Forget about the Jones

Introduction

It’s a blessing and honor to be before you this evening. I have to give honor and glory to God, our heavenly father. I want to thank everyone here with us tonite. I believe everyone who God wanted to touch tonite in this service is here, I believe it’s not an accident but a divine intervention that God put in our lives so that we can hear from him.

My name is Bro. Doug Smith, and I welcome you to the throne room, where we can come before God and establish, re-establish, or strengthen our relationship with God. Tonite, I’ve been given an opportunity to be before you for a few minutes to encourage and edify each and everyone of us.

Time for Prayer

Typically, each month that we’re here, we’ll open up the service in worship in song, followed by prayer, hearing of the Word of God, a few more songs and last, but not least the Word of God, and we end up with an invitation for prayer and/or an invitation to meet God right where you’re at. Tonight I’m leaning out on faith, but I don’t want to wait until the end of the service to give us an opportunity to pray with you. So if you came here, and some thing isn’t right and you want us to pray with you, would you be bold enough just to raise your hand in the air. You don’t have to share what that concern is, if you don’t want to, we just want to take a few minutes to pray with you. You don’t have to look around to see if anyone else is going to raise their hand, but just take a moment to think that these next few minutes could change your life in a mighty way, if you would just be bold enough to take a step to say to yourself I can’t do this alone, I need God.

Praise God for His mercy and grace for as long as we’re on this earth we know that each day, God gets up before us and prepares fresh grace, fresh mercies for uniquely tailored for everyone of us.

In the time I have left, I want to talk to you about the something so incredibly simple that we tend to miss it or mess it up. The clearest example I have is the phrase, keeping up with the Jones’s. You know the phrase “keeping up with the Jones's.” When the Jones’s do something we have to do something, if they go on a trip, we go on a trip, they buy something, we buy something, they talk to someone, we talk to someone, and it becomes almost a 1 way race to keep up with someone or some folks. My message tonite is real simple, don’t keep up with the Jones’s, follow God.

Let’s go to our 1st verse in the bible.

Ecclesiastes 9:11 KJV 1900

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

Philippians 2:12 KJV 1900

Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

In the second part of that verse, Paul is telling us to work out our own salvation. In other words, stop looking around at what other folks are doing and get your relationship together with God. And if I really really need to make it plain, he’s saying stop being nosy and concentrate on what you have with God. Don’t keep up your friend, your neighbor, someone you heard on the radio, someone you saw on TV, keep up with the great Alpha, God!

Philippians 2:11 KJV 1900

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We live in a time where we can get advice from any place, a fortune cookie, a girlfriend, barbershop, newspapers, Facebook, you name it you don’t have far to turn. But the question we have to ask ourselves tonite, who loved you before were you? Who loved you when you had and when you hadn’t? Who loved you when you were doing right, and when you are doing wrong? Who wants better for you than you might want for yourself? It’s God. It really is. And He’s here. Right now.

Can I be transparent tonite? Can we be family tonite, just us? I have a confession. 48 hours ago, I didn’t know that I’d be sharing this with you tonite, and 49, 50, 50+ hours ago, this is the conversation that God is having with me. God is right here, saying block out everyone else, and listen to me.

Can I be transparent tonite? Can we be family tonite, just us? I have a confession. 48 hours ago, I didn’t know that I’d be sharing this with you tonite, and 49, 50, 50+ hours ago, this is the conversation that God is having with me. God is right here, saying block out everyone else, and listen to me.

Let’s go to our 2nd Verse tonite

says this:

John 10:27 AMP

The sheep that are My own hear and are listening to My voice; and I know them, and they follow Me.

He can work with whatever you got, as long as you are sincere about wanting Him.

Now can I tell you another secret about me? Again, I’m just being truthful. There were times, where I’d sit in the seat you’re sitting in, and I’d have something going on in my life and I really did need God to do something for me, to get me out of one situation or another. And I’d sit in my seat or I’d come up to the alter and I’d be sincere in that I needed God to do something for me. But I wasn’t sincere about just needing God, period. Until I got serious about working out my relationship with God, things didn’t start to permanently change for me. Let me ask you a question:

Would you still want God if He says No to your need?

So, here’s the example. I have two 17 year old boys living in my house. I remember years ago, if I was going to watch something on tv, they would be right there, if I was going somewhere they didn’t want to be left behind. I also have 2 4 year old dogs, when they were puppies, if I went to another room, they went to another room. If I ignored them, they would make it their business to put their head on my lap, or sit on my face, or just stand up in front of me until I noticed them.

But now, and here’s the difference…the 17 year old boys, hey you want to go watch tv, nope. You want to sit and talk, nope. You want to go with me, nah I’m good. The 4 year old dogs, still follow me where ever I go, if I try to ignore them, they still put their heads on my lap, they still sit on my feet, they still stand up in front of me, until I notice them.

And if I tell the boys no, they go off and sulk until they want something. And if I tell the dogs no, they go, but 5 minutes later, they’re back to following me, trying to get my attention.

Now I love those two boys, and I care about those two dogs. But which one sets the example that God would have us follow? And it’s not that God isn’t interested in giving you what He wants. His mercy and grace are at the ready for us. In fact, another verse in the bible says in

Luke 12:32 KJV 1900

Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

He delights in spoiling His children with the kingdom of God, but he wants a relationship with you.

The conclusion

Finally family, there’s one last thing I need to tell you. God loves you. His love is so massive that there’s enough to go around the world, but it’s so individualized that it can reach each one of us. It doesn’t matter if a person was in the gutter just 10 minutes ago, it doesn’t matter if the person is on top of the world or anything in between. He has a real love for you. You don’t have to compare His love for your friend, or me, or anyone else. He love is perfected in us, individualized, tailored, and unique.