Christ's Call For Christian Living (Part II)

“Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.”

(Luke 8:39)

II– HOME IS THE PLACE OF GLORY IN THE GOOD THINGS OF GOD- In this verse: “Show what great things the Lord hath done” the lessons we can get are: :
1. We should not appear holy at church and hateful at home.
2. We should not appear saintly at church and sour at home.
3. We should not appear gracious at church and grouchy at home.
4. Our home must be a place of praise not of pouting.

We also should not worry so much in our home. Paul tells us how to overcome PESSIMISM IN OUR HOME:

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:6-8).

A. Don’t Worry - This verse means “don’t worry about anything.” God forbid us from worrying.
Application:
1. Worry is the advance interest you pay on troubles that seldom come.
2. Worry, like a rocking chair, will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.
3. Modern medical research has proved that worry breaks down resistance to disease.More than that, it actually diseases the nervous system particularly that of the digestive organs and of the heart.
Worry may cause “HYPERVENTILLATION” when a person becomes overly anxious, his respiration tends to be shallow and yawns frequently.In a sense he has “forgotten” one of the most fundamental activities of life – HOW TO BREATH NORMALLY. “Ulcers is what you get from climbing mountains over mole hills.”

B. Trust God for everything – “ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”(Philippians 4:7 ).

Illustration: Small boy’s version of the hymn, “Trust and Obey.”
When he said that at Sunday School, they had been singing “Trust and O.K.”

Lesson:
Everything must be O.K. if the life has been committed to His precious keeping. There is no other way. The text is found in a Psalm which is the MIDDLE VERSE OF THE BIBLE. “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.”(Psalm 118:9).
Pilots put confidence in their planes. Commuters place confidence in trains, cars, or buses. Each day we must put our confidence in something or someone. If you are willing to trust a plane or car to get you to your destination, are you willing to trust God to guide you here on earth and to your eternal destination?

C. Think only of Praise - “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. " (Philippians 4:8).

In order to keep God’s peace, christians must occupy their minds with the right things and busy themselves with the right activities. What we put into our minds determines what comes out in our words and actions. Examine what you are putting into your mind through T.V., books, movies, and magazines. Every member of the family should read God’s Word and pray everyday. It takes practice but it can be done.

Christ's Call For A Christian Living (Part I)

“Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.”

(Mark 5:19)

In this sermon, God demonstrated his power over Satan. God was able to free and cast out evil spirits away from a demon-possesed, self-destructive (Mark 5:25) and an uncontrollable (Mark5:4)man who lived in a cemetery (Mark 5:2-3). “And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, they were about two thousand; and were choked in the sea.” (Mark 5:13).

Then Jesus sent the man “home” to show what had happened to him. “Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.” (Luke 8:39).

Question: “WHY DID JESUS SENT THE DELIVERED MAN HOME?

I – HOME IS THE FIRST FRONTIER OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH - “And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.”(Deuteronomy 6:4-8).

LESSON:
Every member of the family are to love God and think constantly about His commandments, teach God’s commandments and live daily by the guidelines of His Word. Eternal truths are most effectively learned in the loving environment of a God-fearing home. It is easier and better to build boys than to repair men. You cannot change your ancestors, but you can do something about your descendants. Don’t let your desire to do your work cause you to neglect God’s will at home. If you do your family will suffer the consequences of your neglect.

Illustration:
A little girl, with shining eyes and little face aglow, said: “DADDY, IT IS ALMOST TIME FOR CHURCH! LET’S GO!” Daddy said: “Oh no, not today! I have worked so hard all the week, I am going to the woods, and to the creek. There I can relax and rest, and fishing is fine, they say. So run along. Don’t bother me. We’ll go TO CHURCH SOME OTHER DAY!” Months and years have passed, but Daddy hears that plea no more: “Let’s go to church!” Those childish years are over and Daddy is GROWING OLD, when life is almost through, he finds time to GO TO CHURCH. But what does daughter do? She says, “Oh, Daddy, not today. I stayed up almost last night, and I’ve got to get some sleep! Not TODAY DADDY!” What an AWFUL RESULT!

He who provides for this life, but takes NO CARE for ETERNITY, is wise for a moment, but a fool forever.

Poem:
How God must love a Christian Home
Where faith and love attest
That every moment, every hour,
He is the HONOURED GUEST!

Our families should be the first to know our FAITH is real.

Illustration: “Three Hairs and Lost Influence”
A strange dog came to a DEACON’S HOUSE, and his three sons soon became quite fond of it. It so happened that there were three white hairs in the animals tail. One day an advertisement was seen on the newspaper about a lost dog which fitted that description perfectly. In the presence of my three boys, said the church deacon, “we carefully separated the three white hairs and removed them.
The real owner discovered where the straying dog had found a home and came to claim him. The dog showed every sign of recognition, so the man was ready to take him away. Quickly the church deacon spoke up, “Didn’t you say the dog would be known by THREE WHITE HAIRS in its tail?” The owner, unable to find the identifying feature, was force to leave. The church deacon said later, “We kept the dog, but I lost my three boys for Christ.” His sons no longer had confidence in what their father professed. He hadn’t practiced what he taught.

“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”(Joshua 24:15).

Don’t forget : HOME is the first frontier of the Christian Faith. When the family centres upon God, God will see to it that the family business does not suffer. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33). God must be FIRST, self must be second. God’s work must increase – God will prosper the work of the Christian.

Tricycle Ministry

"Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God."

(Isaiah 40:3)

While our church is earning money and donations to buy a Service Utility Vehicle (SUV), Brother Arthur Cabatu accepted the unusual work of “Tricycle Ministry.” This ministry, utilizes tricycle in order to fetch our members living in the barrio from their house going to the Church in order for our less fortunate members in Barangays Canduyong and Budiong attend the Sunday Worship Service. Thereafter, he will return them back to their homes. It was quite challenging because the roads going to the barrio in Barangay Canduyong is not cemented, rough, steep and muddy during rainy season. For almost 3 months he did this ministry with a smile and enthusiasm because according to him, “this is all for the Glory of God.”

Brother Arthur is an industrious and a God-fearing person. He earns his living by being a tricycle driver. He is caring to his family, that is why he even takes good care too of his tricycle. He sees to it that God is the driver and his ever companion in every travel he does. You can read in the mudguard of his tricycle a caption: “nasa Diyos ang awa, nasa tao ang gawa” which means “God is merciful to those who toil and labor. “ Truly, Brother Arthur is a paragon of being a good deacon.

Brother Pol Galiga and myself also shares our tricycle and backs-up Brother Arthur if in case he is not around. We bring members to attend Men’s and Women’s Fellowship and place our Baptist Hymnal. For this we thank God for giving us a Tricycle Ministry.

Isaiah's Vision (Part II)

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.”

(Isaiah 6:1)

II – THE PLACE OF THE VISION - In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. (Isaiah 6:1).
“And his train filled the TEMPLE.” “And the TEMPLE was filled with glory.”Isaiah went to the TEMPLE.
Isaiah’s life was shaken. To Isaiah, King Uzziah was his hero and he was grieving. Isaiah took his sorrow to the right spot (the Temple).

LESSON:
1. Isaiah took his disappointment at Uzziah’s death into the SANCTUARY of God, and he came out with a glowing vision that altered the whole of his life.
2. God can transform our adversity, if we take it to Him at His appointed meeting place.
3. Poem: “MY CHURCH”

A room of quiet, A temple of Peace;
A home of faith, where doubting cease;
A house of comfort, where hope is given;
A source of strength, to help us to heaven;
A place of worship, a place to pray;
I found all this in my Church Today.

“How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Selah.” (Psalm 84:1-4).

We can meet God anywhere at anytime, but we know that going to church building helps us step aside from the busy mainstream of life into a place where we can quietly meditate and pray.
We find joy, not in the beautiful building, but in the praying, singing, teaching, preaching and fellowship that take place in the church.

5. Illustration: “JUST SUPPOSE”
Just suppose the Lord would begin tomorrow to make people sick as they claim to be on Sunday.
Just suppose the Lord should take away the children whom the parents use as an excuse for staying away from church. Just suppose the Lord should make people as poor as they claim to be when asked to help finance the church.

III – THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE VISION -“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1).
“I saw the Lord.” The center of the stage is no longer occupied by King Uzziah but by King Uzziah’s God.
The center of the stage is no longer occupied by King Uzziah but the King of Kings fills the picture.
As we noted, Isaiah went to the temple all disturbed about the future – but when he saw God in his majesty and purity – he saw that God was Great! He saw that God was absolutely all sufficient and adequate.
Illustration: To the query: “Why is there but one God?..A child answered: “Because God fills every place, and there’s no room for another one.”
Lesson: God is great, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him, and so little that He can dwell in my heart. SONG: How big is God, How big and wide His vast domain, To try to tell this lips can only start. He’s big enough to rule this mighty universe. He’s small enough to rule within my heart.

Illustration: “Oliver Cromwell’s Secretary”
Oliver Cromwell’s secretary was dispatched to the continent on some important business.
He stayed one night at a seaport town, and tossed on his bed, unable to sleep.
According to an old custom, a servant slept in his room, and on this occasion slept soundly enough.
The secretary at length awakened the man who asked how it was that his master could not rest.
“I am so afraid something will go wrong with the embassage”, was the reply.“Master”, said the servant, “May I ask a question or two?”“Did God rule the world before we were born?” - “Most assuredly He did.” “And will He rule if after we are dead?” “Certainly He will.”
“Then, Master, why not let Him rule the present too?” The secretary’s faith was stirred, peace was the result and in a few minutes both he and his servant were sound sleep.
Challenge:
Trust the past to God’s mercy, the present to God’s love and the future to God’s providence. A quiet conscience sleeps in thunder. Rather than saying, “God, here is my problem”, we should put the problem into proper perspective by saying, “Problem, here is my GOD!”

Isaiah's Vision (Part I)

“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.”

(Isaiah 6:1-4)

Three things we can see in Isaiah's vision:
1. The Time
2. The Place
3. The Highlight

I– THE TIME OF THE VISION - “In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.” (Isaiah 6:1 ). “In the year that King Uzziah died” (740 B.C.)
Let’s investigate the reason why King Uzziah died.

“And Uzziah prepared for them throughout all the host shields, and spears, and helmets, and Habergeons, and bows, and slings to cast stones. And he made in Jerusalem engines, invented by cunning men, to be on the towers and upon the bulwarks, to shoot arrows and great stones withal. And his name spread far abroad; for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense.” (2 Chronicles 26:14-16).

“And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper; for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the king's house, judging the people of the land. Now the rest of the acts of Uzziah, first and last, did Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, write.” (2 Chronicles 26:21-23).

1. King Uzziah was greatly helped by God until he became powerful.
2. King Uzziah was a model of excellence.
3. His achievement has been considerable.
4. He was invested with all the graces of an ideal ruler.
5. But after King Uzziah became powerful his PRIDE led his downfall. He was unfaithful to His God. At the height of His fame, he was struck down with leprosy.
6. King Uzziah forgot God’s Word in Deuteronomy 8:18-19 “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish.
Note the words: “Thou shalt remember.” “Always remember.” “It is He that giveth thee power to get wealth.”

LESSONS:
1. In times of plenty, it is easy to take credit for your prosperity and begin to feel that your own hard work and cleverness have made you rich.
Illustration: “Turkish Auto”
Turkish President Cemal Gursel beamed with pride as he roared away from Ankara’s parliament building in the first auto ever made in Turkey. A scant 100 yards later, Gursel’s smile froze as the engine coughed and died. They FORGOT TO PUT GASOLINE IN IT.
2. It is easier to get so busy collecting and managing your wealth that you soon find God has been pushed right out of your life.
3. Don’t forget God in your abundance, or you will eventually lose all you have.
4. Sometimes the very blessings God had showered on us make us forget Him. We are often tempted to rely on wealth for security rather than on God.
5. As you see what happed to King Uzziah, look at your own life. Do your blessings make you thankful to God, or do they make you feel independent of God?
6. We have seen God’s great miracles, but sometimes find ourselves enticed by the world’s goods – power, convenience, fame, sex, and pleasure. As king Uzziah forgot God, so we are susceptible to forgetting Him and being defiled by an evil
Remember all that God has done for you so you won’t be drawn away from Him by the world’s “pleasures”.
7. Forgetting can be dangerous; whether it is intentional or oversight. The more we focus on the pleasure of the world, the easier it becomes to forget God’s care, His love, His dependability, His guidance, and most of all, GOD HIMSELF.
8. “When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee”. (Deuteronomy 8:10).
This verse is traditionally cited as the reason we say grace before or after meals. The purpose here was not just to provided a time for prayer, but to warn the Israelites NOT TO FORGET GOD when their needs and wants were satisfied. Table prayers serves as a constant reminder of the Lord’s goodness to us.
9. Prosperity more than poverty can dull our spiritual vision, because it tends to focus our thought on “more and better” rather than on “here and now.”- Rather than being content with what we have or what God has done, we wish for what might have been or desire what we could have. We then become driven by our need to have more of everything except God.
10. When we remove God from our lives, everything else becomes USELESS, no matter how valuable it seems.
11. We deceive ourselves when we measure our happiness or contentment on life by the amount of wealth we possess. When we put riches at the top of our value system, the comforts of today overshadow the eternal value of our relationship with God.
We think we will be happy or content when we get riches, only to discover that they bring nothing but transient pleasure. The true measurement of happiness or contentment is an eternal one. You will find true happiness if you put eternal riches above earthly riches.
12. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (Psalm 103:2).
“Forget not all His benefits.” “The man who had forgotten to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.”
13. Conclusion:
a. King Uzziah was greatly helped by God.
b. At the height of his fame, he forgot God and he was smitten by leprosy.
c. The song says: “Count you blessings, name them one by one.”

Reviewing past blessings can encourage us to continue to serve God faithfully. Great blessings come to those who obey God’s commands, but severe judgment come to those who disobey Him. Along with God’s blessings come the responsibility to live up His demands for honesty and faithfulness.
“And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”( Job 1:21). Don’t forget! Every heartbeat we owe to Him, every hour is lent to us by God!

The Widow's Son

“ Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. “

(Luke 7:11-17)

Widows and orphans were among the most vulnerable of all people, and God insisted that they be properly cared for. We must learn to do good, to be fair and to help the poor, the fatherless, and widows. “Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.” (Isaiah 1:17). “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27). ”Honour widows that are widows indeed. “(1 Timothy 5:3).

I – THE BROKENHEARTED WOMAN - Has a sad past, bitter present and a hopeless future.
A.) A SAD PAST - “She was a widow.” A true picture of a sinner. “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.”
.(Isaiah 59:2) Sin cuts people off from Him, forming a wall to isolate God from the people He loves.
B.) A BITTER PRESENT- ”Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.” (Luke 7:12) “Son dead”. Picture of the sinner’s fearful present. “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” .(Ephesians 2:1) “Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart.” (Ephesians 4:18) “There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked. (Isaiah 48:22).
C.) A HOPELESS FUTURE - “Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.” -(Luke 7:12) “Only Son”. The widows situation was serious. She had lost her husband, and now her only son was dead – her last means of support.
Illustration:
The 2,037 ton Portuguese coastal steamer, “SAVE”, with 53 crewmen, 300 Portuguese troops, and 2,000 Mozambique Africans (total 553) aboard, grounded on a sandbar of East Africa during a storm.
While rescue efforts were being made from the shore, FIRE broke out of the ship - The fire spread to the stores of ammunition and the whole ship exploded in flames. Many of the passengers jumped into the sea – only to be attached by sharks.-Those who did manage to make the shore were threatened by lions roaring in a mangrove jungle nearby.- A hopeless case. Object lessons: NO HOPE ON SEA OR LAND.

II – THE TENDERHEARTED SAVIOR - “And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare [him] stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” –(Luke 7:13-14).
A.) HIS WORDS TO THE HOPELESS MOTHER.-Note the words:
1.)“The Lord saw her.” The Lord knew all about her sorrows, sins and need, for OMNISCIENCE can penetrate the secrets of every heart and life.
2.)“Had compassion on her.” Compassion – understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it. Illustration:
The teacher asked the pupils to tell the meaning of loving-kindness. A little boy jumped up and said: “If I was hungry and someone gave me a piece of bread – that would be kindness.”- “But if they put little jam on it, that would be loving-kindness.”
3.) “And said unto her, WEEP NOT.”LESSON: It is reassuring to know that even when we feel completely abandoned, the Holy Spirit stays with us. Giving us comfort, protection and giving us the words that we need. Words that we need:
a.) Words of cheer - Our world is filled with sadness. People take themselves too seriously.- Most of the news is about the bad things that happen.- Jesus is saying: “Weep not.”
b.) Words of Comfort.- “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
(2 Corinthians 1:4) “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation.” Violence and wars have brought sorrow and bereavement to the lives if millions. Our world is a place if discouragement and discomforts.
c.) Words of Compassion - Compassion is love in action. “It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great [is] thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23).
B.) HIS WORDS TO THE LIFELESS SON.- “And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare [him] stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.” (Luke 7:14).
“Arise.”The voice of the Creator who, in the beginning said: “Let there be light” now said: “Let there be LIFE”. Christ is both the light and the life. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4) LESSON:
1.) Our body which came from the “dust of the ground” implies that there is nothing specially good about the chemical elements from which we are made.- The body is a lifeless shell until God brings it alive with His “breath of life.”
2.) Many boast of their significant achievements, only to fail soon after.- The reality is that life and worth come from God of the universe, and He choose to give you that mysterious and miraculous gift of salvation.
3.) Many people think life comes from how they look, what they eat or drink, where they go, or what they do on their leisure time. - If they can earn enough money to dress, eat and play in high style, they think they are living “the good life.”
4.) “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6). A doctor can save your life. A lawyer can depend your life. A teacher can give you meaningful life. But ONLY JESUS can give you: ABUNDANT LIFE, FULLNESS OF LIFE and EVERLASTING LIFE.

The Roaring Lion

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

(1 Peter 5:8)

We must be watchful in our actions and thoughts. In the Bible the devil was compared to the "roaring lion." When we commit sin, we are feeding the roaring lion. There are 3 things we don’t know we are feeding the lion:

I – By our rebellious and independent spirit – “Children obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” (Ephesians 6:1). “Parents must not provoke their children to wrath.” (Ephesians 6:4). “Husbands and wives must submit to one another.” (Ephesians 5:20-25). If we become rebellious or disobedient we are feeding the roaring lion. The devil is very happy if there is broken home. “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls.” (Hebrews 13;17). We must submit therefore to God in order to resist the devil and he will flee you.” (James 4:7).

II – By our proud and haughty spirit – We are feeding again the roaring lion if do not humble ourselves. We must be Christ-like who humbled himself by “washing others feet.” “If I then your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet....that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15). “A high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin.” (Proverbs 21:4). Pride is a sin. “A man’s pride shall bring him low; but honor shall uphold the humble spirit.” (Proverbs 29:23). One of the most important virtues that Christ showed unto us is humility. If we commit sin, we must ask God’s forgiveness. We must repent. But if pride is always in our heart, we will not live in peace. Admission of guilt, truth and honesty will set us free. “Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:5).

III – Worried and distraught spirit – We know that every one has a problem in life. But the way we handle our crosses counts most. If we always worry and cannot go on with our daily living, again we are feeding the devil, the roaring lion into it full stomach!! “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.” (Matthew 6:26).
“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God.” (Philippians 4:6). God knows how to handle our problems. Relax God is in control! He is an all knowing God. “ “Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Luke 12:6-7).

(Sermon taken from Nil Queben Alubog Fosana, Bible Student of Bible Baptist Church, Cebu.)

"Stop Contradicting God-Start Trusting Him"

“As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe.”

(Mark 5:36)

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

(Hebrews 11:6)

Contradicting is rebellion and offense to God. Our Heavenly Father always speaks the TRUTH and contradicting God is rebelling against the TRUTH. (Titus 1:2) “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.” “God cannot lie.” The foundation of our faith is trust in God’s character. Because He is TRUTH and cannot LIE. We should build our faith on the foundation of a TRUSTWORTHY GOD who will not lie. Let us look at some EXAMPLES of contradicting GOD:

I – “GOD DOESN’T LOVE ME” – “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”(Jeremiah 31:3).“Everlasting love.” God’s love is PERMANENT. It does not last for just a day, week, month, or year. God’s love is ETERNAL. (Isaiah 49:15) “Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.” Fathers and mothers may forsake their own children. Husbands and wives may separate. But God’s love is constant and dependable. When we feel that God has deserted us, we must ask if we have deserted God. (John 11:3) “Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.” “He whom THOU lovest is sick.”
LESSON: When Mary and Martha sent to Jesus their message, it was not: “Lord, he loveth Thee” but, “Lord, He whom Thou lovest is sick.” It is not our imperfect love to Him that comforts us, but HIS PERFECT LOVE to us. It is not my love to God, but God’s love for me, that I should be thinking of. It is comforting to know that despite our inconsistencies and sins, God loves us UNCONDITIONALLY. Eternal life is not achieved on the MERIT SYSTEM, but on the MERCY SYSTEM. Understanding that God loves us no matter who we are and what we have done. (Matthew 10:29-30) “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” You are a great worth to God. You are never lost in God’s INVENTORY. Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms, persecution, illness, imprisonment, even death. These could cause them to fear that they have been abandoned by Christ.- But Paul exclaims that it is impossible to be separated from Christ. His death and resurrection is proof of His unconquerable love. Nothing can stop His constant presence with us. God tells us how great His love is – so that we will feel totally secure in Him. If we believe these overwhelming assurances, we will not be afraid. (Ephesians 3:17-19) “That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.”
God’s love is TOTAL. It reaches every corner of our experience.
1. It is LONG – it continues the length of our lives.
2. It is DEEP – it reaches to the depths of discouragement, despair, and even death.
3. It is WIDE – it covers the breadth of our own experience and it reaches out to the whole world.
4. It is HIGH – it rises to the heights of our celebration and elation.
When you feel shut or isolated, remember that you can never be lost to God’s love.
(Psalm 30:1) “I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.”“For thou hast lifted up.”
God’s love can lift the drunkard, God’s love can lift the thief, God’s love can lift the prostitute, God’s love can lift the sinner out of the miry clay of sin.
CONCLUSION:
1. We must depend on God’s love DAILY. He is abundantly ABLE to fortify us against the stresses of life. (Philippians 4:13) “ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
2. We cannot OUTGIVE God’s love. The Lord is bountifully able to supply all our needs.
(Philippians 4:19) “ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
3. God’s love is not changeable. The Lord never leaves nor forsakes His own. He is eternally able to stand by us and sustain us.
(Psalm 55:22) “Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
4. God’s love will take God’s children to Heaven when their earthly journey has ended.
(Revelation 21:4) “ And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” “For the former things are passed away”
5. God’s love knows no defeat! No mountain is too steep, no valley too deep. “We are more than conquerors through Him that LOVED US”.
(Romans 8:37) “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

II – “IT IS IMPOSSIBLE” For with God nothing shall be impossible.”(Luke 1:37).“ NOTHING shall be IMPOSSIBLE. (Jeremiah 32:17) Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee. (Jeremiah 32:27) Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? “there is NOTHING TOO HARD for me.”
LESSON:
1.Sometimes we find ourselves caught in a problem and see no way out. Don’t panic, God can open up a way. Example: The Red Sea. (Exodus 14:10) “ And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the LORD.” (Exodus 14:13) And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.
2. IMPOSSIBLE is a hopeless word. In daily life, we face many apparently impossible situations that would be hopeless if we had to handle them with limited human strength alone. But God specializes in the impossible. A situation that seems impossible with human means is simply an OPPORTUNITY for God. Example. Miracle of the Bread. (Matthew 14:15) . ...”And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to [his] disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.”
3. If we want to have our prayers answered, we must be open to what God can do in impossible situations. And we must wait for Him to work in His way, in His time. Example: Abraham and Sarah.
(Genesis 21:1-2) “ And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.” Abraham did not know whither he went; but he knew WHOM he went.
4. What God promises, He delivers. And He delivers ON TIME! You can have complete confidence that God will keep His promises. It may not be the next day, but it will be at His PROPER TIME.- If you are waiting for God to answer some request or fill some need, remain patient. No matter how impossible God’s promises may seem, what He has said in His Word will come true at the RIGHT TIME.

Poem:
Waiting! Yes trustworthy waiting!
I know, though I’ve waited long,
That, while He withholds His purpose,
His waiting cannot be wrong.

5. Sometimes we become preoccupied with problems when we should be looking for OPPORTUNITIES.
Instead of focusing on the negatives, develop an attitude of expectancy. To say that God CANNOT rescue someone or that a situation is IMPOSSIBLE demonstrates a lack of faith.
6.PRAYER should be our FIRST RESPONSE in any CRISIS. Our PROBLEMS are God’s OPPORTUNITIES.
Example: Paul and Silas. (Acts 16:22)” And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
(Acts 16:31) “And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”
7. Faith does not operate in the realm of the possible. There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible. Faith begins where man’s power ends.- Faith is not necessary when we think we can do it ourselves. Faith comes along when we realize that we cannot do it on our own. Too often, we are in the habit of handling our problems to God and then taking them back to worry ourselves sick again.
God wants us to commit once and for all our impossible – to work – our burdens to Him. “It is not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.”

The Heavenly Highway

“And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.”

(Isaiah 35:8)

God is preparing a way for His people to travel to His home, and He will walk with us. ONLY the REDEEMED will travel God’s “HOLY HIGHWAY”.Man has made the magnificent highways of Modern Europe, and the tremendous turn-pikes and freeways of America and Australia.God has surpassed them all. Let us note the features of the Heavenly Highway God has prepared for His people

I – A HALLOWED WAY - “And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it [shall be] for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.” (Isaiah 35:8). “It shall be called the way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it.” “The Holy Highway”, and no evil-hearted men may walk upon it.
“And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:1-2).
“Ye shall be holy; for I am the Lord your God am holy.” It means – Israel’s fundamental calling was to be a “holy nation”. They were to be “SEPARATED FROM SIN” and to “CLING UNTO THE LORD.”
God will never do anything that is not holy and ultimately, He will not allow anything that is not holy to remain.
Application:
The God of Israel and the Christian church is HOLY – He sets the standard for morality. Our Holy God expects us to imitate Him by having high moral standards for ourselves. Holiness means being totally devoted or dedicated to God. “Holiness” Hebrew word “Kidushin” it was used to describe something which was dedicated to God as HIS EXCLUSIVE and PECULIAR possession. Holiness means we are set aside for His SPECIAL PURPOSE, and set apart from sin and its influence.
We’re to be set apart and different, not blending in with the crowd, yet not being different just for the sake of being different. What makes us different are God’s qualities in our lives. Our focus and priorities must be His. God called us out of the mass of idolatrous world and sought to make us unique people, dedicated to serve Him and lead holy lives. To grow in HOLINESS is the pathway God wants us to follow. This is no easy task and requires strenuous efforts on our part, by God’s grace we can! I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13).


II – A HARMLESS WAY –“No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon...(Isaiah 35:9).Note the words: a)“Lion” 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: b) “Beast” Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

Ours is a dangerous world. When we read....
- of drug addictions,
- of terrorist attacks,
- of tremors of earthquakes,
- of incurable diseases,
- of untimely deaths,
- of mysterious disappearances,
- of missile strikes,
- of gang rapes,
- of violent robberies,
- of financial failures,
- of business bankruptcies,
- of stock market fluctuations,
- of military invasions,
- Of racial hatred
- of social injustice,
- of national corruption,
- of political oppression,
- of weapons of mass destructions,
- of germ warfare
Praise God! Jesus is the way. We can follow Him safely. My Fathers’ house is safe and secure forever!

III – A HOME WAY –“ Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.”(Isaiah 51:11). Every road is good if it leads us home – no matter how rough, steep or winding it may be. God’s Heavenly Highway will take the Christian to His heavenly home. There will be mountains to climb, valleys of sorrow to descend. We may grow tired and footsore, but the trials of the road will seem insignificant at our journey’s end.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us .” (Romans 8:18). “What we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later”.
Question: In what way are you suffering? Are you suffering...
Physically?
Mentally?
Financially?
Spiritually?
All those sufferings are nothing compared to the Fathers’ House – your home in Heaven...
... It’s a home that is safe,
... It’s a home you can never lose,
... It’s a home of lasting value,
... It’s a home that’s been paid for,
... It’s a home filled with God’s family.

IV – A HAPPY WAY –“And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. “(Isaiah 35:10). “They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.”
Happiness is often sought in the form of sinful pleasures and selfish possessions; but the happiness thus found is short lived and disappointing. “A man’s riches consist not in the amount of his wealth, but in the fewness of his wants”.
We can find true happiness only as we find God. We cannot enjoy ourselves in the highest sense unless we enjoy God. He is the source of real and lasting happiness. “Only the redeemed will travel God’s Holy Highway.” When we accept Christ as Saviour and Lord, we begin to travel the Heavenly Highway, which is God’s way to eternal life.