Brother Gary Sunday Morning 7/10/16

God’s counsel to mankind from eternity.

Jer 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

Stand in the ways.  For the youngest child here this morning, even as children there are many ways to take.  When you enter preschool and grade school there are many ways to take.  Daily every one of us is given an opportunity to take a different way. 

There are many avenues that want your time, your affection, your thoughts, and your meditation.  Stand in the ways, and see. 

For every avenue or thought that comes to our mind, for every way that we may spend our first hour of the day.  I endeavor to spend my first waking hour in meditation and supplication before God.  This helps me to get a proper focus on the day before the phone rings or there is any contact with the outside world.  I urge you to make it a practice of your life to always spend time in meditation, in supplication, in reading, and in enjoying the good things of God.

What comes to your mind as an invitation from the outside world as a way to take for that day; stand in the ways and see. 

It is important, children, young people, parents, grandparents, husbands, and wives to realize that for every way that is given to my mind, the instruction is: See. “How is this going to affect me personally?  What will it do with my relationship with God, and my relationship with my brother or my sister?  What will it do with my calling to work for God and my desire to reach to souls?” 

Everyone with children and grandchildren should have a strong desire to know God and to know the way of God and truth. 

Everyone in this audience is burdened for someone that is in spiritual trouble.  We want to tell them, “Look at the way that is offered and ask, “How is that going to affect me.  Will it take away from the time to do that which God has called me to do?  Will it take from my time to be a good husband or a good wife?”  We only have so much time left to be a good husband or wife.

After my father got killed my mother who was a wonderful woman and saint of God said, “I wish I had been a better wife.”  I asked, “How could you have been?”

Be a good son and a good daughter.  The world wants to take all of your mind.  It is hard to visit with children today because they have taken the way of technology.  We need to have someone teach on good manners in technology. 

Stand in the ways and see; then question is, “Ask.”  Brother Sanders told me that often when he meets someone and can get an open door he says, “Ask me any question you would like to know about spiritual things.” 

Ask God: “God, I want the old paths.  I want that which you have for me.  ‘I am just passing through life, Lights of home I can see.’  It won’t be long and time will have ended.  I am asking you God to help me to find the old paths.”

The old paths: God began with Adam and Eve teaching the old paths.  Much could be taught from the book of Genesis about the old paths.  God was good to give them boundaries of what to do and what not to do.  He gave them the wonderful experience of having fellowship with God.  Part of the old paths is having fellowship with God.

“There is nothing sadder in all creation than a soul in isolation.”  I am trying to teach the children and young people how to break the yoke of living for themselves and not reaching out in friendship. 

What is beautiful is when a little child has a humble spirit and seeing someone that no one else is paying attention to, going to reach out and find a common ground. 

God so marvelously granted you and me the intuition to hunger for fellowship.  We get hungry for fellowship and to commune with God. 

Always commune with God before you go to commune with someone else.  If you go in the flesh then you will mess it up.  If you go, go with a heart full of love and compassion thinking, “I could not only be in their shape but in worse shape.”

God came in the cool of the day.  There is a cool of the day in the evening and in the morning.

God remembered Noah.  However bad it is today, don’t tell me what you read on the internet, I don’t believe that stuff.  Tell me what you know because you have personally fasted and prayed and gone to a soul because you were burdened.  Don’t quote the internet; quote what you found when you were out working with souls. 

The old path began in Genesis in communing with God.  It was when God spoke to Noah, “The very imagination of man’s heart is only evil from youth continually.”  Yet Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.

The other path also began in Genesis: temptation to disobey.  Disobedience.  Every man is tempted when He is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.  Sin brings forth death.

The old path is the good way.  I won’t be able to with words give you the beauty that I would like to of what the “good way” means.  It is past the ability of an artist to describe the good way. 

The definition is in the Strong’s Concordance: Hebrew entrance 2896.

Good - H2896  טוֹב  ṭôb tobe

beautiful, best, better, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, X fair (word), (be in) favour, fine, glad, good (deed, -lier, liest, -ly, -ness, -s), graciously, joyful, kindly, kindness, liketh (best), loving, merry, X most, pleasant, + pleaseth, pleasure, precious, prosperity, ready, sweet, wealth, welfare, (be) well ([-favoured]).

It makes me think of the song: “I am traveling a highway, a beautiful road.” 

If we are not careful, we will be traveling the wrong road and all we will see in the journey of holiness is: “It is so hard to be different.”  Those out there don’t think it is hard to be different.  They are headed to their next tattoo appointment or for their next drink.

You are yoked in your mind; if you think it is hard to serve God.

At ease is one of the meanings of the good way.  If you find it hard then it is because you make it hard.  My wife and Kayla can take white spelt flour, make it into balls and roll it and pat it and I can make your mouth water talking about fresh tortillas off of the grill.  They don’t think that way is hard.  They love it.

Some people talk about serving God like people that drive through Glacier park and say, “I went and saw Glacier park.  I went over going to the sun road and I didn’t think it was all that great.”

If serving God in your mind doesn’t seem beautiful then you don’t know it.  It is the best.  How does it compare to the other?  It is better.  The old paths are better! 

The good way is bountiful.  Isn’t it wonderful that there is a plan to give and give and give?  Being bountiful means having much.  It is not talking about three fishing poles or two hooks.  It is not about that type of thing.  It is speaking of having a bountiful attitude and a bountiful spirit.  Jesus said to give. 

I am asking you children to ask God to help you to be a giver.  It is not long in a child’s life and the way of sin opens up.  I talked to Dylan yesterday and he said, “I wish I would have talked to you that day that I was on that rock crying.”  

Young people, children, church at Paradise, the way of the transgressor is hard.  Ask God to cause you to be a giver.  Help someone else.  Start at home.  Be a good helper to your mom.  Don’t be a whiner or a complainer.  When the funds are low and you are not eating your favorite food, then be thankful for what you have that is not your favorite food.

We may not be known for having a lot of money or anything else, but may we be known for having hospitality and being friendly. 

What makes you bountiful is standing in the way and seeking the old paths.  I want to be that one that is not always talking about how hard we have it, but that I give bountifully.  Give of self.  Give of time. 

Beautiful, best, bountiful, better.  Cheerful. 

If you let the enemy he will give you a path that you are always sad.  Everyone in this audience could have the journal, “My life is so sad.”  God has got oil to pour into your wounds.  You can get healed and go forward.

Cheerful.  You say, “I have this wrong and that wrong.”  You can still be cheerful.  You can say, “I want something from God so that when I meet a saint or a sinner I can tell them, “I found a scripture that makes me want to shout the aisles.”” 

There is a healer.  I was in Miami and a young man drove down from Tampa and sang this song:

When my life is tested by some bitter trial. 
When the tempter tries to tempt me in life’s way. 
When darkness dreary falls across my journey
Then my Jesus gives a very special grace. 

A very special grace in times of trouble. 
A very special grace to see me through. 
A very special grace just to heal all my heartaches.
How Jesus wants to give this special grace to you.

I know that I was never worthy. 
My sins demanded that I be punished too. 
Then Jesus took my place upon Mount Calvary
And that special grace is here to see me through.

Stand in the ways and ask for the old paths.  Is your burden heavy?  I believe that there is a path that no fowl knows and the vultures eye has not seen.  There is a very special grace. 

Glad.  Good.  Gracious.  The good way is a kind way.  It is a loving way. 

Pleasant journey.  I read about a man that reminded me of my self.  He was at David Livingston’s funeral in England.  There were thousands lining the streets to pay honor to David.  There was among them this man weeping and weeping. 

Someone finally went to him and asked, “Why are you weeping.  Can I help you?”  He said, “No you cannot.  David and I went to school together.  David chose the good way.  I chose the world.  It led me until soon I will fill a drunkard’s grave.” 

I was close to going that way.  It all started fun and games.  There were pretty girls and, I thought, good friends.  Let me tell you that the good way is pleasant and full of pleasure: real joy, real happiness.

It is precious.  Full of prosperity.  I think of serving God.  How we sell everything in that thought and give it back to God.  Then how He gives us houses, lands, friends, brothers, sisters, cars, trucks, and gives us richly all things to enjoy. 

What is so wonderful is this good way prepares us.  Isn’t it wonderful to be prepared?  Isn’t it wonderful when you feel, “I need to pray again and I need to study that.”  Down the road you realize, “That is a part of the good way helping me to be ready.”

Sweet.  God has a way of sweetening the toughest spots.  Wealth. Rest.

The description of the other path: “The way of the transgressor is hard,” and full of disappointments.

How many people have you talked to whose life has gone into shambles and they say, “I never thought it would turn out like this.  I had hopes, dreams, and promises. 

How many young men and women are so broken hearted?  They heard promises by given by the prince of the world, the devil: “It will not be with you as it was with those others.”  Until the claws get in, then broken dreams, broken men and women, and broken children.

The good path is a wonderful way.  I visited a lady in the rest home and she is living in the past.  It is sad.  It has taken her and captivated her mind, the injustice of the past.

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

Joh 14:5  Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

I go to prepare a place for you.  Isn’t that wonderful?  Everyone here knows that we will not be here forever.  Sometimes we wonder, “What is going to happen?”  Jesus said that He cannot lie.  “I will not lie.”  He said, “I go to prepare a place for you.  I will come and receive you.  I will guide you.”

Isn’t it wonderful to stand in the ways?  “What should I do Lord?”  There are many voices on each way.  I don’t care what you contemplate or meditate, there will be voiced upon voices, “This is the way.  It is better here.  I have more to offer here.”

There is a still small voice that says, “This is the way.  I will guide you.”

Thomas asked the question, “How can we know the way.”  Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.  No man cometh unto the Father but by me.”

We all will be given the opportunity for this way, that way, some other way, or God’s way.  You say, “It would be quite expensive for me to choose God’s way.  I might lose the influence of this or that one.  I might get in trouble here or there.”  Whatever path you choose there will be the influence of someone that you will lose. 

A song was written, “Pick me up on your way down.” All the promises cause people to think, “This is going to be great.”  Then the tumble effect happens.  They find themselves tumbling down.

Jesus said, “Stand in the ways.  See.  Ask for the old paths.  For therein is the good way.” 

You shall find rest.  Soul rest.