Sermon Central
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I’m Still Standing Only Because Of God
Contributed by Samuel Fulkerson on Aug 23, 2012 (message contributor)
Summary: Life can be... is hard.
Hebrew: Hebrew is written and read right-to-left.
Psalm 119 = (136 verses [22x8])
• The Hebrew Aleph-Bet (alaphbet) has 22 letters.
• Psa. 119 is an Acrostic. (There are several of them throughout the OT).
• Paleo (Ancient)-Hebrew was pictographical.
o Aleph = Ox Head
o Bet = Tent Floor-plan
o Gee-male =Foot
o Dalid =Door
o Hay = Man With Arms Uplifted
o Mem = Flowing Water
o Num = Seed
o Vav = Tent Peg
Torah scrolls are in columns, each column starts with a VAV (and).
Hebrew (Eastern) is a concrete language. Greek (Western) is an abstract language.
o Concrete = 5 senses.
o Abstract != 5 senses.
Aleph (ox head) Bet (tent floor-plan) –[Ah-Ba] = An Ox is strong; Tent is the house where the family lives: When combined you get the meaning, “Strength of the House” = Father.
Aleph (ox head) Mem (flowing water) –[Aim] = Strong water (Glue): When combined you get the meaning, “The one who binds the family together” = Mother.
Bet (tent floor-plan) Nun (seed) –[Bane] = When combined you get the meaning, “To continue the house” = Son.
We are separated from Biblical Hebrew by culture and thousands of years.
Text: Psalm 37:25 (This was written some 3,007 years ago and is still true today!)
It has been said that, “God does not call the qualified, rather He qualifies the called”.
The statement “I’m still standing” may doesn’t have the same impact from a younger.
Life can be... is hard.
I Corinthians 1:25-29 “25- Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26- For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called]: 27- But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 28- And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, [yea], and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29- That no flesh should glory in his presence.”
I am not standing today because of/or by my own power.
Jesus is the door (an open door):
Abraham set in his tent door watching when the three paid him a visit.
The periodicals father set in his door watching for his son to come home:
The Father restored his Name (signet ring);
The Father restored his Authority (shoes);
The Father restored his Provision (robe).
I was grilling out the other day and it occurred to me, that it takes gas to start the grill heating and it takes gas to keep it burning.
I know, this is very profound.
And it is:
If it takes gas to get it started and if it takes gas to keep it running
THEN
If it takes speaking in tongues to get the Holy Ghost (and it does), then it takes speaking in tongues to keep the Holy Ghost going.
Paul said in Galatians 3:3 “…having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
Romans 8: 5-8 (Amplified): “5 For those who are according to the flesh and are controlled by its unholy desires set their minds on and pursue those things which gratify the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit and are controlled by the desires of the Spirit set their minds on and seek those things which gratify the [Holy] Spirit. 6 Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. 7 [That is] because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God’s Law; indeed it cannot. 8 So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him.”
You cannot think the way you use to think and please God.
Why?
Because he said, “Let this mind be in you...”; what mind? The mind of Christ.
How?
By the “Renewing of your mind” through God’s Spirit.
How can you think like God thinks?
Think His Word!
“The Joy of the LORD is my strength”. And that is not changed by my circumstance.
Philippians 4:6-7 (Amplified) “6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. 7 And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
