Download... March 14, 2010. Sunday Morning Service. Bro. Dave Goble.
1 CORINTHIANS 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.
Paul is instructing here to always be unmovable in God, in His work, in spite of our laboring against the enormity of obstacles.
In this spiritual warfare, we cannot be half-hearted and expect to be victorious. Our whole heart of worship, must be in the battle. We must forsake all selfishness and self protection. There is prosperity, abounding for the zealous in God and not striving for the flesh. It is the way of High and absolute places, that is God's way. No matter the depression, and hard times, we cannot allow our-self to be swayed. Our worship and faith must not be merely hopeful but be stedfast, and unmovable. We cannot allow our-self to be immersed in the obstacles although they are very real. People, circumstances, must not allow us to be found in "the swamps." Our face must be set to worship and victory, Always abounding in the work of the Lord. We cannot have two faces, one for worship, and one that reflects our problems. God does not call us together for worship with bringing in our depressions, and being in the dumps. It has no place for Victory. We must claim our salvation with certain victory! To do otherwise is to be headed for greater problems than you might already experience.
In the fleshly presumptions of life, people often look for 3 things.
1) Expectations 2) Fulfillment 3) Certainty. Taking care of basic needs and safety precautions would be a better reality check. For if allowed without carefulness, "expectations" once fulfilled,.. can be taken for granted.
I Corinthians 15:13-19
13: But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen:
14: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
15: Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not.
16: For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised:
17: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
18: Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.
19: If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
Paul is challenging the saints not to feel your faith is in vain! Examine yourself, consider having another trusted one also examine you. "Sipping back" only happens when we do not allow our-self to be examined. "Passing the test" might take a preparation of all night. The examination is for me, starts with me and ends with me. There must be an examination of self. Have you "arrived," that an examination is not needed? Scary! We All need to be examined, at all times to ensure our faith is anchored. What's wrong,... has God lost His power? Cannot God reveal an ongoing need for growth? True humility will help us to allow our-self, His examination. Psalms 139: 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:24 And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
1: To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
2: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3: A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4: A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5: A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6: A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7: A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8: A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
There is a time to examine our-self, mount up on the "war horse", and remove hindrances. The very survival of your faith and this congregation depend on examination. We need to be scrubbed or washed by the word. As time goes on and something presses against your foundation, only being anchored, will keep you stedfast. Expectations then is built on hope and not in vain, if built on Jesus Christ.
There are board games that emulate life, that often you might have to go back to start after much "success" and "money." Likewise in real life setbacks and heartaches often come, and should not cause you to lose hope and faith. Our hope will not be in success and money if it is in the Rock Christ Jesus. That is the hope all saints build on, not jobs, children, family, wealth, etc.
Again, I Corinthians 15:58 You must be stedfast, unmovable, so you can know the certainty of victory through a heart of worship. If you allow a lack of stedfastness, or wishy washy efforts, your faith will be shaken. When calamity comes you will wonder where your faith is, if not stedfast.
Br Goble told of how once when wading out in the waters, he needed to stand on a rock as the waters swirled around, so he would not be pulled in by it. So it is with the rock Christ Jesus, will keep us stedfast in the midst of the tides of life. Unmovable. Your faith and hope is not in vain, if kept built on Jesus. Otherwise you are floating on a boat of no hope. We must not accept conditions that needs to change, for it is selfishness not to work on those needs, in order to work out your salvation in trembling and fear.
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Attitudes, decisions, and behavior, often show when one has strayed from the foundation. This is why it is so vital for us to ask God to examine us. Then we can see the need to abandon those selfish obstacles. The heart is deceitful, and not trustworthy as our counsel. If good fruit is not produced, it is because of selfishness.
Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
We need to pray for God to help us to be humble. True humility will ask God to show me if I am wrong in a decision, attitude, etc., and to correct my ways. God help us. The goal is to be humble, and not that You are right. That is not a sure foundation. When everything fails, don't fall back to bitterness, cynicism, etc. Spend time in 1) prayer, 2) the bible, and 3) meditation. Let God have his way. Can the Holy Spirit shake you to truly examine yourself? God Can help us. We have a Hope!
