Every Tub Must Sit On It's Own Bottom

Scripture Focus - Luke 12:57 “Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?”

Thought to lift up - “Every Tub Has Got To Sit on It's own Bottom.”

God is bringing an indictment this morning. He is bringing a charge against the church. The judgment is this. God is not pleased with the empty way of worship that you are bringing before Him. God is real and He is aware of everything that goes on. He is aware of every broken promise. He is aware how you say you love Him, but are not willing to make sacrifices for Him.
I want to take you back to a time when you were a child – and for some of you, you don't have far to go. And while I am on the subject, let me tell you that every human being has two ages. What do you mean preacher? 1) they have a physical age from the beginning of exit from their mother's wound. 2) we also have a cognitive age – the age of the development of our brain/reasoning power. In this case of remembering, it don't make a difference – just that you remember a time ago when the teacher or principal would call your mama or daddy because you had gotten into something. Perhaps you go caught cheating on a test, or you got into a fight, took something or cursed the teacher – or you just plain acted up in class. When they came, Mama or Daddy had to hear all about it. And later on – if you were lucky, you would get one of the worse whippings of your life!
But now that you've grown up, Mama and Daddy don't get called. You have to stand on your own bottom. Discern the difference between right and wrong for yourself and decide for yourself which way to go. Unlike public school, you are now in the school of hard knocks. And I'm here to tell you today, life does not believe in taking any captives. In life, every tub has a bottom and every tub stands on its own bottom – not someone else's.
In this passage of Scripture in Luke, Jesus is in the height of His ministry. He is going around the countryside teaching and preaching. He has drawn the attention of the Pharisees – who are angry with him. They try to plot and trap Him (Have you ever been in a situation where you was trying to do the best that you could, and someone was out to hurt you – to criticize everything that you tried to do? No matter which way you turned, trouble was present on every hand – well this was Jesus.) He was going around trying to do good. Trying to teach that the Kingdom of God had come – in Him. Tell the people what they must do to be saved.... casting out demons, healing the sick – setting those captured by the devil free. And He was saying some hard stuff – listen in to His conversation.
Starting at verse 49 “I have come to bring fire on the earth – now that's enough to scare some people right there – and how I wish it were already kindled! But - this signifies something has to happen first. In this simple word, the rubber meets the road for Jesus. The “but” for us might be, Man I want to, but (you fill in the blank). You know, I would like to, but (you fill in the blank). Jesus continues, “I have a Baptism to go to and how distressed I am until it is completed.” Now, Jesus is talking about the Cross – and we can look at all that occurred on the Cross . . . how he was whipped, jabbed in the side ..and Jesus seems to be saying I am anxious to go.
Stay right there awhile! Now, I don't know about you, but anxious to go and have all that done to you? Well, some of you might be saying perhaps, he is saying that he is going to to his Baptism by John the Baptist, but that had already taken place – almost three years earlier at the beginning of His ministry. And since we know his ministry was only three years – he must nearing the end and headed straight for the cross.
No, Jesus was not speaking of that Baptism. He was speaking of His coming suffering on the Cross. He was also speaking of the coming sufferings of each of His followers. Jesus was saying, “I can't run away. I gotta sit on my own bottom.”
And each of us has to sit on our own bottoms if we are going to follow Jesus. Jesus was saying My Mama can't go to the Cross for me. My Father in Heaven can't take my place. He sent me and I gotta bear that cross for myself.
When Jesus said, “I have come to bring fire on the earth, he was looking to His crucifixion in grateful obedience. Oh, He did not look forward to the physical pain or the spiritual separation from God – that would accompany His death. But He did look forward to carrying out His Father's Will and being the Savior of the World. His heart was set so greatly on the redemption and salvation of mankind because of the great love God has for us that Jesus put His own comfort and His need for self preservation on the back burner.
I want to ask you today, is there anyone that you love more than yourself – that you are willing to put your need for self gratification on the back burner – in order that you might be a creditable witness for Jesus Christ?
Is there anyone that you care about – be it mother, father, sister or brother or friend – a girlfriend or boyfriend – that you are willing to put your need to party on the back burner for? People are dying for lack of knowledge. You know the truth, but are you willing to share it with anyone?
Just as God had baptized the Israelites in the red sea, God was about to baptize His own Son with fire and water. And Jesus had to go by Himself. He couldn't wait for the disciples – whom He called friends. He couldn't wait for Mama or His sisters and brothers.
The message that Jesus is sending in this passage of scripture – He is telling those around Him that they too must bear with hardships and difficulties. For every tub has to sit on its own bottom. You can't go by what Daddy did in the church. You gotta do it for yourself. You can't use the excuse that I came up in the streets – nobody was there for me – you know the truth now, and you gotta sit on your own bottom!
In v. 51 “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth?” The disciples didn't realize that not everyone wanted to be saved. We can be like that. We think everybody will welcome the Gospel with open arms. “But,” Christ is warning us – not everyone will accept Jesus – not only will they not accept Him, they actively oppose everyone who accepts Jesus. In other words, they are gonna try to stop you from spreading the message of salvation. They are going to put stumbling blocks in front of you! The Gospel, He is saying, will cause division.
V. 52 “From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Do you know that just because someone is physically related to you – you have the same father or same mother – or both, they may not be spiritually related to you? When you became a believer, you were rejoined to the family of God You moved up and away from your natural family into Jesus Christ. !Some of you don't realize that yet!
You see beloved, when a person receives Jesus Christ as His/Her Savior, that person is immediately separated from the unbelievers around them. 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 says “If anyone is in Christ, He is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God – it is not something we do ourselves.” We become ambassadors to the Word for God!
An ambassador is an agent or representative. In other words, we become just like the disciples whom Jesus called and walked with one by one. We are now His disciples – whether you understand it or accept it or not. This which is done is supernatural. We can't see it, but the devil can see it! HE KNOWS that we promised to follow Jesus. He also knows that we are not serving Him. .
Now that we are a new creation, we can't depend on Mama and Daddy or grandmama or sister or brother. Some of them are not saved – and it's our duty to walk so before them that they will see our good works and come running to us to say “What must I do to be saved?” Some of us, because we are not following Jesus, are putting nails in His coffin every day. [that's not Bren Wilson, that's the Bible!] And the truth shall set you free. . .
You see, the Gospel demands a response from everyone who accepts salvation. Joshua said it best, “Choose ye this day whom you will serve?” As each one chooses, people are lined up by God – separated supernaturally – depending on their response.
Some hearts are filled with pride and prejudice and they are resisting the Gospel message. They are choosing not to judge what is wrong and what is right.
Some hearts know the truth, but they don't want to make the sacrifices to become disciples – they can't hurt people's feelings or risk being separated from family and friends.
When you choose to follow Jesus, some family and friends will refuse to join you in following Him. Division will occur – God is causing this to happen. You try to hold on to the life you had before joining the family of God and it cannot be so – What fellowship does darkness have with light? What fellowship can wolves have with sheep? There is no middle ground. Loyalties must be declared. Commitments must be made! Sometimes to the point of breaking up relationships – breaking up homes, breaking up business partners and friendships.
Now, some of us don't like to hear that. We like to be gentle and kind towards everyone, treat everyone right – and we should be. But you must understand that everybody is not going to be gentle and kind towards you! And some of us are still trying to figure our why I have so much animosity and hostility coming towards me.
When we are snubbed, lied on and talked about, James said we ought to count it all joy because that is a sign that we are truly disciples of Christ. You have to remember that those people who are treating you that way are not the ones who saved you – they are in need of being saved.
When they hurt your feelings, that's a challenge and a trap! When you hear that someone has been talking about you, that's a challenge and a trap. When they don't include you, don't speak to you, that's a challenge and a trap.
Understand this - If the spirit of God dwells within you, it's not you that they hate, it is the Holy Spirit within you. At times like this, we must remember that the battle is not ours, it's the Lord's!
I'll tell you something else. The devil knows the name of every believer. He knows that Christ has made you an ambassador for taking the Gospel message – whether you are doing that or not. He can't take your disobedience and use it for His kingdom. He can shine a spotlight on you as a “suppose to be Christian” and say “Is this what a child of God is suppose to be doing?” “Is this how a child of God is suppose to be acting?” Then instead of people joining the church, they are repelled by your false witness. So the devil sits and sets traps for you strategically designed to stop you from being a witness. Strategically designed to cause you to sit down on God or walk out of His will for your life.
Conclusion:” Jesus tells us we will be hated for His namesake. But He also tells us to be of good courage for He has overcome the world. He gives us peace to go through – joy in the midst of the storms. He gives us encouragement through His word and through the example He has set for us.
And He's coming back again to take us to Himself. What a glorious time it will be! He will divide the sheep from the goats. We who are blessed of the Father – we who have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior – we have a work to do. We must stand on our own bottom – do the work that has been set before us – and that is to make disciples for the Kingdom of God. We do that through our actions as well as what we say. If we do that on earth, then we will hear Jesus say, “Well done my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a few things, now come sit and enjoy the table that has been set before you – won't be no diabetes or high blood pressure to worry about. Won't be no upset stomach or irritable bowels to worry about – we'll be able to feast all day and all night – at the table that Jesus prepares for us.
Let us Pray: Father, in the name of Jesus - Help us to have the courage to make up our own minds to serve you in season and out of season. Help us to remember that we are always ambassadors for you and to seek every opportunity to lift up the name of Jesus – understanding that we will be opposed, we will be talked about, lied on and rejected for the cause of Jesus Christ.
And now to Him who came to show us the way – to the only wise God, Jesus Christ, who died on a Cross at Calvary and on the third day rose again – to the one who has washed us in His own blood and is able to present us faultless before His father in Heaven – to Him be power, glory and dominion forever and ever . . . Amen.

FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS

“And Moses said unto God, Who Am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt? And He said, “Certainly I will be with thee.” (Exodus 3:11-12)

Have you ever had a Holy Spirit inspired dream of doing something really great for Jesus? A dream of being so prosperous, for instance, that you can finance a nationwide revival? A dream of leading thousands of people to Christ the Lord?
At one time or another, you probably have had such dreams, but perhaps you backed away from them. Maybe you thought, “Oh my, I couldn't do that! Satan's kept me defeated for so long I have a poor self- image.”
If so, I have some good news for you. If you'll believe God, even a poor self-image won't keep you from success. Look in the book of Exodus and you'll see a man who proved that. His name was Moses.
Moses didn't have a very good self-image. He'd made a terrible mistake early in his career. It was a mistake that drove him into the wilderness and kept him there for 40 years herding somebody's else's sheep.
He'd once dreamed of being a deliverer of God's people, but no more. As far as he was concerned, he was finished . . . a failure . . . a flop!
What are your dreams? As kids, we dream of being all sorts of things – of doing great things! But like Moses, slowly those dreams died as life took over.
But God didn't think the dreams were impossible. In fact, when God came to Moses in that wilderness, He didn't ask for Moses' credentials. He didn't mention his shady history. He just told him to go see Pharaoh and tell him to let God's people go!
Moses, however, was still wrestling with his poor self-image. “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh?” he stammered.
You know what God said in response. He just said, “Certainly, I will be with thee.”
You see, it didn't matter who Moses was. What mattered was that the living God was with him. The same thing is true for you today. You don't need a history of success behind you to answer God's call. You don't need a string of spiritual credentials. All you need is the presence of the Holy Spirit living within you.
Think about that when the devil tells you you're a failure; when he says you'll never amount to anything – or be able to do what God has put in your head to do. Put him in his place. Tell him it doesn't matter who you are because the living God is with you! . . . and follow your dreams!
Scripture Reading: Exodus 3:1-14

Vessels of Mercy

"If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins." Matthew 6:14-15

The Bible seems to speak of forgiveness in at least two different ways. In an ultimate sense, forgiveness refers to God's eternal pardon of all our sins when we look to Christ as the only One who can make us right with God (John 5:14; Romans 8:1; Ephesians 1:7). No action on our part - I'm going to say that phrase again. "No action on our part" can make that happen. This is the mystery of grace - God's undeserved favor to sinful men (Ephesians 2:8-9). Theologians call this "justification." Fully forgiven, we enter into relationship with a holy God.

Another kind of forgiveness mentioned in the Bible is the ongoing cleansing we need in order to maintain daily intimacy with God (1John 1:9). It is this second kind of forgiveness that Jesus speaks of in the verses above. If we refuse to show mercy to those who have wronged us, we distance ourselves from God and will cease to experience and appreciate his wonderful love.

As you come to know God and receive mercy for daily wrongs, ask yourself, "Have I forgiven all those who have wronged me?" Remember, "Forgiveness begins at home."

Let us pray: Today, Lord remind me of the shocking way in which you cancelled my debt of sin, and let that undeserved mercy move me to treat others with similar mercy. Amen.

Stepping Over the Line

“Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” (Romans 8:37) The Bible calls us kings and priests (Rev. 1:6) and world overcomers (1 John 5:44). For many of us, those phrases are still becoming real in our lives. We’re still learning who we really are! If you’ll look in 1 Chronicles, Chapter 14, you’ll read that David had a similar problem. He’d been anointed king by the prophet Samuel when he was just a teenager. He’d known for years that someday he’d rule over Israel. Yet and still somehow, it hadn’t really sunk in. But look at what happens in verse 2: “And David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king over Israel, for his kingdom was lifted up on high, because of his people Israel.” Ah-h! Finally, it dawned on him! David perceived that the Lord had confirmed him king. I can just imagine David saying to himself, “I’m king. I’m actually king! I AM KING!” At that moment, being king ceased to be something David had only thought about. It became something he really was. He could actually see himself as king. What does that have to do with you and me? Much like David, you and I have been given a royal office. But it’d not until we believe it that we can exercise the power and authority that goes with that office. If you’re sick, you can yell, “By His stripes I’m healed,” 50 times a day. You can hope for healing. You can try to believe for healing till your hair turns gray or silver. But if you don’t see yourself as “the healed” instead of “the sick,” you won’t get any supernatural help. Yet once the realization hits you that you are, in fact, “the healed,” no one – not even the devil himself – will be able to keep you from getting well. Likewise, if you come into a marriage and cannot perceive yourself as “wife” or “husband,” – supernatural power and authority were given to you because God ordained marriage - you will not be able to stand when the world comes against the marriage. I challenge you to step over the line from trying to believe to actually knowing by dwelling in the Secret place of the most high (Psalm 91), and meditating on the Word until the reality of your royalty in Christ Jesus rises up in you! Scripture reading: Ephesians 1:3-23

Are You "Sin Stained" or "Blood Washed"?

This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my Laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write; And their sins and iniquities will remember no more." (Hebrews 10:16-17) The Bible tells us that under Levitical Law, an animal had to be offered every year to "atone" for the sins of the people. That word "atone" means "to cover" and it's used continually throughout the Old Testament. But let me tell you something exciting!!! That word is never used in the New Testament. The Greek word used to describe what Jesus did for us on the Cross is different altogether. It is called "redemption." Redemption doesn't just mean to cover, it means to remit - to do away with altogether. Do you know what that means? It means there is no longer a sin problem? Jesus solved it! If you are saved, you made Jesus your Lord and Savior - the head of your life! When you made Him head of your life, He didn't just cover your sins, He put you into right standing with God the Father and recreated your Old Man (Old Spirit) by the Spirit of God - and made it as if sin had never existed. Many believers have never grasped this magnificent truth! You see, beloved, we have no problem believing that God is all powerful, all loving, and can do anything! The problem comes in our relationship with Him. What we have a problem believing is that God will use His power to save and bless us. We know we don't deserve it, so we can "God can, but God won't for me!" That's called being conscious of sin. It's also called being continuously under the domination of satan - rather than under the authority and Lordship of Jesus Christ. Now here's the question. Do you keep thinking of yourself as "sin stained" or "blood washed?" Well, you say, Pastor Wilson, "I'm just an old sinner saved by Grace." Well, I beg to differ with you - respectfully of course. I invite you to read the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:17 "THEREFORE if any man be in Christ Jesus, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new." When the devil throws another guilt trip at you, quote the Word of God and say, "According to 2 Corinthians 5:17, I was an old sinner, but grace changed me into the righteousness of God. I am now His workmanship created in Christ Jesus. As far as I am concerned, my past life is forgotten. I died the death of the Cross. Now it is no longer I that lives, but Christ who lives in me." Now think about what you just said. Let it sink deep within your consciousness until you rise up boldly and receive the freedom that is rightfully yours in Christ Jesus! Until you are able to let this truth sink deep within your consciousness, you cannot be an effective witness to the saving power of Jesus Christ. You will shrink back every time you are challenged, and satan is satisfied with stopping your witness. His reasoning is that he may have lost you, but he can stop you from allowing God to use you to save and bring others into the Kingdom of God. I say to you, "Let Christ breathe on you anew and receive the boldness that only the Lamb of God can give to you." Hallelujah!!!

A Prayer of Protection from Psalm 91

Abba (Father), I praise You that I dwell in the Secret Place of the Most High and that I shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].

 I will say of You, Lord, "The Lord is my refuge and my fortress, my God; on Him I shall lean and rely; and in Him I confidently put my trust."

For then You will deliver me from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.  You will cover me with Your pinions (feathers), and under Your wings shall I trust and find refuge.  Your truth and Your faithfulness are a shield and a buckler to me.

I shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked] that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday.

A thousand may fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand, but it shall not come near me.  Only a spectator shall I be [inacessible in the secret place of the Most High] as I witness the reward of the wicked.

Because I have made You Lord, my refuge and the Most High my dwelling place, there shall no evil befall me; nor any plague or calamity come near my tent.  For You will give Your angels special charge over me; to accompany, defend and preserve me in all my ways of obedience and service.  Your angels shall bear me up on their hands, lest I dash my foot against a stone.

I shall tread upon the lion and the serpent shall I trample under my foot.  Because I have set my love upon You, therefore will You deliver me.  You will set me on high because I know and understand Your name.

I have a personal knowledge of Your mercy, love and kindness.  I trust and rely on You knowing You will never forsake me; no, never.  I shall call upon You and You will answer me.  You will be with me in trouble.  You will deliver me and honor me.  With long life will You satisfy me and show me Your salvation!

                                                                   [Interpretation taken from the  Amplified Bible]

Christmas' Basic Requirement

Scripture: "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Jesus saith unto him . . . Until seventy times seven." (Matthew 18:21-22) Remember when . . .? That's a question we hear a lot this time of year - especially when we gather with family and friends. We browse through Christmases gone by enjoying the memories, until we inevitably stumble across the memories we would rather forget. Suddenly, the pain comes rushing back. The sting of a parent's criticism, the broken promise of a friend, the rejection, the disappointments, the heartaches, the betrayals . . . . What should we do with memories like that? Do we have to drag them along, like so much baggage, from year to year? As the years go by, they seem to get heavier and heavier. The answer is "no, we can leave them behind for good." In fact, we must leave them behind! And there's only one way to do it - through forgiveness. Forgiving someone sounds like a simple thing to do. Yet few of us actually do it. We treat forgiveness as if it were one of life's additional options, something we can take or leave alone. But its not. It's a basic requirement for every believer. In fact, as far as God is concerned, unforgiveness is wicked. In Matthew 18, Jesus tells us a parable that illustrates the terrible consequences of it. The parable involves a servant who owed his lord a debt equivalent to millions of dollars. When the debt came due, he pleaded with his master, "Lord have patience with me and I will pay thee all." His master was so moved that he cancelled the entire debt! Soon thereafter, that same servant sought out a man who owed him $15. Finding him unable to pay, he ignored the man's pleas for mercy and had him cast into prison. When his lord heard about what he had done, he was outraged! He called him a "wicked servant" and delivered him to the tormentors until he paid all that was due. Look again at the size of that unforgiven debt. Fifteen dollars! The man was not thrown into jail because of what he owed but because of the actions brought about by the unforgiveness he harbored in his heart. The little debts are the ones that most often trip us us. The petty resentments between husbands and wives, between brother and sister, between children and parents, between bosses and coworkers. Tiny bits of unforgiveness that seem too insignificant to bother with. BEWARE! Those are the kinds of debts Satan uses to torment you. After all, Jesus paid off a mountain of debts for you. You can afford to be generous about the nickel and dime debts of others. Spend time with the Holy Spirit. Allow Him to reveal the unforgiveness areas in you. (Yes, sometimes we know and sometimes we've forgotten the areas that need cleansing.) Whatever it is, repent and release it - really let go, which is your reasonable service. Make this Christmas more than a time to remember. Make it a time to forget. . . . Scripture reading: Matthew 18:21-35