GOD CAN TAKE A NOTHING AND MAKE IT A SOMETHING

Giving Honor to God, for without Him, where would we be, recognizing our Pastor, Pastor Pete House Jr. and His lovely wife and first lady. Rev. Statesman and his lovely wife, Sister Mindel, Pastor and Evangelist Statesman, Officers and members of St. Mark UAME, any guest that we have, welcome. Sister Terita, and Taylor and Antonia in their absence. The minister of Music and ALWAYS this lovely Choir. Romans 11:28 - 36 28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now[h] receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. 33 Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and[i] knowledge of God!     How unsearchable his judgments,     and his paths beyond tracing out! 34 “Who has known the mind of the Lord?     Or who has been his counselor?”[j] 35 “Who has ever given to God,     that God should repay them?”[k] 36 For from him and through him and for him are all things.     To him be the glory forever! Amen. GOD CAN TAKE A NOTHING AND MAKE IT A SOMETHING I know just from that title y’all think y’all know where this message is going. God can take a nothing and make it a something. I don’t think you know, but you might. Let’s see. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters, God took what was nothing and He made it a something. I want to take us fast forward here for a minute, to show you how thankful we really need to be, I know Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we are all excited. If we follow old tradition, the women are getting the place prepared, kids are excited and maybe hiding, because they know mom, is going to have them help her clean-up, the men are in hiding because they are probably going to get a honey do list, but yet, everyone is excited, because the big day is coming, Family gets together, the kids get to play, the men get to brag about the game and who’s going to win, the women they get to cook and gossip. I’m just joking, I made that last part up. But everyone is excited, because something thing is going to be made out of nothing. The Wonders of God. Here’s what I want you to do before we go any further, when you get home tonight, pick up the phone and invite someone over, someone that is less fortunate than you this Thanksgiving, take a plate over to someone’s house, that may be celebrating this thanksgiving alone. Oh and if you are that ONE, that is less fortunate, pick up the phone and call someone close by, and say, I’ll see you on Thanksgiving, I’m coming by, you know how I love your Sweet Potato Pie. If they don’t make sweet potato pie, or something you like, just say girl, I’m coming over on Thursday, cause Girl do I have something to tell you. (make it sound good). If it’s the guys, say “man, I am coming over at around 3:30, I can’t stay, but I know you going to need moral support, after the Cowboy’s win.” My point here is, God use each of us to bless each other. Share your blessing with someone else, this Thanksgiving. Although, in reality we are all in need and WE ALL NEED A BLESSING FROM GOD. Ok, getting back to the message at hand, God can take a nothing and make it a something, can y’all see the direction that I am going? I don’t think so. Genesis, 1:1-2 1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.  The earth was empty and void, That is until God took it and made it a something. He created light out of darkness (something out of Nothing) He created the atmosphere He created land and divided it from the water. He created vegetation He created Sun, Moon and Stars to fill the sky He created creatures to fill the sky and the water He created creatures to fill the land and the Word of God says He created man. God is the ONLY ONE, that can make a something out of nothing. Right here, I want you to take out your Bibles and go to Genesis 2:7, Genesis 2:7 Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground (book mark that please). God can take nothing and turn it into something. Today’s message is important, because I want us to walk away knowing the Greatness of God. That without Him there would be nothing. Without Him, we would be nothing. Colossians 1:16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. That my friends this is a powerful statement, Not some things were created by him, but ALL things were created by him. Even out current administration, was created by Him and For Him. Not somethings, but ALL things. Why would He do this, one might ask? Let’s look at Romans 11:34-35 • For who can know the Lords thoughts? Who knows enough to give Him advice? • And who has given Him so much, that He needs to pay it back? All things have been created through him and for him. So if that is the case, guess what, the things that you own, are really owned by Him (Hallelujah), he creates things and allows us to use them. • The Parents that you have, …………created by Him and for Him. No matter what you think of your parents. They are a “Something” of God. • The Spouse that you have, …………created by Him and for Him. It’s your job to pray for them not just when they are out of line, but all of the time. When you don’t respect or honor your spouse, you don’t Honor the Man, that can make a something situation into a nothing situation. • The Children that you have ….……..created by Him and for Him. Teach them about the Lord, their God. • The House that you have …………..created by Him and for Him. (As for me and my house. We will serve the Lord). • The Car, the Job, The Money ……...created by Him and for Him. • ALL TO GLORIFY HIM AND HIM ALONE. Now when we talk about material things, know this. God, can take a nothing and make a something. OH Can’t you see the GREATNESS OF GOD? Let’s Give Him some praise. If you remember when, during the creation in the beginning, in Genesis: There were no cars, no, houses, no paying jobs, no cell phones, no electricity. There were only elements of the earth, • Dust • Water • Wind • And Fire But that nothing man, that God created from dust and turned into something, God gave man the ability to figure some things out. Everything that was built or designed, was designed from nothing and turned into something. Created for Him and by Him. And for what? The Glory of God. If I gave you water, dirt (elements) and fire, do you think YOU could build a cell phone or a car. Just think about that, nothing but God, a modern day bridge or a skyscraper. As we use the term today But God. God kinda had one of those theme rooms going on, Escape Room, when you find the right pieces, you can move on to the next level. Somebody say, “God can take a nothing and make it something” Right here it goes to show you God’s love for us, He gave us these things for comfort, even when He knew that we didn’t deserve it. But don’t get confused, because ultimately, it’s ALL for His glory. Isaiah 55:8-9 New International Version (NIV) 8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,     neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,     so are my ways higher than your ways     and my thoughts than your thoughts. Paul tells us in Romans 11:28, that the people of Israel although they were God’s chosen, had become enemies of the Good News, because when God made Israel something out of nothing His charge to them was to be the example to the rest of the nations. They failed in this mission, but God, still used them and their failure for His Glory. Amen. His Glory was to shine His mercy on you and me. God can make a something out of nothing. We have God’s riches at Christ’s expense (GRACE). God knew that we would go on sinning, even when we claimed to Love Him, so He sent us Jesus……..so that He could continue to take our nothingless lives and turn them in to something. How many of us , recognize that God has taken us out of nothing and had mad us into something. We have so much to be thankful for. Now, I want you to go back with me to Genesis 2:7 It reads: Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. You see, God formed the man, from Dust, but He was a nothing, until breathed into him, the breath of life. Nothing into something. The Bible speaks of a little Shepheard Boy, that was nothing more than a kid. God took this nothing boy and made him a something, King. God turned this shepherds, nothingness into a something. And through His Lineage, came Jesus. Something from Nothing. What is God turning your nothingness into? God is the source of ALL things. “For from Him” Now, if God is the source of ALL things, then we must thank Him for being the sustainer of all things “And through Him” This is an important part of any thing that was created, because for it to live, it has to be sustained. It has to be taken care of. When God created man, the Word says that he bought man to life by breathing into his lungs, the Breath of Life. Before God breathed life into man, man was void. He was a shell, He was dead. You see, before we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we are like the lifeless Adam. Void of life. Void = Nothing Life = Spiritual Somethingness. Once we accept Him, as our Savior and Lord, we are given the Breath of Life. So powerful, and how many of us take this day to day activity that goes on in our bodies lightly. First off, I don’t know about you, but I am in awe of God and His creation of man. He gave us every part of us that makes us able to function, able to help us to live. He created man from dust, yet in him, there was blood, bones, organs, and then breath. All of this from dust. God is so awesome. But just as God can turn nothing into something, there is always Satan, trying to turn, something into nothing. Rev. Jones, where are you going with this? One of the very first things that God gave man, from nothing…………. was an exclusive relationship with Himself. Man, walked in the Garden and had access to God, walked with God, talked with God, live in perfect harmony. Enjoying the something from nothing that God had created. And here comes Satan, “God is lying to you, take this fruit eat, and enjoy what God enjoys.” But because ALL things belong to God, ALL things were created by God, God didn’t allow him to take his something and turn it into nothing. He gave us His only begotten Son, so that those of us that believe in Him, should not perish, BUT…….have everlasting life. (Nothing into Something). Romans 8:27-28 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. You see, God is the sustainer of what He has put in place and No one can take His something and turn it into nothing. If we believe in Him, If we believe is Jesus, not even the devil can take our something and turn it into nothing. We have so many reasons to praise Him and give him all of the Honor, Praise and Thanksgiving. Do you know that I am talking about the same God, that formed you in your mother womb, the same God that knew His plans for you from the beginning? The same God that see your worries as a nothing, when you see it as a something. Yes, the same God that can turn a nothing into something has the power and the ability to turn a something into nothing. Today there are some of us suffering from relationship issues, and we walk around wondering what’s next. When we should take that nothing and allow God to turn it into a something. Maybe, your bank account says, insufficient funds. If you pray and ask your Father, He can turn a nothing into something. But you must remember when He blesses you, when He turns your nothing into something. ALL THINGS ARE TO GLORIFY HIM. Did I confuse you yet? Ok, let me break it down. Every issue that we have, we see it as a major issue, we either hide it out of embarrassment or get dramatic like it’s the end of the world. We see it as so huge, that it’s like a boulder on our backs. What we see as a something, God sees as a nothing and what we see as a nothing God can turn it around into a something. John 1:3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. Always remember that it was God that created us, and we are not our own. We are to serve Him and Him only, read and Follow His Word. It’s the ONLY way to be a something, a something our of nothing. As Christians, as children of the Most High, Satan don’t like you. Just as we know that God knows the plans that He has for us, so does Satan, but as God says “not to harm you” Satan is saying “to harm you.” This is why God tells you in Ephesians to put on the Full Armor of God, because…..Satan is going to be on the attack. But with the Faith that we have in God, we don’t have to worry about that, because God can and will make you victorious. He will make you something out of nothingness. For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen. Because we were created from nothing, because ALL thing that were created or are created are created to Glorify Him. How could we not be victorious? When God created man from the dust of the earth, when He created man from nothing and turned Him into something, He didn’t stop. He is still turning our nothingness in to somethingness. • He’s the same God that healed a lame man beside the pool, near the sheep’s gate. • He’s the same God that healed the Centurions Servant. • He’s the same God that delivered a man of his demons and restored both his speech and His sight. • Is He not the same God that Healed the Woman with the Blood Issue? • My God is the same God that can take your nothingness and turn it into somethingness He just wants you and me to come to Him, to give Him all the Glory, the Honor, the praises and Thanksgiving. When we go through our tough times, it might be Satan, and then it might be God. An easy way to know is this: God will never Tempt You, but Satan will. God will never leave you or forsake you, but Satan will. God wants to turn your nothing into something. Satan wants to turn your something into nothing. God wants to make you Spiritually rich, while Satan wants to make you Spiritually bankrupt. But no matter who it is, God is requiring something of you, He is requiring something of me. At the end of Malachi, God went silent to on His people for 400 years. During His silence, He was making a something out of nothing. The nothing was Israel’s lack of obedience, the something was Jesus Christ. Jesus came to be the ultimate sacrifice for our nothingness, so that we could be something. We serve an awesome God. If we don’t give up the fight, then He will turn nothing into something. He did it before and He will do it again. God is the supreme purpose of ALL things “and to him are all things” For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory. • In life and death – to Him be the glory, forever. • In our bright days and dark nights, – to Him be the Glory, forever. • In our wealth and in our poverty – to Him be the Glory, forever. • In our joy and in our sorrow – to God be the Glory, forever and ever Amen!! God has chosen us, even in all of our brokenness, to make us a something out of nothing. To take our situation and either make that something into nothing, or make that nothing into something. All you have to do is submit, all you have to do is submit to His will. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary. He wants a relationship with us, He wants a relationship with you. The process of turning us into something, is on going, it doesn’t stop, because we are saved. God wants to use us to our full potential, all to glorify Him. What are you holding back on? Where can you stop saying, I or my and say But God. When we start believing in the words to the songs and praise that we give Jesus, He can start working on us. Take my heart Take my life As a living sacrifice All my dreams all my plans Lord I place them in your hands I give myself away (I give myself away) I give myself away So You can use me I give myself away I give myself away So You can use me He’s waiting for you, He’s already chosen you. He’s waiting on you. Won’t someone give God the Glory today, won’t someone give God, the Highest praise, can’t someone, just say “Thank You Jesus” GOD CAN TAKE A NOTHING AND MAKE IT A SOMETHING Let us pray.