Three Voices :: 7/18/16

Three Voices

Nehemiah 4

Intro: We’ve got a work to do.  This work is…

 A. God’s Work – 2:18a

 B. Good Work – 2:18b

 C. Group Work – 2:17-18 (note: 15 times we find plural pronouns)

But there will always be THREE VOICES whenever we endeavor to do anything for God.

I. The Helpless Voice of the Faint – 4:10

A. Their Decay – notice their focus was on THEIR strength = we must focus on HIM!

B. Their Difficulties – much rubbish

C. Their Disability – we are not able

II. The Hateful Voice of the Foe – 4:1

A. Their Subtlety – they shall not know or see (grievous wolves creep in)

B. Their Slaying – they don’t want to slow us down; they want to annihilate us!

C. Their Stopping – cause the work to cease (what exactly is our work?)

D. Their Steadfastness – they said it to them 10 times (they will not get weary in their work)

III. The Hopeful Voice of the Fighters – 4:12-14

A. The Readiness – vs. 13 (every family was in their proper place)

B. The Remembrance – vs. 14 (Remember the Lord…)

C. The Reason – vs. 14 (fight for your brethren, sons, your daughters, your wives and houses)

D. The Return – vs. 15 (we returned every one of us to the wall; every one unto his work)

Conclusion: In spite of the voices of the Faint and the Foe, the voice of the Fighters prevailed. They finished the wall in 52 days.

·         Nehemiah 6:15  So the wall was finished in the twenty and fifth day of the month Elul, in fifty and two days. And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.

The Greatest Fish Story Ever! :: 7/17/16 AM

The Greatest Fish Tale Ever

Matthew 17:27  Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for me and thee.

Intro: It’s a beautiful day outside, so I thought it would be good to take everybody fishing!  I enjoy fishing, especially with my kids.  I have some great fishing stories to tell.

(Illustrations: fishing with my Papa in South Georgia, catching a hammer-head shark in Samoa, catching nothing in Africa and eating ostrich meat hot dogs instead, catching shark with Callie in Savannah GA, deep sea fishing with the boys in Steinhatchee FLA., etc.

But here’s a fish story that tops any fish story I’ve ever heard!

I. The Fall of the Money

            A. The Image on the Money

§  The sea is the type of the world

§  The fish is a type of Christ

ΙΧΘΥΣ (Greek word for fish is Ichthys) is an acronym for "Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, Θεοῦ Υἱός, Σωτήρ", (Iēsous Christos, Theou Yios, Sōtēr), which translates into English as "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior". The fish was the universal sign of Christianity

§  The money is the type of man – it had the image of a man engraved on it.

The money was a a stater, a Roman silver coin of the value of four drachms, or one shekel, and of course sufficient to pay the tribute for two

            B. The Intentions for the Money

It was created to be used and spent; to increase the value of its owner

            C. The Indiscretion with the Money

Someone was careless, and their lack of attention resulted in the money falling into the sea.

It got NEAR the sea, and through carelessness, it ended up FALLING into the sea.

·         Romans 5:12  Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

II. The Finding of the Money

            A. The Plight of the Money

                        1. Its Location

Due to its nature, it fell as far as it could go. It went to the bottom.

It was in a foreign location; somewhere it was never supposed to end up.

                        2. It was Lost

It was in a place where it was not created to be; so nobody knew to look for it there.

It didn’t belong there; it was fearfully and wonderfully made; but not for the bottom of the sea!

                        3. It was Lifeless

The money was lifeless; dead; incapable of doing anything about its condition.

It could not fight the power of the sea; it succumbed to its overwhelming power.

The nature of the money made it impossible for it to survive the fall.

·         Eph. 2:1-3 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

            B. The Pursuit of the Money

The only hope for this piece of money was for somebody who recognized its value to come looking for it.

It needed somebody to come to where it was and see its plight!

It was at the mercy of the Seeker!

·         Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

NOTE: The money was worthless to the fish; it sought it for someone else.

·         John 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.

III. The Freeing of the Money

            A. The Saving of the Money

The money was unable to save itself: didn't even know it was lost

The money attracted the attention of the fish; something about it appealed to him.

The fish went to where the money was; the money couldn’t come to him.

The fish reached down further than the money could reach up.

The fish had to stoop to the depths of the money’s plight in order to save it.

·         Phil. 2: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

The fish scooped up that lost money in its mouth.

The power of the fish’s mouth was the only hope that money had to be saved.

           

            B. The Sacrifice for the Money

This is the only place in the Bible that a fish is caught with a hook.

Everywhere else fish were caught with nets.

A net signifies a trap or a fish being caught contrary to its wish.

For a fish to be caught with a hook, it had to CHOOSE to take it; no man taketh it from him.

·         John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

There was no mention of BAIT – just a hook.  No trickery; no deceit; no lure; just a plain hook.

            C. The Shedding for the Money

That hook that was taken voluntarily produced pain and suffering.

It’s decision to save that money resulted in the shedding of its blood.

·         Hebrews 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

When Peter reached down and took that money out of the fish’s mouth, he had to bring it through the blood in order to save it from the world.

SONG: Some through the water, some through the flood, some through the fire, but all through the blood!

IV. The Fulfillment of the Money

            A. It was Cleaned

The first thing he did was to wash it and clean it up.  It was a mess!!

·         Ephesians 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

            B. It was Carried

Then Peter carried it up to the Temple to pay the Temple tax.

NOTE: The first place God takes a regenerated sinner is to the house of God!

·         Hebrews 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

            C. It was Changed

Since this piece of money was a Roman coin, the first thing that had to be done at the Temple was it had to be converted over into Jewish money.

The Temple Tax couldn’t be paid with Roman money!

It went through a process called “currency conversion”

REMINDER: That was what the money changers were supposed to do in the Temple.

·         Luke 22:32  But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

           

            D. It was Circulated

After it was cleaned, and changed, it then could be used to pay a debt.

·         Romans 1:14  I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise.

Conclusion: This story is a perfect example of Christ’s love for fallen man, and His sacrificial death for man’s atonement.  Question: Have you ever been born again, saved by the grace of God?  Or are you still lost in sin, in need of a loving Savior to rescue you from a life you were not created to live?

Exam Time! :: 7/10/16 AM

Exam Time!

2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves.

Revelation 3:1, 2

Intro: In school, we used to cringe at the word “exam”.   

There’s three types of exams in the Bible…

                A. The Examination by God

·         Psalms 26:2  Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

David prayed in Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:  And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

                B. The Examination by Others

·         1 Corinthians 9:3  Mine answer to them that do examine me is this, (talking about his ministry as an apostle)

                C. The Examination of Self

·         1 Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

This week is our Summer Revival. This is Exam Time!

I. Examine Your Salvation

·         2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Are you sure you are saved?

The Scriptures are full of stories of people that thought they were saved, and they were not.

·         Revelation 3:1  And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Judas Iscariot walked with Jesus Christ every day for 3 ½ years and died and went to hell.

Nicodemus in John 3 was a man of the Pharisees, a ruler of the Jews – and he had never been born again.

The woman at the well was religious but was lost and on her way to hell.

Cornelius in Acts 10 was a devout man, feared God with his whole house and was lost.

Is it possible to have a name that thou livest and are dead? YES!

Is it possible to hold on to a false profession of salvation and die and go to Hell? YES!

Has there been a change?

Do you have the characteristics of your Heavenly Father?

II. Examine Your Spirituality

·         Rev. 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

     A. Be Observant – wake up, give strict attention to

     B. Be Objective – the things that are ready to die – YOU KNOW WHAT IS ABOUT TO DIE!

Stop making excuses! Stop blaming others!  Stop defending yourself! Look at the things that are ready to die, and do something!

     C. Be Obedient – I have not found thy works perfect before God

Delayed obedience is disobedience. Half obedience is disobedience. NOTICE VERSE 1 – I KNOW THY WORKS!!!

Stop Worrying! :: 7/4/16 PM

Stop Worrying!

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

I. The Anxiety

Let’s look at the word “careful”.  Greek: merimnao (pronounced - mer-im-nah’-o)

AV-take thought 11, care 5, be careful 2, have care 1; 19

1) to be anxious

1a) to be troubled with cares

2) to care for, look out for (a thing)

2a) to seek to promote one’s interests

2b) caring or providing for

QUOTES ON WORRY:

“Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.” – Dale Carnegie

“When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened.” – Winston Churchill

“Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained.”

“If you treat every situation as a life and death matter, you’ll die a lot of times.”

“Worry is like a rocking chair: it gives you something to do but never gets you anywhere” – Erma Bombeck

“One of the biggest concerns to people that worry is the frustration of those that won’t worry with them.”

What do people worry about?

Look at Matthew 6 (same Greek word CAREFUL) “take no thought”

What to eat, what to drink and what to wear:

·         Matthew 6:25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

·         Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

People worry about tomorrow:

·         Matthew 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

People worry about what they are going to do and say if they are arrested for being a Christian:

·         Matthew 10:18-20 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.  For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

The ministry

·         Luke 10:41  And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

II. The Antidote

Notice the ALL INCLUSIVE WORDS used in this verse:

Be careful FOR NOTHING. – no exceptions

But in EVERYTHING – no exceptions

What is the antidote to worry? What is the cure for anxiety?

Is it drugs? Is it gossip? It is calling your friends and worrying the life out of them? Is it wringing your hands?

No – it is prayer and supplication

As the old saying goes – Why pray when you can worry??

Let your request be made known unto God!!

·         If it is bothering you, GO PRAY!

·         If you can’t sleep, GO PRAY!

·         If you feel that you need to talk to someone about it, GO PRAY!

III. The Attitude

With thanksgiving – that is the attitude we should have INSTEAD OF WORRY AND ANXIETY.

But – what if it is something bad??  What is your definition of bad? Something you don’t like?

What if it is bad to you but God is working all things together for good?  Is it still bad???

We are commanded to be thankful – PERIOD!

·         Ephesians 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

·         1 Thessalonians 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Conclusion: 1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

My Declaration of Independence :: 7/3/16 AM :: God and Country Sunday

My Declaration of Independence

John 8:32-36 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Galatians 5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

Introduction: This weekend we are celebrating the 240^th Birthday of the United States of America. In Philadelphia Pennsylvania on July 4^th, 1776, a document was approved that stated to the world that the people of this country would no longer be under the dominion of England. This document accumulated the signatures of 56 patriots that pledged their life, their fortunes and their sacred honor to see that this new country would survive.

I. The Bondage

The Declaration of Independence is really a list of 28 indictments against the King of England.

It was amazing to me as we watched and listened to the Declaration of Independence at just how many of the grievances listed are synonymous with the tyranny in which Satan rules the world today:

Here are just a few of them:

1.      He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant …for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

2.      … (leaving) the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

3.      He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

4.      For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

5.      For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

6.      and waging War against us.

7.      He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

8.      He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty

And the list goes on and on…

They closed with this statement: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury.

The Bondage that the colonist were under is amazingly similar to the bondage that Satan has on people today.

One of the biggest complaints of the colonist was “taxation without representation”.

That was the reason for the Boston Tea Party.

The Boston Tea Party was a political protest by the Sons of Liberty in Boston, on December 16, 1773

The American colonist were sick and tired of paying taxes without the privilege of their voice being heard.

Just like the King of England, Satan has established a worldwide empire – God calls him the prince and the power of the air.

His demands on his subjects are cruel and painful and ruthless.

Those under his rule are slaves of the worst description.

They served him and served his purpose, and their only payment was broken hearts, broken lives, broken dreams and broken homes.

Romans 6 calls the unsaved person “a servant to sin”. The Bible says “sin hath dominion over you”.

Do you remember what it was like when you were paying the “wages of sin?”

·         Remember the sleepless nights?

·         Remember the pain, the guilt, the misery, the hollow, empty feeling?

·         Remember the dread, the torments, the loneliness that serving Satan brought?

Do you remember what it was like to not have an “advocate with the Father?”

·         You were serving him, and you were paying out the nose, but you had no voice?

·         Remember the times you prayed and got no answer?

·         Remember the times you tried to stop, and the times you tried to change, and couldn’t?

·         Remember the frustration at the dead end road you were on with no hope of deliverance?

·         Remember the scars and the marks that being the devil’s servant left on you??

I just want to say that I’m grateful that My Lord and King doesn’t treat His servants that way!!!

II. The Battle

The American War for Independence has been one of the most significant battles in history.

At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, the population of England was 8 million/America 2.5 million, and half a million of that were slaves.

A bunch of untrained and unprofessional militiamen defeated the greatest army on the planet.

April 19, 1775, approximately 700 British soldiers encountered a ragtag army of 70 militia men.

Nobody knows who did it, but someone fired a shot. That shot has been called “the shot heard ‘round the world”

From Lexington the British troops moved on to Concord where they were routed and sent back to Boston in defeat.

That was the beginning of the American War for Independence.

On October 19, 1781, British General Charles Cornwallis formally surrendered 8,000 British soldiers and seamen to a French and American force at Yorktown, Virginia.

The Treaty of Paris in 1783 officially ended the war and recognized the sovereignty of the United States.

Eight years of war.

Throughout the course of the war, an estimated 6,800 Americans were killed in action, 6,100 wounded, and upwards of 20,000 were taken prisoner. Historians believe that at least an additional 17,000 deaths were the result of disease, including about 8,000–12,000 who died while prisoners of war

But that wasn’t the greatest battle ever fought.

Without a doubt – the greatest battle ever fought was fought on the cross of Calvary the day Jesus died.

That day on Calvary, the battle that was raging was not over land, territory or trade or taxes or money.

The battle that was fought that day was over the souls of every man, woman, boy and girl that has ever lived.

Song lyrics: written in 1976

1. There’s a line that’s been drawn through the ages; On that line stands the old rugged cross.

On that cross a battle is raging For the gain of a man’s soul or its loss.

2. On one side march the forces of evil, All the demons and devils of hell;

On the other the angels of glory, And they meet on Golgotha’s hill.

3. The earth shakes with the force of the conflict; The sun refuses to shine,

For there hangs God’s Son in the balance, And then through the darkness He cries—

Chorus

It is finished! The battle is over. It is finished! There’ll be no more war.

It is finished! The end of the conflict. It is finished! And Jesus is Lord!

Yet in my heart the battle was raging; Not all pris’ners of war have come home.

These were battlefields of my own making; I didn’t know that the war had been won.

Then I heard that the King of the Ages Had fought all my battles for me,

And vict’ry was mine for the claiming, And now, praise His name I am free!

Chorus

It is finished! The battle is over. It is finished! There’ll be no more war.

It is finished! The end of the conflict. It is finished! And Jesus is Lord!

Jesus hung on the cross for 6 hours – purchasing our freedom.

At the end of that 6 hours, Jesus cried – IT IS FINISHED!!!

III. The Blessing

The blessing is the liberty – the freedom that a believer has.

Liberty to live for God:

·         Free from the pain of sin.

·         Free from the penalty of sin.

·         Free from the punishment for sin.

We are no longer under the dominion of sin.