GET UP, GET READY, and GO TO CHURCH!

I’m tired too but let’s go to church!

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

It’s been a long week! Working a regular job, mission conference Wednesday thru Friday, Church dinner yesterday, but you know where I’m going to be at this morning…IN CHURCH! Why? I want to worship my Lord and Saviour! I want to sing songs of Zion! I want to see Him work in someone’s life. I want to see someone saved! I don’t want to miss church!

Are you going this morning? If not, why not? If so, go prayed up, confessed up, ready for Him to work in your life!

WHO ARE YOU TRAVELING WITH?

The people with whom we travel are much more important than the place to which we travel. –Wright

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2 Corinthians 6:14

We have gone on many trips with friends of ours. Mission Trips, vacations, and school trips have been so much better because of the company we had. We have made each another laugh, cry, and one time, one of us even danced on stage. Going through this life with them has been so much better because they were with us.

Friend, are you trying to travel this life without the Lord Jesus? Stop! Trust Him! He will wipe the tears from your eyes when you cry. He will put a smile on your face when no one else can. I don’t think He will ever get you to dance on a stage but what He may get you to do is deliver the Good News of Jesus Christ to a lost, dying, and hurting world!

Who are you traveling with that pushes you closer to God? If you don’t have anyone—pray and ask the Lord to give you someone!

WHAT AND/OR WHO ARE YOU THIRSTY FOR?

Let’s get a thirst of selflessness—Russell Pruitt, Missionary to Montana

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Matthew 5:6

Some people thirst after material wealth. Some people thirst after fame. But there are a few people that truly thirst after the things that matter—righteousness. We do that by dying to self and putting the Lord first in our lives!

Want to see what you’re thirsty for? See what consumes your time. Where do you use your talents? Look at where you are spending your money. It will reveal exactly how you quench your thirst!

EXCUSES, EXCUSES, QUIT MAKING EXCUSES!

It is easy enough to make excuses, some people have even made the excuse, “I’m out of peanut butter.”

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Romans 1:20

Moses made excuses. Jeremiah made excuses. Jonah made excuses. Do you ever wonder what blessings these men may have missed out on because of the excuses they gave, I do. I wonder if Moses would’ve said, “Yes, Lord”, how much more God could’ve used him. I wonder if Jeremiah said, “Lord, I will be glad to preach for you.”, if God would’ve given Him one convert. I wonder what blessings Jonah would’ve received if he would’ve went to Nineveh instead of running at first.

It has been said, “One excuse is as good as another.” So, quit making excuse and make opportunities!   

WHAT ARE YOU HUNGRY FOR?

Better cross an angry man than a hungry man. -Danish Proverb

For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness. Psalm 107:9

We enjoyed going to Grandma’s house growing up. There was always a pan of cat head biscuits waiting for us in the oven. Man, I can taste them now! A homemade biscuit with bacon and eggs, jam or jelly, or just a scoop of sausage gravy—SATISFACTION—YUM!

If you didn’t have a Grandma who cooked cat head biscuits for you, I’m sorry! You missed out! But much more important than any biscuit should be our hunger for the Lord. It starts at home; personal Bible study, meditation, scripture memory. It doesn’t stop there though; it’s going to Sunday School, Sunday Church Services, Mission Conferences, Revivals, Jubilees, even the Wednesday night service is part of satisfying the hungry soul.

One last thing though, when you have found somewhere good to eat, don’t you share it? Don’t you tell others where to get the best sushi, the best Chinese, the best Mexican? Sure we do! And so it should be with the Lord Jesus Christ! We need to share with every lost, dying and hurting soul where they can find help, hope, and Heaven! As one fella once said, “I’m just a beggar telling another beggar where to find bread!” That Bread is the Bread of Life! Are you hungry for it?

OPPORTUNITY IS KNOCKING, WHAT WILL YOU DO?

You will never "find" time for anything.  If you want time, you must make it. –Buxton

As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:10

I remember the first opportunity I was given to speak. It was the opening devotions for Sunday School. We met for a few minutes for the pastor to make some announcements and then the Sunday School Superintendent would give a quick challenge. Well, He rotated some of the men in the church and I had told him I would do it. So it was my turn. I got up, did the devotion, dismissed, and we went to Sunday School. The teacher did the normal Sunday School business and when he began to teach he said, well Bro. Jay has already taught the lesson in about 5 minutes in which we were supposed to do this morning so let me move onto the next lesson. The class erupted in laughter and we went to the next lesson. What I didn’t know was at the beginning of the book was the devotion section and I had went into the Sunday School lesson itself—oh well.

What do you do? Quit serving? Quit growing the gifts God has given? NO! When the opportunity knocks again, you answer and say, Here am I, use me Lord!

THANK YOU VETERAN—THANK YOU LORD

            If you are enjoying your physical freedom today thank a veteran. If you are enjoying your spiritual freedom today thank the Lord Jesus. If you are having problems doing either---start counting your blessings.

            For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8

            It is an overwhelming thought a man would sacrifice his life for me to have the freedoms in this country that I take for granted. It’s even a greater thought; the God of the Universe, the Self-Sufficient One, the Creator, Sustainer, the Life Giver, would send His Son to die on the Cross for my sin.

            Ever wonder why someone for give their life for their country—LOVE! The love of what their country stands for; Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.

            David said in Psalm 8:3-4, “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” Why would God stop for one second and think about you or me? Because He Loved Us!

GET UP, GET READY, and GO TO CHURCH!

Not all churches are leading people to God, some are leading people straight to hell because they are not preaching the Good News of The Gospel!

But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 1 Corinthians 1:23-24

      If you attend a church this morning that doesn’t preach Jesus Christ came seeking sinners, don’t go back to it. It you go to a church this morning that doesn’t tell you of your sin, don’t go back to it. If you go to a church this morning that doesn’t tell you what the answer for your sin is, don’t go back to it.

      But, if you go to a church this morning where the preacher stands behind the pulpit and tells you; you’re a great sinner in need of a great Saviour and that Jesus is a great Saviour that saves great sinners…stick with that church!

JESUS IS OUR EVERYTHING!

Jesus Christ is light to the eye, honey to the taste, music to the ear, joy to the heart. –Spurgeon

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 2 Corinthians 3:5

Jesus isn’t my crutch, He’s my legs! Jesus isn’t my glasses, He’s my eyes! Jesus isn’t happiness, He is my everlasting Joy! Without Him I would be a nobody, going nowhere! But Oh, Jesus is my everything!

IS THERE SOMEONE TO HELP?

God always has an angel of help for those who are willing to do their duty. --T.C. Cuyler

My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 121:2

I remember the game show “Who wants to be a Millionaire”. The game was pretty famous with the asking and answering of questions to get to the next stage of prize money. It even had help. You come across a question you didn’t know and you could ask the audience, remove fifty percent of the answers, and even phone a friend. Man I enjoyed watching that game!

You know, many people feel as if life is a game. Boy are they going to be wrong when they die. There will not be a 50:50 because there are only two choices. There isn’t an audience you can pole and you will not be able to phone a friend. You will stand before the Lord and give an account of your own life. And if you can’t say with David, “My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth”, you will hear the Lord say, “Depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

PLEASE DON’T SHUT THE DOOR!

When you say a situation or a person is hopeless, you are slamming the door in the face of God. –Allen

For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: thou wilt hear, O Lord my God. Psalm 38:15

Growing up Mom and Dad always asked, “Were you born in a barn?” I always wanted to say, “What, don’t you know? You WERE there!” But, I had better sense! Many years have passed and I went through the stage of asking my kids the very same thing. Now, I am kind of looking forward to asking Grandkids!

But when it comes to the Lord, DON’T SHUT THE DOOR! Don’t shut Him out of your life by not giving Him a chance to work in and through you! Don’t give up on Him! Shout like David, ”For in thee, O LORD, do I hope:”

WHEN HE GETS YOU MOVING…KEEP MOVING!

Keep us, Lord, so awake in the duties of our callings that we may sleep in thy peace and wake in thy glory. –Donne

Take fast hold of instruction; let her not go: keep her; for she is thy life. Proverbs 4:13

Have you ever been stuck in the mud? You get to rocking the car back and forth making ruts in the mud. Then you hit reverse one last time and then forward but this time you don’t let off the gas. You floor it and you don’t let up! If you let up, you’re stuck again!

Child of God, I think that’s how many Christians treat this life. We get stuck in sin, we ask the Lord to get us unstuck, and He does! Problem is we don’t hit the gas of repentance and go on for the Lord! We get to rocking back and forth between grace and the temptations, and before you know it… we are stuck in sin again!

Hey friend, when God gets to rocking in your life, don’t stop! Hit the gas and go on for the glory of God!

PATIENCE, IT’S A GIFT FROM GOD

There is not such thing as preaching patience into people unless the sermon is so long they have to practice it while they hear. –Beecher

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9

When working on HVAC equipment the key is to not give up when it seems you have hit a dead end. Many times the answer to the problem is the next wire, the same part you checked twice already, or maybe it comes in a phone call. Maybe you have to take a step away from the system and chew on solutions before you sling a wrench into the electrical panel causing irreparable damage.

Child of God, don’t give up! The answer is around the corner! Help is just a prayer away! The Lord has the answers to your problem just don’t quit! Stick by the stuff and before you know it the problem will be gone. Have patience, God will not leave you to fend for yourself! Your help cometh from Him!

BLIND AND DIDN’T KNOW IT

Without the light of the Gospel we would be walking around in this dark world without help or hope!

In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. – 2 Corinthians 4:4

            Prior to the light of the Gospel piercing through our dark hearts we were marred by sin and Satan had shrouded us from His light (Paul Chappell- First Steps for New Christians; Establishing Biblical Direction For New Christians.) But thanks be to God who didn’t give up! He got up on the Cross so His light would shine through a dark world piercing a dark heart such as mine and yours! He did all of that while we were blind! Not looking for Him! Not caring about Him! But yet He cared enough for us that He died for us, to give us hope, to give us help, to save us from our sin! Amen!

GET UP, GET READY, and GO TO CHURCH!

Teaching about our Saviour begins in the home and continues in the church!

And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Acts 5:42

            If you aren’t practicing at home what you preach and teach at church then maybe you don’t believe what you say you do. That doesn’t mean we need to stop teaching and preaching at church. What it means is we need to repent and get right with the Lord! We need to first be teaching and preaching at home then GETTING UP, GETTING READY, and GOING TO CHURCH…prepared to worship the Lord in spirit and truth!

HURTING HEARTS ARE HEALED

There is a God-created vacuum in the heart of every man, which cannot be satisfied by any created thing, but only by God the Creator, made known through Jesus Christ. --Blaise Pascal

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. Psalm 43:5

            When you are struggling with life events, whether it be a death in your family, uncertainties at work, or children going astray, find the peace that passes all understanding in the Lord Jesus! Trust Him in the difficult times! Rest in Him knowing He is working behind the scenes to heal your hurting, broken heart!

LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE!

            Some people wonder why their children are such liars.  If they'd look into a mirror they'd probably see the reason. - D.L. Moody

            Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: Colossians 3:9-10

            Mom and Dad, you are the first example of your children. What you do at home away from everyone else will be duplicated in the lives of your children. If you are lazy, they will be lazy. If you steal, they will steal. If you stay up late and sleep in, they will stay up late and sleep in. If you lie, they will lie. But guess what, if you tithe they will tithe. If you read a lot, they will read a lot. If you tell the truth, they will tell the truth.

            Be thou an example, first at home! It will show up in your children!

JUST ANOTHER DAY OFF???

How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Proverbs 6:9

I remember when I use to work at the Christian School, I had the pleasure of staying at home with my kids and we would play in the snow! When it was safe enough to drive on the roads I would load them up and we would head in to scrape the sidewalks, parking lots, and road leading into the school. After we got finished, it was on! We would tie boogie boards to the tractor and hit the practice field! Boy we had some fun!

Child of God, enjoy the time you have with your kids! Don’t lay in the bed all day. Get up! Get your kids up! Make memories that last. Even on your day off!

HAVE YOU EVER ASKED THE LORD TO SEARCH YOUR HEART?

I believe the holier a man becomes, the more he mourns over the unholiness that remains in him. -Spurgeon

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: Psalm 139:23

We sing the song, “SEARCH ME OH GOD” which comes from Psalm 139 in our church. I often wonder as we are singing it if we are really thinking about the message of the song. Do we really want the Lord to search our hearts? Do we really want Him to see if there be some wicked way in us? Do we really want Him to make us pure within?

Oh friend, we should echo what David said in Psalm 139. We should ask the Lord to search our hearts. We should allow Him to “See if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” 

ARE YOU GOING TO HEAVEN?...

How do you know?

            Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Matthew 7:21

            Many people, if asked, say they are going to Heaven. But when you ask them how they know, they can’t really answer the question. When they do answer it goes something like, “Well I’ve been a member of such and such church all of my life.” “My Mom and Dad were founding members of ABC Church.” My Dad is a Deacon at the First Pentecostal Methodist Baptist Church.” “My Mama plays the piano at the Lutheran Holiness Presbyterian Fellowship.” "I'm a pretty good person."

            What people leave out is repentance. They say they are saved based on some untruth they have been told since their youth. What they hardly ever do is pick up the Bible and read it to see what God says about who we are and where we are going. He says, “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” He says, “For the wages of sin is death;” Praise God He doesn’t stop there….. He finishes out that same verse by saying, “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”  

            Are you going to heaven? How do you know? A good evidence of salvation is found in your works. James 2:20 says, “But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” So friend, what are you doing for the Lord these days?