Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 4/29/15

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 4/29/15

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

When at the grave side I mentioned how our past life leaves one under condemnation, immediately there were different facial expressions on the people there.  Three of us were saved so there was not the expression of condemnation because we are not under condemnation.  Three that I saw, their facial expression acknowledged, yes, condemnation.

We have such a blessing available to us to be led by the Spirit of God.  We are faced with many decisions every day.  Often our mind is the battle ground.  We wonder, “If I am saved and sanctified why am I tormented by this thought that I don’t want to have?”  That is the battle.  We can either fight the battle, or we can be overcome and we don’t want to do that.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

The Holy Spirit of God will not be a dictator to anyone of us or hold a whip over us as a mule trainer. 

As many as are led…  My mind and your mind will put us on the run about as fast as we get out of bed in the morning with the pressures of life and the battles that we face as individuals that are saved.  There are pressures on those that are not saved, the wages of sin is death.  Those that are not led by the spirit of God will end up in the wilderness and desert as Deuteronomy says.

Rom 8:2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

To know what it is to be saved and be led by the Spirit is a miracle.  “So laden was I… My sins are not there anymore.”  Many people that are physically ill are physically ill because of the condemnation of unrepented sin. 

We can be free to be led.

Rom 8:3  For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

By the very fact that Jesus was crucified and a sword was thrust into His side, Jesus came to condemn sin.  His message is, “You don’t have to live that way.”  That man holding the sign by the freeway in Missoula, he chose the wrong road and he doesn’t have to live that way.

Rom 8:4  That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

“I keep my body under and bring it into subjection.”  One of the greatest victories after salvation and sanctification is keeping our body under, not letting our mind run away, our appetites run away or our flesh force us to do this or that.

Rom 8:5  For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

This scripture was good to me concerning the goodness of God that He has wrought for the sons of men.  Every day God has a lot of goodnesses ready for you to be led, guided, and directed.  You and I have a wonderful opportunity to let all these positive things work for us.

We know how the flesh makes demands and controls people.  The lusts of the flesh and the fulfillment thereof comes with a very high price tag.  How many times have you looked at a situation and say, “I wonder if they would do it all over again?”  People that have been in sin a while tell us, “Every day I live with regrets.” 

Isn’t it wonderful that we don’t have to?  You can be led of the Spirit of God every day and free from regret.

Rom 8:6  For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Recently I wondered, “How come I am battling these kinds of thoughts?  I have no desire for anything that is not holy.”  It is a battle for our mind.  If the enemy can get your mind to think on something then he can get you going in a different direction.

Rom 8:7  Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

If we will let fleshly, carnal, human thoughts war in our mind, we will shrivel up until we don’t think we have enough strength in our hands to open the bible or a piece of gum. 

We serve a mighty God.  We don’t need to be overcome with the thought, “I cannot do this or that.”  Through Jesus Christ we can be more than a conqueror.

Our natural carnal mind will war against the things of God, against God being first, against us taking a stand.  It will war and war and war.

The majority of us feels the pressure of our financial times.  It will war on your mind.  But God will take care of His people.  Taxes may go up but God will still take care of His people.

The enemy would like to make us think that no one wants to hear the gospel.  That is a lie out of the pits of hell.  Men and women need to hear the gospel. 

We are living epistles.  When they get around you and me, I personally feel it is unjust for me to let anyone put the damper on me that I cannot say anything about God and truth.  You try to put the damper on them?  If they are democrats or republicans they will preach that stuff 24/7.

People are not all that concerned about what you have to filter out of what they say.  They say just about anything.  You say something about God and your mind begins, “I hope I didn’t offend them.”  Hold on.  You are a creation of God.

God made man of the dust of the ground.  He created the dust.  He breathed into their nostrils and man became a living soul.  God created them. 

As many as are led by the spirit of God they are the sons of God.

Rom 8:8  So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

Rom 8:9  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Rom 8:10  And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

We are blessed to have the quickening of the Holy Spirit of God.  It is the Spirit that quickens.

Rom 8:11  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

Isn’t it wonderful to have something quickening us, quickening a song in our soul?

Rom 8:12  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

Rom 8:13  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Dear church in Paradise, we have a full schedule between now and Sunday night.  What will make it all flow smoothly is every individual being led by the Spirit of God.  That will cause everything to work out.

Brother Bill Sunday Evening 4/26/15

Brother Bill Sunday Evening 4/26/15

Mat 5:1  And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

Mat 5:2  And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Mat 5:3  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

I remember years ago when I was with Sister Griffin I asked her, “What have you learned in the years that you have been saved that will help me in my walk with God?”  She was someone that I respected and wanted to learn from.

Here was Jesus, He opened his mouth, who can be greater than Jesus?  He was passing on things to His disciples and to us to help us.  In the human these scriptures can seem common, but we don’t know the depth of the scriptures.  There is really a depth!

Blessed are the poor in spirit:  we desperately need God.  This is one of the things that Jesus was trying to teach them, “You need to really learn how to lean on God, and have an understanding that you cannot do this on your own.”

I wasn’t raised in the church of God.  I got saved when I was sixteen years old.  I started coming to young peoples and the Spirit of God was drawing on my heart.  I didn’t know a whole lot, but I knew enough that I knew that I needed to be saved.

I remember as a sinner the voice of God worked on my conscience, “You need to get saved.”  That was the Spirit of God talking to my heart.  So I tried to clean up my act in myself.  I found that it didn’t work.  I remember something happened and I messed up again.  I couldn’t clean up my life in myself. 

I couldn’t do it until I repented of my sins and asked God to forgive me.  Then He did a work in me and it was Him that gave me the ability to live for Him.

Our dependency after so many years is still in Him.  I tell Teri, “I feel my need of God.”  I always feel needy.  I go before God and say, “God help me here.  You have shown me something that I need to be washed of or need help with.” 

When I go to the altar, it is not because I am not saved.  Should I stand in my pew and just sing and not go?  The scripture says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”  We are not crystals.  We are needy before God. 

I walk with God and because of day to day rubbing elbows with the world, we will come up needy.  I have had to pray.  “God help me to have the right attitude.”  We are not crystals.  In my human thinking it would be wonderful if I could just push a button and nothing bother me, mind my own business, and everything go hunky dory all the time. 

God did not design us that way.  He designed us that we need to draw on Him.  It helps us to always realize that we need Him.  It helps us to realize that He is the one, we are not the one, without Him we will fail.

Joh 15:1  I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.

Joh 15:2  Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.

Isn’t it good that God is going to keep working with us to help purge us?  I don’t say, “Lord, refine that brother or sister.”  I pray, “Lord, help me to be refined, perfected, and washed.  If there is anything in me help me to get it washed and taken care of.”  I don’t always see right about myself and for sure I don’t always see right about other people.

Isn’t it good that GOD will help us to be purged?  “The Lord has pleasure in the prosperity of His servants.”  If that is so then surely He will help us to be that which we should be.

Psa 138:8  The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me: thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands.

I want to be perfected.

In Matthew chapter 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21, it talks about, “There will be wars and rumors of wars.”  And then it says, “Jesus will come in the clouds.”  If my understanding is right, that is not talking of the judgment day.  That is talking about Jesus coming in His church with power and great glory and there will be people get saved. 

I want to be a part of that.  What we can do to be a part of it is letting God prepare us. 

The angels prepared themselves to sound in the Revelations.  We want to prepare ourselves to sound.  The world would like to silence us.  We want to prepare ourselves to do all we can with the Spirit of God to do what God shows us so that we can have a clean lamp and the light can shine out. 

I went to the altar this morning because I saw a speck of dirt.  “Lord, wash me of that thing.  That looks better.”  I have been in this race quite a while and there are still times that I see something.  Is that the way it is with everyone or just me? 

Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God.

Joh 15:3  Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

Joh 15:4  Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

If you want to be successful in living for God, then you have to be hooked up to the vine.  You are not the vine.  You are just the branches.  As long as we stay hooked to him, we will be successful.

I visited with a young man that had an up and down experience.  I asked him if he had good devotions.  “Well…no.”  He didn’t keep drawing from the vine.  If he would have, he would have been able to serve God.

There are people that have withdrawn from the race that may have been great people in human eyes.  They didn’t stay tapped in to the vine right.  They didn’t keep drawing on Him when things worked on them.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. 

We have this treasure in earthen vessels.  We have to keep drawing on Him.  “God help me, wash me of this thing, it has a root in my heart, help me to forgive, to have a right attitude, and to have a real love for that sinner or whoever.”

If you keep drawing on Him, you will be successful no matter what your background is.  I was not raised in the church if God.  I did not have a flowery family.  I endeavored to keep drawing on the vine and that is why I am still here.

Joh 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

Without Him we can do nothing.  I cannot even open and close my hand without Him.  You will not be successful without being tapped into the vine.

Mat 25:3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

Every morning and every evening, get that oil from God.  There are things that will attack you.  There are things that I have been working on in my life.  The scripture says to take heed,

Luk 21:34  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

Luk 21:35  For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

Luk 21:36  Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

It is not a onetime fix.  We need to draw on that oil, that which we need from God and keeping things in their proper place. 

Mar 1:29  And forthwith, when they were come out of the synagogue, they entered into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John.

Mar 1:30  But Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever, and anon they tell him of her.

Mar 1:31  And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them.

Mar 1:32  And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.

Mar 1:33  And all the city was gathered together at the door.

Mar 1:34  And he healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out many devils; and suffered not the devils to speak, because they knew him.

Mar 1:35  And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Jesus, the son of God, had to get a hold of God too.  If He had to, surely we have to get a hold of God. 

Mar 8:22  And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.

Mar 8:23  And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.

Mar 8:24  And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

Mar 8:25  After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

In Exodus when Moses went up into the mountain,

Exo 34:1  And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first: and I will write upon these tables the words that were in the first tables, which thou brakest.

Exo 34:2  And be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present thyself there to me in the top of the mount.

Every morning we need to go up and present ourselves before God.

Exo 34:3  And no man shall come up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount; neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount.

When we go up into the mount, we leave all people behind and all the cares of life behind.

Jesus got the blind man away from the town and alone with God.  People have the tendency to see others as trees.  Throughout history people have looked at people as trees, looking up, “Oh that great person.”  When a tree falls, it takes other trees with them. 

We need to honor the brotherhood and give double honor to those that labor in the word.  I am not taking away from that.  But we need to see men as men.  When we see people as trees, when people get lifted up, then there is trouble up ahead.

We need to see ourselves as men not as trees.  We need to see others as men as well.  Any of us can fall.  The thing that will keep you on track is you drawing from that vine. 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.”  Keep feeling your dependency on God and let others help you.  Don’t buck up and say, “No one will tell me what to do.”  You won’t always see right in your own eyes.

It has been a help to me being married.  Sometimes we think we have better eyesight than what we do.  Our wife says, “You are not seeing that right.”  It helps to have one another.  Whether your wife or your brother and sister. 

We need the body.  Jesus helped him to see men as men, not as trees.

Zec 6:13  Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.

He created us for His glory, not for our own glory.  We are created for His glory. 

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

The flesh is weak.  We have to watch and pray.  We need Him.  There are great men and women that have fallen.  Look at Solomon in the Bible.  He had greater wisdom than any before him and any after him.  He messed up. 

We are just flesh and blood.  That is all, so we need to watch and pray.

Mat 26:36  Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.

Mat 26:37  And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy.

Mat 26:38  Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.

Mat 26:39  And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Mat 26:40  And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Mat 26:41  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mat 26:42  He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.

Mat 26:43  And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy.

Mat 26:44  And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.

Mat 26:45  Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

He could have easily said, “I need to go pray.  I feel my need of prayer.  I feel my need of getting a hold of God.  I am in desperate need, I am having a tough time with this thing and I will have to draw on Him or I will not make it.”

It sounds like there will be times that we will have to pray again in certain situations.  “Dear God, I am not satisfied.  I need more help here.” 

Luk 22:39  And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

Luk 22:40  And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

Luk 22:41  And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

Luk 22:42  Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

Luk 22:43  And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

We will go through hard times.  You may be someone’s angel to strengthen them.  There are times when you are going through something and unbeknownst to the saint, they come along and say, “Brother or sister, I am praying for you.  Be encouraged.”  God help us that we would be what we need to be to our brother and sister too.

Psa 87:7  As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.

Springs - a fountain, a source, a source of satisfaction, a well.

He will be the source that you have access to.  He has a storehouse.  He has in that storehouse those things that you will need, grace, comfort, help, whatever it is, he is the source of satisfaction.

People that are out in the world do not have that storehouse.  The first storehouse they have access to is to be able to get saved. 

Once they open the door to God coming into their heart and they step through the door, then they have all the other stores in the storehouse available to them.  It is for their comfort, help, direction, and supplying every need. 

You are His child then and He will take care of you to the end.

When your mother and father forsake you then the Lord will take you up.  There are times that your parents forsake you because they die, not because they don’t love you.  When they forsake you in that way, the Lord will take you up. 

You may not have mom or dad there to help you but you have the Lord there to take care of your need.

Brother Gyme Sunday Morning 4/26/15

Brother Gyme Sunday Morning 4/26/15

Psa 136:1  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

God has everlasting mercy that endures forever.  Every good thing in our life comes from God.  All the good things, and every help we get, no matter from what source, it is only because they are from the principles of the Word of God. 

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

The goodness of God brought us to repentance.  It is because of the merciful God, because He is good.

Mercy is kindness, goodness, favorableness, favor.  God wants to show favor to His people

Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

God never changes.  He is always the same.  We don’t serve a God that is fickle: one day his emotions are up and the next day they are done.  People can be like this.  One day they treat you well because their emotions are up.  The next day you wonder, “What did I do to them?” 

We want to stay somewhere in the center, not too high or too low.  God never changes.  When we are feeling down God still hasn’t changed.  He is still the same and sees every situation exactly the same, His judgment never changes.  His mercy endures forever.  It is never going to change.

Psa 16:2  O my soul, thou hast said unto the LORD, Thou art my Lord: my goodness extendeth not to thee;

We have no good beyond God.  Everything that we have that is good is from God.

Psa 136:2  O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa 136:3  O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

There is only one God that gives good gifts.  There are many gods that the world lusts after.  But there is only one God that is good.  All the others and the gifts that come from them lead to destruction.

Mar 12:29  And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

We see God’s creation and how everything works together and how the Word of God all fits together.  There is no way that you could get this Word of God written through all that time to line up exactly unless God wrote it.  Men did not write the Bible.  God wrote it.

Aren’t we lucky that the God of creation is our God and He gives good gifts?

Psa 136:4  To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa 136:5  To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa 136:6  To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa 136:7  To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Psa 136:8  The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Psa 136:9  The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa 136:10  To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Psa 136:11  And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Psa 136:12  With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Psa 136:13  To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:

Psa 136:14  And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:

We see this picture of a God that created all things.  By His wisdom He set everything in order.  I think of the men and women that say the earth is dying and is going to go away.  There is a time it will all burn up but it will not happen until God says. 

The God that created it all is more than capable of holding it and keeping it.  If we are spending time worrying and fearing of these earthly things than we are wasting our time.  We want to be good stewards, we are taught to be.  This earth is not for eternity, but it won’t be destroyed until God says.

God has a plan.  We don’t need to fear running out of oil; if we do run out of oil, there will be something else.

God miraculously delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt.  He did it in such a way that He let everyone know that He is God.  He is still the God that delivers today.

Isa 51:1  Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.

Are we following after righteousness? 

Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

This is a personal thing.  Are we following after righteousness?  There are many other things: self-righteousness, religious righteousness, the only one that is right is godly righteousness.

Look to the pit from whence you are hewn.  Cisterns cut in stone without water were used for prisons.  Stop and think of what God delivered us from.  We were lost and without God.  It is a miracle to be delivered. 

There is only one way to have a changed life and that is through repentance.  That is the message of the Church of God.  Repentance changes lives.  If you don’t have a changed life that is a sign that you have not repented. 

Aren’t you glad that you know about repentance?  Aren’t you glad to confess and turn from what is wrong?  We are only required to obey the Word of God. 

When my coworkers ask me a question, I tell them, “Ask me anything.  I have nothing to hide.”  One of my coworkers has been burnt on religion.  I tell him, “You don’t have to come to my building to be saved.  The church of God is wherever someone is saved.  That is the message of the church of God.” 

I tell them, “You can be saved anywhere.  You just have to obey the word of God.  You just have to come the bible way.” 

Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  It will not save you to show up at church.  Following the Word of God will save you.  Then God will lead you.  He may lead you to Paradise Montana, He may lead you somewhere else. 

The message gives liberty.  Wherever the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty.  There are no boxes.  As long as you are following the Word of God you can relax because there is liberty. 

“I know that I am saved.  What God has shown me, I am following.”  God wants liberty for us.  Not to do whatever we want, there is bondage in that.  There is liberty to give us good things.  Everything from God is good.

Isa 51:2  Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.

Heb 11:8  By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Heb 11:9  By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:

Heb 11:10  For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

God had a city, not a literal city or a literal building.  It was a spiritual city, it has a foundation that is solid.  We have a foundation, it is Jesus Christ.  “Whose builder and maker is Christ.”

If you are discouraged and unbelief is working, then “Look to the old paths.”  Look back to the Word of God, the goodness and faithfulness of God.  He always came through.  No matter how big the challenge or impossible the path looked, God always came through.

A difficulty with me is that I like to see the end.  I not only want to see the path but the end of the path.  He says, “This is the path I want you to take, and by faith you can follow me.”  We may not know the end, but we can trust Him.

We can look back at our own lives and see how God has never failed us.  We looked at the difficulties and wondered, but God came through.

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.

Today there is a spirit in the world that is progressive: “Somehow we are becoming more enlightened and we know more.”  That is from the pits of hell.  The Bible says, “Look to the old paths.”  These old paths are eternal paths.  There is no new way. 

These old paths are well trodden.  We can see back in our time, I think of my grandmother.  She is probably directly responsible for my being saved today.  She prayed for me.  I saw a different life.  She didn’t necessarily teach me anything, I just knew that there was something different about my grandmother.

We want to be different.  We don’t want to fit in.  Not in a bad way but there needs to be something different about us if we are saved, we have a God that is good.  The world needs to see someone different. 

Seek the old paths that are eternal.

Isa 51:3  For the LORD shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

I have some dry places that I need God to help with.  I have ground to gain.  He will make your wilderness inhabitable.  He will take those placed in our lives that are not producing anything and will make them beautiful if we will let Him.

We serve a good God and should be a thankful people and should have a voice of melody.

Isa 51:4  Hearken unto me, my people; and give ear unto me, O my nation: for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people.

Isa 51:5  My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust.

Isa 51:6  Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.

It is eternal.

Isa 51:7  Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.

We live in a world today that would like you and me to not be able to say anything.  They will talk about anything, any subject, but they don’t want you to talk about the good things of God.  They don’t even like you to say, “Thank the Lord.”  But they can talk about anything.

We need to not fear the reproach of men.  Some of the worst offenders of this are religious people.  They don’t want to hear anything about living holy.  The Bible is true.  The spirit of the day is that we cannot say anything.  It is the same spirit that is working in other countries killing the Christians because of their beliefs. 

They are doing the same thing in our country.  They are trying to kill your influence.  Chaplains in the army are no longer supposed to bring out the gospel.  This world wants you to feel uncomfortable because of the standard that you have. 

They should feel uncomfortable when they show up with half their clothes off.  We should be comfortable.  Every standard in the Word of God is good.  We need to take a stand.  We don’t need to be rude, crude, and unacceptable.  We need to take a stand.

They will present anything to your children.  Today is the day to stand up and say, “I have had just about enough.  That is wrong.”  They will kill you with your silence. 

We need to be the church.  God is good and everything that God has is good.  The children here are not missing out on anything but death and destruction.  You will not be the exception.  I have seen it day after day in the people that I grew up around that I see in St Regis.  You would not sleep. 

What God has for you is good.  He has the very best.  The enemy is working to destroy it.  The enemy is working to destroy these children.  He is working.  He is not quiet.  It is a flood of garbage, and we are going to be silent?  We are not going to hold a standard?  We are going to be embarrassed because we dress modestly? 

No, we have an alternative.  It is good because God is good.  Everything that God has for us is good.

Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

We are a blessed people.  The prisons are opened.  We don’t have to be in bondage.  We don’t have to be in bondage to other’s opinions.  It is true liberty to get to a point where we can say, “I don’t care what people think, I care what God thinks.”

There are many kinds of broken hearts.  These dear sisters that lost their mother have a broken heart.  The world will break your heart.  It will shatter your life.  When we come to God He says, I will put things together for you.  I will heal your heart.

Today is the day of salvation.  To all of our loved ones, our acquaintances, today is the day of salvation.

Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

God is good.  He has good things in store for young people, for us that are middle-aged, and He has good things in store for the aged, because God is good.

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 4/22/15

Brother Gary Wednesday Evening 4/22/15

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:

Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith in God is precious.  In this world faith is under attack in many lives.  Many have allowed unbelief to take over and therefore are not able to believe God. 

Grace and Peace:  a lot of our life will be surrounded by a lot of turmoil, distress, stress, unrest, and difficult things.  That doesn’t keep us from enjoying these two wonderful blessings.  Grace is the inspiration of the divine, benefit.

That doesn’t keep us from enjoying peace.  We can have peace though the world be raging, though everything is not going the way that we would like to see, though there is a mental, spiritual, emotional storm.  God has a place where we can rest in Him.

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

The more we know about God and Jesus the greater grace and peace that we can enjoy.  He has everything under control.  Though we may be in turmoil, it is wonderful to know His eye is on the sparrow. 

The hymn story behind the song, “His Eye is On the Sparrow,” is that there was a crippled couple that lived in Boston.  He transported himself to work in a wheel chair.  Someone stopped by and said, “How do you folks stay happy in such a sad situation.  They said, “We know that His eye is on the sparrow and He will take care of us too.”

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:

We pray and often our prayer is, “God we are so needy.  We feel our pronounced need today.”    

His divine power will give us everything that pertains to life and godliness.  He has already made provision that your greatest challenge be taken care of.

He has given us exceeding and great promises.  We only need one, but He gives them over and over again.

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.

We are so blessed to know that we can escape the corruption that is in the world.  We found that the world would not satisfy that heart of ours.  When we came confessing and repenting, we found that He would satisfy every need.

2Pe 1:5  And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

There are a lot of things that God does, but there are some things that we are instructed to do.  “Beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue.” 

The word virtue means a miracle.  There are times in our lives when we need a miracle.  The first miracle that we cried out for was salvation and forgiveness from sin.  To be able to be free from condemnation is a miracle. 

Rom 8:1  There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

That is a miracle that men cannot grasp.  They are always sinning, and being overcome.  That is from youth.  They are always adding to the load.

Virtue means moral excellence.  Isn’t it wonderful that we don’t want any shady deals in our lives?  We don’t have to be the kind loving gentlemen out of the home but a roaring lion in the home.  We want to live it.

God’s plan for everyone that is saved is to be challenged in the spring 2015 to sow good seed spiritually.  We will only do that is by touching Jesus. 

There is a definite row that God wants you to plant seed in, in spring 2015.  I urge you to know where you are investing your money.  Most important is to sow the seed where God has prepared the ground for you. 

There are individuals that may look the most unlikely in the world.  God looks into the window of their heart and their soul.  I not sure how many windows there are into the soul of mankind, but I know that there is a window into our soul that God can look into. 

God has been looking into the window of some soul, if in His great plan He has been looking into the window of a soul that He is going to have cross your path, we want to be prepared.

Knowledge is true wisdom.  Add to your virtue knowledge.  There is some knowledge that God really wants you to know about, that is the knowledge of the Word of God.  I have been dealing with two or three young men whose lives are really messed up.  I thought, “What scripture can I give them?” 

Psa 119:9  BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

I told Karen that I needed to get my filter over and let God wash it all out.  “I wasn’t treated right here or there.”  No one will argue with you.  But if you leave that there, it will cause the filter to get plugged. 

I allowed the filter to get plugged on my lawnmower.  If you leave it there then it will ruin the engine.

Spiritually we need to get our filters cleaned.  “God I have packed this long enough.  I want to get it cleaned out by the washing of the water of the Word.”

The Word is such a marvelous teacher.  It teaches us to be mannerly, to study the word of God, to be instant in season, to reign in this life.  The Word of God quickens when you are so tired that you don’t feel that you can take another step.

 2Pe 1:6  And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

To knowledge add temperance.  It is vital that we know as Paul,

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

We all have a natural mind and feel the responsibilities of the spring of 2015.  We must keep everything in subjection to God.

Temperance means under control.  We have to be temperate in all things.

Add patience to temperance.  Waiting on God in difficulty and in decision. 

1Th 5:14  Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

How many have left the sad testimony, “I wish I had been patient and waited on God.”  We cannot undo the past but we can be patient spring 2015.

I believe that God and His Son stand at the window and look into the window of my soul. 

Add to patience godliness.  We want to bear the image of the Father and of the Son.  We want godly attitudes toward one another, toward the situation in our life.  We have so much to be thankful for.  We have difficulties in life; that is why it is called life.  Godliness in our actions, godly actions. 

Add brotherly kindness to godliness.  I want to treat the family of God with that same kindness that I treat my brother, Bill, Kelly.  He can call anytime.  They say, “Do you think you could do this for us?”  I will be there.  “How are you doing?  How is Francis doing?” 

A word fitly spoken; the Bible says to add brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness we are to add charity. 

2Pe 1:7  And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

2Pe 1:8  For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

You say, “Can I abound in virtue?”  Definitely!  You can abound in virtue, you can abound in faith.  If these things be in you and abound… 

Abound in temperance.  You all know that strawberry ice-cream and rhubarb is good together, but we know that we shouldn’t eat a half gallon of ice-cream.  Temperance in eating, in sleeping, in talking, in everything. 

Abound in patience, in godliness, in brotherly kindness.  Abound in charity.