Living God's unshakable Truth - Winona 7-13-08 AM

Membership Has Its Privileges

Hebrews 13:15-19 - Sunday, July 20, AM – FBC Winona

Story of Josh Hamilton

·         KMIL – recommended him for another job

·         He came and interviewed and was offered the job, Money was possibly more - Sports

·         question, “when Unc tells you something you can take it to the bank. Is it the same?”

Hebrews 13:15-19

15Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. 16And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. 17Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you.

18Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way. 19I particularly urge you to pray so that I may be restored to you soon.

David, the author, was a man who was said in the scriptures to be “after God’s own heart”

·         How did he learn to be this way?

·         He was blessed to be born to a man like Jesse (“God’s gift”)

·         But that was not his only example

·         David was after God’s own heart so he walked with God – learned from Him, listened

But David was not perfect, he was a man who had struggles . . .

·         Well chronicled is his sin with Bathsheba

·         Because he was anointed to be king at an early age, some wanted to kill him

·         Taught to follow God but also came to know Him by experience

Looking In verses 1-4 David shows enough humility to see how short we fall (10)

·         Need an answer, Poor and needy, devoted to you, know God, servant, need salvation or a Savior, need mercy, call to God for help, desire joy which God can provide, lift my soul to You

In verses 5-10, we see the qualities of God that make Him the Gold Standard (12)

·         Forgiving, Good, Abounding in love, hears our prayers, full of mercy, will rescue us from trouble, hears me when I call, none like Him, no deeds can compare to His, all nations will bow down in worship, glory is due His name, great, “You alone are God”

Go back to verse 11

11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth;

       give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

There are 2 sets of requests and responses - will allow us to “Live God’s Unshakable Truth”

1st Action and Response – Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth

1)      Teach Me (Request)

·         The darkest place we can be is to have no knowledge of the truth – or willingness to learn

·         If I ever get to a place where I think I don’t need to learn – I’ve taken God’s place

·         people who go back to college at an older age do much better – life experience

·         The phrase “teach me” implies with it a readiness to learn, a willingness

2)      Walk in truth (Response)

·         What is the truth? It is the Word of God

·         How do I walk in it? Read it, obey it, live it

·         As we continue to drink in the pages, walk deepens and understanding deepens

·         When I first prepared to lead my first Bible study at 18 or 19, I was very shallow

·         Allow the Word to CHANGE you

2nd Action and Response – Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name

3)      Undivided heart (Request)

·         Undivided – totally loyal, focused under God’s authority

·         “double-minded man” – unstable, someone who is not committed

·         Rev. 3:16, “So, because you are lukewarm – neither hot nor cold – I am about to spit you out of my mouth”

4)      Fear God (Response)

·         Fearing God is not where we obey from fear of wrath

·         Fearing God is more understanding His authority, His sovereignty, His Lord-ship

·         Fear of God is the beginning, the growth and the maturity of wisdom

·         Fear God - understand who He is-understand the consequences of disobedience

So – if I fear God, love Him with an undivided heart, & walk in Truth, what will He teach me?

·         About love and how to love

·         How to have great relationships – marriage, family, friends, social, work and church

·         How to conduct your business - How to lead people

·         How to be a husband, a wife, a child - How to be a child of God

·         How to deal with difficulty

·         It all begins with availability

·         What if I didn’t have the home example like David did?