Weekly Sermon
 
Introduction:
 
     A.  Departing from the Father
 
           1.  To pursue the way of self
 
          Luke 15:11-12 – “And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me.  And he divided unto them his living.”
 
           2.  To pursue the way of the world
 
          Luke 15:13 – “And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.”
 
           3.  To pursue the way of sin
 
          Luke 15:13 – “And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.”
 
     B.  Reaping What Is Sown
 
     Hebrews 11:25 – “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.”
 
     Galatians 6:7-8 – “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
 
     James 1:15 – “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”
                                                                                      
           1.  No pleasure
 
          Luke 15:14 – “And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.”
 
           2.  No provision
 
          Luke 15:15-16 – “And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.”

           3.  No help
 
          Luke 15:15-16 – “And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.”
 

I.     He Came to Himself – Realizing that it was better to be WITH the father.
 
Luke 15:17 – “And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!”
 

II.    He Recognized His Sin.
 
       A.  I have sinned.
 
       Luke 15:18 – “I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee.”
 
       B.  I am not worthy.
 
       Luke 15:19 – “And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”
 
       C.  I will serve.
 
       Luke 15:19 – “And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.”
 

III.  He Returned to the Father. – Draw night to God with a broken heart, and He will draw night to you.
 
Luke 15;20 – “And he arose, and came to his father.  But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.”
 
James 4:8-9 – “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.  Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.  Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.”
 

IV.  He Confessed His Sin.
 
       A.  No excusing himself
 
       Luke 15:21 – “And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”
 
       B.  No trivializing his sin
 
       Luke 15:21 – “And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.”
 
       C.  No shifting of blame
 

​V.   He Was Restored by the Father.
 
       A.  Restored to peace
 
       Luke 15:22 – “But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet.”
 
       B.  Restored to blessing
 
       Luke 15:23 – “And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry.”
 
       C.  Restored to fellowship
 
       Luke 15:24 – “For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”

​Posted in Weekly Sermon, Luke, Repentance of Sin, Forgiveness of Sin, Spiritual Revival

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Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to a previous sermon:  Rich in the Realm of Faith (Part 1) - James 2:5 

James 2:5 reads, “Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?”

James 2:5 indicate that those from the poor class in relation to this world who place their trust in Christ as Savior are chosen by God to be rich in relation to His kingdom.  Regardless of their poor status in the realm of this world, they possess an abundantly rich status in the realm of faith.  Indeed, every one of us who are the children of God through faith in Christ is spiritually rich in the realm of faith.  These spiritual riches may be considered from two perspectives.  First, we may consider our spiritual riches in the realm of faith in relation to our eternal salvation.  Second, we may consider our spiritual riches in the realm of faith in relation to our daily walk.  Already in first part of the message, we considered the first of these truths.  Now, in this second part of the message, let us consider the second of these truths.

Meditations in Ezekiel

I.     The Dead Condition

Ezekiel 37:1-2 – “The hand of the LORD was upon me, and carried me out in the spirit of the LORD, and set me down in the midst of the valley which was full of bones, and caused me to pass by them round about: and, behold, there were very many in the open valley; and, lo, they were very dry.”

Ezekiel 37:11 – “Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off for our parts.”

         1.  Very Dead
         2.  Very Many
         3.  Very Dry
         4.  Without Hope

Meditations in Ezekiel

1.  The Requirement for a Spiritual Watchman

Ezekiel 33:1-2 – “Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman . . . .”

2.  The Reality of the Spiritual Watchman

Ezekiel 33:2 – “Son of man, speak to the children of thy people, and say unto them, When I bring the sword upon a land, if the people of the land take a man of their coasts, and set him for their watchman . . . .”

Ezekiel 33:7 – “So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.”

Hebrews 13:17 – “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”

1.  Do you believe that the Lord our God desires and requires for us believers to be in His Word every day?

2.  Do you believe that it is necessary for us believers to be consistently in God’s Word in order to live pleasing unto the Lord our God?

3.  Do you believe that it is necessary for us believers to be consistently in God’s Word in order to grow in spiritual maturity?

4.  Do you believe that it is necessary for us believers to be consistently in God’s Word in order to walk as good, godly Christians?

5.  Do you believe that it is spiritually important for us believers to walk daily abiding in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit?

6.  Do you believe that it is necessary for us believers to be consistently in God’s Word in order to walk abiding in Christ and filled with the Holy Spirit?

7.  Do you believe that we believers will be spiritually immature, spiritually backslidden, and wordly Christians if we are not consistently in God’s Word?

8.  Do you believe that it is a sin against the Lord our God when we are not consistently in God’s Word?

9.  Do you believe that it is necessary for us believers to be consistently in God’s Word in order to have an effective prayer life?

10.  Do you believe that it is necessary for us believers to be consistently in God’s Word in order to experience the peace and joy of the Lord?

11.  Do you believe that we believers should be deeply burdened for a true, spiritual revival in our individual lives, our individual homes, and our individual church?

12.  Do you believe that a true, spiritual revival is Biblically and genuinely possible for our lives, homes, and church?

13.  Do you believe that the Lord our God graciously and deeply desires to grant the gift of a true, spiritual revival in our lives, homes, and church?

14.  Do you believe that we believers do not often experience the gift of a true, spiritual revival simply because we ourselves will not meet the Lord’s requirements for such a revival?

15.  Do you believe that a true, spiritual revival will have a real and noticeable impact upon the character of our hearts and the conduct of our lives?

16.  Do you believe that a true, spiritual revival in our individual lives will transform the character of our daily attitudes, both privately and publicly?

17.  Do you believe that a true, spiritual revival will motivate us unto a deep interest after the daily fellowship of the Lord and after daily obedience unto the Lord?

18.  Do you believe that a true, spiritual revival will motivate us unto a deep interest and a driving priority for the things of the Lord, such as His Word, His work, and His church?

19.  Do you believe that a true, spiritual revival will motivate us unto a consistent and faithful witness for Christ of the gospel unto the lost around us?

20.  Do you believe that it is displeasing unto our Lord and wickedness against our Lord when we do not walk daily in the path of true, spiritual revival?

Posted in Thought for Meditation, Daily Bible Study, Spiritual Revival

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Thought for Meditation

Why do so many of God's own people today 
seek after psychological and pharmaceutical solutions 
to their emotional, mental, and behavioral problems, 
rather than follow after Biblical and spiritual (Holy Spirit directed) solutions? 

Thought for Meditation
(This week we believers at Melvin Baptist Church are engaged in a series of revival meetings.  
At the meeting last night, the evangelist made the following statement that I believe was worthy of meditation.)

In order to experience and enjoy the abundant Christian life as the Lord our God intended,
we must deny our selves and must let the Lord write our biography.

Weekly Sermon

In Psalm 119:25 the psalmist, this young servant of the Lord, expressed his condition and his request unto the Lord in prayer, saying, “My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.”

The request of the psalmist was presented in three words – “Quicken thou me.”  In fact, the psalmist lifted up this request unto the Lord nine times in this psalm (Psalm 119:25, 37, 40, 88, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159).  Herein the word “quicken” means “to be made alive; to be enlivened; to be revived.”  Thus the psalmist was praying that the Lord might make him alive, that the Lord might enliven him, that the Lord might revive him again.  Yet in what way did the psalmist need to be made alive?  In what way did he need such enlivening and such reviving?  Certainly in order to make this request, the psalmist was physically alive; and there is no indication that he was on his deathbed, preparing to die. 

On the other hand, the psalmist was in circumstances of great distress and affliction.  Mentally and emotionally, he was in a condition of great distress and discouragement.  In the opening portion of Psalm 119:25, he proclaimed, “My soul [that is – his inner man] cleaveth unto the dust.”  Again in Psalm 119:107-110 he proclaimed, “I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.  Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.  My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.  The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.”  Circumstantially, the psalmist was suffering the affliction of reproach and persecution from the wicked.  In Psalm 119:29-40 he expressed his request, saying, “Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.  Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.”  Again in Psalm 119:81-88 he expressed his burden, saying, “My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.  Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?  For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.  How many are the days of thy servant?  When wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?  The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.  All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.  They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.  Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.”  Yet again in Psalm 119:153-157 he expressed his burden and request, saying, “Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.  Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.  Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.  Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.  Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.” 

However, this servant of the Lord did not make his request to be quickened, to be enlivened, to be revived, simply concerning his mental and emotional need.  Rather, he made his request concerning his deeper, spiritual need.  In Psalm 119:36-37 he expressed his request, saying, “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.”  The psalmist, this young servant of the Lord, understood that spiritual revival was necessary for mental and emotional enlivening.  He understood that the spiritual reviving of his heart would enter him into the blessed fellowship of the Lord wherein he would experience the wonderful peace of God (Isaiah 57:15, 18-19).  Furthermore, he understood that experiencing the wonderful peace of God in his inner man would be the very means by which his mental and emotional condition might be enlivened and guarded.  Even so, Philippians 4:7 declares, “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

So then, as we consider the psalmist’s request throughout this psalm for spiritual reviving and for mental and emotional enlivening thereby, we shall encounter the Source of this reviving, the foundation for this reviving, the means of this reviving, and the purpose for this reviving.

Weekly Sermon

Psalm 119:25-29 reads, “My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.  I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.  Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.  My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.  Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.”

In Psalm 119:25-29 the psalmist, this young servant of the Lord, presented a series of requests unto the Lord.  Then in Psalm 119:30-32 he presented a series of commitments unto the Lord.  However, it is important that we understand the circumstances and context out of which the psalmist expressed these requests and commitments.  Even so, the psalmist cried out in the opening line of Psalm 119:25, “My soul cleaveth unto the dust.”  Again in the opening line of Psalm 119:28, he cried out, “My soul melteth for heaviness.”  The psalmist, this young servant of the Lord, was suffering under a great trial of affliction.  Yea, he was suffering so much that his soul, his inner man, was pressed down unto the lowest point, to the very level of the dust.  Yea, he was suffering so much that his soul, his inner man, was melting away with grief and sorrow, possessing no strength to go forward.  In like manner, we ourselves may also suffer under such a great trial of affliction.  That great trial of affliction may come through opposition and oppression, through trouble and tribulation, or through discouragement and depression.  At such times we may also find our inner man pressed down to such a low and weak condition, to such a condition of hopelessness and helplessness.  At such times, what can we do?  At such times, we should follow the psalmist’s example by looking up unto our Lord in prayer.  So then, for what did the psalmist, this young servant of the Lord, pray in his time of hopelessness and helplessness; and for what should we pray in our times of such hopelessness and helplessness?

Thought for Meditation

The Lord our God will not deliver us He would or use us as He could,
until we humble ourselves before Him as we should.

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to three previous sermons:  Consider Your Priorities - Haggai 1:5    
                                                                                         Consider the Lord's Pleasure - Haggai 1:8      
                                                                                         Consider Our Lord's Purpose - Haggai 2:10-19    

Haggai 2:10 gives the report, “In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying.”  Then in Haggai 2:18-19 we come to the conclusion of that message where our Lord declared through His prophet, “Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it.  Is the seed yet in the barn?  Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”  Finally, in Haggai 2:20-23 our Lord delivered a second message on the same day through His prophet Haggai.  There we read, “And again the word of the LORD came unto Haggai in the four and twentieth day of the month, saying, Speak to Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, saying, I will shake the heavens and the earth; and I will overthrow the throne of kingdoms, and I will destroy the strength of the kingdoms of the heathen; and I will overthrow the chariots, and those that ride in them; and the horses and their riders shall come down, every one by the sword of his brother.  In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, will I take thee, O Zerubbabel, my servant, the son of Shealtiel, saith the LORD, and will make thee as a signet: for I have chosen thee, saith the LORD of hosts.”

In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord had instructed His people at that time to consider His hand of chastening against them and to consider His purpose in that chastening.  Yet in Haggai 2:18-19 the Lord instructed them to consider another matter.  In these two verses, the Lord gave promise to reverse their situation.  Until that time His hand of chastening had been against them, but from that time forward He promised to open His hand of blessing upon them.  At the end of verse 19, the Lord proclaimed, “From this day will I bless you.”  He had confronted them and chastened them for their sinful priorities and ways, and they had repented of those sinful priorities and ways.  Thus from that day of their repentance forward, the Lord promised to bless them.  Even so, the Lord instructed them to consider His promise.  In like manner, we ourselves also need to consider our Lord’s promise to those who will repent of their sinful ways and return unto the Lord.

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons:  Consider Your Priorities - Haggai 1:5    
                                                                                       Consider the Lord's Pleasure - Haggai 1:8      

Haggai 2:10-19 reads, “In the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD by Haggai the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Ask now the priests concerning the law, saying, If one bear holy flesh in the skirt of his garment, and with his skirt do touch bread, or pottage, or wine, or oil, or any meat, shall it be holy?  And the priests answered and said, No.  Then said Haggai, If one that is unclean by a dead body touch any of these, shall it be unclean?  And the priests answered and said, It shall be unclean.  Then answered Haggai, and said, So is this people, and so is this nation before me, saith the LORD; and so is every work of their hands; and that which they offer there is unclean.  And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.  I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.  Consider now from this day and upward, from the four and twentieth day of the ninth month, even from the day that the foundation of the LORD’S temple was laid, consider it.  Is the seed yet in the barn?  Yea, as yet the vine, and the fig tree, and the pomegranate, and the olive tree, hath not brought forth: from this day will I bless you.”

In the opening portion of Haggai 2:15, the Lord our God instructed His people in that time, saying, “And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward.”  Again in the opening portion of Haggai 2:18, the Lord instructed them, saying, “Consider now from this day and upward.”  Finally, at the end of Haggai 2:18, the Lord instructed them, saying, “Consider it.”  Yet what specifically were they to consider?  In Haggai 2:15-17 the Lord focused their attention upon His hand of chastening in their lives, saying, “And now, I pray you, consider from this day and upward, from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the temple of the LORD: since those days were, when one came to an heap of twenty measures, there were but ten: when one came to the pressfat for to draw out fifty vessels out of the press, there were but twenty.  I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.”  This is what they were to consider – the Lord’s chastening upon them and the Lord’s purpose in that chastening.  In like manner, we ourselves today must consider our Lord’s purpose in His hand of chastening upon our lives.

Thought from Meditation
(This thought is a companion to a previous thought:  When We commit Sin)

When we confess our sins unto the Lord our God
with a broken and contrite heart of repentance,
He forgives us of our sin's wicked offense against Him;
He removes the fire of His anger and the heaviness of His chastening from us;
He cleanses our soul thoroughly of our sin's disgusting filthiness,
so that our soul is made perfectly pure and white;
He works to renew the spirit of our mind and to transform the character of our heart
from spiritual corruption unto His righteousness;
He frees our heart from the influence of our flesh and the devil,
so that we might follow after the influence of His Spirit and His Word;
and He sows the seeds of His abundant grace in our lives,
to choke out the seeds of destruction that we have sown by our sinfulness.

Thought for Meditation

Materialism
(or, to use the Biblical term -- covetousness),
which may be defined as setting our affection upon the things of this world,
is one of the greatest reasons for spiritual compromise and corruption
among us who are God's own people today.
Without repentance thereof there can be no spiritual revival.

Meditations in Jeremiah

Jeremiah 33:1-3 – “Moreover the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the second time, while he was yet shut up in the court of the prison, saying, Thus saith the LORD the maker thereof, the LORD that formed it, to establish it; the LORD is his name; Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”