To our heavenly father and in the name of Jesus..who loves me...I bring you greetings this evening. How can I say that God loves me? Ephesians 6-14. Well, because I am a child of god; seeded in heavenly places with Christ, anointed by the holy ghost with power; called to preach the gospel to the world as written in Ephesians 6: 14: I have a helmet of salvation, a breastplate of righteousness, , a shield of faith, a sword of the spirit, a ring of relationship, and the belt of truth around my waist… praying always with supplication in the Spirit, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.I have been cleansed by the blood of the lamb and set apart…so that no weapon formed against me shall prosper; I need some help in here tonight….and I’ve come this night…to Youth Explosion 2002…..to talk to the youth and to those charged with training the youth. Now we know that children have short attention spans…They don’t always hear everything. I have two of them myself and they often don’t hear what I am saying. How many of you know what I’M talking about? However, if the truth be known some of adults have short attention spans
too…and don’t hear everything that is being said. So for about 15 minutes if that’s alright I want to talk from the Title of “Watch what you hear”.
Lets look at the last point: watch what you hear. Theme comes from Mark 4: 24..God is good.
Preach that…no teach that
Background Text. Gospel. Mat, Luke, John, and Mark. 35 yrs. John Mark. Apostle Paul’s stories. Common Man. Chap 4 starts at sea – lakeshore. Puff Daddy and JaHeem.
Mark 4: 24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
So Jesus is saying what? ….the action word is heed …..
Heed …In webster dictionary - pay attention, listen carefully, be careful, be on guard, and watch over…so lets apply this to hear our savior.
So what is the #1 reason to watch what you hear? “What you hear will affect your faith”.
Turn to someone and tell them that what hear will affect your faith.
But what do we know about faith? Can you see it… What does it look like. Have you sat down and spoke to this thing called faith? Have you seen faith’s phone number on the caller ID? Of course not…but Why not? The answer is right in the word.
Hebrew 11:1 as it says 1Now faith is the substance of things HOPED for, the evidence of things not seen.
So What makes up this faith – buy kindgom – Belief in asking and action in paying. Mc Donald Story
We all know that faith is important and in Hebrew 11: 6 says that without faith its impossible to please god. Living a life apart from faith…I can do fine by myself attitude…its all good. But it’s not all good. How many of you want the victory. We all like to win…so look at this
1 John 5: 4 says 4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. By what??? By faith.
Go with me to JOHN, LUKE, AND ACTS TO Romans 10:17…We need to hear and not just go on what we have heard. We are about to discover something now. 17So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (2nd). So are you born of faith- etc..hear junk. You know the story of David and Goliath. But I want to look at actions before that time.
Ancient road – Bethlehem –mountains - southern valley of what are called the great valleys. Philistine armies in fortified positions…Saul and his men of Israel were in the valley of elah…which was in soe-cho the city of the shef-fee-ya of judah. About 14 miles south of modern Jerusalem.
Philistine champion… six cubits in height. Shaq 6’8 Goliath is 10 ft and 400 lbs. The word says he “the Philistine drew near and presented himself forty days, morning and evening..challenge..intimidated..worthless
Mar 4:24 Take heed what you hear and Rom 10:17 so then faith cometh by hearing.
So notice in 1st Sam 17:11 as it “11When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid.’
David – Jesse eight sons – didn’t hear it
God used to defeat this giant.
**Some of you may have giants in your life…giants which torment you at school, at home, in your neighborhood, in soccer, or girl scouts or whatever activity you may do. But I’m here to tell you that if you want to defeat these giants start by living victory in faith as we said before.
Hebrew 11: 6 says that without faith its impossible to please god.
1 John 5: 4 says 4For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. By what??? By faith.
So we need to watch what you hear…why?…Because 1st…what you hear will affect your faith.
Now..now…lets cross a bridge and get to the 2nd part of the Title (Guard)…we have examined and know that our Ears have a direct path to our faith. And that they also have a direct path to the place were our faith is stored…our heart. So if our faith is in our heart then it makes sense that we need to guard our hearts. But don’t just take my word for it – the gospel tells me in Proverbs 4-23 when it says to Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life (2nd).
This means that important things comes from your heart. Diligence means to be watchful, alert, guard….so we must 1st Watch what we hear because it will affect our faith and must also remember to guard our hearts. Remember the word guard.
Mar 4:24 Take heed what you hear and Rom 10:17 so then faith cometh by hearing. Why? 1st because what we hear can affect our faith….and we must also remember to guard our hearts. Remember the word guard.
People seem to loose their minds…just like the song I’m about to loose my mind up in here..up in here. But how does it happen.
Its like an addiction….and we see the end result as they manifest in bad ways.
Lets go to the gospel and find Matt 13:24 and remember I said to remember the word guard. Satan not omni – plant seeds.
It says in Matt 13:24 24Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 25but while men slept, there’s the connection…we said not to sleep on guard duty in watching your heart….so lets see what happens his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. Let me share with you that Tares are a weed which looks like wheat as it grows but its just a worthless weed. 26But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. 27So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ 28He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’
Can you imagine working and slaving?
**I came here this night to share with you the power that can be yours in the importance of watching what you hear.
Now we started this night by looking at young David and how he didn’t hear what was being said…and as a child was able through God to defeat the giant…Guard. Now lets take this home and look at the NEVERTHELESS. As a youth David did a great thing but he was promised by God to do even greater things..to be king. All of our youth here tonight have done great things and are promised to do greater things as they grow up but you can’t let what you hear affect your promise. In 2 Sam 5: 6 – we see David, the man anointed king but not yet possessing what god has promised to him going into Jerusalem which was inhabited by the enemy. So David goes to capture…goes to take over…goes to claim…what saeth the Lord…what was promised to him. Look at verse at 6. 6And the king and his men went to Jerusalem unto the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land:: which spake unto David, saying, Except thou take away the blind and the lame, thou shalt not come in hither: thinking, David cannot come in hither. Nevertheless 10And David went on, and grew great, and the LORD God of hosts was with him.
Some of us are in a dry place and not a moist place in faith. it takes our action…in Isaiah 40:31 they that wait…run weary..walk..faint
I’m so glad for nevertheless…there is always a nevertheless in your life…you come here and yes the situation looks like an impossibility. But nevertheless you can do all things for God is able. Yet you don’t have two pennies to rub together but nevertheless he’s made you the head and not the tail. Yes your family and friends may be treating you bad but nevertheless they shall be raised up and call you blessed because you will possess what god has promised you. I’m not talking about next year…I’m talking about right now. You may be sick tonight but nevertheless by his stripes I am already healed…I’m so glad for nevertheless for nevertheless no weapon formed against me shall prosper; nevertheless a 1,000 shall fall at my side and 10,000 at my right hand. Nevertheless I’m gonna lend and not borrow. Nevertheless I’m gonna be blessed coming in and going out. Who am I here for tonight? Turn to someone and say NEVERTHELESS.
There is a movie called “Pay it forward” Well its been paid for you already…
by our savior. My bible says that in Luke 4: 16….If you what what you hear you can have the power of son of the living god on your side. And that’s a lot of power. For I heard someone say that when our Jesus turned the water to wine he used some power…that when he cause the storm to be still he used some power..that when he healed the sick he used some power…that when he caused the dumb to speak he used some power…but on that Friday
He put all of our burdens on his back in the shape of a wooden cross? Ya’ll don’t hear me. He carried that old rugged cross not down hill, not on smooth, flat ground, but he carried it up a hill called Golgatha…with some power. Do you here me this evening?
When they took that cross off His back, it wasn’t to give Him any relief. For the Bible tells me, that they took His hands and feet and nailed them to that cross and he still had some power. Aint’t he alright? They took a spear and pierced Him in His side…and he still had some power. Can U imagine the agony and the pain that my Savior suffered with some power up on that old rugged cross, just to remove your lying,
your cheating, your backbiting, your back stabbing, your killing, your drug using, your adultery, your stealing, your dishonoring of your parents.
And he said it is finished and hung His head and died. And they took him to a borrowed tomb. But NEVERTHELESS…oh I said NEVERTHELESS…. early one Sunday morning he got up with all power in His hands. Well brother preacher, how do you know he got up with all power in His hands.
And present us faultless before the father…but you need to watch what you hear…for what you hear will affect your faith…you need to guard your heart…and you need to remember that when Satan attacks you that GOD always has a NEVERTHELESS.
Has He every made a way for you out of no way?
How I love to call his name.
He’s my Alpha and Omega.
He’s my lily of the Valley.
He’s my bright and morning star.
He’s my doctor when I’m sick.
He’s my lawyer in the court room.
He’s my butcher and my baker.
He’s puts clothes on my back.
He gives me shelter in the time of a storm.
He’s my water in dry places.
He’s my mother and my father.
He’s my battle-ax in the time of a battle.
He’s my friend when I’m friendless.
But most of all he’s my savior who died one Friday……
