Points To Ponder, Continued
Gtcotr/ws122204
Tonight we are going to continue in a similar vein to last Wednesday evening by going over a couple more points to ponder. These are points I have added to my original 122 point sermon.
Again, what got me started cataloging these points was a love God gave me for ‘Truths That Transcend Time’
Encapsulated principles from God’s word that put a handle on the message God is speaking from heaven.
God began to develop my love for simply stated truth early on in my Christian walk by connecting me to the book of Proverbs as a part of my daily bible reading plan.
I told you about the ‘Proverb For The Day’ plan last week. How that there are 31 chapters in the book of Proverbs, one chapter sufficient for each day of the month. On the 3rd I read chapter 3 and on the 16th, chapter 16 and so on. God really has built a deep respect in me for simply stated truth which transcends time.
After more than two decades of reading Proverbs, I have come to think and speak to myself and others out of the reservoir of wisdom I have gleaned. In fact, when I prepare sermons I go back over and over the sermon boiling it down until I can say what I believe God wants the people to hear in only one sentence or one simple statement. If I am successful in making it memorable, people will leave with something they can rehearse to themselves and repeat to others.
Today is the 22nd of December. Today I read Proverbs 22 and once again found a scripture that spoke directly to me. Let me share it with you before we begin the points to ponder.
Proverbs 22:3 ¶ A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.
I. Last Wednesday Evening We Covered Five Points
A. Point #282 God will never fail us in helping us to not fail Him.
B. Point #260. The future will tell the truth.
C. Point #259. Unless you already know everything, you are a candidate to learn something.
D. Point #256. God first calls, then equips and finally positions us for our greatest day.
E. Point #254. Our future depends on what we do today.
II. Tonight We Are Only Going To Look At Two More Points
A. For these I am going to reach back a few years to some old sermon themes. First is:
1. Point #130. We must start where we are to get where we’re going; use what we have to get what we want; and attempt what we cannot do to accomplish all we can.
This point was developed through a series of sermons which I preached several years ago. Since that time I have used these simple truths to reinforce other points as the Holy spirit has inspired. One place we found these truths very useful was when we were involved in a study of the miraculous in January through June 2002.
In that study we based our lessons on a passage of scripture from:
2 Kings 4
1 ¶ A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves."
2 So Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil."
3 Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few.
4 "And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones."
5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.
6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another vessel." So the oil ceased.
7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest."
2. This little woman embodied these principles of:
* Starting where she was “I have a problem”
* Using what she had “a little oil”
* Attempting the impossible “pour out & set aside”
3. So must we at times:
Start where we are to get where we’re going, use what we have to get what we want, and attempt what we cannot do to accomplish all we can.
For the second truth tonight I have chosen:
B. Point #134. We don’t have to tear down one thing to build up another. (or - put another way)
We can be happy about where we are going without being ugly about where we have been.
1. Transitions are tough
2. Why make them tougher
3. It’s where we came from that made us who we are
4. The road we walked on brought us where we are
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.
Speaking kindly to others and about others is one of the most Godly and gracious gifts one can possess.
Don’t live a life of being ugly and tearing down, be kind and build up.
