“Is That To Go Or Stay?”

Preached by Rev. Ed Brouwer at The Gathering Place, Osoyoos
Pulpit Series Volume 19 Issue 4 January 25, 2009

FYI: Corn is sown. It grows and is harvested and then the whole plant, roots and all is plowed under. Consider, God's work is spiritual to the point of having no earthly roots, no smell of earth on it at all. Men pass on, but the Lord remains.

Everything to do with the Church must be up-to-date and living, meeting the present needs of the hour.

King David is dead. Moses is dead. Gideon, Samson, the three Hebrews - all are gone, silent and still. But we are alive. It is our hour to minister! It is our turn to Carry On!

Carry On: to keep up; to continue; to behave in a “wild, excited” manner.

John 8:31 “Jesus said, If you continue (carry on) in my word, then you really are my disciples.”

John 15:9 “Jesus said, Continue (carry on) in my love.”

Acts 14:22 “Confirming the disciples and exhorting them to continue (carry on) in the faith.”

Colossians 4:2 Continue (carry on) in prayer

Acts 4:18-19 “They ordered them not to carry on in this manner any longer. But Peter and John said, Whether it be right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. But we can do nothing but carry on speaking the things which we have seen and heard.”

Were they thrown off because of this? no way

Listen to their prayer! Acts 4:29-34 “Lord, you heard their threats: grant us more boldness so we may speak your word.” (God help us to carry on carrying on!)

Hebrews 12:1 “Seeing we are surrounded by such great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run (carry on) with patience the race that is set before us.”

The problem is we are slow at laying aside every weight, and the sin that so easily besets us.

We struggle in our running because we are out of shape. Too busy, too preoccupied with our lives to spend quality time with the coach!

Our coach is none other than Jesus, but alas our vision of Christ is too small, too limited.

If we had a revelation of how vast Christ is - how boundless, measureless, limitless, immense - it would become impossible for us to ever be set back by life's problems.

We need to rush back to the Lord's presence, to the secret closet of prayer, to His table, getting lost in His fullness.

We’ve vacated our seat at His Table and settled for a sort of “take out” service. Choosing to go through the Drive Thru rather than the intimate sit down feast!

We are hungry, but out of time. So we grab a “Happy Meal”. We shove fries and a burger in our mouth while we drive in rush hour traffic. But hang on it’s not in vain, look…..there’s a “toy” inside.

We settle for gracelets - bits and pieces of God as we rush through this life hoping to die well, but dear friends you should be more concerned about living well.

You may say, hang on preacher - there are times I get so excited about God that I actually cry out to Him for more.

But super-sizing your take-out order doesn’t change the fact that it is still a take out order. You still really have no time for Him.

Our heavenly Father is looking for believers who understand that Christ is our everything.

Paul said, “In Him we live and move and have our being” Acts 17:28. True people of God live this verse.

Their life, their every move, their very
existence is wrapped up only in Christ.

Every true servant of God should willingly wait on Him, quietly, in faith believing, trusting the Holy Spirit to manifest the mind of God.

There is so little fresh truth, so little clear and ever-expanding precious word from the Lord.

The church is overrun with would-be prophets who go about saying, “God told me” or “I have a word from God for you”. Sadly, most of it is gibberish.

What is needed most today, is a return to God’s infallible word, a true and living revelation. Amos 8:11 “Behold, the days come, says the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD.”

It is in our world today, most sermons you can only find a few kernels of wheat surrounded with mountains of chaff.

God's people worldwide need to once again hunger and thirst for a Word from God! Saints of God, EAT THE BOOK!

Get your own touch of God! Cherish His invite! Run to His table! Don’t be called twice!

Please give me your attention - this is vital! Paul says “that Christ was revealed in him, not simply to Him.” Galatians 1:16

If you want nothing but Christ, you’ll hide yourself away with Him! You’ll sit in His presence, in no hurry, loving Him, worshipping with upraised hands, yearning after Him.

Far too many of us are guilty of using Christ.

We use Him to further our own dreams, God forgive us!

God prepares an incredible spread for us. God invites us to a continual feast.

He waits ready to bless us as we dine with Him but we settle for a fillet of fish…..on the run!
The problem is we get just enough of Jesus to keep us going. We become self deceived in thinking that this is all there is.

But listen to this….

God declares that this feast is a time for laughter, joy and singing. He tells you, “Eat, drink - rejoice and be glad. A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry.” Ecclesiastes 10:19

Then, then as you dine, Oh saints hear me now. As you dine, God anoints your head with the oil of gladness.

“You anoint my head with oil.”
Psalm 23:5, 45:7

Hebrews 1:9 “God your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness.”

Meanwhile, as God is preparing and serving your feast, He makes your enemies sit on the outer fringe of the scene and watch
everything unfold.

They see the Lord Himself, spreading your table with food, escorting you to your seat and waiting on you. They watch as you fill your soul with heaven's manna.

No demon power, including the devil himself, could ever comprehend this kind of love, mercy and grace.

Your enemies will be in shock.

Jesus tells us that the Father does this for all His children.

“Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he comes shall find watching: verily I say to you, that he shall gird himself and make them to sit down to meat and will come and serve them.” Luke 12:37