This Weeks Sermon

The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.  Proverbs 14:14

Friday, January 27, 2012

Proverbs 15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.

Our verse this morning is not really a verse to worship on or to shout about.  It is a verse that will send a firm warning to some but to some it will turn on the light of confirmation.  First, we see the subject of our verse is “correction”.  This word means to be corrected, to be disciplined, or to be given instruction.  Our world today is filled with those that reject instruction and despise correction.  We must be cautious not to reject instruction.  If a person rejects instruction then they likely reject the Word of God.  The Word of God is an entire book of instruction from God Himself.  Our verse warns us of being “grievous” of this correction.  In other words, it infuriates you to be corrected.  It really turns on your defense when you are told that you are wrong.  Friend, this is a very dangerous state to be in.  Verse 10 goes on to tell us that this person “shall die”.  Wow, those are strong words!  A person who continually rejects correction and reproof will die spiritually and sometimes they will die physically.  How’s that?  Well, let’s suppose that I am about to walk out into oncoming traffic and you scream out for me to stop.  I turn and look at you with an evil eye of strife because I am aggravated that you would correct my way of walking.  So I keep walking…and you know the rest of the story.  Correction is for our own good whether it be physically or spiritually.  You see, the real problem is not just ignoring the correction.  The real problem here is fleshly pride.  Fleshly pride is a monster.  It is dangerous and very destructive.  It destroys everything in its path for great distances.  Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.   Pride kills!  Pride of the flesh is an acid that eats away at our well being.  Notice our verse; Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way.  You see, this person is actually living out of the will of God.  They are not walking in the ways of the Lord.  They have forsaken the Lord’s will and taken to their own fleshly desires.  Let’s check out some more advice about this pride; Proverbs 14:3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride: but the lips of the wise shall preserve them.  Pro. 13:10 Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom.  Pro. 11:2 When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.  Wow, what a firm warning we have here.  Be careful today not to reject and grieve over correction.  That correction that we fight so hard against might just save our life.  Have a blessed weekend!

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Proverbs 14:14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man shall be satisfied from himself.

The book of Proverbs is one of the most important books in the Bible when it comes to advice on living a holy life.  Here in verse 14 we find some advice that we must not ignore.  The subject here is the backslider.  A backslider is not a lost person.  The backslider is not one who claims to be saved and is lost.  A majority of the people today that have been earmarked as a backslider is not a backslider at all…they are plainly a hell bound sinner.  A backslider is a child of God.  It is one who has come to the saving knowledge of Christ and has been overtaken by the Holy Ghost and drawn to repentance and therefore has been saved by grace.  This person has been truly saved but has allowed them self to indulge in the sin of the mind or the flesh or in other words have given in to the carnal.  This person has become cold on God and has distanced themselves from the will and ways of God.  Many backsliders are still committed to church attendance, but they are cold and callous to the power of God.  They are guilty of trying to look like a holy child of God when they are actually rotten at the heart and lying in the gutter of the flesh.  Their saved soul cries out for mercy but the flesh has overtaken their heart.  We must guard ourselves from the desires and the draw of the flesh.  If we allow our carnal side to rule us then we will soon find our self in a very miserable state of life.  Fulfilling the desires of the flesh will only be for a season and might I say, many times, a very short season.  Notice our verse again; this will happen to a good man if he allows himself to be put into that position.  Lay out of church one Sunday without legitimate reason and the next Sunday will be easier to miss.  Miss one Wednesday because your flesh is tired and for the next week you will be miserable as the flesh rules your life.  Dear friends, this flesh verses spirit issue is serious.  Don’t pray for about two days and see how hard it is to get back into the throne room of prayer.  Lay your Bible down for a week and see how weak your heart becomes.  A dusty Bible is the first signs of a dirty heart.  Unbent knees are the true sign of a child of God that has a high and haughty heart.  We must guard our self from the desires of the flesh.  Be careful little eyes what you see…be careful little ears what you hear…be careful little hands what you touch…be careful big mouth what you say.  Notice that our verse mentions a “good man” is a man that is satisfied “from” himself.  Don’t be stuck on yourself.  Be satisfied “from” yourself.  Oh how true our verse is today.  Be careful child of God.  Don’t let your guard down!  Be clean and holy and filled with the Holy Ghost.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Proverbs 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:  17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,  18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Today we must take a look at a serious group of verses.  As we strive in this day to walk a Christian walk and have Holy Ghost worship each week, it is a battle to fight against the wiles of the enemy.  Satan has great determination to dampen our fire for God.  He uses those that are willing to be used of him to hinder us.  My friend, don’t open the door for him to use you.  Here in our verses we find seven things that kills churches, damages Christians and destroys Holy Ghost worship in our lives and church services.  Let’s check them out together.  First He condemns “a proud look”.  Fleshly pride is an annoying poison to Christian fellowship.  Don’t let your ego get bigger than you are.  Don’t think for a minute that you are better than someone else.  We must not forget that we were all hopeless, hell-bound sinners and the sovereign grace of God came to us and purposely saved our wretched soul.  Be careful not to get the big-head syndrome or the know-it-all disease.  These type personalities are a hindrance to others and are obnoxious to have to put up with.  The scriptures teach us to “humble ourselves”.  Then “a lying tongue”.  Busybodies and gossips kill churches and reputations like liquid poison.  The scriptures warn us of these people.  We must get back to church discipline against this type behavior if we plan on having real worship services!  Next we see a warning to those that “shed innocent blood”.  We first think of murderers when we read this but we must not forget all those precious innocent babies that are murdered in the wombs of many mothers each year.  My friend, abortion is murder.  If you are guilty of this act, grace is offered for forgiveness.  Run to the Lord now and plea grace for your sin that you may recover through His wonderful mercy.  America, we must wake up to the tactics of Satan.  He is killing the next generation by the thousands before they are ever born.  Next He warns those that have “an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations”.  We must protect our spirits from the wicked intentions of this world.  Evil and filthy wickedness is as rampant as ants boiling from a kicked fire ant bed.  We must strive to guard the windows to our heart which is our sight, touch, hearing, taste and even smell.  Watch out!  Wickedness waits to destroy your mind if you open the window and give it free entrance to your heart.  And then “feet that be swift in running to mischief”.  Some folk wake up looking for trouble.  Don’t use your time to hurt others.  Don’t do things to spitefully see others go down.  And the sixth thing he warns us against is “a false witness that speaketh lies”.  Now He mentioned a liar earlier, but He goes deeper here at the end of our verses.  He singles out particular liars.  He speaks of those that bear false witness with their lies.  These are “false witnesses”.  The shelves of the bookstore and libraries of America are filled with the writings of false witnesses.  The Word of God has been mutilated by those that have carved out verses from the Word of God and added to the Word of God.  Guard yourself from this heresy!  These try to convince us of their work by using sweet sounding sales tactics.  They refer to those of us who make a stand on the true Word as fanatics and over-boarders.  BUT, the Word of God should never be tampered with.  The last words of the Bible give a stern warning to those that choose to change or add to God’s Holy Word.  Lastly, He mentions the seventh thing that destroys.  Notice that He said He hated six and the seventh was an abomination.  Wow, this is strong words against number seven.  This seventh thing is listed as destructive as homosexuality and lesbianism, which are also called an abomination.  This one is a killer.  “He that soweth discord among brethren”.  In other words, he speaks of those that are spreading confusion among the church.  Do your conversations spread confusion among the church?  Do your actions spread confusion among the church?  Does your way of life spread confusion among the church?  Does the choices you make on a daily basis spread confusion among the church?  Wow!  No wonder it is such a battle to have real church.  The enemy has launched an attack against us and the cause of Christ.  We must guard ourselves against the sins listed here in Proverbs 6.  Be very careful who you hang around, who you have conversations with, where you go and the way you carry out life’s daily walk.  Let’s strive to live clean in these last days that we may participate in real Holy Ghost worship.  Amen.       

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Romans 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.

What are you searching for?  What is dominating your mind most of the time?  What was occupying your mind as you lay down to sleep last night and what was the first thing on your mind when you woke up this morning?  How we answer these few questions can be truth telling signs of our spiritual condition as a Christian.  Many times we refer to the “flesh seeking folk” as those that are unsaved, but many times we need to slap that title upon our own foreheads.  This wicked world has so much to offer our flesh that our carnal side is like a kid in a candy store.  Temporary satisfaction is around every corner.   But we must not forget that the things that trip our flesh trigger will always be temporary and comes with consequences.  When we fall for the trap of fleshly lust we will soon find ourselves in a mess that will not straighten out or clean up anytime soon.  What are we really after?  Are we trailing fleshly lust or spiritual growth?  It seems as though we cannot even live in this world without falling into the flesh trap, but we can live clean if we so choose.  My friend it is a choice.  Sin is a choice.  Ungodly living is a choice.  Many say they cannot help it, but they are wrong.  Living clean and right is a choice as well.  Notice our verse; they that are “after” the flesh do mind the things of the flesh.  That word “after” means to seek after, to desire, to have a hunger for, to catch up with.  You see, it is a choice.  Now this does not mean that we should be totally disconnected from the things and people of this world, but rather it means that we should not be dominated by the mammon and lustful things of this world.  What or who makes your decisions in this life?  What sways your path and chooses your direction of travel each day?  It is a choice.  Notice our verse again; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.  Our word Spirit here refers to the Holy Ghost Himself.  Here is the powerful answer for your question of what do I touch and what do I have dealings with?  The answer is in this question; “What does the Holy Ghost say about it?”  We must seek out the Lord’s guidance in all decisions whether little or big.  So, what are you after today, flesh or Spirit?  Your actions will speak the loudest!  Flesh or Spirit??  Amen.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Good Monday morning to you.  Here in Ps.16:11 we can draw much needed help in order to kick our new week off right.  Joy is an asset and a need for the child of God.  Joy cannot be bought and joy cannot be earned.  Happiness on the other hand can be purchased and in the secular world it can be earned.  But my dear friend, happiness is temporary and fades away.  You see, happiness usually depends upon happenings.  But on the other hand, joy is eternal.  Joy comes only to those who have joy living inside them.  You see, joy is a position and a peace that goes beyond all understanding and comprehension of the human mind.  You can buy a new car and have happiness for a short time, but joy can rise up in your soul and remain there for eternity.  Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior is joy.  He is that eternal joy.  A person that is saved by grace is in Christ and Christ is in them.  He is in us in the form of His Holy Ghost.  This Spirit bears witness of joy.  Without the Spirit we are miserable.  I see so-called Christians every day that are living miserable and mixed up lives.  They show happiness one minute and are hopeless the next.  They laugh with happiness one minute and are in total depravity the next.  Why?  It is simply because they are depending upon temporary happenings in their lives instead of true joy.  They do not have this Holy Spirit living in their soul.  They are, in actuality, not saved…only religious.  Their soul yearns for true joy but is starved out by temporary happiness of the world.  There is a “path of life” we can travel that only can be acquired through Him.  He must “shew” this path and then we can travel that path in the “presence” of Him which gives us “fullness of joy”.  Then and only then can we be in the position to experience the “pleasures” of this path of eternity.  With true joy will come true, eternal happiness.  How?  Because when we have experience eternal salvation we are now living in the happiness that is derived from an eternal happening.  Hallelujah!  Amen!