Message from the Pastor

Friday, January 23, 2015

Get in Gear in the New Year
Ex.14:15

Intro: Israel had departed from Egypt but Pharaoh was close behind; they were paralyzed with fear; crying out in despair; already talking about giving in and going back to bondage and slavery in Egypt. God spoke to Moses- Tell them to GO FORWARD! God is not interested in his people giving up or going back; he wants us to GO Forward! Get in Gear in the New Year!
     Some of us were much too idle spiritually in 2014- We were too comfortable- too complacent- too compromising; We were too inactive- too indifferent- too distracted- too bogged down in other matters; Need to Get in Gear in the New Year.

I. Get Out of Sin.
      Some have spent the whole last year unsaved; lingering in sin and disobedience; dwelling among those who are enemies of God; loving the world and things of the world; Time to Get Out of Sin.
     In Gen. 19 Lot went to his daughters and sons in law and cried out, UP! Get you out of this place for the Lord will destroy this city. I say to you today- UP Get out of that place of sin you are in; Judgment is coming! You will not only suffer the consequences of sin in your earthly physical life; you will suffer eternal consequences; for every one whose name is not written in the book of Life will be cast in to the Lake of Fire.
Get in Gear this year and Get Out of Sin!

II. Get Sanctified
      God said to Joshua & the children of Israel- ARISE- Go over this Jordan..
Crossing the Jordan was a type of being sanctified and baptized in the Holy Ghost; its a genuine experience where the Old Man and the Old Life are buried and we are Raised Up to New Life in the Promised Land.
     The Call out of Egypt was an EXIT- the Call to Canaan was an ENTRANCE.
You not only need to make an Exit from sin and worldliness; you need to make an Entrance into salvation and holiness. For without holiness NO MAN shall see the Lord. You cannot love worldly things and love the Lord at the same time. If you are living for the lust of the eyes; the lust of the flesh and the pride of life you are not a Child of God. You need to Get Out of Sin and Get Sanctified.
     The Fact is: No One should have to be Driven into Canaan- driven into a holy life; We should Be DRAWN to Canaan; drawn to holy living; longing for it; reaching for it; pressing for it. Get in gear this year; get separated from worldliness and get sanctified.
     When is the last time you had an experience of Sanctification in your Life?
     Are you still watching ungodly shows and videos? Are you still listening to ungodly music?
     Are you still looking at pornography? Are you still dressing immodestly? Why? Are you trying to attract someone? What kind of person do you think you will attract with immodesty?
     Are you still involved in a relationship with some one who is not saved; someone who does not believe and live holiness; someone who does not believe in the baptism of the HG with the evidence of Speaking in other tongues? Get in Gear this year- Get out of sin; Get sanctified.

III. Get Serious about your Devotional Life.
     
Get serious about praying!
Jesus prayed in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane- came to his disciples and they were asleep- "Why sleep ye? RISE and PRAY! I believe Jesus would say the same thing to you and I- RISE and PRAY. The reason our churches are not more spiritual than they are comes down to the fact that we as individuals are not praying. The reason our services are not more spiritual comes down to the fact that we as individuals are not praying. The reason you are having so much trouble with faithfulness to the house of God; trouble with holiness; trouble with friction in the family; not praying.
     Get serious about studying God’s Word!
     Get serious about your worship.
Nehemiah told the people- "Stand Up and Bless the Lord your God forever and ever- blessed be thy glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise." Worship is an indicator of your love and devotion for the Lord Jesus.
     Get in gear this year; get out of sin; get sanctified; get serious about your devotional life; and...

IV. Get Started Working for God
     What did you do for the Lord in 2014? What did you do that counted for the kingdom of God in 2014?
     What did you do for God right in the local church last year?
David told Solomon in 1 Chron. 22- Arise and Be Doing and the Lord be with thee. Arise and be Doing!
     What on Earth are you Doing, for Heaven’s Sake? Are you doing anything on earth for heaven’s sake?
     Jesus told a parable about a householder who went to the market place early in the morning to hire laborers; he told them, "Go ye into the vineyard and work..." He went back at 9 am; at noon; at 3 pm- every time he found folks standing around idle and he said to them- Go ye into the vineyard...
     At 5 pm- when there was only one hour left in the work day, he went again to the market place and found still others there idle- He said to them, "Why stand ye here all the day idle? Go ye into the vineyard!"
     Get in gear this year and get started working for God.