weekly sermon
12-30-07
Turn Over A New Leaf
The time of year is approaching us fast when we feel we need to make a
resolution for a new year, or turn over the new leaf. Making a new years
resolution is a tradition performed by millions of people all over the world.
This new resolution is the thing that we feel we need to work on in the year to
come to make us become a better person.
I had a situation happen to me just before this holiday season started, that I
thought I would share with you, that will probably help in deciding MY own new
years resolution. My family heard of a few families that were not going to be
able to have any Christmas at all, food, gifts, anything. We also learned that
we could help these families by sending a few dollars that would provide
baskets, with meals to feed a family, and get a few gifts for the kiddies. I, of
course, went to God to ask what we should send, if anything at all, and to whom
should we send the donations. We were led to send a donation to one family, who
would act as a liaison between us and the other families. The donation was being
transferred from one account, online, to another account. One family in
particular did not seem very grateful of the donation sent and was extremely
rude and disgruntled toward the host family. The money was delayed by the bank
during the transfer, and this severally upset the one expecting family. I
attempted to speak to the family about the delay, to which I was told some very
rude things. I made a decision to not allow that particular family to receive
any part of the donation, and let the money go to a family that would not be so
demanding about what kind of donation should be sent. Well to make a long story
short, the NON receiving family became very hostile and threatening and
said that I was being very judgmental and that the Bible states that I am not to
judge them when determining who should receive donations. In one sense of the
word I felt bad, but I, again, decided it was up to God to lead me instead of
their verbal abuse, so I turned to the word for direction.
I try to make sure I put myself in another's shoes before I make a decision that
someone could consider to be judgmental. God spoke, and this is what I heard.
first turn with me to a couple of verses. Matthew 7:1, "Judge not, that ye be
not judged.", and Leviticus 19:15, "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment:
thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the
mighty: [but] in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.", and finally
John 5:30, "I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my
judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father
which hath sent me."
In the verse from Leviticus it states that we are to judge in righteousness.
This righteousness is the will of God. Whenever someone gets into a situation
like the one I described above that I was involved in, I constantly hear the
upset party scream about how they are being judged and that the Bible says we
are not to judge. It is very funny to me that when we feel we have been hurt or
attacked by someone that we go to the Bible and pull out a verse to help us
achieve victory. "Judge not lest ye be judged", is a common statement from folks
that are upset over what they consider being judged. You may have even heard,
"an eye for an eye". Both of these statements are of course in the Bible, but
none are referring to how folks want to use them. When it stated an eye for an
eye, it did NOT mean that you could go hurt someone because they hurt
you. Jesus stated that it says an eye for an eye, but that we should turn the
other cheek. And for the other, just because something does not go the way you
think it should go, that does NOT mean you are being judged. I have
learned from the verses shown above that I am not to judge unless I want to be
judged, but I have also learned that if it is for the righteousness of God, then
some times a judgment has to be made, and that that judgment should be for the
will of our Father.
I did not judge the family that was upset and making demands on what type of
donation was to be given or how it was to be given, I simply decided that a
donation was not needed for that particular family. A family that really needs a
donation does not make demands on what type or how much, they are just grateful
for what they receive. That is not judgment, that is simple fact.
I did decide my new years resolution. I decided NOT to turn over a new
leaf, but to rather allow the leaf of my fruit to show more to people that they
may know the true me, and not what another may think, according to how kind I am
to them. Psalms 1:3, "And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of
water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not
wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper." We need to consider ourselves as
a tree that has been planted by the river for several reasons. First, a tree has
very long roots so that the tree can not waver with the flowing of the water.
This means if we are well rooted in our belief then we can not waver. We will
not just go with the flow of the water, or actually we will not go with the
influence of the people. We remain strong in our stance for our God and His will
and Word. The water in the river feeds the tree that it may supply fruit. The
word of God is the living water that flows in our souls and feeds us that we may
show the fruit of our testimonies to lead others to the will of God. By studying
the word of God, you maintain wisdom. Through this wisdom you grow your fruit,
and from this wisdom you build your character that will be your fruit to show
others.
If you want to turn over a new leaf, then turn over the leaf that never withers,
the leaf that comes on the fruit of your Heavenly Father. Take that leaf
attached to the fruit and let it blow in the wind, as leaves do, and go from
person to person and spread the pollen of your fruit. The Bible states that you
will be known by your works, or by your fruit. This fruit is the real you. The
old saying of, actions speak louder than words, seems very appropriate here. The
way you act speaks more volumes about the person you are than the words you say.
So in conclusion, let us make sure that our fruits show the world that we are
persons that are here to do the will of our Father, no matter what one may or
may not think of us.
We never close a message without the opportunity to find salvation through Jesus
Christ. If you really want to turn over a new leaf, then come to Jesus and take
Him as your personal saviour that you may spend eternity with Him in Heaven. If
you would like to receive Christ as your saviour then say this simple prayer
with me.
Dear Lord, come into my life and forgive
me of my sins, and give me the gift of everlasting life. Amen.
If you have said this simple prayer, then we believe that you have received
salvation. We would love to rejoice with you, so please drop us a note, in our
link, to let us know and confess Jesus before man, so that we may send you a few
things that we hope will help you in your new Christian walk.
With Love in Christ,
Pastor Stone