Take a Stand
HHM Nov. 17, 02 Pastor Jim Parisi
We continually seek after the Lord and feel that we are either not finding Him at all or just missing Him.
Sometimes He is standing there and we don’t even notice.
It is not Him who moves away from us… but it is us who tries to hide and run from Him hide in the dark place’s where we think he can not see us…
We can get consumed with the day to day things of life and forget He even exists.
I have no time for you Lord.. Today or was that yesterday I last spent time with you ????
We loose track
Instead of preparing a place for Him to dwell within our Hearts. We camp the Lord in a pup tent out in the backyard of our hearts…
Sometimes in the garage of our hearts because the accommodations are better there
Closes enough to see Him and know He is there….. but not close enough to let Him touch our lives.. this is our false security blanket
We all know how to rely on scriptures like Psalm 9: 9-10 when in trouble
Psalm 9 : 9-10 9 The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. 10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD , have never forsaken those who seek you.
We always know how to run to the Lord in times of calamity when we are hunting for Him
We can see in Isaiah 55 6-8. How we can we can seek the Lord even if we are in sin and compromise.
Isaiah 55:6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon. 8 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord Even the wicked man who forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; He says … Let him return to the Lord…..
The Mercy of our God for His people is astounding to us … This is because His thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways His ways
Thank the Lord that I am not judged by my reason and understanding…
How do we call upon Him when and Keep Him near… How do we establish a better place within us for the Lord to occupy?
I have a few points how to keep Him close but first let’s look at why He can’t dwell with in us ….
Sometimes you have to clean out a place of all the old musty stuff cobwebs and junk first right…like in an attic …..
Before you, can make it a warm and homey place for someone to reside in. especially one you love
Why can’t God be found in our Hearts sometimes…
1. Because we turn our Hearts from him and will not hear His Voice… He will tell you to do something and we ignore it… Do this, Give that, and help this one here… We just turn Him off like a switch and wonder why we are failing to see souls saved in our land and in our families too
2. When we mock God… and refuse His dealings and correction… we even scorn and get angry at Him and then disaster comes.. Then we look up and say what happened… Bam… what was that for ???
3. We can become stubborn and proud… all puffed up… and can’t humble ourselves before our parents, overseers, leaders, bosses etc… let alone the Lord. How do we expect others to respect us if we don’t respect them first?
4. We don’t settle our matter with Him first and others in our Lives …then we wonder why hardship comes and blessing is held back
5. We are spiritually deteriorating from the sin in our lives.. we choose to wallow in it instead of releasing it and asking God to forgive us…
6. Sometimes we are so angry with the Lord we blaspheme the Holy Ghost…. totally separate ourselves from Him …….to the point we are slung at rocket speed back into the world………. where we once first came from…
This is Happening everyday to good Christians and the ENEMY is Laughing and cheering them on…..
Church… this Has to end now... the Christian community has to repent … turn from evil and seek the face Lord.. Now - Today Amen?
If not things will get worse.. But have no fear church.. Because we can start this revolution right here with us today..
We serve a God of Mercy and Forgiveness.. Remember vs 10 of Psalm 9
10 Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you
He has ….. never forsaken those who have searched for Him
So how do we do this ……you ask…
I put it into 8 easy points
1. Seek His face … I don’t mean gaze and look about nonchalantly I’m saying put your face to His so all you see is Him… crying out to Him
Proverbs 27: 8-9 8When You said, "Seek My face," My heart said to You, "Your face, LORD, I will seek." 9Do not hide Your face from me;
2. Repent from sin. Just give it up. It’s not worth much to hold on too anyway… Get a clean slate and start today fresh. Gee it stinks doesn’t it?
It’s like going to the airport with tons of baggage. You will probably miss the plane. Travel light I’m saying… give your back a rest... and remember the heavens rejoice when even one repents
The Parable of the Lost Coin
Luke 15: 8-10 8 "Or what woman, having ten silver coins,[1] if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, "Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ 10Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."
3. Call upon His Name … Seek His face for strength only in His name is there power….
Psalm 105:4 4Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
4. Confess to one another that Jesus Christ is Lord…. Tell it to someone each day …. Let them know who you are and where you stand … so that the enemy can’t bind you…
Phlippians2 : 10-11 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
5. Pray for wisdom. Ask God to strengthen your heart with His knowledge … wisdom and spiritual understanding… so when the enemy comes he can’t get a foot hold on you
1 Kings 10:24 Now all the earth sought the presence of Solomon to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.
Colossians 1:9 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
6. Humble yourselves… Put your self in the proper order with god and others….. If you humble your self God will hear you…
Daniel 10:11-12 11And he said to me, "O Daniel, man greatly beloved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you." While he was speaking this word to me, I stood trembling. 12Then he said to me, "Do not fear, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard; and I have come because of your words.
The Lord hears the voice of a humble man.
7. Hear His words and Commandments know his word and hear His Voice..
2 Chronicles 34 : 3030The king went up to the house of the LORD, with all the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem--the priests and the Levites, and all the people, great and small. And he read in their hearing all the words of the Book of the Covenant which had been found in the house of the LORD.
8. Obey and Do. Observe, Study and become skilled at the word of God
Keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all your heart and all his soul,
2 Chronicles 34 31-32 31Then the king stood in his place and made a covenant before the LORD, to follow the LORD, and to keep His commandments and His testimonies and His statutes with all his heart and all his soul, to perform the words of the covenant that were written in this book. 32And he made all who were present in Jerusalem and Benjamin take a stand. So the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers.
They took a stand. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem did according to the covenant of God, the God of their fathers
Who is willing today to take a stand for God??
Who is willing to deny themselves there4 own will … for His Will?
If you have been thinking about it , maybe it’s been long enough
Are you willing like the men of old to …. Take a stand?
Amen
