Believers Church of Statesboro

Storms… they hit all of our lives. But have you ever noticed that some people just seem to weather the storm better than others. Some people are totally wiped out when a storm hits and others seem to go through it with a quiet, calm, resolve.

Storms will hit our lives. It’s not a matter of if a storm will come, but rather when a storm will come. Join us this Sunday at Believers Statesboro at 9 or 11 as we discover that how we survive in the storm is determined long before we find ourselves in one.

Today Matters! Wk 4 Today Obey 08-29-10 Believers Statesboro

Today matters. Today, we want the blessings of God upon our life. Today, we want to experience His presence. However, in order to experience the blessing of God, we must “Obey Today”. God honors obedience. David desired to bring the ark of God back to Jerusalem and in the process he learned that we must do things God’s way and not our way.

· David returns the ark to Jerusalem (2 Sam. 6:2), carried on cart, not on poles (Exodus 25:14).

· Uzzah was struck dead for touching the ark (2 Sam. 6:7).

· David left the ark with Obed-edom for 3 months and blessing came upon them.

· David brought the ark to Jerusalem correctly (2 Sam. 6:15).

· Good intentions do not equal obedience. (1 Chr 15:12-13)

Jesus taught that obedience would lead to eternal life and the blessing of God in His story of “Two Foundations” found in Matthew 7:21-29. Jesus tells of two men and the two houses they built.

· One was a wise man who built his house on a rock solid foundation.

· The other was a foolish man who built his house upon a sandy foundation.

What was it that set the foolish man apart from the wise man?

Matt 7:24 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice (NKJ does them) (acts upon them) is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Matt 7:26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice (NKJ does not do them) is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

Today, we are faced with the daily decision to hear and know what Jesus’ Word says only or to hear and know what Jesus’ Word says and actually do it. Today Obey!

What is it that Jesus has commanded us to do?

Vs. 28-29 states that the people were astonished and amazed at what Jesus was teaching because He was teaching as one having authority. The text here in Matthew 7 is actually the conclusion of a sermon that was started in Matthew 5 (the Sermon on the Mount). In His teachings were commandments that He laid out for them, and for us, to obey.

But, the question we must all ask ourselves is “Have I heard only or have I heard and obeyed?”

The choice is yours.

If you keep His commands, you will be wise like a man who built his house on the rock.

His commandment leads to eternal life!

Obeying Jesus is not intended to make your life miserable and burden you with laws of legalism.

God wants the best for your life and obeying His commands will help His plan be fulfilled for you.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (NIV)

John 12:49-50 For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say." (NIV)

John 15:13-16 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit– fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (NIV)

What is our responsibility in this relationship with Jesus? Obey, Today Obey. “You are my friends if you do what I command.”

I John 5:2-3 This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, (NIV)

Storm Results

The Rock Matt 7:25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. (NIV)

The Sand Matt 7:27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash." (NIV)

Where will you be when the storm hits your life?

· Will your house be on the rock or on the sand?

· It’s not a matter of if a storm will come, but rather when a storm will come.

o Matt 5:11; John 16:33; Rom 5:3-5

If your house is built upon the rock, it will stand in any type of storm!

The Book of Job is a great example of a man who came through a storm. It really tells of a war waged in heaven between God and Satan. Satan’s goal was to get Job to turn his back on God. Job’s reaction to the storms in his life brought God victory.

Job 1:1-22 In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. (NIV)

o After Job had lost all of his many possessions and he learned of the death of his children, his first reaction was to mourn in the tearing of his clothes and shaving of his head, but also to worship the Lord.

o Vs. 20 “…Then he fell to the ground in worship.

o Vs. 21 and said: "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." (NIV) NKJ Blessed be the name of The Lord.”

o Vs. 22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing. (NIV) KJV Job did not sin, nor did he blame God.”

How sad it is when people blame God in the mist of the storm rather than praise Him and trust Him for deliverance.

Ps 34:19 A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all; (NIV)

How we survive in the storm is determined long before we find ourselves in one.

How we weather the storm is determined each and every day. Today Matters, as we hear the words of Jesus and do what Jesus says to do. Today Obey!

Acts of obedience will build a strong foundation.

Jesus has spelled out the results of both actions, hearing only and hearing and obeying.

We need to not only be hearers of the word but doers also.