Ps.119:104 “Through thy precepts I get understanding:…”
Prov. 4:5.7 Get wisdom, get understanding forget [it] not; neither decline from the words of my mouth…… Wisdom [is] the principal thing; [therefore] get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding
Prov. 16:16 How much better [is it] to get wisdom than gold! and to get understanding rather to be chosen than silver
Eccl.3:6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
As we look at these scriptures there is one common word: GET
Excuse my English this morning if I don’t use proper grammar at times. I’m just trying to prove a point and not worry about perfection!
You’ll understand!
There are some things in life I “get” to do and some things I’ve “got” to do!
Much of what we see depends on what we’re looking for!
-whether it’s something you take pleasure and “get” to do it or it’s a burdensome thing but you’ve still “got” to do it!
Get to or Got to….it all depends on your attitude!
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Maybe you’ve got some “got to’s” in your life that just don’t fit into your schedule.
“got to’s” that just don’t fit your personality
Take a new look at things in your life, and maybe you’ll change them into “get to’s”
“Get to’s” are the pleasurable things we “get to” do!
I get to come to church.
I get to worship.
I get to give
I get to speak in tongues
I get to be born again
I get to be holy
I get to go to Heaven
I get to be saved and sanctified
I get to tell someone about Jesus
You don’t like to go to work every day?
Ask the man that’s disabled and he’ll tell you he wishes he could “get to” go to work!
You don’t like to pay your electric and power bills?
Ask the homeless person and they’ll tell you they wished they could “get to live in a house!
You don’t like to be holy, have morals or self control?
Ask the person laying in the hospital beds full of AIDS or the drug attics in the detox centers and they’ll tell you ..wished they could “get to” have a 2nd chance!
I get to be holy! I get to be saved! I get to live for Jesus!
Monday morning…instead of saying, I’ve “got to” go to work and you drag yourself out of bed. -instead get up with enthusiasm and thank God for your job and say…
I get to go to work
I get to go to school
I get to live another day for the Lord
Parents! It depends on your age and stage of life for you to understand this next one.
If someone calls you tomorrow morning and says “hey lets go fishing” “hey lets go golfing”
and instead you say “NO, I’ve got to go to my kids ball game tonight”
Think about the fact that someday your kids are going to be grown up and have their own life, own time schedule and they won’t need you as much.
-there won’t be any more ball games to go to, then it’s easier to say:
“I get to go to the ball game”
“I get to take them shopping”
“I get to spend time with my kids”
It’s amazing what this type of thinking will do for your attitude!
You’ll find yourself looking forward to doing some things instead of feeling as if you have to do them!
Also! What a difference it will make in your performance when you turn your
“Got to’s” into “Get to’s”.
When you’re too tired to sing out loud in church and clap your hands.
If you’ve convinced yourself that you’re not an emotional person.
You’d be surprised if you’d just change your attitude what you can do!
I got involved in a 30-day prayer and fasting chain once.
I developed a poor attitude towards it when it came to my turn to participate, I started to back out when my Pastor and mentor told me…
I don’t “got to” to do….I “get to” do it!
He told me when you’re hungry, tell yourself: “I get to put my flesh and spirit under subjection” I get to show my carnal will.. Who’s boss around here”
When I’ve prayed for 5 minutes and run out of things to say to the Lord….its because I’ve still have a “Got to” mentality about prayer!
When you get a “get to” attitude about talking with the Lord…your 5 minutes will turn into 20 min, 30 min, even an hour can go by.
-your performance will change when you turn your “got to’s” into “get to’s”
I know its not proper English but
“I don’t got to be baptized. I get to be baptized
“I don’t got to repent. I get to be forgiven”
“I don’t got to receive the HG. I get to speak in tongues
“I don’t got to be born again. I get to be born again and go to Heaven!
I remember talking to a man who had cancer a few years ago in the hospital.
He didn’t come to church much when he was in good health and could come.
But laying in that hospital bed and being told he didn’t have much time.
He told me, “Pastor I can’t wait to get out of here and “get to” go to church once again!
“I can’t wait to get baptized”
“I’m praying I have enough strength to make it to church one more time just so I “get to” raise my hands and worship with all the saints”
Your performance changes when your attitude changes about what you “get to” do!
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Lk. 16:19-31 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that [would come] from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Basically this rich sinful man was saying:
“Oh if I only had another chance to hear the preacher…I would respond”
“Oh if only God would send someone, even from the dead to testify and invite my brothers to church”
“Oh, if there would be anyway for me to just have a drink of water and be comforted.
But how many times do we hear someone say “don’t talk to me about church”
“just leave me alone”
Or how many times has the Lord told us to testify to someone and we turn a deaf ear to his voice.
Folks! I don’t “got to” go to church…I get to go to church”
I don’t “got to” witness about Jesus…I “get to” witness to the lost
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The other day, I had a man stop by the store and during the conversation I started talking to him about coming to church and offering my services as a pastor to him.
He hung his head and tried to change the subject about the grass and I said
“Hey don’t avoid what I’m saying. I’m serous. I’m praying for you and I want you to come”
You’re a good man and I want you to go to Heaven”
Right then his flesh was thinking, I’ve “got to” go to church!
and my flesh was thinking “I’ve got to witness to this man”
We need to change our “got to’s” into “get to’s”!
I get to come to church!
I get to witness and tell others about Gods goodness to me. I get to save a soul from Hell!
I get to be involved in someone’s eternal destination!
James 5:19, 20 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
Prov. 11:30b “…he that winneth souls is wise”
That rich man in Hell wished he could “get to” hear one more sermon!
He wished someone would have witnessed to him and his brothers once again!
I get to receive the HG and I get to help pray someone else thru the HG!
I get to be saved and I get to help introduce someone else to Jesus!
I like the song that’s says “When we all get to Heaven”
It doesn’t say “When we’ve all got to go to Heaven”
I get to go to Heaven! So let’s act like it..
Let’s worship like it..
Let’s witness like it!
Either you walk around mad and sad all the time letting the cares of life burden you down or you get to be full of the Joy of the Lord and act like it!
You say “Brother Richard you don’t how I feel and you don’t know what I’m going thru.
I’ve got to act upset.
I’ve got to act like I’ve lost my best friend.
I’ve got to be this way”
No you don’t!!!! It’s your choice!!!
-you get to be full of peace, love and joy if you want to!
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
Someone or something has hurt some of you sitting in this room today, in your past.
-it could have been almost unspeakable abuse or taken advantage of by someone you loved.
-maybe you had plans and goals and they got side tracked.
Consequently, you now keep everyone at arms length.
Your Joy of the Lord is buried under a pile of carnal feelings.
You’ve got walls built up so high in your life; you’ll never see freedom again.
I deal with people all the time that say “Brother Richard, I don’t want to feel this way but I don’t know what to do about it”
Folks! It’s your choice!
Quote Rita Cooledge “Too often the opportunity knocks, but by the time you disengage the chain, push back the bolt, unhook the two locks and shut off the burglar alarm, its too late”.
Opportunity has walked away!
I choose to take the advice of the Apostle Paul.
A man that had a wicked past and was hurt extremely by his church friends.
He said in Phil. 3:13,14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
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We can choose to focus on what you don’t have or don’t like and complain to everyone around you and make everyone miserable
Or we can choose to focus on what we do have and what we do like!
A few years ago, a young lady by the name of Heather Whitestone won a prestigious National Award! Can anyone tell me what it was?
-she was chosen to be Miss America in 1995.
-her problem: she had been deaf since she was 18 mths old.
How could an imperfect person be chosen as the “perfect woman”?
Commentary I read said : She always focused on what she had and not her disability.
She was fortunate that she had parents that believed in her.
They supported her; encouraged and loved her and she became the envy of many woman in America.
Some problems are beyond solving and cannot be changed but I can choose how I respond to those circumstances.
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I don’t “got to” walk around so low and depressed that I chin my self on a curb stone!
I “get to” let the HG shine thru me in spite of my problems,
in spite of my circumstances in spite of what has happened to me, because I get to be a child of God!
God help us to lay aside our “got to’s and turn them into “get to’s!
You don’t “got to” play your instrument for the Lord…you get to!
You don’t “got to” run the sound system again… you get to!
You don’t “got to” teach a SS class again,… you get to!
You don’t “go to” go to choir practice again… you get to!
You don’t “got to” go to prayer meeting again.. you get to!
We get to pray out loud together!
Acts 4:24 And when they heard that, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord,….
We get to lift our hands in worship!
Ps. 134:2 Lift up your hands [in] the sanctuary, and bless the LORD.
We get to sing out loud with all our hearts!
Ps. 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
We get to play musical instruments for Gods glory!
II Sam. 6:5 And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of [instruments…..
We get to clap and shout unto God!
Ps. 47:1 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.
We get to dance and jump before the Lord!
Ps. 150:4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance:….
We get to testify to others!
Ps. 22:22 I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
We get to allow the Gifts of the Spirit to work thru us!
I Cor. 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
We get to be prayed for and get healed!
James 5:14,15 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick,…..”
That’s the way we get to worship around here!
Anyone glad that you “get to” come to church?
David said “I was glad when they said unto me, let us go to the house of the Lord..”
It didn’t sound to me like he was saying: “Oh….I’ve got to go to church tonight”
No! He was excited, he was thrilled that it was church time,
he couldn’t wait to be with the other saints and where Gods presence was moving.
He was saying “Hey, I get to go to church!
Praise God…its church time!
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Ps. 150:1,6 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. ….Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD”
You don’t “got to” Praise the Lord with a loud voice… you “get to”!
I was amazed how many times the Bible told me to “lift up my voice”
-lift it up when I pray, when I praise, when I worship, when I testify!
-lift up my voice against sin
-lift up my voice to encourage someone or defend someone
-lift up my voice
I believe I’ve proved my point ! A little bad English but I think that’s excusable!
Problems produce patience; Patience produce persistence; Persistence produce character;
Character produce hope; And hope produce power!
But it all starts with changing your “got to’s” into “get to’s”
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Stand:
Listen to this statement: “It’s not where you start but it’s where you go that matters”
This morning! What about you!
Maybe you started out with a bad childhood or a rough upbringing.
Maybe some of you came from bad sinful backgrounds, so bad you don’t even talk about it.
Possibly you’ve been abused, misunderstood, taken advantage of, and life has been very difficult at times.
I want you to remember today…that once you stepped foot inside the church and you were born again….all of that changed!
Bible says: “you have become a new creature…old things have passed away and all things have become new”
It doesn’t matter where you came from, where you started out or what you’ve done.
What matters is how you live and act today and where you’re going!
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if [it were] not [so], I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.
I can let the past keep me down or I can choose to let my future lift me up!
I can let my disabilities keep me down and not enjoy my salvation or I can let the HG control me and move me!
If you’ve got sin in your life…you don’t have to repent….you get to!
If you need the victory over a past problem…you don’t have to forgive someone…you get to!
If you are burdened down with cares or your problems that are about to overwhelm you…you don’t have to worship the Lord in spite of it all…but you “get to” worship and give God the glory anyhow!
Turn your “got to’s” into “get to’s” this morning!
Make up your minds right now…you’re going to enjoy your salvation.
Why don’t we start acting like it right now in our worship, smiles on faces, joy flowing thru us.
