"STAND"

Standing in the face of opposition is not something that comes naturally to us. In fact most Christians would rather run from the battle than endure the conflict, but no victory was ever won by running or ignoring the enemy. John Wesley, a great man of faith once said, “Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I will shake the world. I care not if they be clergymen or layman; for such alone will overthrow the kingdom of Satan and build the kingdom of God.” There is a true story of a general, who during one battle of the Civil War refused to run even though a great number of Confederate soldiers under his command began to retreat. Later, these same soldiers who observed the courage and fearlessness of this general stated, “there stood Jackson like a stone wall.” Thereafter, he was called “Stonewall Jackson.” Oh how we need men and women today with such courage, who like King David of old, looked not upon the size of the enemy but rather upon the power of God. (Eph.6:11) says, “be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Standing always comes before a victory.
Therefore stand in the power of Christ, & claim the victory !

Abide

Nine times in (John 15), Jesus uses the word “abide,” to illustrate to us the importance of remaining in a close fellowship with Him. He stated that he is “the true vine,” and that we who believe in Him are the “branches,” and that we cannot “bear fruit” unless our branch “abides” in the vine. This chapter has been misinterpreted by some to teach that our (our salvation) can be removed by the Father if we bear not fruit, but I thank God that Jesus didn’t teach that here. Here, Jesus is just revealing to us that the Father is pruning our lives to help us bear more fruit. So to abide in Christ, 1) We must first be saved. No salvation, means no connection in the vine of Christ. 2) We must live in His Word and obey His commandments. He said that we are “clean through the word.” The Word of God not only cleanses us in salvation but it keeps us clean in our daily walk with the Lord. Jesus promised us here that if we keep His commandments, and abide in Him and His love, that we will not only bear “much fruit,” but experience answered prayer, and a joy in the Lord that remains. He also said that “ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.” It’s hard to imagine trading of the friendship of Christ for a friendship with this world. The only reason for not experiencing the above, is by not Abiding in Christ!

“Behaving wisely”

Again, as we study the life of David, we read in (1 Samuel 18) that David had a right relationship with God, because “he behaved himself wisely.” 1) We learned last week that we need to take heed to God’s (every) “word” and “command.” David behaved himself wisely because he took seriously God’s word. But this week, it’s important to see from David’s life that we also need to learn 2) to take heed to what we let into our hearts. As (Pr 4:23) says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” David had a heart and mind that was full of faith, and courage, and respect for God and the things of God, and his mighty power was a direct result of a heart that just simply desired what God desired. This world is full of doubt, but there was no room in David’s heart for I can’t, or I won’t, or negative thinking. What an example of faith to us today. 3) So take heed that you behave wisely, because like David we too are going to go through hard times, and like David we also need to respond wisely. David never complained about the terrible things that Saul did to him, but rather he just kept obeying God, and serving his Lord. So “Behaving wisely” is just simply wisely obeying God's Word!

“He behaved himself wisely.”

As we study the life of David, we read in (1 Samuel 18) that David had a right relationship with God, because “he behaved himself wisely.” As Christians, God expects us to obey every “word” and “command.” David behaved wisely because God’s word was not optional, in fact in ( 1 Kings 15:5) God says that he “turned not aside from anything that the Lord commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” We need to remember that God is always specific in His Word, and He expects us to obey every “jot and title,” and not just the parts that we feel comfortable with. God’s Word is specific about salvation being only through Jesus Christ, it is specific about baptism, tithing, holiness, sin, divorce, marriage, church, etc., and so we must be specific also. Be careful not to practice an incomplete obedience when God demands a complete one. So, “behaving ourselves wisely” demands that we not rebel against God’s Word, nor stubbornly choose our will over His. Behaving wisely then is very wise.

Revival

(1Co 3:6) – “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” Revival week is upon us, and again I do so appreciate all of you that have prayed and invited people to come out. Sometimes we may develop the attitude that praying and inviting people doesn’t work, but then we forget that it’s God that brings the increase, not us. Praying petitions God by faith to act, much like praying for the rain of heaven to germinate a seed, and inviting people is like a farmer faithfully planting his seed in his field. You might say, “well nobody listens, nobody cares, or comes out when I ask them.” Stop right there, and remind yourself how God worked in your heart before you were saved. People are complicated beings, and at times very busy, and so we need to stay focused on the fact that God is at work behind the scenes. Stop telling yourself that praying and inviting doesn’t work. It does, a seed can’t grow unless it’s planted. So plant and pray for increase. I like you get frustrated with the fact that I don’t always see God at work, and so I have to remind myself by faith that He is at work. 1Co 3:7 - So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. So keep laboring, pray, keep inviting, and by faith believe God when he says that He will bring the increase.

“Issues”

As Christians we have been given ears to hear and eyes to see and understand God’s mysteries, but we have also been given a heart that is capable of bearing much fruit for God. Jesus said that from out of the heart comes the “issues of life.” “Issues” meaning the purposes behind what we do, and the why we go the direction we go. For example, if a Christian’s heart is right, then that Christian’s desire will be to please God and to bear much fruit, but if the heart is not after God, it cannot bear fruit at all. In God’s Word, Jesus tells us that there are 4 different types of hearts that hear the Word and yet handle it differently. 1) Hard Heart. Hears the Word, yet refuses to listen to it. You might say well this person is definitely unsaved. Not true. Christians often harden their hearts after hearing God’s Word, and refuse to change and repent. 2) Stony Heart. This heart has no real root of faith, and as a result lives life more with excuses than in Christ’s Word. This heart argues more for why they can still sin, then for why they should stop. 3) Weedy Heart. Is a heart that is cumbered about with too many things. It is so busy in the world that it forgets about the things of God. It’s so involved in the things of this world that it has no time to bear fruit, yet serve. But, 4) A Good heart. Is a heart that does not question God’s Word, but it just obeys God, serves, and bears fruit. Which one is yours?

David vs. Goliath

There is probably not a better story in all the Bible that better portrays the power of faith and courage then the story of David vs. Goliath. As we look at these two attributes we see that faith builds our courage while courage is best demonstrated by faith. Allegorically, Goliath represents the giants that we fear. Humanly speaking, they are the impossible things and situations that we cannot overcome in our own strength, and just like Goliath they will not go away until we stand up to them as David did. David, represents the weakness of our flesh. He was much smaller than Goliath, and unable to beat him in hand to hand combat, but David had something that Goliath didn’t, the power of the Holy Spirit. Goliath had courage, but his courage was in himself. David had courage, but his courage and faith was in the power of the “living God of Israel.” Like David, you and I cannot beat the giants of this world with the weapons of this world, but we are promised that we can through the power of God’s Spirit and courage. Like David we just need to remember that it’s not our ability but rather God’s Spirit that gives us the victory, just as it was God’s Spirit that guided the stone that killed Goliath. So, if you’re going to face your giant, stand in the courage of Christ’s Spirit, and learn to trust in Him for the victory. For “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in this world (1Jn 4: 4).”