Wisdom from the Anthill
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Good Morning, it is such a blessing to be able to worship in our newly renovated sanctuary, especially on the day when we are able to honor our graduates.
I just want to take this time to also thank the building and grounds committee for working so hard to get this project accomplished they had alot to deal with and they did a terrific job, so thank you all.
You know the Bible is a practical book, it is the most practical books I have ever read and one of the things that is so practical about it are the illustrations that explain Biblical truths.
Jesus was a master at using illustrating Biblical truth. For example Jesus talked about the birds.
Look at the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?
And why do you worry about clothes? Learn how the wildflowers of the field grow: they don’t labor or spin thread. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these!
Matthew
If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t He do much more for you—you of little faith?
He talked about little splinters and he talked about logs.
Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye but don’t notice the log in your own eye?
What about reeds?
As these men went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the wind?
Is that what John was a reed blowing in the wind, if the wind blew this way he bent, if it blew this way he bent the other way? Everybody knew what he was talking about, He talked about farmers sewing seed.
All the people around Jerusalem it was agricultural.
Then He told them many things in parables, saying: “Consider the sower who went out to sow.
He talked about coins
When they came, they said to Him, “Teacher, we know You are truthful and defer to no one, for You don’t show partiality but teach truthfully the way of God. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?
Should we pay, or should we not pay?”
But knowing their hypocrisy, He said to them, “Why are you testing Me? Bring Me a denarius to look at.”
He said whose inscription is on that? They said ceasars Jesus said then rend unto cesar what is cesar’s but render unto God what is God’s.
They didn’t know how to handle Jesus, He spoke with plain ordinary things to explain spiritual truth. He talked birds flowers, reeds seed, coins.
There’s somebody just like Him in the OT and his name is Solomon.
God gave Solomon wisdom, very great insight, and understanding as vast as the sand on the seashore.
He would have graduated Magna Cum laude, he wasnt like me I graduated thank you lawdy.
1 Kings
Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt.
He was wiser than anyone —wiser than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Calcol, and Darda, sons of Mahol. His reputation extended to all the surrounding nations.
1 Kings 4:32-
Solomon composed 3,000 proverbs, and his songs numbered 1,005. He described trees, from the cedar in Lebanon to the hyssop growing out of the wall. He also taught about animals, birds, reptiles, and fish. People came from everywhere, sent by every king on earth who had heard of his wisdom, to listen to Solomon’s wisdom.
He talked about plants, he talked about trees he talked about animals, birds creatures fish, and he explained spiritual truth sounds alot like Jesus doesnt it.
One of the things he used to teach an object leasson was a little tiny ant. I want to speak to you all this morning, on this subject wisdom from the anthill.
(Let’s Pray)
Go to the ant, you slacker!
Observe its ways and become wise.
Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
it prepares its provisions in summer;
it gathers its food during harvest.
How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?
When will you get up from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.
Lesson number one from an anthill.
It’s Wise to Plan Ahead
It’s Wise to Plan Ahead
Go to the ant, you slacker!
Observe its ways and become wise.
Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
it prepares its provisions in summer;
it gathers its food during harvest.
Solomon said that ants can teach human beings about planning ahead, even though an ant doesnt have some supervisor. They have no chief no officer, no ruler, but it knows enough to prepare for the future.
Her motto is not eat drink and be merry, Just live for today.... no she was thinking about the future. She prepares her food in the summer months so she can reap a harvest in the atumn month, so that she can have food all year long.
Even though she is just a tiny insignificant ant she is wise enough to plan ahead for the future. The Lord put that wisdom into her, you cant tell me theres not a creator.
Thats not an accident, don’t say thats just nature that was God almighty who put that wisdom there.
She is wise enough to plan ahead.
Can just tell you that many people when they enter into different chapters of their lives think they will just live for today. That is not the right mindset, you better realize that every decision you make can eaither make your life or break your life and the one thing we need to learn is how to plan ahead by submitting those plans to God.
Sometimes our plans are not His plans, and we need to learn to be ok with that, because having His best far outweighs our best for our lives.
We need to take life seriously, so many people just run off to college and they think well if I am going to go wild now is the time. God is telling you NO this is the time you and I plot the course of your future.
Plan ahead involve me! Ask me, let me lead and guide you and take life seriously. There are many dangers and pitfalls and things that can ruin your life, be wise not foolish.
Plan ahead and rely on the Lord to help you accomplish you goals.
Submit your future to the Lord and seek His Spirit in the present. Even an ant understands you need to plan ahead.
God wants us to be like th little ant.
Proverbs 16:
Commit your activities to the Lord,
and your plans will be achieved.
The plans of the diligent certainly lead to profit,
but anyone who is reckless certainly becomes poor.
Complete your outdoor work, and prepare your field;
afterward, build your house.
the ants are not a strong people,
yet they store up their food in the summer;
But a noble person plans noble things;
he stands up for noble causes.
God even has a plan for you
For I know the plans I have for you” —this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Are you as smart as an ant, even an ant knows you plan for the future.
It Wise To Work Hard
It Wise To Work Hard
Proverbs 6:
Go to the ant, you slacker!
Observe its ways and become wise.
Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
it prepares its provisions in summer;
it gathers its food during harvest.
This ant has an excellent work ethic, hour after hour, everyday shes working. But the ant also understands that they work better together they know if they work together as a team they can get more done.
They are very strong for their size.
He said observe an ants ways, and if you kick over an anthill, what do they do? Do they call the ant lawyer and sue you?
No they just say hey we got a problem let’s put it back together.
Solomon is saying this ant is like a worker on a farm.
WORK HARD AT EVERYTHING YOU DO KNOWING THAT YOU DO IT FOR GOD NOT MAN.
Shouldn’t that be our attitude i mean HE DIED FOR YOU SHOULDNT WE STRIVE TO PLEASE GOD WITH OUR DECISIONS WITH OUR FINANCES WITH OUR STUDIES, WITH EVERY AREA OF LIFE WE SHOULD SEEK TO PLEASE THE ONE WHO DIED FOR US!
I’m telling you if you can determine to bring God glory in the smallest tasks in life and you work hard to do so in the power of the Holy Spirit there is no limit to where God will take you.
There are two great days in a persons life the day they were born and the day they discover why.
I have so many people who say to me I wish I just knew why I was born, I wish I knew the purpose for my life, this comes up more than you can imagine.
YOU WERE MADE TO GLORIFY GOD!
YOU WERE MEANT TO REFLECT THE LIGHT AND LOVE OF JESUS TO THE WORLD!!!
WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT YOU AND ME GOD DESIRES THEY DONT SEE US BUT SEE JESUS IN US!
There was once a little boy who took an old peice of wood and her carved that little wood down into the shape of a boat and one day he came into his room to get it and he could’t find it anywhere he was heartbroken it was nowhere to be found.
ONe day he was walking by a thrift store and he saw his little blue ship apparently the owner had found the little boat and had put it into the window to sell it.
the little boy tried to convince the man it was his but to no avail so the little boy worked and saved his money and went and bought that boat back and as he walked out of the store the storeowner heard him say, NOW YOU ARE TWICE MINE
I MADE YOU AND I BOUGHT YOU!!!
I’m here to tell EVERYONE HERE THIS MORNING YOU WERE MADE BY GOD AND FOR GOD!!!!
HE MADE YOU AND THEN HE BOUGHT YOU BACK WITH THE BLOOD OF HIS SON JESUS CHRIST!
So everything you do let it be done for the glory of God and work hard at it.
In a day and age where hard work and integrity are in short supply you be different work hard knowing that what you are doing you are doing for the Lord Jesus Christ.
Now there are those who say that work is the punishment for sin, wrong. Remember in God gave Adam a job before sin entered the world.
The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it.
Work is God’s plan for everybody, if your healthy.
The son who gathers during summer is prudent;
the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.
Wealth obtained by fraud will dwindle,
but whoever earns it through labor will multiply it.
A slacker’s craving will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.
Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will stand in the presence of kings.
He will not stand in the presence of unknown men.
The thief must no longer steal. Instead, he must do honest work with his own hands, so that he has something to share with anyone in need.
In the NT there was a church the church in Thessalonica these churches were so into end times they said Jesus is coming back, so let’s just quit our jobs and Paul sent two letters to rebuke them.
to seek to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,
so that you may walk properly in the presence of outsiders and not be dependent on anyone.
If your able to work work, if your able to work it will be a witness to the nonChristians and you wont have to depend on other people, not the government or your parents.
In fact, when we were with you, this is what we commanded you: “If anyone isn’t willing to work, he should not eat.” For we hear that there are some among you who walk irresponsibly, not working at all, but interfering with the work of others. Now we command and exhort such people by the Lord Jesus Christ that quietly working, they may eat their own food.
2 Thessalonians 3:10-
He is saying if your able to work, work, but if your not able then yes you can get some assitance but listen to me if you are lazy and wont work then the church owes you nothing and the government owes you nothing you need to go to work.
Let me say this, the JEwish people view work as being just as sacred as work. Everyday you go to work you do that work for the glory of GOd. If your on an aseembly line then you do it for the glory of Jesus.
If you a janitor then you clean for the glory of JEsus, if your a doctor whatever you do find the holiness in the common things. THey are just as sacred as everything else if you do them for the glory of JEsus Christ.
It is a good thing to work hard.
is a good thing to work hard.
It’s Foolish to be Lazy
It’s Foolish to be Lazy
How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?
When will you get up from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.
I wanna warn you about memorizing this verse, because just about the time your gonna hit the snooze button your gonna hear this, how long will you lie down oh sluggard...
Im up Lord Im up Lord
I promise you and thats a good thing, you have to learn to win the battle of the covers amen, during the work week and on Sunday when it is time to give God His time, on His day.
Don’t be full time members of bedside baptist.
GOd said get up and go to work to sit and be a couch potato.
Idle hands make one poor,
but diligent hands bring riches.
The diligent hand will rule,
but laziness will lead to forced labor.
A lazy man doesn’t roast his game,
but to a diligent man, his wealth is precious.
The slacker craves, yet has nothing,
but the diligent is fully satisfied.
A slacker’s way is like a thorny hedge,
but the path of the upright is a highway.
The one who is truly lazy in his work
is brother to a vandal.
The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he doesn’t even bring it back to his mouth.
The slacker does not plow during planting season;
at harvest time he looks, and there is nothing.
A slacker’s craving will kill him
because his hands refuse to work.
The slacker says, “There’s a lion outside!
I’ll be killed in the public square!”
Slackers have an excuse for not going to work all the time.
Proverbs 24:29-34
Don’t say, “I’ll do to him what he did to me;
I’ll repay the man for what he has done.”
I went by the field of a slacker
and by the vineyard of a man lacking sense.
Thistles had come up everywhere,
weeds covered the ground,
and the stone wall was ruined.
I saw, and took it to heart;
I looked, and received instruction:
a little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.
Thistles had come up everywhere,
weeds covered the ground,
and the stone wall was ruined.
A door turns on its hinges,
and a slacker, on his bed.
The slacker buries his hand in the bowl;
he is too weary to bring it to his mouth.
In his own eyes, a slacker is wiser
than seven men who can answer sensibly.
They dont hit a lick at anything but they can tell you exactly what you need to do. MY friends the Bible has alot to say about being lazy and if you can work and your not working you are lazy.
If you can’t work that’s a totally different thing, but if you can and you wont.... nobody owes you anything.
If you can and you wont it’s foolish.
Lessons from an anthill..
ITs wise to plan ahead
It’s wise to work hard
Its foolish to be lazy and one more lesson.
It’s Wise to serve Jesus
It’s Wise to serve Jesus
“Don’t collect for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.
But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Is this contradicting what he said about the ant, no He is saying dont store things up selfishly for your greed, God wants to meet your need but he doesnt care about your greed.
If you are storing up things for yourself, for your greed thats something else but if you are planning things ahead for your future needs thats a wise person.
Who sees the difference if you dont im sorry
What does JEsus say?
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.
Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.
So if you have not been faithful with the unrighteous money, who will trust you with what is genuine?
If you cant handle money why should He give you anything else?
Jesus said that.
Right before He died He said you need to be about your Fathers business, you need to be working in the kingdom work.
We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work.
I got news for you
Theres not alot of time left to witness and to pray and to share the gospel and to make disciples and to minister to people, whatever your gonna do you better get after it nightime is coming.
If your gonna work for Jesus get after it.
I have glorified You on the earth
by completing the work You gave Me to do.
Wouldn’t you like to be able to say that on your death bed?
LORD I GLORIFIED YOU WHILE I WAS ON EARTH LORD I PRAISE YOU THAT I HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THE WORK THAT YOU GAVE ME TO DO!
Don’t tell me work is not sacred.
Its wise to plan ahead
Its wise to works hard
its foolish to be lazy
Its wise to serve Jesus
Go to the ant, you slacker!
Observe its ways and become wise.
Without leader, administrator, or ruler,
it prepares its provisions in summer;
it gathers its food during harvest.
How long will you stay in bed, you slacker?
When will you get up from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the arms to rest,
and your poverty will come like a robber,
your need, like a bandit.
Don’t let the devil rob you through the lies of lazy people.
I wanna say something to you, one of the best things you can do for your children is when they get old enough let them start working.
Even before then let them work around the house.
Let em wash their own clothes amen
You train those children to work, boys need to be working, as soon as possible.
CHristian let’s work till Jesus comes and then were going home.
(Let’s pray)