From Gary... The Reason

The Reason

Isaiah Chapter 40:28-31

I am young, a mere 10 years

but in my life are many tears

a parent died and I hurt sore

why should I live anymore?

In my teens and growing strong

but life is hard and I'm forlorn

for my young love has died today

so, why should I live- even one more day?

Married now, so happy we

but life has become a tragedy

Our firstborn child lay still and cold

so what's the point of growing old?

My loved one of so many years

with whom I lived through all life's tears

has died today and I'm alone,

I can't see why I should live alone?

Chorus

Come near my child and listen to me

for I am there in adversity

you are not alone and I do care

for in your hardship I am there.

Be faithful unto death and see

how beautiful heaven will be!!

From Gary... more than just a song on a wall

This song hangs on my study wall.  It is a reminder of the birth of my first granddaughter- Amanda.  At that time, she only had her mom and Linda and myself.  Right from the beginning, I wanted her to know that she was loved, so I put some of my own words to "Jesus, loves you".  It was, and has been for 23 years now, a very special thing between us.  I read (or sing) it occasionally  to remind myself to care for others- and I think of her.  I am reminded of these verses from the Bible...

Matthew, Chapter 19

  13  Then little children were brought to him, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid thm to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.”

God cares for those who can not care for themselves. My daughter made the correct choice and had her baby and to this day I believe God influenced her heart for life and NOT ABORTION.   And the blessing continues...

PS.  Many thanks to brother Alan Mullens for putting the song into a musical notation format.  Something I never learned to do...

From Gary... THE NIGHT OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

THE NIGHT OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

BIBLE READING:  JUDGES 7:19-25

INTRODUCTION

A. GUESSING GAME LAST WEDNESDAY:THE BANNANA SPLIT'S 
   SONG

B. GOOD GRIEF"COMMANDER McBRAG RELATES CUSTER'S  
   LAST STAND"

C. GIDEON'S GREAT VICTORY OVER THE MIDIANITES--
   -IMPOSSIBLE!!! (RETELL THE STORY)


BODY



A. VICTORY THROUGH GIDEON CHAPTER 6-7

   1. A MAN WITH DOUBTS AND FEARS

      a. DOUBIOUS SITUATION OF ISRAEL'S 6:13

      b. DOUBTED HIMSELF 6:15;7:9-11

      c. DEMANDED A SIGN 17-21...36-40

      d. DOUBTED GOD 13,15

   2. A MAN WHO RESPONDED TO GOD      
      a. RECOGNIZED GOD 6:22

      b. RESPONDED WITH WORSHIP 6:24;7:15      
      c. REACTED TO GOD 6:25-27

      d. REFUSED KINGSHIP LATER ON!! THIS IS 
         HUMILITY..US??


B. VICTORY THROUGH COURAGE JUDGES 7

   1. DELIVERED ISRAEL IN SPITE OF ALL ODDS 7:12

   2. DIRECTED CONFIDENCE (COURAGE) LED TO PLANNING

      a. DIVISION OF COMPANIES

      b. DIRECTED A NIGHT ATTACK

      c. DUMBFOUNDED THE ENEMIES WITH TRICKS

   3. DIRECTED BY GOD

C. VICTORY THROUGH GOD

   1. GOD SOUGHT OUT GIDEON TO USE HIM...IS GOD   
      SEEKING US???

   2. GOD ENCOURAGED AND DIRECTED GIDEON!!! US!!!

   3. GOD SHOWED HIS POWER 6:21-40;7:13-14

   4. GOD'S ASSURANCE "IMMANUEL"= CONFIDENCE



CONCLUSION

A. GIDEON PROVES GOD, NOT NUMBERS OR HUMAN POWER 
   YIELDS VICTORY

B. GOD MAKES THE IMPOSSIBLE ..........POSSIBLE

From Gary V. Womack...Casting All Your Cares on Him

Casting All Your Cares on Him

A sermon on "worry"

Lk. 10:38-ff Martha worried about serving her guest (without Mary's help) Sometimes we fail to weigh what is truly important in our lives.

Lk. 12:13-15 Someone worried about getting their share of an inheritance

Think how many families have suffered ill feelings over such as this.

Lk. 12:16-21 Parable of the rich fool. He worried about hisabundance

Misplaced values can cause worry and loss of focus on the important.

Lk. 12:22-31 No need for worry about necessities. God takes care of us.

Take the time to look at the birds & remember God's promise.

Worry reflects a lack of trust, which indicates a lack of faith

Ex. 16:1-3 Israel began to murmur. They were worried about food.

Worry leads to unthankfulness, which leads to complaining.

Ex. 16:13-31 God gave them manna according to their need.

A lesson on trust.

Heb. 13:5-6 Learn to be content by knowing that God will not forsake you.

God never abandons His children like some human fathers do.

Phil. 4:6-9 Don't worry about anything, but PRAY

Instead of worrying, meditate on the good and do His will.

1 Pet. 5:6-7 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, (7) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Jn. 11:1-7, 17-27

Look beyond the troubles of the day - to relief from all that causes tears.

Rev. 21:4 "And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."

INVITATION

God has invited us to be with Him in heaven later, by following Him now.

Mt. 11:28-ff "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. (29) Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (30) For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

From Gary... The Righteousness of God

The Righteousness of God

Song: "O to be like thee"

Bible Reading: Isaiah 1:18

I. Introduction

A. Really startling -- what God can do with a person 

     who is right with HIM - BOB DOOLEN 

B. Righteousness of God... What a concept (to be   

     REALLY RIGHT WITH GOD)!

C. Reality is that apart from God no one is righteous 

    (Romans teaches this).

D. Romans proclaims the Righteousness of God (being 

    right and doing right)

E. Read the book and see what it says.

II. Body

A. Righteousness revealed in Faith 1: 17

B. Righteousness seen in actions 2: 1-13

C. Righteousness is only in Jesus 3: 10-25

D. Righteousness is by means of Grace 4: 1-8,16

E. Righteousness is given by love 5: 1-7

F. Righteousness means.. we are sanctified 6: 1-7, 12- 

   17

G. Righteousness is... death to the law 7: 1-6

H. Righteousness is help for today, expectation for 

     tomorrow 8: 18-32

I. Righteousness is being chosen by choosing 9: 1-18, 

   10:4

J. Righteousness is the theme of all scripture 11: 1-6

K. Righteousness means a change from sin 12: 1-3

L. Righteousness means subjection to government 

    (God) 13: 1-7

M. Righteousness means understanding 14: 1-9

N. Righteousness means hope for all 15: 8-13

O. Righteousness is the revelation of the mystery 16: 

    25-27

III. Conclusion

A. Although very profound, Romans has a 

     straightforward message.... righteousness.

B. All of the book ties together to help us understand 

    what God has done for us.

C. All that HE has done for us, yet what have we done 

    for HIM ?

From Gary V. Womack... BOWING OUR HEARTS TO GOD

BOWING OUR HEARTS TO GOD

Introduction

Israel is at Mt. Sinai. God had already given them the 10 commandments (Ex. 20). Then on Moses' fourth trip to the top of the mountain, (Ex. 24:18- 31:18) God gave Moses the pattern for the tabernacle, its furnishings, the priestly garments,

duties of the priests, and the order of worship.

On this occasion, God had called Moses up to the mountain:

Ex. 24:18 "So Moses went into the midst of the cloud and went up into the mountain. And Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights."

While God was giving Moses instructions for the things of worship - Israel was already breaking the first 2 commandments:

Ex. 20:2-5a "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. (3) You shall have not other gods before Me. (4) You shall not make for yourself any carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; (5) you shall not bow

down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God,....."

God spoke these laws to Israel with His own voice & they feared.

Ex. 20:18-23 "You shall not make anything to be (comparable) with Me..."

Notice how completely they broke God's law & how angry God became:

Ex. 32:1-10 "...when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down.."

LESSONS WE MUST LEARN:

1. God is not comparable to any other:

Isa. 40:12-28 "To whom will you liken Me?"

2. God is sovereign - Exalted, all seeing, all knowing, all powerful: Rev. 4:2-ff "You are worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honor and power"

3. God expects His word to be honored in obedience: The example of Saul - Worship is not excluded - But it must be preceded by obedience - Worship is secondary to obedience.

1 Sam. 15:3, 17-23 "Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?"

4. God is serious about obedience:

Nadab & Abihu stand as examples of God's wrath in disobedience.

Lev. 10:1-3 "I must be regarded as holy...I must be glorified..."

Conclusion: God is serious about what we do in this place. He has given us a pattern for our work & worship. Our obedience is essential to His acceptance. This all rests on the submission of our heart to His will.

Psm. 119:1-8 "Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!"

INVITATION:

ARE WE BOWING OUR HEARTS TO GOD?

Saying we have done His will does not mean we have been obedient to

His will. The proof of a surrendered heart is loving obedience.

Mt. 7:21-23 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. (22) Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' (23) And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

From Gary...When you wish upon a Star

When you wish upon a Star

Bible Reading - 1 Kings 3: 1-14 

Song - "I want to be a worker for the Lord"

I. Introduction

A. The Disney channel has become part of our T.V. 

     regime (Avonlea is our favorite).

B. This channel has all sorts of things on it though. 

     MMC, movies, cartoons, animated features.

C. There is one animated feature(pinnocho) where a 

     cricket sings "when you wish upon a star".

D. The concept of what we really want out of life says 

     much about our Christianity.

E. The passage ( 1 Ki. 3:5-14 ) about king Solomon 

    provides us with a positive example.

II. Body

A. The prologue: The situation of Solomon.

     1-4

1. Solomon was King of Israel: with a political savvy.

2. Solomon was aware of the people's sacrifices.

3. Solomon loved the Lord.

B. The possibilities of the Grace of God. 5

1. If you heard this--- what would you ask for?

2. If God said this to you--- what would you do?

3. If we asked for something--- what criteria would 

    we use?

C. The perception of God in our lives. 6

1. Solomon saw God in his father's life & in his own.

2. Solomon saw blessings and realized they were from 

    God.

3. Solomon perceived God & his own life as one.

D. The proper attitude for the Godly: 

     submission. 7

1. The song "count your many blessings is appropriate.

2. The sacrifice of pride is paramount to leadership.

3. The self-image of being God-dependent is 

     laudable.

E. The priority of the needs of others. 8-9

1. He realized the great task before him-- he thought 

    of others.

2. He realized HE was lacking.

3. He realized what we need to--- place others before 

    yourself !

F. The pleasure of God for the selfless. 10

1. What a short sentence-- with such great meaning.

2. What a success! How many of us have tried to please 

    God and FAILED.

3. What a blessing (example) to have God pleased with  

     you.

G. The pronouncement of the blessings of 

    God's will. 11-14

1. Things he could have asked for... life, riches, 

    enemies???

2. Thing of beauty was the wisdom of Solomon.

3. Things he didn't even ask for were given if he were 

    to be faithful like his father.

III. Conclusion

A. This passage gives us not only an historical account 

     of Solomon, but also an example to follow.

B. The perception of ourselves and also of others says 

    much about our submission to God.

C. The prayer for us: "Help us to do God's will"

From Gary V. Womack...Are We Thankful?

Are We Thankful?

We observe Thanksgiving once a year - Are we thankful every day ? What does it mean to be thankful?

Thanks - "An expression of gratitude. Grateful acknowledgment of something received by or done for one."

Note the order - A blessing, gratefulness, acknowledgment.

FORGETTING - is a failure to remember or notice what God has given to us. It's hard to be thankful & acknowledge what we don't recall.

Moses warned Israel not to forget God as their Provider and Protector.

Deut. 8:7-ff Forgetting to worship & serve God - the result of forgetting the blessings of God. The consequences: to perish.

After many generations of God's goodness...

Amos 6:1, 3-8 In Israel's wealth & ease, they forgot God.

Paul warns of this danger and where it leads

Rom. 1:18-ff When man forgets God - look where it leads.

DISCOURAGEMENT - Is a distraction from God's blessings. When we are discouraged, our focus changes to our self & away from God.

Num. 21:4-6 "Then they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom; and the soul of the people became very

discouraged on the way. (5) And the people spoke against God and against Moses: 'Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and our soul I

oaths this worthless bread.' So the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and many of the people of Israel died."

It's easy to be thankful in good times

Phil. 4:6-7 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; (7) and

the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

MURMURING - Is an expression of dissatisfaction with God & His blessings It's hard to be thankful while murmuring.

Ex. 16:1-4 Israel murmured for lack of food - God gave manna & quail.

Num. 21:4-6 (quoted above) Discouragement lead to murmuring.

1 Cor. 10:1-11 Israel serves as an example of unthankfulness & a warning to us not to do likewise.

COVETOUSNESS & LACK OF CONTENTMENT -

It's hard to be thankful when you want more

1 Sam. 8:1-7, 19-20 Israel was not content with God's arrangement - judges They wanted a king like their neighbors.

Heb. 13:5 "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' "

1 Tim. 6:6-7 "Now godliness with contentment is great gain. (7) For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out."

HOW CAN WE AVOID BEING UNTHANKFUL?

1. Acknowledge God's goodness.

Psm. 100:1-ff A psalm of thanksgiving.

1. Assemble for worship & praise -

The Lord's supper is a reminder of the blessing of Christ's sacrifice.

1 Cor. 11:23-26 An acknowledgment of His sacrifice & of our thankfulness.

Thanks [eucharista] - "Denotes gratitude, thankfulness, giving of thanks."

Note - The Lord's supper is erroneously called the Eucharist by Catholics, along with their doctrine of transubstantiation, but you can see why they used this as a name for that memorial. The Lord's supper is an expression of thankfulness

2. Prayer - where we talk to God.

Col. 4:2 "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving."

3. Study God's word - where God speaks to us.

Col. 2:6-7 "As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, (7) rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you

have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving."

4. Be observant - count your many blessings

Psm. 40:5 "Many, O Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in

order; If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."

In heaven - a place of constant thanksgiving.

Rev. 4:1-ff "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power."

INVITATION - How thankful are we for the greatest sacrifice ever offered?