name is in our mind.  It is a choice that you and I make, “I am going to serve God.” 

The Holy Spirit is in the world to reprove the world of sin.  We all can thank God for every time that the Holy Spirit reproves sin.  He reproves sinners of sin.  When you think of crossing a line that the Holy Spirit has said, “Don’t.”  Then don’t cross it.  If you have, then confess, repent, turn and get baptized.

Then he convicts, which is what reproves means, the world of righteousness.  He wants the world to live holy.  Life is short compared to eternity.  He wants us to live holy.

He convicts the world of judgment.  All nations will be at the judgment.  Every individual will be shaking and trembling.  The only thing to know is “I have measured to His Word.” 

Wherever we are on raising the bar on being in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, let’s raise the bar higher.  “God more of your presence.” 

Mel stole the new shoes that some kind person had bought for the baby that had gone into eternity.  He sold them to buy another drink.  One day he said, “There is no reason to live.”  He headed to whatever river it is that flows through Chicago and said, “I am going to end it.” 

He was standing on the sidewalk and there was a guy about his size that pushed him toward the door of a church and said, “Go in there.”  He went in and they were preaching the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He said, “I need that.” 

If you have let anything take you to where you are not in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, you make sure that you get it clear with God.  Then you need to testify about it.  So that not only do you have it clear but you have a covenant with God and the church, “I am going to walk with God.”

Brother Gary Sunday Morning 4/17/16

Jas 1:12  Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

We will all be tempted.  Jesus was sorely tempted yet without sin.  The Holy Spirit of God inspired James to use the word, “Blessed.” 

Jesus used this word early in his sermon on the mount. 

Mat 4:1  Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Mat 4:2  And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.

Mat 4:3  And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.

Mat 4:4  But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

The enemy always likes to attack an individual that has made a choice to serve God at the weakest time of their strength.  We have found that when we are tired, weak, or emotionally drained when we have had a crisis in our own life the enemy comes with a temptation to see if in our weakness, he can change our course.

If He cannot get your soul, he would like to get your mind and sidetrack you off of keeping your mind stayed on Jesus.  Isaiah said that God would keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him. 

We may not know the degrees of peace, but we all know the degree of not having peace.  We have all encountered something and felt our peace slipping away from us.

God allowed His son to be sorely tempted so that you could grasp about temptation and understand when you are tempted how Jesus handled this. 

Mat 4:5  Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

Mat 4:6  And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.

Mat 4:7  Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

The enemy came, “If you are…”  The enemy likes to put a question mark, “If you are…”  We need to know where we are spiritually.  We need to have it clear between us and God, “I know that I was a sinner and that I confessed, repented, and turned to God with all my heart.  I have this attitude toward God, “God I will follow you.”” 

The enemy presented himself to Jesus, “If.”  We need to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that our name is written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life. 

This is not by baptism.  Baptism is an outward work of what was done on the inside.  You and I are buried in the water and recognize that we are being buried to the old life of sin never to go back to it again and rising to newness of life. 

If you owe anyone an apology then clear it up.  Life places some in a position where they have restitution to make.  If you do, then make it. 

An individual that was in the armed services in Hawaii stole a tape recorder while he was there.  He got saved and then it came to him that he needed to clear up what he owed there.  He wondered how he could possibly do that. 

God witnessed to his heart that unless He made a way that it would not be able to happen.  Brother Wince did everything that he could.  He told the Lord, “If I am ever in the Hawaii then I will do everything that I can to take care of it.” 

One day he was traveling from wherever to the Philippines and landed in Hawaii.  God witnessed to him, “This is the time.”  I can see him running into the shop, “I stole a tape recorder back when; God forgave me, and I want you to forgive me.  Here is some money to take care of my debt.” 

Because we are human, there will be times that we need to make an apology.  It is better to have a tender conscience and take care of things rather than cover them over.

Jesus was hungry, the enemy came and said, “If.”  For everyone that is here that is saved.  A low blow is for the enemy to come by and say, “If you are saved.”  This is the first indication, resist what he has to say.

“You have fasted for forty days, you are hungry, command that these stones be made bread.”  Never go the first step with what the enemy offers you.  Don’t take a chance.  Don’t go there. 

Jesus already knew about God providing manna in the wilderness.  God knows how to provide for every need.  He is God.  Jesus knew the enemy was trying to work him into a position to literally destroy him.

Jesus used the Word of God.  We need to not only have a bible but read it.  “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Mat 4:8  Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Mat 4:9  And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Mat 4:10  Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

The enemy took and placed him on a high place and said, “Jump off the cliff.”  Jesus said, “It is written, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”” 

We know that there are boundaries that God has set that we should never go beyond.  As we were going to Kalispell yesterday, both coming and going we had people passing us on a double yellow line.  Don’t tempt God.  Don’t drive crazy on black ice.  You drive carelessly and you will wreck.  If you jump off a cliff, you will not only need paramedics, you will need an undertaker.

Jesus the very son of God was tempted in what was actually ridiculous things.  It doesn’t matter what age you are, the enemy will tempt you. 

The enemy took him to a high mountain and promised him everything that was in the world.  It is normal to have desires, to desire to be loved and have comforts.  They are normal within us.  The greatest lie that anyone has ever believed is that the devil can give them something more than what God can give them.

I remember Sister Martin’s testimony that she chose to serve God and her choice opened Heaven to her.  When you serve God then Heaven is open to you.  It will not withhold what you need but it will not give you more than what God has chosen to make your life beautiful. 

Sister Martin lived into her eighties and traveled to many countries and helped many congregations.  When she was escorted out of Cuba and brought back to the USA God laid it upon her heart to teach Spanish speaking people how to speak English.  Today there is a congregation in Tampa that has a Cuban pastor.  There is a congregation in Miami that has a Cuban pastor.

Sister E Faith Stewart went to camp meeting in 1950.  By that time she was sick at heart with the church in the USA.  She was praying, “God help me to find a mission somewhere; open a door for me.” 

A couple of ministers asked her where she was headed next.”  She told them.  I am headed south in the USA, when I get to the furthest point south I am taking a boat to the first country that I get to.  They told her that would take her to Cuba.  She said, “That is where I am going.” 

When she got there she built a work that has many congregations there now.

When the enemy tried to get Jesus to jump off of the cliff, he said, “Get thee hence Satan.”  He overcame those three things and then said this:  “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and Him only shalt thou serve.” 

Mat 4:11  Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Then the devil left him.  There is something to look forward to in temptation. When you resist then the angels will come and minister to you. 

This happened many times in Jesus’ life I am sure.  Remember when he was baptized and told John, “I need to fulfill all the requirements.”  John had told him, “We need the baptism that you will bring.”  Jesus was obedient.  After He was baptized, the heavens opened.

I am glad that each one that is here is here.  It is one of your privileges as a child of God to have the heavens opened.  We live in a world where if you are not careful your mind will become negative.  You will wonder, “What is going to happen to us?  There are dangers and perils on every side.”

If you are having trouble reading and memorizing scriptures or reading in the morning or night then I encourage you to get unhooked from Modern technology and spend time alone with God.

The Holy Spirit witnessed to Jesus and we need Him to come down.  It is a wonderful thing for the Holy Spirit to come down and witness that we are His child.  It is wonderful that He comes down and teaches us. 

When heaven opens then there is no interference.  Heaven opens to wherever you are.  You may live on a mountain top and you may live down in the valley.  You might have neat things, but when heaven opens, it is altogether different.  We don’t want to live without heaven open.  We don’t want to take chances.  It is after we are tempted that heaven opens.

Being tempted is a part of the journey.  Everyone is tempted.  But Jesus was not moved by the temptation. 

There was a man that was tempted and ended in writing the book, “Farwell to God.”  I honestly believe that my blood temperature dropped when I read that.  It all started with unbelief. 

Temptation comes to see if the devil can trip you up into believing that you cannot overcome whatever it might be.  I don’t plan to ever say farewell to God.  I wouldn’t consider it.  I don’t want you to consider it. 

Jesus was not moved away by temptation.  If there is anything in your life where you say, “If this happens then I will distance myself.”  It will happen.  We all want to have it settled, “I am going to serve God no matter what happens.” 

God always knows best.  There will never arise an opportunity that is otherwise.  The only way to deal with temptation is to resist it. 

Standing Firm:

In the time of sore temptation
Standing firm
Grace will be thy sure salvation
Standing firm
Virtue crown thy soul with honor,
Sin resisted tempts no longer
Faith in conflict waxes stronger
Standing firm 

Fear not brethren firm and true
Whate’er thy foe may be,
Jesus fought the battle through
And gives to us the victory.

Isn’t it wonderful how God comes to our rescue?  After Jesus resisted temptation the heavens opened.  The greatest thing that can happen in your life is to have the heavens opened.

After the heavens opened He walked among people where men sat in darkness.  That is in sin.  When they saw Jesus they saw a great light.  When the heavens open, light comes into our life.  Our countenance changes.  We are from a different country:

I am just passing through life lights of home I do see. 
Turn to the savior and journey with me. 
You can have the assurance that your soul cries for
That your sins are not there anymore.

Jesus went a little ways and began to preach “Repentance.”  After repentance he said, “Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.”  There is something within every one of us that we really want to help someone.  “I want to do something to help.”  First you must be saved. 

The results, “Peter and Andrew were fishing and remember they left their nets and followed Jesus.  Jesus went a little further and called James and John.  Immediately they left their nets and followed Him. 

If God has been dealing with you on anything then take action immediately.  Even if you don’t have the full picture, then take action on the portion of the picture that you have.

The Spirit and the Bride say come.  Temptations are common.  We will be tempted but we can overcome temptation and be visited by angels.

Brother Gary Wednesday Night 4/13/16

The Proverb writer said, “Let your words be few.” 

It helps us to be easily entreated in our soul and in our life. 

2Pe 1:1  Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Like precious faith:  if thou canst believe all things are possible.  God granted us each a measure of faith.  God help me to obtain like precious faith!

2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

This is a marvelous thought tonight.  “Grace and peace be multiplied.”  Grace has ten meanings.  It is the will of God that our grace be multiplied.  We live in a world where everywhere you go you need grace.  That is how life is. 

It is not as it was 100 years ago where they lived on a homestead with no one else around.  They needed grace then.  We live today, 2016; we need grace.

1.      The unmerited favor of God has been multiplied to us.  When I think of how marvelous it was that God convicted me when I was 18 or 19.  I had rejected conviction many times but the unmerited favor of God came back with conviction. 

The unmerited favor of God gives everyone the opportunity to get it all right and have a testimony, even to those that are not teenagers, and to those that have reached 100 years old.

2.      It is a marvelous thing when a thought comes to our mind, “Why don’t you do this or that or have this attitude...”  The divine influence on our heart is, “No I am not going to do that.  I am not going to do anything that is outside the grace of God.

This congregation is going to prepare for revival Sunday.  We want to see souls saved, get sanctified, baptized and in this 100%.  The divine influence upon the heart.

We have a real struggle in 2016.  There is a struggle of getting past our head.  Our minds are bewildered.  Karen told me, “I don’t know how you got those raspberries done.  When I looked at them it was overwhelming.  I told her that they looked that way to me too, but I just decided that the thing to do was to start. 

It is the same way, we have to get past our mind.  Our mind will make serving God and talking to someone so hard.  “What if I try to talk to someone and they reject me?”  So what if they reject you.  If your relatives no longer want to talk to you, the bible says that unless we forsake houses and lands, we cannot be His disciples.

The divine influence upon the heart and its refection out into your life.  Isn’t it wonderful when God gives you a vision how to work with someone.  Or says, “It is good to be washed.”

3.      Gratitude: grace makes us so thankful.  Sister Alice was talking to us about being thankful of having water.  We have so much to be thankful for.  Our mind will go to tangible things, we need to be thankful.  If you know truth then you are blessed.  If you know about bible salvation: deliverance, help, safety, victory, and health; then you are blessed.

God wants to give you a sound mind.  There are two things that I have come up with from the Newspaper recently.  Sunday they told of taking buffalo from Canada to the Two Medicine area.  The Canadians had bought some buffalo and were now were selling them back.  The chief was saying, “I just hope this will help our people.” 

Buffalo will not help them get right with God.  It broke my heart.  I have traveled through that area and it would break your heart.  The health conditions on the reservation cannot even be spoken about.

Today way north in Canada some of the tribes are having an epidemic of suicide.  They are saying, “It is the government’s fault.  For we need more of this or that.”  No, they need Jesus.  When people leave God out of their lives the enemy moves in to destroy.

The grace of God is the influence of God in the heart and its reflection out into the life.

I was telling a religious man recently that among the seven things that God hates is he that soweth discord among the brethren.  He said, “I have never heard that scripture.”  Be peacemakers.

Don’t stand around waiting for someone to come to you; be friendly.  We were in a difficult situation and a doctor of the community didn’t reach out to anyone he just stood there waiting for someone to come to him. 

What is wrong with people?  Do they think that they are so great that everyone needs to jump around them?  Know how to be a peacemaker.  Know how to reach out to a boy or girl that would come in.  Jesus wants us to be a friend and show ourselves friendly.  The divine influence.

Gratitude:  Not because I am here, my journey could end tonight.  You need to be thankful that there is a church here.  There are a lot of places where there is not.  There were places that loved God and loved truth and apostasy took them. 

We need to do our very best in every service so that apostasy doesn’t take us.  It causes people to apostatize and preachers to apostatize.  Be thankful that you have someone to call for prayer.  Be thankful that you have those that will invite you to dinner.

4.      Acceptable:  without the grace of God we would be rude, crude, and unacceptable; no manners. 

5.      Benefit:  grace is such a benefit.  You dear teachers and students, those that have anything to do with you are blessed because of the grace of God it is a benefit to you and to them.

6.      Favor:  it causes us to have favor.  It is wonderful

7.      Joy.  People are looking for joy and pleasure, it is found in the grace of God.  You can have a wonderful time without being of the world.  The joy of God.  Pick up this book and read the church of God songs.  It will bring a thrill to your soul.  Find the songs written by Fanny Crosby.

“I was out on the broad way of sin and despair crushed ‘neath my burden of sorrow and care… He lifted me out.”  We are blessed to have the grace of God bring this song back to us and for us to enjoy.

8.      Liberality.  I have no patience with those that are so afraid to give a compliment.  Grace gives us liberality.  “Thank you for being so kind.  Thank you for helping me.”

9.      Pleasure.  Grace brings such a pleasure, just a good time.

10.   Thank worthy

And peace:

2Pe 1:2  Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

We will have more grace and more peace by knowing more about God. Know about God and know how He is and desire to be conformed to His image.

2Pe 1:3  According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

Isn’t it wonderful that there is a divine power?  How many people do you know that want to quit sinning and cannot?  Or that are religious and don’t live right?

May God help us to catch a vision that it is His divine power that gives us all things that pertain to life.  This covers literal and spiritual life. 

Pertain to life and godliness:  Divine power to be godly.

2Pe 1:4  Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Exceeding great and precious promises:  don’t let the enemy ever deceive you into believing that God’s promise is not greater than what your needs are.  You may be needy of health, wisdom, or material things.  These promises are exceeding great and precious. 

That by these you might be partakers:  Isn’t it wonderful that you can be a partaker of the Divine nature. 

God is so good.  He made a way that we could be saved, sanctified, and have escaped the corruption in the world.

Isn’t it wonderful the thought of escaping the corruption that is in the world through lust?