GOD HAS SOME BIG WINDOWS
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. I read about one crotchety old couple, Victor & Shirley, who’d been married for 65 years, being interviewed by the Huntsville Item.
2. "So Shirley," asks the reporter, "Exactly how old are you?" "I am 88 years old, and I hope to live to be a hundred." "Well I hope your wish comes true!"
3. The reporter turns to Victor and asks, "And how old are you, Victor?" "I’m also 88 years old," replies Victor, "and please God, I hope to live to be a hundred and one."
4. "But why," asked the reporter, "do you want to live one year longer than your wife?"
5. "Well, to tell you the truth," replied Victor, "I’d like to have at least one year of peace and quiet."
B. THESIS
1. A famous line in The Sound of Music was when the old Reverend Mother (Abbess) tells Maria Rainer, who is a pledged Nun, but not ready for monastic life, “If God shuts a door, he always opens a window somewhere.” She ends up marrying Captain von Trapp.
2. “WINDOW” (def.) - “an opening in the wall or roof of a building to admit light or air, to allow people to see in or have access in/out in an emergency.” [DEMONSTRATE WITH REAL WINDOW] Typically, we keep our windows shut or slightly open. God too.
3. There are 4 times in the Bible where God says He’ll open wide a window in heaven. This doesn’t sound very impressive, until you stop to think God’s windows are gigantic in scope.
4. Let’s look at four of God’s windows and see how we might profit from them. The title is “God Has Some Big Windows.”
I. WINDOWS OF JUDGMENT
A. WHY THE JUDGMENT FELL
1. The world at the time of Noah fell into flagrant sin. They became so immoral/evil that God regretted He’d ever made humans. God said He’d destroy all life on the planet, except for Noah’s family.
2. That was when the windows of God’s judgment opened up and drowned the world with the flood:
3. “In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And all flesh…in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died.” Genesis 7:11,21-22.
4. Jesus said, “As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man.” We live in similar times, when perversity & violence are sweeping the world. So this window of judgment will be opened again someday soon!
B. FACTS ABOUT SIN
In order for us to avoid the judgment that will fall on the world, we need to know 5 things about sin:
1. SIN CAN NEVER BE HIDDEN. We can try to hide our sins, hoping they won’t be found out, but God says, “Be sure your sin will find you out” Num. 32:23. The Bible says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” Pr. 15:3. We can’t hide our sin; doing so only creates more problems.
2. SIN IS NEVER VICTIMLESS. Sin always has consequences, ramifications. When sin occurs - people get hurt. Sin always has victims.
3. SIN IS NEVER INSIGNIFICANT. God Hates Sin. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a “big” sin or a “little” sin. God hates sin. Why? Because He is totally pure. If God allowed even a dust particle of sin – it would contaminate Him. Sins that we allow, God despises: lust, dishonesty, rudeness, arrogance, pride. We think they’re OK - but they make us impure and unholy. Would you want to drink a bottle of water that’s only 5% contaminated? Of course not. That 5% could contaminate your whole body. It’s the same with sin; Sin is never insignificant.
4. SIN IS NEVER FORGOTTEN. There’re ministers out there that say, “God forgets your sin.” Don’t be fooled: God doesn’t have holy amnesia. God never forgets anything. “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond: it is graven upon the table of their heart” Jer. 17:1. “The Lord…will now remember their iniquity, and visit their sins” Jer. 14:10. Sin is always a serious business!
5. SIN IS NEVER BEYOND GOD’S FORGIVENESS. Every sin you’ve ever committed – lust, adultery, lies, murder – God will forgive. God won’t ignore sin – but He will forgive it. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful & just to forgive us our sins & to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 Jn. 1:9. Thank God!
6. So to avoid the “window of judgment” we need to go to the foot of the cross and trust in the sacrifice of Christ on Calvary’s cross for our sins!
II. WINDOWS OF PROVISION
Malachi 3:10, “Bring all [your] tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove Me now herewith, says the LORD of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”
A. GOD IS OUR PROVIDER
1. One of God’s covenant names is Jehovah-Jireh, “the Lord our Provider.” God wants to walk with you, care for you, and provide for you. He sees beforehand what your needs will be, so He’s uniquely able to provide our needs.
2. He will “supply all your needs by Christ Jesus.” God desires to “POUR” out blessings on you. The outcome can be so huge that we won’t have capacity to receive it all! However, most of God’s promises have conditions.
B. GOD ASKS FOR THE TITHE
1. The word “tithe” means “tenth.” [PICTURE OF TITHE] The first tenth of our income belongs to God.
2. WHERE DO YOU PAY YOUR TITHE? “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse” Mal. 3:10. The CHURCH is the “storehouse.” I’m glad for all the auxiliary ministries – outreaches, missions, etc., but they are not to receive tithes.
3. The Church is the foundation upon which all other ministries are built. If the local church fails, the other ministries that were developed by the church will also cease to flourish.
4. “THE PURPOSE OF TITHING IS TO TEACH YOU ALWAYS TO PUT GOD FIRST IN YOUR LIVES.” Deut. 14:23, Living Bible.
C. WHO OWNS YOUR FRENCH FRIES?
1. A man took his son to McDonalds and bought the little boy some French fries. Then the father did what all fathers do, he reached over and took one French fry to taste it.
2. The little boy slapped his father’s hand and said, "Don’t touch my French fries!"
3. The father is thinking:
a. I bought the French fries; they belong to me;
b. My son belongs to me.
c. I could get angry and never buy my son another French fry again to teach him a lesson, or
d. I could get $1,000 & "bury" my son in French fries.
4. "Why doesn’t my son understand that I’m his source of his French fries and that if he’ll trust me & treat me right, I’ll provide all the French fries he’ll ever want. I just want one French fry."
5. You get the analogy with God. When He asks for a tithe, we shouldn’t slap His hand and say, "Keep Your hands off my money." God owns everything we have. He’s teaching us dependence on Him to provide.
6. HUMOR. A little girl got $1 for God & $1 for her snack. On the way, she tripped & dropped both dollars. One blew away. She said, “Well, God, there goes your dollar!” God’s is always the one that gets away!
III. WINDOWS OF DELIVERANCE
“There hath no temptation taken hold of you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful; He will not suffer you to be tempted beyond that which you are able to bear, but with the temptation will also make a way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” 1 Cor. 10:13. YOUNG’S LITERAL TRANS.: “He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet…to bear it.”
A. LEAVING THE DEVIL NO HOLD
1. The key to victory over temptation is surrendering our entire life to Jesus and allowing Christ to reign in us. If we’ve surrendered all, then there’s nothing left of us for the devil to get a hold of.
2. Wrestlers usually “oil” themselves up so that their opponent can’t get a good grip on them. “He is no fool who surrenders what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
B. THE WAY TO ESCAPE
1. If you really don't want to be enticed, there is always a way out. The way out is usually the more difficult path.
2. Do the right thing in every situation and you'll be fine.
3. IN TEMPTATION, CLING TO GOD. The battle is not yours, but God’s. You can’t defeat the enemy in your own strength or by any formula.
4. At the point of temptation, begin asking Jesus to save you from the temptation and don’t stop asking until the temptation is gone!
5. Be sure that Satan will come back to the same weak spots he’s used before. Your past sins will be your weakest points, unless you change that.
6. Maybe one of your weak spots is anger or a quick temper. For some it’s an old addiction such as alcohol, drugs, pornography, or a sexual addiction. For others it’s money, pride, possessions. Maybe it’s insecurity, fear, or hate.
7. Whatever your old weakness is, you can master it. "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” Jam. 4:7. We have the nature of winners; but you still must PLAY TO WIN!
IV. WINDOWS OF MIRACULOUS INTERVENTION
2 Kings 7:2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it.”
A. THE SITUATION
1. Samaria was surrounded by armies; there had been a long siege. There was no food.
2. Benhadad’s vision -- to put a siege around God’s people; to cut off their sustenance. The Israelites were paying a fortune just to eat donkey brains & dove dung. There was also cannibalism.
3. THE SPIRITUAL SEIGE IN THE USA. 1960--first birth control. In 1962, prayer thrown out of schools. Late 1960s, runaway drug use, rock music, and eastern religions invade the country. 1973 Abortion. Since then, gambling in most states, marijuana legalized, gay marriage, polygamy legal…
4. The USA has many problems but only one solution -- Jesus Christ. The prophet said, "There will be a massive move of God."
5. God used unusual people to do it: 4 lepers! Don’t underestimate what God can do! When Elisha prophesied God's deliverance, the King's officer said it couldn't happen.
6. In the natural, for flour to be in the city:
a. All of the massive Army around the city would have to be defeated and driven away.
b. Even then, it might take months before a large shipment of flour could arrive from Egypt, if it started that day. It looked impossible for flour to be selling cheap.
7. The officer was leaving God out of the picture.
B. GOD IS STILL THE GOD OF MIRACLES
1. Sometimes our problems look so big, or they've gone on for so long, we can't see God. But if God is involved, the circumstances don't matter. Circumstances don't change God's ability!
2. Maybe the officer thought God didn’t do that anymore. "God used to do miracles back in Moses’ and Joshua’s time, but He doesn't do that anymore." Has God changed?
3. Heb. 13:8, "Jesus Christ, the same, yesterday, today & forever." MIRACLES ARE NATURAL TO GOD!
4. Miracles are STILL NECESSARY TODAY because there’s still human needs, people still must be convinced of Jesus’ deity, God is still trying to get people’s attention, and we still need our faith built up!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. Steve & Susan Whitten, and their little girl Robyn, (praying, sincere Christians) were driving their tanker truck of liquid feed to different dairy farms in the Chino Hills of Southern California (1976).
2. The truck labored up a 400 ft hill. Just as they reached the crest, something under the truck went “pop.” Instantly Steve stepped on the brakes. Nothing happened.
3. The trucked was still coasting forward under its weight. Steve looked at Susan and said, “Jump out & put some rocks under the tires.”
4. As soon as she opened the door, the truck began rolling backward. With the door pushing her, Susan grabbed Robyn & pulled her out, both being thrown hard to the ground.
5. Susan screamed for Steve, who was still standing on the brakes, to get out. The truck quickly gathered speed, and in a horrifying moment, Susan watched as in disappeared over the edge backward, with Steve still behind the wheel.
6. She ran to the edge of the hill and watched the truck rolling over & over, from end to end, tearing up the shrubbery & throwing up great clouds of dust, 400 feet below.
7. Susan & Robyn stood there in shock, covered with blood and dust. Suddenly Steve was next to her. There was not a speck on his white shirt or jeans.
8. “How did you get here,” she asked? “I don’t know. I think God took me out of the truck.” The windows had been rolled up and there was no chance of getting out the doors.
9. Latter, the wrecked truck revealed that the drive shaft had snapped and mangled the brake clamp. God had worked a miracle and transported Steve out of the truck! (It’s a God Thing). God is still doing miracles!
B. THE CALL
1. There are 4 Windows that God will open for you.
a. If you’re in sin, it’s the Window of Judgment that will open. The solution is to go to the cross of Jesus today and get forgiveness.
b. The next is the Window of Provision. He’ll open the windows of heaven if you bring all the tithes into the storehouse. Do you have a financial need? Step out in faith; plant a seed with the little that you have, and watch as God gives it back, multiplied.
3. Are you tempted? Take God’s outlet of escape! You CAN do all thing through Christ! You’re more than a conqueror in Him. The battle has already been won; receive the power of Christ’s victory!
4. Is there a famine, a siege? God declares that a massive move of God is coming! Get ready to receive abundance from God!
5. If there are windows in heaven, will we settle for less?
[The title came from Wade Hughes].
