Teachings and messages from our ministry.
SUNDAY MESSAGE 3/8/20 :by Gordon Reason WALK WISELY Ephesians 5:16-17 Good afternoon! A wiseman once said ...he who runs behind car is exhausted We had the parable of talent seed money challenge so I’m selling hours since we all lost and hour of sleep last night.. Anyone enjoying or being encouraged by our Walking in the Spirit series.. Anyone walked in the Spirit this week? Pastor Rhoda shared with us the unity that Christ brings when we walk in the Spirit..no matter how different our backgrounds ..our environments our cultures..there is a saying that goes..Though Calvary was on a hill, the ground at the bottom of the cross was leveled. Meaning everyone is at the same eye level when we look to the cross. I don’t care what baggage you bring ..disability ..learning curve rap sheet bank account ..the cross of Christ is the great equalizer. Amen! So in the Spirit of unity let’s gear our ears and hearts for the word! Prayer: Todays message is called Walking Wislee.... (misspelled on purpose) I spelled it wrong on purpose to see how many of us are walking wisely today. Walking Wisely sponsored by Mike Bloomberg.. just kidding Walking wisely ...as the Holy Spirit helps grow us and transform us..we start to see the world around us through a different lens..through God’s prescription. Our minds our being renewed which means our thoughts are changing and from there our choices change. We now have the capacity to make decisions that reflect the heart and mind of Christ. Let’s read today’s text together... I’m gonna start at verse 7 to bring us in..but when I get to 15 am gonna point and everybody jump in... . 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; ( those who practice disobedience) 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. WALK WISELY There was a man sitting under a walnut tree on a hot summer day..this man was an agnostic someone who isn’t 💯 sure if God exists..so he sits down in the shade provided by the tree and says well I guess if there was an appropriate time to thank God it would be now for providing this tree that makes shade. Then he picked up a walnut and said well if God really does exist why would this big strong tree carry these small walnuts but a pumpkin grows on the ground and has vines that break because they can’t support the weight of the pumpkin. Surely this tree could hold up a pumpkin. Then a walnut hit him on the head. The fear of God...the reverential respect of a God as some would say..is the beginning of Wisdom. To walk wisely ..we need the wisdom of God. God’s wisdom is a by product of His character. How God discerns or judges what is true, what is right, and what is good is His wisdom. It’s a by product of Gods character because..Jesus said..I am the way the ...Truth..and the life. He didn’t say he has truth or he knows truth Jesus being God in the flesh says He is the epitome the embodiment of truth.. When Jesus was arrested and on trial ..Pilot asked Jesus what is truth...and what did Jesus say to Pilot...? He didn’t say nothing He just looked at him. As to say you’re looking at truth. God’s wisdom is what’s true what’s right and what’s good. In the story of the Rich young ruler Luke 18. The young man addresses Jesus as Good master..and Jesus says why do you call me good..only God is good. The young man said nothing. Jesus asked a rhetorical question..if he would’ve known Jesus was God in the flesh he would’ve been cool with calling Jesus Good. We know the saying..God is good all the time and all the time ..God is good. God is good even when everything around us is not. He can’t help it.its His character. God’s wisdom is true..right and good. God’s wisdom is right..not just 2+2=4 right...but righteous ...it’s morally right ..ethically right pleasing to God type of right. So this wisdom is not the accumulation of information..it’s not about how smart you are.. wisdom is the application of truth. Paul says Walk wisely..Walking is an action word. Walking implies living wisely..make this a regular part of your behavior. Decisions and choices that are true right and good. Decisions and choices are like tatiana and Adrianna they look the same but there is a difference. Choice is the freedom to choose ..choice is having options...your choose your direction your decisions is how you plan to get there. When the first Ford cars were manufactured Henry ford said you can have a ford in any color as long as it’s black. They didn’t have any colors ..there’s no choice. Now there multiple colors you have several choices and you use the process of deciding to make your choice. The root meaning decide is cide. Cide. A person kills a person it’s called homicide, spray that kills bugs is called..pesticide, Kids kill their brain cells on their devices because they won’t ..go outside So decide means to kill other choices. We make decisions everyday..saying yes to this no to that. What the Holy Spirit enables us to do that we couldn’t do before as He leads us is to say Yes to what is True what is right and what is good. And the bible calls that wisdom. It’s something we live out not just something we know. And if you’ve known me long enough you prolly heard me quote one of my favorite sayings...a smart man knows how to get out of trouble. But a wise man knows how to avoid trouble. 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. If what’s true and what’s right and what’s good is a picture of wisdom ..the opposite is a picture of living foolishly. Some translations say See to it that you walk circumspectly... we get the word circumference form that... Your looking around being cautious. It’s like going to the park with your kids and they can’t wait to run to the be the first on the swings and you say be careful there might be dog poop in the grass. They’re gonna run circumspectively One who is walking circumspectly is one who is surveying all circumstances and possible consequences before acting or deciding. Paul is saying don’t walk..don’t live as you lived before you’re children of light..even if the same old temptations come consider the consequences. Casu Marzu picture This is called maggot cheese and yes those are maggots and you’re supposed to eat the cheese while the maggots are alive. I came across this because I was googling what food has the worst aftertaste and this popped up. If you can think of the bitter after taste before you eat it then maybe you won’t eat it.. Here’s something more appealing..black tea.. it’s good for ya but if you’re like me black tea has a protein called tannin that upsets my stomach so because I don’t wanna feel nauseous I avoid drinking black tea..some people get heartburn for sauces or spicey foods ..why would you wanna deal with those side affects. Walking wisely allows us in the heat of temptation to fast forward to consequences and walk away. To live unwise to live foolishly means your governed by your feelings..your not letting the Holy Spirit lead,you’re letting your senses lead..it taste good..looks good...smells good feels good sounds good..I want it..I’m gonna get it..I’m gonna keep it. And we live in a world and live in homes and work at jobs that offer everything that appeals to our senses. And Paul says at one time that was us too! But now God is the source of our wisdom and His word is our resource. Wisdom has a standard of operation.. Life comes with 2 instruction manuals ...God’s word and His wisdom Or the way that seems right to man but ends up in destruction. Every morning before work I do 2 things i watch the song and scripture station channel 809..not for anything deep it just helps me if my first thoughts of the day are not my own and that channel plays piano music and shows scriptures on the screen.. Then I’ll flip it to channel 808 which is the news so I can see the weather that informs me on how to dress when I walk to work. . Just like the meteorologists prepares me for the day to walk according to the weather And the traffic reporter prepares people for the day as they travel How much more God and His word prepares us for in our everyday walk. James 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. God’s wisdom gives us focus and direction when we have to choose between what looks good, what feels good, and what is good. Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.” Romans 16:19 ESV For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. Worldly wisdom here refers to a mind-set that does not consider God’s sovereign rule, or His will, Worldly wisdom self-promotes. Godly wisdom elevates others. Worldly wisdom seeks the highest place. Godly wisdom seeks the lowest place. Worldly wisdom avoids the Word. Godly wisdom submits to the Word. Worldly wisdom trusts in earthly possessions. Godly wisdom trusts in treasures in heaven. Worldly wisdom boasts. Godly wisdom is slow to speak. Worldly wisdom says trials will crush you. Godly wisdom says trials will mature you. Worldly wisdom says, “Seeing is believing.” Godly wisdom says, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Wisdom is with the aged, and understanding in length of days. “With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding” (Job 12:12-13). 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. So how can we put this wisdom into practice ..how do I know if I’m operating in godly wisdom ...Paul drops a clue... vs 16..there is something about wisdom and our use of time that work hand and hand. Walking in the Spirit gives us Godly wisdom that helps us prioritize how we use our time? The parable of the talents highlighted the use of a lonnng time. Time is valuable and we can use it or waste it. That is what it means to be redeeming the time. It means to invest it wisely. To use it wisely. To make every second count. Don’t miss opportunities by making the same choices you always make. Do you know how you time? Making the same choices you always As a matter of fact the Latin term used for redeem ...exagorazo "is a word from the market place. You go down to your supermarket and look for bargains because you know they will not last long; they are passing, changing. Therefore, make the most of them and buy them up. This is exactly the word he employs here. Buy up the opportunities which are created constantly by the evil days. (Ephesians 5:15-20: Watch How You Walk) We went to Barnes and Noble yesterday and their bargain shelf has a sign that says Last Chance..and has a whole group of books for really cheap but for a limited time. I got a 25 dollar book for 10 bucks. Time is a bargain deal..it’s limited...and the days are evil. "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90 :12 There is plenty of distractions..there’s plenty of negative influences..there’s plenty of deception out there..to get tangled in ..the days are evil we have to walk wisely. Anybody ever play this....minesweeper. The whole point is to avoid the squares with bombs based on the revealed number. If you just start tapping squares your gonna blow up. Nope you gotta pay attention you gotta use wisdom and tap circumspectly. Before church Joey came through and talked about the land mines in Israel. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Part of redeeming our time is occupying our time learning Gods will..He has revealed plenty of His will in His word and He also encourages us to pray. If any of you lack wisdom ..ask. The foolish the unwise disregard God’s will. I don’t need to consider what God has to say. And that’s never the best direction to head in. What does God have to say ..and what has God already said..is the root to gaining wisdom. We belong to God..we belong to each other.. The passions of our hearts change..our minds become renewed ..how we value and use our time changes...this is the stuff that happens when we walk in the Spirit when we let the Holy Spirit do the leading..we let the word do the talking and we do the walking. Amen.
SUNDAY SERVICE: speaker Gordon Reason MATTHEW 5 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” 5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them. As we continue our Sermon on the mount series I though it would be fitting to pull something from those passages. I read 10 of about over 30 references to Jesus and the crowd or Jesus and the multitude. It was the norm to see large amounts of people following Jesus...my wife and I ..Ray and his wife we write record and perform songs..and whenever there is a crowd it’s a great feeling. In fact in our little independent music ministry career the largest audience we have played for was a couple thousand ...and the smallest was 0 we put together a spaghetti dinner slash concert and no one came out. It would’ve been nice if the crowd from the community event showed up at the concert but it didn’t work out that way. The crowds had different reasons for being there. Jesus made a distinction amongst the crowds of people. We have people who are my disciples...and people who are part of the crowd. I’m a 49ers fan...but I only catch the highlights..I can’t tell you the starting line or every quarterback that has played for the team. I have a neighbor who is a 49ers follower..he has San Fran decals on his car..he wears the 49ers hat when they play he can tell who’s starting who’s injured how many pounds the whole team weighs if they stepped on a scale together. Jesus had the crowds who followed Him..someone got healed and delivered..others wanted to find something wrong..others wanted to see what in the world was the buzz about. Some loved His teachings..others His miracles...others liked when He picked on the Pharisees ..others thought He was gonna take down the Roman Empire. We do the same with social media..we follow people for different reasons..sometimes we follow people we don’t like just so we can remind ourselves of why we don’t like them. There were people in the crowd..that didn’t like Jesus ..some wanted Him dead. Now if I’m a bystander..and I see a large crowd of people following Jesus. I’m not gonna know who’s who..who is the disciple and who is the follower.. .Jesus knew..because the Crowd liked Jesus teachings...but the Disciples lived out Jesus teachings. . The crowds heard what Jesus said ..the disciples listened to what Jesus said . The crowds spent time around Jesus ..the disciples spent time with Jesus . The crowds were inconsistent..the disciples were committed . The crowds gave their time..the disciples gave their lives. MATTHEW 7:24 Jesus says anyone who hears my words and does them is wise.. James..Jesus’s half brother repeats this in his epistle...Don’t just hear but be doers of the word. Don’t just be part of the crowd. Don’t just come to a church and get a sermon fix Or food Or like we challenge our kids don’t just come to socialize ..come and hear the words of Jesus they give life! And don’t just hear them ..do them. Trust in Him...lay your life down so that He can build it up. Amen!