Tag: Does God

Posted by: Tim | on March 10, 2014

Lock, Stock and Barrel Christians

Several years ago two ships collided. It happened far out in the calm quiet Atlantic Ocean on a dark foggy night. The smaller ship with two hundred and six people on board sank within thirty minutes. Immediately the larger ship put out life boats to retrieve the passengers who were floating in the calm sea.

Only thirty four were found!? They were all picked up and saved. At first it seemed a great mystery why a hundred seventy two people were lost and so few were saved. The problem was not a lack of life jackets or life boats.

** I don’t know if any of you have ever been in a collision, things happen so fast that you don’t always get time to think about them or think about what to do. You just do them.

I was once on a ship that had a collision with another ship many years ago. We too did not have time to think, We knew that our ship was going down and we needed to get off and off fast. So when the Captain gave the order to abandon ship that is what we did, with in fifteen minutes the ship sunk, but all of our lives were saved, only because everyone followed the order giving.

But there was a different problem here on this ship, the people heard the Captain order, but many did not want to go when the call to abandon ship was giving. Why?

What in this world would keep you on a sinking Ship? The order is giving get off, Abandon ship and save your life. What’s keeping you from getting in the lifeboat?

Later it was found that the primary reason so few were saved was that most if not all of them had busied themselves during those last thirty minutes in seizing their gold and silver and securing it to their clothes or belting it around their waist.

They were weighted down and unable to remain afloat until the rescue boats could reach them. They lost both their life and their money. They were Jeopardized by greed.

What hinders you from giving Christ your all?

Cast off the carnal things that weigh you down. Many of good Christians are like a waterlogged raft, they are just barely afloat. They have soaked up so much worldliness and are so absorbed with little sinful traits that it is almost impossible for them to be towed into the heavenly harbor.

Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Sorry: but you can’t have your pie and eat it too. No heart can mature two crops at the same time. We must decide which is more important.

Immerse yourself in Jesus. Lighten your load of temporal doodads. Give Jesus your total heart and sole and stop living your life in a world that is dying because the temporal reward looks great.

Just remember the word temporal means just that. “temporary, brief, short lived”.

When an immigrant comes to America, before He or She can become a citizen they must renounce all commitments and allegiance to their former homeland and pledge one hundred percent allegiance to America. Then and only then will the U.S. Government grant citizenship

That’s the way it is with Jesus. When you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, you renounce Satan completely. You can’t “split time” by serving Satan part-time and Christ part-time.

For a Christian there can be no moonlighting with the world.

It is impossible to have one foot in the world and one foot in the church. Very quickly you would have to do the splits because the path of the church and the world are zeroing in at two very different destinations. One is eternal Life the other is eternal destruction.

Like a boat leaving the dock, you can’t have one foot on the boat and one foot on the dock for very long or you will end up in the drink.

An individual who divides his heart between God and the world will eventually be wholehearted for the world and fainthearted for God! You can’t dine at the Devils table on Friday and at the Lord’s table on Sabbath. You can’t sing “All The Way” in the pew and swear at the fax machine at work.

Luke 14:33 In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

We must be willing to give up everything. You can’t hold onto the world and its knickknacks with all your strength and equally hold onto Jesus.

You can’t get your high from Jesus on Sabbath and get your “High” from drugs on Saturday night.

Brown-nosing with Satan when you are with the crowd and pretending at church makes you a hypocrite!

1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus wants us one hundred percent, Completely, Totally, All or nothing, Lock, stock, and barrel Christians! Loaded up and ready to fire.

I remember as a boy in Honduras we drove across the country to visit some friends, I reckon we hadn’t gone a stone’s throw before we came to a vacant lot. The problem was that it had not been empty long, just a few days before a family had lived there in a home. My Uncle said, “Boy, they moved out Lock, Stock and Barrel!” The clothes-line was gone, the mail box, and even the dog house was gone they were out of there completely. I said man it looks like they took everything.

Then I came here to the US and found out that when people here move our they take the Very light bulbs out before leaving.

So what does it means to be a Lock, Stock, and Barrel Christian. It means being ready that if Jesus would call saying “Who could we send”. Being able to jump up and say here am I Lord send Me.

I can do all things through Christ who strength me.

Isaiah 29:13 God says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me

We sing songs like “I’ll go where you want me to go Dear Lord… I’ll do what you want me to do…

But don’t ask me to sing in the choir or play the hand bells, or teach in the little kid’s department or help with VacationBibleSchool or sit on a committee. I just want to sit among the saints. I don’t want to be involved to much, I just don’t have the time!”

God’s yardstick is total devotion or none at all. We modern Christians come to the celestial check out lane and when we reach the cash register we say,

“I would like to buy about three dollars worth of God please.

I don’t want enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep.
I don’t want enough to make me love people I don’t like.
I want gladness but not transformation.
I want the warmth of the womb, but not the new birth.
I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack.
I want a sprinkling but not an immersion.
I want a taste of God but not a total meal.
I want to sample Jesus but not be over involved.
I want to do God’s will as long as it doesn’t interfere with what I am doing.

David eventually became a man after God’s heart by going all the way with total commitment.

Psalms 119:2 David says: Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.

Those who seek him with all their heart!

I’ve had a lot of people come and say, I just can’t get victory over sin. I’m trying to be a good Christian and I just can’t do it. How do I get strength to live the Christian life?”

( Stop Trying)

I’ll tell you how to get Christian strength. You seek it with all your heart. You’re going to get what you’re really seeking.” If you go at it with all your heart you will find it.

God is there waiting, reaching out to take your hand.

Pray and when you finish praying pray somemore. Jesus is not tired of hearing your pray, or your request, he is willing to do what every it take to help you, he proved it by dying for you on the Cross.

Do you know what God’s minimum requirement is?

He is the celestial Teacher, we’re the students in the classroom. As our Divine Teacher, in the great schoolhouse of life, passing is not 70%. Passing is not even 90%. Passing is 100%. And he will give you the strength, the courage, and the will when you ask for it and believe it by Faith.

Revelations: 3

14: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

16: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

God wants your heart, the whole heart, and nothing but the whole heart. He wants all of you or he doesn’t want you at all. Lock, stock, and barrel commitment is what God is looking for in His people in these last days.

Unless you love Him totally, you do not love Him at all. There is no such thing as lukewarm commitment. If you don’t crown Him Lord of All, you really do not crown Him at All.

Notice that our heavenly Father does not expect what He is not willing to give. Does God give totally? Does He? Yes, He does.

Does He give half-way? Do we have a part time daddy? Our awesome God gives totally! The bible is full of examples of how God give totally.

Let’s look and see!

Luke 8:48 (KJV). And He said unto her, “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”

Does God heal us half-way? No. He heals us all the way. Her faith had made her whole. She was not healed half- way she was healed completely by her faith in the one who could give healing.

When Jesus died on the cross, He totally paid for all my sins. His forgiveness is absolute. God’s healing power is unbounded. When we all get to heaven, we will be given access to the immeasurable universe.

He’s not going to say,

“Well, I’ll just give you a little bit of heaven.

I’ll give you just a touch of it.” No!

Does He give us just a sample of heaven? No!

He gives us the whole thing. It’s ours completely, Lock, Stock and Barrel, all of it!

We will be able to fly. We don’t need to have reservations. We just go to all these other worlds. Every corner of the universe is yours to explore. He doesn’t hold back. Total freedom to go and come, to observe it all.

We can obtain a knowledge that exhaustively takes in the alpha to the omega of the universe. We can fly at more than the speed of light and picnic in a far off corner of the universe. We have unlimited access.

But to completely experience the joys of heaven then, you need to be totally committed to Jesus Christ today. Without that total commitment you won’t be there.

Now you could say, “Well, I attend church on Sabbath morning. I’m here. I’m sitting in the pew. But when I go home, I don’t dress like I dressed here. In fact I put on some of the world, you know. I start acting like the world. Swear words occasionally come out. That’s not total commitment is it. When you are total committed you are committed 24hr a day.

Let’s suppose you are going to get Married but before getting Married you’re soon to be tell you

“I’ll be true to you ninety nine percent of the time.” That would be pretty good, wouldn’t it? Wouldn’t that be great? “Ninety nine percent of the time I’ll be true to you. I will.” How many of you would accept that? And yet we expect God to accept that, don’t we?

Ephesians 6:11. Put on the partial armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

Is that what it says? “Put on the whole armor of God.”

The young David was able to slay Goliath because the giant did not use the whole armor. Where did that little stone find its mark? It sank into his forehead.

Where was his shield that came over his face, or his helmet? Where was the shield that his shield-bearer should have had? They were missing.

He was not wearing one, he did not feel the need to put it on, after all Davit was just a little small boy, not very big at all, what could he do to a Giant like Goliath

Goliath didn’t have the whole armor and so he died, you cannot become a Christian today without the whole armor of God or you too will die.

One little loophole was all it took for David’s stone to transform the mammoth monster into a dead dwarf.

Don’t ever think satin is not taking aim! He wants nothing more then to keep you from a total commitment to Jesus. Satin does not care if you have a 70%, 80%, 90% or even a 99% commitment to Jesus. He just wan to keep you from having a 100% commitment

Ellen White speaks of Spiritual dwarfs: “Many professed Christians are in a fair way to lose both worlds. To be half a Christian and half a worldly man makes you about one-hundredth part a Christian and all the rest worldly.” Testimonies, Vol. , p.264.

There is no such thing as half-and-half unless you get it at Wal-Mart. In Christ there is a hundred percent or nothing.

A Hog and Chicken sets a good example.

Visualize a chicken and a pig vacationing together. They travel for many miles and many hours. Finally they get hungry. The sharp-eyed chicken spots a restaurant. Approaching the door, they read a sign which says, “Ham and Eggs: Our Specialty!” “Hold it!” oinked the pig. “What’s the matter?” clucked the chicken. “Plenty,” said the hog. “All they want from you is a little compromise. They are asking me for total commitment!” That’s exactly what God wants.

How do you become a lock, stock and barrel Christian? By total commitment to Jesus!

How do you have a great marriage? You are totally committed to it. These are marriages that last seventy-five years, those people are committed to it. Commitment! That’s what we need to pray for.

When a little trouble come to a great marriage, when both of them are committed to it, they’re going to stick with it. They’re not going to run.

Mark 8:34-36 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”

That’s what happens.

A few years ago a super fast concord jet was zooming off the runway in Paris, France, with its load of passengers. Everything was going fine. Do you realize that the pilot of a jet aircraft comes to a point of no return on that runway.

It gets going so fast that you cross a line where you have to decide to “fly or stop”. Once you cross that line you have no choice but to fly or to crash. The pilot of that fast jet came to that line. It seems that when he came to that point, a tire blew out and large chunks crashed into the fuel tank. The plane took off in a fireball and crashed in an explosion.

Unfortunately, churches are filled with many members who have never left the ground. They have been sitting on a spiritual runway for years and years gunning their spiritual engines but they never really reaching the point of total commitment, that line that you must cross as a Christian or you are not going to make it.

You cannot stay on the runway and reach heaven at the same time. You’ve got to get committed and get off, take off.

Paul was an accountant. I think he was a CPA (Certified Public Accountant). He worked in the business office at Southern Adventist University, probably, because he has a profit an loss statement here.

Philippians 3:7,8. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ.

Praise God for Paul! That’s beautiful!

Man’s greatest possession.

What is man’s greatest possession? I would submit to you that man’s greatest possession is a relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s the greatest thing you can have all else is rubbish.

Jesus wants you totally: Hook, Line, and Sinker and that is another Sermon.

Do you want Him with all your might?

Just pray this little prayer: “Dear God, you be the needle and I’ll be the thread. You go first and I’ll follow wherever you may lead.” That’s what thread does.

***** In the beginning of this sermon I ask you a question!

What in this world would keep you on a sinking Ship? The order is giving get off, Abandon ship and save your life. What is keeping you from getting into the gates of Heaven?

An old song goes like this: “I Surrender.. how much? All.” Yielding totally to Jesus. Another song says – “All The Way My Savior Leads me!” Are you willing to go all the way with Jesus?

The ship is sinking and there is not much time left, what are you going to do!

Think about it, but don’t take too long are you might find yourself drowning with sin unable to keep afloat

God Bless

Elder Tim McNab

McDonald Road Church

Posted in Bible Truth, Sermons by Others, Sermons by Tim Mcnab, Stories | No Comments »
Tags: Christ Jesus, Christians Loaded, Does God, Jesus Christ, Lord Jesus Christ, Satan, sin

Posted by: Tim | on February 8, 2014

The Prophet and the Donkey

Numbers 22: 31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

Do you sometime feel you are standing in your own way?

Have you ever wanted to go some where and all most went to the wrong place, because you found you were going in the wrong direction.

I missed my plane at an airport in Paris once, I wanted to get on a plane going to Brussels but somehow I was waiting at the gate for one going to Brazil. Has this ever happen to you while you are traveling, don’t feel you are all alone. We are born going the wrong way because of sin, and it is Jesus who puts us back on track.

How many time do we miss the Signs that God has giving us to direct and guide, all because we become careless as Christians.

In the Bible we are told that there is only one thing that is importance, and that is to follow Jesus. There is nothing else that Matters.

But it is so easy to become careless, when place ourselves on satanic ground

We sometimes try to get things that God know it not good for us, because it will not lead us closer to Him; but father away from him.

The world strive for more everyday, everyday you see people who are court up in a world of making more, weather it is more Cars, more Houses, more Land, more Crops, more Investments, More, More, More, MONEY.

I once asked a rich man how much is enough, he look at me for a while and then said, until, I said until what, he said until I have it ALL.

So I then asked, when you get it all, what are you going to do with it. Try to get more?

Mark:8: 36:

For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

As Christ representative how are we supposed to look each day? How are we supposed to act each day?

Many times a person life may be determined just but the way we act or look in a giving situation.

One day the Pastor told me that there was a complaint about me, I ask him what is was, he told me that a cretin Man who told him he will never come back to Church again because of the way I looked at him. I was floored by what he said; I don’t understand I told him.

He told me that one Sabbath after study service was over; I was coming down the hall getting ready to go up and start the worship service with the other Elder. This Man was standing in the Hall and he looked at me and said I looked back at him, and he could read the expression on my Face “by the way I looked back at him” that I did not want anything to do with him, that I through little of him.

This all happened a few years ago while I was in the middle of Radiation and Chemo treatment the second time.

I know I was not the best persons to be around at that time in my Life, even my Children moved out of the house. Most days I should have not even came to Church, but I did because it made me fell better then just sitting at home. But I wish now that I would have stay home that day, because of an expression of my face there is a person who may never come to know Jesus.

It is hard, but it is true; that it does not matter if the expression on my face was because of Pain, Sorrow, Sickness, Suffering, or just Contempt. He read something in my Face that should not have been there, and a soul may become lost because of it.

How about with doing Gods will, do we sometime jump the gun, and take off running with our fully listening to what Gods is saying.

How easy is it to misinterpret what Gods real plan is when we are bent on doing something we want to do. I am sure that no one here has that problem.

Lets go to the Book of Numbers Chapter 22: and see if any other Christian had this problem

1: And the children of Israel set forward, and pitched in the plains of Moab on this side Jordan by Jericho.

We find here that the Children of Israel had not yet intern into the promise Land, for we are told that they were still on the other side of the Jordon in the plains of Moab.

Now if you were the King of that country and all of a sudden a large amount of People just showed up and camped in your back yard, how would you fell about it?

To make matters worse, you hear all kinds of stories about them and how there God goes before them. In fact you hear stories about how they have walk through Rivers of water on dry-land, how they eat food that come down from the Heavens, and how there God goes before them into battle.

This would make you pretty up-set would it not? Balak was indeed up-set!

2: And Balak the son of Zippor saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites.

The Amorites were a strong people in the Land, but were powerless to stand before the Children of Israel when God was with them. Notice: I said when God was with them

This is a good lesion for us today, we should only fight the battle for God when he is with us, don’t try and do it on you own

3: And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.

They were afraid and they were scared because they have seen what had happen to the Amorites and figure it will also happen to them next.

4: And Moab said unto the elders of Midian, Now shall this company lick up all that are round about us, as the ox licketh up the grass of the field. And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time.

Normally when an approaching army comes and besieges a City, they pretty much eat off the Land and do what ever they want. Because there were no re-enforcement in those days

But this was not Balak main concern, his main concern was that Israel was going to defeat all the Kings round about them, and it would only be a matter of time before he to would have to defend his kingdom.

Now let me ask, was God fair in his dealing with these Kingdoms?

Did they have the opportunity to know who God was?

Did they have the knowledge of the great God of Creation?

How do we know that the knowledge of God existed in that part of the world, look at verse #5, what does it say the King did.

5: He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me:

I just love the way this King describes the people of God, there is a day coming when the people of God will again cover the face of the whole earth.

6: Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.

The King knew and understood one thing, he had a big problem on his hand and this Man was in contact with the one person who could help.

What he did not know was that this same God was the one bringing these people into his homeland because they had refused to acknowledge him as there Lord and Master.

Moab was a descendent of Lot, Abraham’s nephew. So they had ever opportunity just like we do today to know God, but they do just like we do, they choose to turn away from God and serve another Master.

Jesus well said in the Book of Matthew 12:

30: He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

The people of Moab knew who Jehovah was but they choose the pleasures of sin for a season rather then to serve the God of creation, so the cup of there transgressions had finally reached it limit.

We too have the same problems; we too choose the pleasures of sin, rather then to give God not only our Life, but our Time, our Money, and our, Heart.

The Day of Judgment will come when we lease expect it, and rather then asking God for his forgiveness the world like Balak will search and hope to find someone who can curse the people of God who dire stand in there way.

Now the King is sending his delegate, his diplomat, his representative, his ambassador, what every you may want to call them; on a very special mission.

Numbers 22:

7: And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak.

So they are doing what the people of this world would do when in trouble and need a quick fix.

How many times when you are having a problem do you look for a quick fix. You don’t need to raise your hands; it is just about all of us at times, right.

We are always looking the fast way out rather then having to stay in for the long hall. The King of Moab was no different he needed a quick fix so he is sending now for Balaam’s help.

Now let’s take a close look at the Man of God and what he is going to say to this envoy of people from the Moab

8: And he said unto them, Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as the LORD shall speak unto me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. Way to go

As Christian we should never take matters into our own hands. Always before entering into a matter we should make it a time of prayer and seeking to know God will. Here we have a very good example of how to handle every type of situation.

9: And God came unto Balaam, and said, What men are these with thee?

I am sure God did not need to ask Balaam who these men were or what they were doing there. But God always gives us a chance to explain the matter in clarity, so that God and Man are talking on the same terms and we can’t say later “I did not understand”.

10: And Balaam said unto God, Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, hath sent unto me, saying,

11: Behold, there is a people come out of Egypt, which covereth the face of the earth: come now, curse me them; peradventure I shall be able to overcome them, and drive them out.

Balaam also knew who these people were and he also knew that the Lord God was bringing them out of Egypt to possess the land before them.

12: And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.

Case is now settled and the matter is closed, right.

13: And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you into your land: for the LORD refuseth to give me leave to go with you.

Now I have a problem here with the way Balaam handles this, I think he should have used better words then the Lord refused to give me leave.

Maybe something like; you better get home and get your house in order because the Lord God of Israel is going to give your Land to the people before you, and don’t call on me again.

In the way Balaam answer these men he left an opening for the King of Moab to come back. He left an opening for satin to inter, for he wanted to please God but he also wanted to please the King of Moab, who was to give him a very lard reward.

14: And the princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to come with us.

Balaam just needed to find a way around God not letting him go to claim this reward; after all he could do a lot of good with that kind of money.

He could build a School, go on a missionary trip, and maybe even hold some evangelistic seminars right there in the mist of all these Idolatry nations. BUT God does not need Money he needs a people who are faithful to him in every aspect.

15: And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honourable than they.

16: And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak the son of Zippor, Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me:

When people are bent on doing something there way, they will stop at nothing, even selling themselves to achieve what they want

17: For I will promote thee unto very great honour, and I will do whatsoever thou sayest unto me: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people.

This is the reward Balaam was hoping for; if he could curse these people for the King of Moab and get paid before the children of Israel invade Moab he could take is easy for the rest of his live.

But Balaam knew one thing, it was not up to him, he must inquire of God.

18: And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the LORD my God, to do less or more.

Does God change his mind, do we need a second time to go and ask God it is still Not OK to go.

How do you feel when your Children come to you and ask?

Dad I know you said No on this; but I want to check to see if it is now OK.

People may change, but God does not, if God told you to go,

you need to ask what’s stopping you, and if God told you to not to go,

you need to shut it down fast.

19: Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

Balaam knew who these people were he knew that God was with them and he knew God was going to answer him the same way.

20: And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, and go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.

Now please notices what God told him” If these men come to call thee, rise up” and go with them

Here is a big problem with many of good Christian people of God

These men knew that God would not give Balaam permission to go with them and so they did not go to inquire of Balaam but broke camp and made ready to depart.

When Balaam learned this what did he do?

21: And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

Balaam did not wait for the men to come and ask, he was ready that morning to go with them; He was standing in the wrong line, waiting to go to the wrong place.

This happens when we know what God will is but we try and input our own will instead. Balaam did the same thing we do; and that is to try and rationalize what God said.

Good Christian people everyday try and explain what God is saying rather then just paying attention to the words in God Holy Book, just read it for yourselves.

God was not pleased with the actions of Balaam.

Balaam was double-minded, pursuing a course to gain and retain the favor and honor of the enemies of the Lord, for the sake of rewards he received from them.

At the same time he was professing to be a prophet of God. Because the Idolatrous nations believed that curses might be uttered which would affect individuals, and even whole nations.

22: And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.

If there were every a Man between a Rock and a Hard place I believe Balaam found it.

23: And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.

Any one here have a Donkey, not only are they ugly but they are about the most stubbing animal there is; the only reason to ride one is because it is better then walking.

I am sure in Gods eyes sometimes we are just like Donkeys

24: But the angel of the LORD stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.

25: And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again.

Balaam did not know what was happing, but that pore little Donkey new, and he wanted nothing to do with the Angle who stood in the path he was going in.

26: And the angel of the LORD went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

27: And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

This kind of reminds us of what happen when we are in traffic and there is a slow poke in front of you and you just want to beat them out of the way.

Now please notice what the Lord does here.

28: And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

Balaam is so mad that he does not even realize he is talk to the Donkey,

29: And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

30: And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.

As he now starts to realize what is going on by the way the Donkey is speaking to him, God open his eyes

31: Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

32: And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

The Angle told him, Because your ways was wicked before me:

33: And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

34: And Balaam said unto the angel of the LORD, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

Balaam sure changes his tune now. Why do we have to wait for an Angle of God to knock us off our Donkey before we start to go the right way. (And there is another word I would like to use in place of the word Donkey), Paul had to get knock his Hose

35: And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Here is a solemn warning for the people of God today, to allow no un-Christian trait to live in our hearts. A sin which is cultivated becomes habitual; and, strengthened by repetition, it soon exerts a controlling influence, bringing into subjection all the nobler powers.

Balaam loved the reward of unrighteousness. The sin of covetousness, which God ranks with idolatry, he Balaam did not resist and overcome.

Satan obtained entire control of him through this one fault, which deteriorated his character, and made him a time-server. He called God his master; but he did not serve Him; he did not work the works of God

There are a lot of times in life we try and go our own way and do our own thing, forgetting that God is right there everyday watching his children.

We sometimes go where we should not go, and do things we should not, even look at someone the wrong way.

We as Christian must always be on guard against the attack of satin, sometimes when we know the will of God we too like Balaam want to go when God is saying stop.

We are sometimes just like Balaam when we want to follow our own way rather then following God way. Sometime we make excuses or try and put words in God mouth of what he has not told us to do,

We need to make sure we are following Jesus, following the Cross and not following the world.

If you follow the world it will lead you to destruction just like it did to Balaam, but if we follow Jesus he will lead us to eternal life is a land that eye’s have not seen and ear’s have not heard of.

God Bless

Elder Tim McNab

Restoring Gods Truth

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Tags: Does God, Donkey, Egypt, God Bless, God Holy Book, Israel, Lord God, Prophet, Restoring Gods Truth, Satan, Sickness, sin

Posted by: Tim | on May 18, 2013

Believe also in Me

John 14: 1: Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

There was once a tightrope walker who was crossing Niagara Falls. After he had held the crowds spellbound with his daring act, he asked, How many of you believe I could cross the tightrope again, this time Blindfolded and pushing a wheelbarrow with someone riding in it.

The crowds applauded.

They were sure he could do it. But then he said, Who will volunteer to ride the wheelbarrow?

There was a vast silence.

The audience had just been reminded of the vital difference between belief and trust! It’s one thing to believe that the wheelbarrow would make it safety across the Falls. It’s quite another thing to put your own life on the line.

Total Trust is putting one foot forward and walking with both eyes closed

Faith is like thread

One peace all by its self can not do much, but each time Faith is used it becomes stronger Until that thread becomes a rope, a life line to Jesus

Faith still trusts God even when things don’t work out the way we want them to.

It’s easy to trust God when life is going smoothly. The real test of faith comes when our prayers seem unanswered.

The Lord would have you trust in his love and mercy amid clouds and darkness as well as in the sunshine.

KNOWING GOD RESULTS IN TRUSTING GOD.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW HIM, YOU WON’T TRUST HIM.

IF YOU DON’T TRUST HIM, IT IS BECAUSE YOU DON’T KNOW HIM.

Let us Pray!

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Several years ago some visitors to the US Mint in Philadelphia listened to a worker in the foundry area. The man said that if you first dip your hand into a bucket of water, a small ladle of molten metal could be poured over the palm of your hand and it would not burn you. The worker said, “Do you believe that?” Well, they all believed that. “Who would like to try it?” A man stood there and said: “Not me!” “I’ll take your word for it.” The workman turned to the man’s wife, and said: “Perhaps you would like to try it?” She said, “Certainly.” She put her hand in the bucket of water and calmly held it out while the hot metal was poured over her hand. And it didn’t hurt. I don’t think she held that molten metal very long. Now, don’t go try this. Both the husband and the wife believed. Was there a difference in their belief? Only the wife trusted completely. You may say she was a fool for doing that. If you trust Jesus completely you’re not a fool. That’s the type of trust that it going to take to be saved. That’s the type of belief that it take to be saved.

You’ve got to completely trust your life to Him and totally believe in Him; His perfect life will be accounted to you in place of your imperfect life. You will be saved by His blood. Jesus’ righteousness will be freely given to everybody who really and truly believe in Jesus. We are saved not by works but by faith, belief, and trust. This is called grace. That is called the good news.

John 14:

1: Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2: In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3: And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

It is one thing to Believe something is going to happen, but quite another thing to totally put you Truth and Faith ahead of you belief and see it fulfillment

AFTER A FEW OF THE USUAL SABBATH EVENING HYMNS, THE CHURCH’S PASTOR SLOWLY STOOD UP, WALKED OVER TO THE PULPIT AND, BEFORE HE GAVE HIS SERMON FOR THE EVENING, HE BRIEFLY INTRODUCED A GUEST MINISTER WHO WAS IN THE SERVICE THAT EVENING.

IN THE INTRODUCTION, THE PASTOR TOLD THE CONGREGATION THAT THE GUEST MINISTER WAS ONE OF HIS DEAREST CHILDHOOD FRIENDS AND THAT HE WANTED HIM TO HAVE A FEW MOMENTS TO GREET THE CHURCH AND SHARE WHATEVER HE FELT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE FOR THE SERVICE. WITH THAT, AN ELDERLY MAN STEPPED UP TO THE PULPIT AND BEGAN TO SPEAK.’

A FATHER, HIS SON, AND A FRIEND OF HIS SON WERE SAILING OFF THE PACIFIC COAST,’ HE BEGAN. ‘WHEN A FAST APPROACHING STORM BLOCKED ANY ATTEMPT TO GET BACK TO THE SHORE. ‘THE WAVES WERE SO HIGH, THAT EVEN THOUGH THE FATHER WAS AN EXPERIENCED SAILOR, HE COULD NOT KEEP THE BOAT UPRIGHT AND THE THREE WERE SWEPT INTO THE OCEAN AS THE BOAT CAPSIZED.’

THE OLD MAN HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, MAKING EYE CONTACT WITH TWO TEENAGERS WHO WERE, FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE SERVICE BEGAN, LOOKING SOMEWHAT INTERESTED IN HIS STORY.

Shipwreck THE AGED MINISTER CONTINUED WITH HIS STORY,’GRABBING A RESCUE LINE, THE FATHER HAD TO MAKE THE MOST EXCRUCIATING DECISION OF HIS LIFE: TO WHICH BOY WOULD HE THROW THE OTHER END OF THE LIFE LINE.

‘HE ONLY HAD SECONDS TO MAKE THE DECISION. ‘THE FATHER KNEW THAT HIS SON WAS A CHRISTIAN AND HE, ALSO, KNEW THAT HIS SON’S FRIEND WAS NOT.

‘THE AGONY OF HIS DECISION COULD NOT BE MATCHED BY THE TORRENT OF WAVES. ‘AS THE FATHER YELLED OUT, “I LOVE YOU, SON!” HE THREW OUT THE LIFE LINE TO HIS SON’S FRIEND. ‘BY THE TIME THE FATHER HAD PULLED THE FRIEND BACK TO THE CAPSIZED BOAT, HIS SON HAD DISAPPEARED BENEATH THE RAGING SWELLS INTO THE BLACK OF NIGHT. HIS BODY WAS NEVER RECOVERED.’

BY THIS TIME, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE SITTING UP STRAIGHT IN THE PEW,
ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR THE NEXT WORDS TO COME OUT OF THE OLD MINISTER’S MOUTH.

‘THE FATHER,’ HE CONTINUED, ‘KNEW HIS SON WOULD STEP INTO ETERNITY WITH JESUS AND HE COULD NOT BEAR THE THOUGHT OF HIS SON’S FRIEND STEPPING INTO AN ETERNITY WITHOUT JESUS…

THEREFORE, HE SACRIFICED HIS SON TO SAVE THE SON’S FRIEND.

‘HOW GREAT IS THE LOVE OF GOD THAT HE SHOULD DO THE SAME FOR US. OUR HEAVENLY FATHER SACRIFICED HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON THAT WE COULD BE SAVED.

I URGE YOU TO ACCEPT HIS OFFER TO RESCUE YOU AND TAKE A HOLD OF THE LIFE LINE HE IS THROWING OUT TO YOU IN THIS SERVICE.’

WITH THAT, THE OLD MAN TURNED AND SAT BACK DOWN IN HIS CHAIR AS SILENCE FILLED THE ROOM.

THE PASTOR AGAIN WALKED SLOWLY TO THE PULPIT AND DELIVERED A BRIEF SERMON WITH AN INVITATION AT THE END. HOWEVER, NO ONE RESPONDED TO THE APPEAL. WITHIN MINUTES AFTER THE SERVICE ENDED, THE TWO TEENAGERS WERE AT THE OLD MAN’S SIDE.

‘THAT WAS A NICE STORY,’ POLITELY STATED ONE OF THEM,’BUT I DON’T THINK IT WAS VERY REALISTIC FOR A FATHER TO GIVE UP HIS ONLY SON’S LIFE IN HOPES THAT THE OTHER BOY WOULD BECOME A CHRISTIAN.’

‘WELL, YOU’VE GOT A POINT THERE,’ THE OLD MAN REPLIED, GLANCING DOWN AT HIS WORN BIBLE. A BIG SMILE BROADENED HIS NARROW FACE. HE ONCE AGAIN LOOKED UP AT THE BOYS AND SAID, ‘IT SURE ISN’T VERY REALISTIC, IS IT? BUT, I’M STANDING HERE TODAY TO TELL YOU THAT STORY GIVES ME A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR GOD TO GIVE UP HIS SON FOR ME.

YOU SEE… ‘I WAS THAT FATHER AND YOUR PASTOR IS MY SON’S FRIEND.’

I WOULD RATHER LIVE MY LIFE AS IF THERE IS A GOD AND DIE TO FIND OUT
THERE ISN’T, THAN LIVE MY LIFE AS IF THERE ISN’T AND DIE TO FIND OUT THERE IS.

** I don’t know if any of you have ever been in a collision, things happen so fast that you don’t always get time to think about them or think about what to do. You just do them.

But there was a different problem here on this ship, the people heard the Captain order, but many did not want to go when the call to abandon ship was giving. Why?

What in this world would keep you on a sinking Ship? The order is giving get off, Abandon ship and save your life. What’s keeping you from getting in the lifeboat?

They were weighted down and unable to remain afloat until the rescue boats could reach them. They lost both their life and their money. They were Jeopardized by greed.

What hinders you today from giving Christ your all?

Luke 16:13 “No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Sorry: but you can’t have your pie and eat it too. No heart can mature two crops at the same time. We must decide which is more important.

Immerse yourself in Jesus. Lighten your load of temporal doodads. Give Jesus your total heart and sole and stop living your life in a world that is dying because the temporal reward looks great.

Just remember the word temporal means just that. “temporary, brief, short lived”.

That’s the way it is with Jesus. When you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, you renounce Satan completely. You can’t “split time” by serving Satan part-time and Christ part-time.

For a Christian there can be no moonlighting with the world.

Like a boat leaving the dock, you can’t have one foot on the boat and one foot on the dock for very long or you will end up in the drink.

Luke 14:33: In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

We must be willing to give up everything. You can’t hold onto the world and its knickknacks with all your strength and equally hold onto Jesus.

You can’t get your high from Jesus on Sabbath and get your “High” from drugs on Saturday night.

Brown-nosing with Satan when you are with the crowd and pretending at church makes you a hypocrite!

1 Thessalonians 5:23: May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus wants us one hundred percent, Completely, Totally, All or nothing

I remember as a boy in Honduras we drove across the country to visit some friends, I reckon we hadn’t gone a stone’s throw before we came to a vacant lot. The problem was that it had not been empty long, just a few days before a family had lived there in a home. My Uncle said, “Boy, they moved out fast and took everything!” The clothes-line was gone, the mail box, and even the dog house was gone they were out of there completely. I said man it looks like they took the very dirt.

Then I came here to the US and found out that when people here move out they take the Very light bulbs out before leaving.

Look what Paul said, I can do all things through Christ who strength me.

Isaiah 29:13: God says, “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me

We sing songs like “I’ll go where you want me to go Dear Lord… I’ll do what you want me to do…

God’s yardstick is total devotion or none at all. We modern Christians come to the celestial check out lane and when we reach the cash register we say,

“I would like to buy about three dollars worth of God please.

I don’t want enough to explode my soul or disturb my sleep.
I don’t want enough to make me love people I don’t like.
I want gladness but not transformation.
I want the warmth of the womb, but not the new birth.
I want a pound of the Eternal in a paper sack.
I want a sprinkling but not an immersion.
I want a taste of God but not a total meal.
I want to sample Jesus but not be over involved.
I want to do God’s will as long as it doesn’t interfere with what I am doing.

David eventually became a man after God’s heart by going all the way with total commitment.

Psalms 119:2 David says: Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.

Those who seek him with all their heart!

I’ve had a lot of people come and say, I just can’t get victory over sin. I’m trying to be a good Christian and I just can’t do it. How do I get strength to live the Christian life?”

( Stop Trying )

I’ll tell you how to get Christian strength. You seek it with all your heart. You’re going to get what you’re really seeking.” If you go at it with all your heart you will find it.

God is there waiting, reaching out to take your hand.

Revelations:3: 14: And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God; 15: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16: So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

Unless you love Him totally, you do not love Him at all. There is no such thing as lukewarm commitment. If you don’t crown Him Lord of All, you really do not crown Him at All.

Notice that our heavenly Father does not expect what He is not willing to give. Does God give totally? Does He? Yes, He does.

Does He give half-way? Do we have a part time daddy? Our awesome God gives totally! The bible is full of examples of how God give totally.

Let’s look and see!

Luke 8:48: And He said unto her, “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” (NIV)

Does God heal us half-way? No. He heals us all the way. Her faith had made her whole. She was not healed half- way she was healed completely by her faith in the one who could give healing.

He’s not going to say,

“Well, I’ll just give you a little bit of heaven.

I’ll give you just a touch of it.” No!

Does He give us just a sample of heaven? No!

He gives us the whole thing. It’s ours completely, all of it!

But to completely experience the joys of heaven then, you need to be totally committed to Jesus Christ today. Without that total commitment you won’t be there.

Let’s suppose you are going to get Married but before getting Married you’re soon to be tell you

What does the Scriptures say we need to do:

Ephesians 6:11. Put on the partial armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.

Is that what it says? “Put on the whole armor of God.” Partial of anything may not be sufficient to keep you safe.

The young David was able to slay Goliath because the giant did not use the whole armor. Where did that little stone find its mark? It sank into his forehead.

Where was his shield that came over his face, or his helmet? Where was the shield that his shield-bearer should have had? They were missing.

He was not wearing one, he did not feel the need to put it on, after all Davit was just a little small boy, not very big at all, what could he do to a Giant like Goliath

Goliath didn’t have the whole armor and so he died, you cannot become a Christian today without the whole armor of God or you too will die.

One little loophole was all it took for David’s stone to transform the mammoth monster into a dead dwarf.

There is no such thing as half-and-half unless you get it at Wal-Mart. In Christ there is a hundred percent or nothing.

STOEY: A Hog and Chicken sets a good example.

Visualize a chicken and a pig vacationing together. They travel for many miles and many hours. Finally they get hungry. The sharp-eyed chicken spots a restaurant. Approaching the door, they read a sign which says, “Ham and Eggs: Our Specialty!” “Hold it!” oinked the pig. “What’s the matter?” clucked the chicken. “Plenty,” said the hog. “All they want from you is a little compromise. They are asking me for total commitment!” That’s exactly what God wants.

How do you have a great marriage? You are totally committed to it. These are marriages that last seventy-five years, those people are committed to it. Commitment! That’s what we need to pray for.

When a little trouble comes to a great marriage, when both of them are committed to it, they’re going to stick with it. They’re not going to run.

Mark 8:34–36 Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”

You cannot stay on the runway and reach heaven at the same time. You’ve got to get committed and get off, take off.

What is man’s greatest possession? I would submit to you that man’s greatest possession is a relationship with Jesus Christ. That’s the greatest thing you can have all else is rubbish.

Mother letting Jesus take the wheel Jesus wants you totally: Hook, Line, and Sinker and that is another Sermon.

Do you want Him with all your might? Just pray this little prayer: “Dear God, you be the needle and I’ll be the thread. You go first and I’ll follow wherever you may lead.” That’s what thread does.

***In the beginning of this sermon I ask you a question!***

What in this world would keep you on a sinking Ship? The order is giving get off, Abandon ship and save your life. What is keeping you from getting into the gates of Heaven?

An old song goes like this: “I Surrender.. how much? All.” Yielding totally to Jesus. Another song says – “All The Way My Savior Leads me!” Are you willing to go all the way with Jesus?

The ship is sinking and there is not much time left, what are you going to do! The longer you wait the lest chance you miget have.

I pray that today you will give Jesus a chance, a chance to save you from a sinking world. Jesus said in Matthew:11:28: Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

In Noah time only he and his family were saved God was giving a warning to the people of Noah’s time for 120 years, telling them the ship was sinking. Get into the safety of God provision but no one believed what the man of God was preaching. The same is with our World today, God has done all he can do to save you, but the choice is your.

I pray that God will be with you as you decide today if you are staying on board this sinking ship or if you are following the command to get off this sinking World and into the hands of a God that loves you.