Good morning. I pray you have been one of the blessed ones to be able to be outside enjoying some of this beautiful spring weather we have been having. I love this time of year when the pretty colors are all busting forth out of the ground. See the wonders of God that we take for granted. Would you miss the spring colors if they never came again?
Today, I am going to ask for a few moments of your undivided attention. I realize that at any moment you have the choice to stop reading, or even not open this at all. But, if you have taken the time to open this and have a heart opened to His Word, I believe you and I both are going to receive some valuable pearls from the Lord.
The title says, “I’ve heard enough”. Have you ever made that statement? Do you make that claim when you are at church? I have heard people say, I haven’t been to this church in a year, and I come back today, and that preacher is preaching the same thing today he was a year ago. How many times have you told your children, or someone else, I’ve heard enough? In what other areas of your life, have you decided that, you have heard enough, and stopped listening?
A sweet sister in Christ reminded me this week of a sermon I gave some years ago, where I shared with the congregation that we must remain “moldable” for God to be able to accomplish His work in us. Pondering on this conversation, I began thinking of people I have known or come into contact with who have become hard, cold and given up the ability to learn or grow any further. Are you one of these? Before you give me a quick snap answer, look down deep and really evaluate your spirit. Do you go to church every time looking for a message from God, or do you think, “I’ve heard a sermon like this before? Do you read His Word really expecting Him to speak to you, or do you say, “I’ve read that before and didn’t really get anything out of it”? Would you say that you have a teachable spirit? Do you know someone who you just cannot tell them anything they don't already know? Are you the type, or know someone who is the type that when you try to share something with them, or they ask you a question, and you give them the answer, they say, “yeah, I know but, “ or “yeah I knew that”? Let's see how God feels about some of this.
John 8:43 says, “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word.” Jeremiah 26:2-6 says, “2 "Thus says the Lord: 'Stand in the court of the Lord's house, and speak to all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord's house, all the words that I command you to speak to them. Do not diminish a word. 3 Perhaps everyone will listen and turn from his evil way, that I may relent concerning the calamity which I purpose to bring on them because of the evil of their doings.' 4 And you shall say to them, 'Thus says the Lord: "If you will not listen to Me, to walk in My law which I have set before you, 5 to heed the words of My servants the prophets whom I sent to you, both rising up early and sending them (but you have not heeded), 6 then I will make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.”
Romans 12:3 says, “For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.” 1 Corinthians 10:12 says, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Romans 1:22 says, “Professing to be wise, they became fools,” Matthew 11:25 says, “At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.” 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 says, Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness"; 20 and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."
I know I had a bit of a bigger opening today than normal, but I wanted to get your mind to thinking about the issue before we got into the Word. The point to all of this is that just when we think we know all we can know about a subject, God's Word reminds us that what we think we know is like a drop of water into the ocean of what He still can teach us,,,,,, if we are open to instruction. I am amazed how I still can learn from a child. God uses the lost to teach me valuable things that will help me the next time I come into contact with someone who is lost. Sitting outside today, a limb fell from the tree above me, teaching me and reminding me that “useless limbs” are pruned and cast into the fire.
God wants to spend time with us, but if we have the attitude that's “what's the use in reading the Bible, I've already read it”, then you are right, you will get nothing out of it. The next time you go to church and think, “wow, the preacher is preaching on this again”, it probably is because no one got it the first 20 times he preached it, and God has moved him to bring it to us again. God does not force Himself on anyone and He will not go where we will not allow.
Remember: God is the potter, and we are the clay. But if the clay hardens up and is no longer workable, the potter has to wipe the board clean and start over.
Until next time, please pray for each other, and me, as I continue to pray for each of you. Love in Christ,
Brian Hanvey
Associate Pastor
Bethel Baptist Church
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