Rivers Baptist Church - Christ alone - and Him crucified

Questions

How serious are you about God?
Now I really want you to think about this. Are you serious about God?
How important is He in your life?
Is He number one/ top priority or is He only fit in when you have the time for Him?

Next thought
This comes from John Bevere’s talk, another message that got me thinking. At the judgement seat you will not be judged just upon what you did but in the light of what you were called to do.
How many of you did that hit hard?

So my question to you is will you live your life as a good person & be saved or will you live your life in the light of what you were called to do? Think about it!

This next question is from the song that was playing at the start
Are you making it your business to give them the gospel?
Are you willing to get out there & talk about your God & spread the gospel to the lost?
I don’t know about you but that is a hard thing for me to do.

My last question to you
are you really all that open to hear what God has to say to you tonight or any other time that He talks to you.
So I don’t just mean church on Sunday morning or night but I also mean during the week because God will talk to you anytime of the week & He will talk to you wherever you are.
This also means when you are seeking God you need to listen to what He has to say to you no matter what.
So if He convicts you to change something in your life don’t just ignore it listen to Him & obey.

Notes
In my bible at the start of Amos it says this: “Have you grown complacent? Have other concerns taken God’s place in your life? Do you ignore those in need or oppress the poor?" Picture self as Amos faithfully doing what God calls you to do. You, too, can be God’s person. Listen for his clear call & do what he says, wherever it leads.

So my question to you is have you grown complacent? Are you lukewarm?

Are you turning to Gods word? Are you allowing it to teach, to convict and grow you? Are you learning His word & placing it in your heart? Are you being obedient? Are you talking the talk & walking the walk? Are you allowing God to work through you? These are questions I ask myself all the time.

Hebrews 6:1 says, “Therefore let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ & be taken forward to maturity.”

Matthew 7:24-27 says, “therefore everyone who hears these words of mine & puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose & the wind blew & beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

God is the foundation, the rock. Is your life built on that rock? Is God the foundation of your life?

God is our Rock

Deuteronomy 32:4
He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

2 Samuel 22:3
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my saviour— from violent men you save me.

Psalm 18:46
The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Saviour!

Psalm 94:22
But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.

God will never leave us

Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.

Deuteronomy 31:8
The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.

Joshua 1:5
No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

“I have come so you may have life & have it to the full” 1 John 10:10. Do you give your all to God? I mean time, money. Our values & priorities are reflected in how we use our resources – time, money, strength & talent. Where do your values & priorities lie?

Hebrews 12:1
[God Disciplines His Sons] Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

James 3:2
We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

Malachi 1:13-14 (New International Version)
13 And you say, 'What a burden!' and you sniff at it contemptuously," says the LORD Almighty. "When you bring injured, crippled or diseased animals and offer them as sacrifices, should I accept them from your hands?" says the LORD.
14 "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal to the Lord. For I am a great king," says the LORD Almighty, "and my name is to be feared among the nations.

Malachi 3:6-12
Robbing God
6 "I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.
7 Ever since the time of your forefathers you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you," says the LORD Almighty. "But you ask, 'How are we to return?'
8 "Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. "But you ask, 'How do we rob you?' "In tithes and offerings.
9 You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me.
10 Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.
11 I will prevent pests from devouring your crops, and the vines in your fields will not cast their fruit," says the LORD Almighty.
12 "Then all the nations will call you blessed, for yours will be a delightful land," says the LORD Almighty.

Here are some final thoughts from Heavenly Man to get you thinking:

• “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” Luke 12:15.
• You can never really know the Scripture until you’re willing to be changed by them.
• If you truly want to see God move, the 2 main things you must do is learn the Word of God & have the obedience to do what God tells you to do.

And here are some bible verses to help you on your journey this week.
1 Corinthians 15:58
“Therefore, my dear brothers & sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labour in the Lord is not in vain.”

Ephesians 5:8-10
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness & truth) & find out what pleases the Lord.”