Honor God

Turn please in our Bibles to the book of Genesis the book of Genesis and chapter 18, please I've got three different places to read this morning and I'll just read them in order but I'd like to read one first and then make some comments and Then go to the second comments third and so on there's really three things I know there's a number of things that you could discover in the Word of God but I've noticed three three statements that have been said and I never really looked into who said them and then when I took time to look into who said them It really opened up something that I enjoyed and then I start to look at the context and it was quite enjoyable So it has spoken to me and it has affected me and I trust that it will do the same to you now, let's start in Genesis chapter 18 and verse number 14, and here's the statement that was made question Genesis 18 and verse 14 is Anything too hard for the Lord? Now I I thought that was said by a man a prophet maybe But as you start to look into the story That that is said directly by God Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Okay, so let's just go back to chapter 17 for a second and just I'm just gonna read a couple of verses just to show You what led up to that statement? Genesis 17 and look at verse 17 Excuse me. Abraham is 99 years of age. I know this is known to many people and his wife is 90 Genesis 17 verse 17 then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed and Said in his heart Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old and Shall Sarah that is 90 years old bear So he laughed.

Okay, then come over to chapter 18 and Look at verse number 11 Now Abraham and Sarah were old well stricken in age and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women Medically impossible for her to have a child verse number 12 therefore Sarah laughed within herself saying after I am wax old shall I have pleasure my lord being old also and The Lord said unto Abraham Wherefore did Sarah laugh saying shall I have a surety bear a child which am old is? Anything Too hard for the Lord Can you imagine that coming out of God's mouth? Now, I guess really the thoughts that are in my mind This is the first time you read of the word laughed in the Old Testament It's linked with Abraham and it's linked with Sarah. I Think all of you know today that God did Answer his word his promise and a child was born and what did they call the child? Isaac, what does Isaac mean? Laughter First time you read of that in the book in the Old Testament. So I was thinking of it this way Here is this impossible situation Medically impossible physically impossible You ever face things like that I Was thinking of it this way.

There could be someone that you're you're really exercised to see saved You ever sometimes get listening or overcome by the flesh the devil the world and you just think to yourself God can't do anything here This is impossible Maybe there's someone here and we've heard of individuals that are sick maybe you'll look at all the medical data and all the Doc of the words of the doctors and maybe you stand there and you just simply go You you wouldn't dare say it Nor would I? but my heart says This is too big God This is impossible. I Think of Abraham and Sarah after they had the child They named it Isaac. I thought every time they looked at the boy and They said Isaac come here Laughter their mind would go back to that statement that come out of the mouth of God is Anything too hard for the Lord, you know it's very interesting when you go through the book of Deuteronomy when God came down and gave the law in Exodus and then Moses goes over it in Deuteronomy chapter 4 very interesting that Moses very clearly states that you did not see any similitude no image God came down in person upon that mountain there was fire and lightning and thunders and and noise and and the people were literally terrified and God made sure that Moses impressed the people with this you did not see any image and Then he then he goes further and he says now they're just about to go into the landing He says you're gonna go into a land that is inhabited by Pagans and they have images They have all kinds of physical images Not only on the earth But they look to the stars physical image and the moon and the Sun and and they say that this is our God Let's take the desk.

This is our God. This is limited and God says listen, you saw no image Don't take an image But you and I can make a mental image Well, we wouldn't go to the physical image But it's just as wrong now. Listen, this is convicting me Okay, it's just as wrong for me to look at a situation Look at a person look at an event look at whatever might be happening.

Take it down into the assembly context Maybe there's a problem in the assembly Do you ever sometimes just look at it and go too hard for God This is impossible for this to work out well Dear child of God, let me encourage you as it has encouraged me. Help us not to limit our God Nothing is beyond his reach Nothing no matter how desperate the situation might look. I mean you can under I can read about Abraham and Sarah I mean here is a woman that it's it's impossible to have a child.

I Can understand I can understand these people. She just laughed within herself and said I Know it's God who's telling me But It can't happen What happened She did have the child, right? Yeah, and as a result of that impossible situation a child was born and then as a result of that had a child So and the whole nation of Israel Just came into existence from what? Something that looked impossible something that sounded impossible now for those that that want to just study it through Only twice does that expression appear in the Bible? I'll end with this comment and move on the next one appears in Jeremiah 32 in verse 27 and God says this to Jeremiah What's happening there? well Because of the sin of the nation of Israel the Babylonians have come in and they're just taking everybody captive They're ransacking everything And here God comes to Jeremiah and he says Jeremiah I want you to go and buy some land in Jerusalem in Israel Get the deeds put it into an earthen vessel and hold on to it because God says I will bring the nation back and Here's here's Jeremiah. Look at these.

He sees all these Babylonians. He sees all this army He sees all these people being carried away into captivity Thousands of miles away You're telling me to buy some land It's worthless They're ransacked it. They're burning it.

The thing is gone. God says you buy land Keep the deeds because listen Is anything too hard for the Lord? I? Will bring my people back out of captivity. Where's the nation of Israel today? Are they gone Nope There's that little nation still there Now, I don't believe yet.

We have witnessed or seen the influx Excuse me, the influx of people that will come into that land. I Think it's going to be tremendous when God from all corners of this earth. He starts to gather his people into that land Let me encourage you dear child of God our God is on the throne and There's nothing listen to his words.

Just apply his words to your situation. He looks at that man Abram he looks at that man Jeremiah and he says listen with all of those doubts swirling in your mind all of those dark thoughts is Anything too hard for the Lord So we can be encouraged by that let's turn over to 1st Samuel, please 1st Samuel chapter 2 Now this is a very interesting story. I'll just read the statement and then once again I'll just read a couple of verses back to show you the setting.

I Have to admit to you it always pays You always should pay attention to the full verse I always used to read half the verse and think well, what a wonderful verse So let's look at 1st Samuel chapter 2 and look at verse number 30 Now here's what God said to Eli through a prophet 1st Samuel chapter 2 and verse number 30 wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith I said Indeed that thy house and the house of thy father should walk before me forever But now the Lord saith be it far from me Here it is for them that honor me. I will honor and They that despise me Shall be lightly esteemed Let's read that read that last part of verse for them that honor me. I Will honor don't we all want to be honored by God? Do we not want to enjoy the blessing of God? Well, look at the verse for them that honor me.

I will honor and They that despise me they that think little think down upon me shall be lightly esteemed Now what's happening here? Well, let's look go back just go back in the chapter go back to verse number 12 Here's what's happening in the nation at this time and to this man Eli look at verse number 12 Of chapter 2 now the sons of Eli were sons of Belial They knew not the Lord and here they were doing the priest's office and the priest's custom with the people was that when any man? Offered sacrifice the priest's servants came while the flesh was in seething or boiling with a flesh hook of three teeth in his hand and he Struck it into the pan or the kettle or the cauldron or the pot and all that the flesh hook brought up the priest took for himself and You know what was happening here? God had promised certain parts of the animal to the priest to feed on But these boys weren't satisfied with that They were taking from what should have been given to the Lord They were taking extra meat They didn't want the little bit. Okay, keep going. Look look at the the next sentence Verse 14 so they did in Shiloh on to all the Israelites that came thither verse 15 also Before they burnt the fat the priests servants came.

Do you know what God required from every sacrifice? all The fat is to be given to me You you and I that like steak, do you know what makes steak juicy? little piece fat They wanted some of the fat God said it all belongs to me They said we want some of it to satisfy our own natural cravings Keep going. Look at the end of verse 15 and said to the man that sacrificed give flesh to roast They were never to roast it. They're always to boil it Now, you know what happened? Eli their father didn't discipline the boys He said nothing here are these wicked boys and they were just making a mockery of things that belong to God and God wasn't getting his portion and the people were being robbed and Eli who should have known better now.

I'm not trying to be too hard on Eli Okay, but I'm gonna bring the principle in a minute Eli who should have stepped in and said boys you're wrong He didn't say nothing look what happened verse 22 Now Eli was very old and heard all that his sons did unto all Israel and how? They lay with women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. This is when Eli spoke The sin was progressing and he should have spoke back here, but sin leads to more sin and Finally when this terrible thing comes to light, here's what he says verse 23 and he said unto them Why do ye such things? For I hear of your evil do dealings by all the people nay my sons for it is No good report that I hear ye make the Lord's people to transgress now verse 27 and there came a man of God unto Eli and said So on so forth let your eye go down to verse number 29 Now he's speaking to Eli not the sons Wherefore kick ye at my sacrifice and at mine offering which I have commanded in my habitation and Honorist thy sons above me. You know what the Word of God is teaching Eli withheld Discipline and as a result He didn't honor God he honored he preferred his boys Above God's law Now the verse comes in They that honor me I will honor They that despise me.

I will lightly esteem I'm looking at this story and I'm reading I'm thinking I didn't you I do the best he best he could Mean those of us that are parents. We don't like to be too hard on our children but the importance of Looking after things when God's Word is being neglected Now I was thinking how do I understand that today? They that honor me I will honor Well, I was thinking of it just in a couple of different areas. I want to speak very kindly to shepherds overseers Looking after God's assemblies You all know this That's not your assembly That belongs to God.

Is there a problem that You haven't been looking after and maybe you're just waiting Maybe you just go away Maybe you're and I can understand I can understand you're thinking Well, if we if we if we rebuke so-and-so or say such and such there's going to be a big spin-off And you just never know listen they that honor me. I will honor That's what God says Nobody will get anywhere By just keeping at the natural level We'll try to figure this out. I know it should be corrected.

I know there should be discipline I know there should be this listen dear child of God All the while while we wait, I know there's a waiting on God. I understand that What I'm looking at is a problem that should be dealt with And you have that sense. It should be dealt with and you're just holding back just like Eli Eli knew he should have spoken to his boys, but he didn't I Mean such a godly man like Eli.

That's what shocked me when I read it Hi priest in Israel God holds us Accountable and we don't get away with it. Do you want the blessing of God? You honor him by fulfilling his word You go into the book of the Acts Do you know what you'll discover when Ananias and Sapphira were judged because of their sin? The Word of God grew and multiplied That's the very principle they that honor me I will honor Now, let me just take it out of the assembly and let me take it to you and I today Individuals we all know we live in a busy time. Don't we? Let me talk to students for a minute Let me encourage you with this wonderful word that came out of the mouth of the Lord they that honor me I will honor Do you schedule your university college school Around your weekly Bible study They don't need me Are you in that assembly? Yeah Have you been gathered by the Lord Jesus that assembly? Yeah, and they don't need you Yes, you're needed You are important.

You're needed. Well, I don't take part. It doesn't matter.

You're needed. Oh It's gotten along without me for so long No, listen to the word they that honor me. I Will honor It's a very simple principle I Was thinking of it as you know, I was thinking of in a family relationship.

Thank God for my wife. That's here She's been a great encouragement to me. You know what happened? Used to happen sometimes I come home from work tired Just happens to be Tuesday night prayer meeting night.

Oh I'm kind of tired tonight, honey Now if she had said yeah, let's just stay home. We both would have stayed home. No, we're going.

Oh Yeah, we're going. Okay You know, we're all looking to be led by somebody aren't we? We really don't want a woman it but if you're in a group of people and one person is negative It just ripples through the whole lot and then everybody does nothing but if you just have one person That stands up and says it's important. We're going Now I might not be doing it for the right reasons.

Normally when I did go I was warm, but I got there We all know that God has us in the assembly for a reason The fellowship I State the person's name, but I and listen, I don't want you to misunderstand this comment. Okay? We all understand from the Word of God that Sunday is not the Sabbath We understand that we understand from the Word of God that Sunday is not a replacement for the Sabbath But there is a principle dear child of God in the scripture that Sunday is the Lord's Day Do I treat it like any other day I'm not I'm not up here trying to say you can't do this. You can't I know one lady that had a very heavy Workload at university, you know what? She purpose for God.

I Will not study on Sunday. I will give my mind to the assembly and to visitation and So on and so forth Do you think God honored her in exams? Absolutely What's the principle they that honor me I will honor just giving God his portion Awful, isn't it? When we give God what's left over God doesn't need it Do you know what God wants from you dear child of God he wants the best that you got And he deserves it Now I'm not trying to say that we we look at our Christian life and we sort of go. Okay, God, I Scratch your back you scratch my back.

That's the wrong way to look at your Christian life But here's what I know God is able to bring benefits into our life. We couldn't even begin to count them God is just waiting to honor you. Do you know what we need to do? You make God's things important Make them different When it comes to things that belong to God and to God's assembly, don't look at it and treat it Just like any other secular thing Make a distinction and I think that's so important.

So in the in the context of this story, here's this poor man Eli He just withheld judgment He maybe waited for the problem to go away. God ended up having to tell him You're gonna cease to be a priest Their whole family that's awful solemn, isn't it? Finally, let's go to Matt Malachi the very last excuse me book in the Old Testament for another expression This one is really quite tremendous Malachi chapter 3 just a few brief comments and then we'll be done now this came once again, this came from the mouth of the Lord Jesus and it's really quite a staggering statement Malachi chapter 3 and verse number 10 And here's what God says to the nation of Israel to the priests Bringing all the ties into the storehouse that there may be meat in mine house and Prove me now Prove me now herewith set the Lord of hosts if I will not open to you the windows of heaven and Pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it You imagine God is looking at this nation And he says listen prove me Now do it now. I want to bless you Give me what's rightfully mine Look at verse number eight.

Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me but you say wherein have we robbed thee in tithes and offerings you're cursed with a curse You know what was happening to Malachi here were these priests and they were bringing to God sick animals Ones that were about to die. Oh, we don't need that animal. It's gonna die.

Anyway, let's give it to God the second best God basically comes in and says I don't need your dead animals your sick animals You go back into Malachi and God says this. I wish there was somebody shut the doors of the temple. I Do not want that second-rate sacrifice and God comes out to these these people with this blank check prove me now What would you do someone if a billionaire walked up to you and gave you a blank check and said Just write the figure and what would you like the sky's the limit God says to these people you give me what is mine fill my house.

He said I'll open up the windows of heaven And I'll literally downpour a blessing that you can't contain Do we believe that? I'll tell you where it's tested. How's your giving? Oh I know preachers aren't supposed to speak on giving well, I'm going to Nobody speaks on it anymore. Well, it's very scriptural to speak on it What do you give to the Lord? Now, I'm just going to tell you how I was taught.

Okay as a young Christian my father Taught me a lot of things. Here's what he said Scott you work and you make what is called a gross and Then the tax man comes in and the health man and all these different and then you take home the net So let's just say you're gonna give 10% to the Lord Don't you give God 10% of this the lower amount? You give God 10% of this what you make Don't feed God after the tax man's got his chunk But what is it in us? We almost you know, God says I love a cheerful giver Not a not a grudgy almost like the money's in your hand. It's like just squeaking all the way God I don't need it.

I do not need it. God wants someone to serve him just with joy I'm doing this because I love him now dear child of God. Let me help you I have taught my girls this the minute they got saved and had work.

You don't need full-time work to give to God Whatever portion comes into your hand pick a number and give it to God You want help? I'll give you help. I don't mind giving help Start at 10% That was the least in the Old Testament. Oh Someone says 10% 10% now I just see the mathematicians in the on the audience right now.

Oh My dear I couldn't afford the Porsche let the Porsche go Let it go Don't give God what's left over God says you prove me now right now We often say to people The sinners the road to hell is paid with good intentions Do you want to know something? For Christians on the road to heaven, it's paid with good intentions Yeah Maybe someone's sitting here today and you're going I Thought it's a little worked up up there. But you know what? He's right. Oh, sorry.

I'm not supposed to knock this platform That's why I've been sort of restrained today when I can't hit something my anyways And you're just thinking to yourself, you know, I really should do that. Well, you know what I'm in school right now part-time job I tell you what when I get the full-time job, I'm gonna give God his portion No, you won't what you're doing today you'll do tomorrow You hear these people all the time they say oh, I know I should be studying for my Bible for the Bible study week Goodbye, but you know what when I retire I'm gonna become a tremendous student at the scripture No, you won't You give God time now you develop a good habit That good habit will stay with you the rest of your life I should touch on this and I'll sit down It's wonderful how? God blesses I need to I need to look at my notes here for a second I want to quote you this verse listen to this verse You don't have to look it up, but just listen to this verse this comes to giving now I'm just touching on the money side of things, but you could touch on time and talent and and things possessions But just on the money listen to this 2nd Corinthians 8 and 12 for if there be first a willing mind Who doesn't start with the pocketbook? If there be first a willing mind It is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not What does that mean? You ever sometimes have a desire to give somebody something I'm just gonna pick it. I'm gonna pick an arbitrary number Okay, I want to give Murray $100 And I reach into my pocket and all I got is 50 well, I really want to give him 100 But all I got is 50 So I go when I give him the 50 Do you know what God knows? The original intention was 100.

That's what I'm gonna reward you on If there be first a willing mind How can I prove that from Scripture? Do you know what's said about? Abraham in Hebrews Now listen carefully the chapter of faith He Offered up his son. Do you read that Genesis 22? Isaac didn't die in Genesis 22 But here in the New Testament God is rewarding the man with this you offered up your son Do you wanna know what that tells me? God doesn't reward based on the deed. It's the intent And in the mind of Abraham he had offered up his boy Now, you know what? That helps me There's a lot of things that I try to do for God and because of my own limitations Because of maybe the environment I was in or whatever something that is beyond my control.

I couldn't control I ended up doing half a job You know what? I comfort myself with I had an intent to do this But only 50% ended up being done God rewards on the intent We have a wonderful God Let's all be encouraged. Is there anything too hard for the Lord? Anything? Are you thinking of some things right now? God says you honor me and I'll honor you and Then God goes further you prove me now And just stand back and let God just unveil his greatness and you will be blessed as a result of it