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Note: Transcripts are unedited. Please forgive any errors.
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THE ACTIVE WORD
TITLE OF
Message: Looking For Love TAPE NUMBER: A1500
MESSAGE DATE: 04-26-2009
SERVICE TIME: SUN 12:30pm
DEN PAGE 1 OF 28
Main Scripture Reference for Message: Genesis 24
Opening Prayer -
Father this day we gather in your name, were grateful that your Son paid the ultimate price today we, your children, have the hope of reward. That's so father like you gift us something to do and when we do it we feel your pleasure and know that someday in the kingdom the blessings even more so they abound, the hope of reward. God by your amazing grace we can today receive marching orders purposed to do your will and someday enjoy the rich blessings that come from your Holy hand, thank you God for this opportunity in Jesus name we pray, Amen.
Message
So you're in the market for a mate. Oh Bob, I won't say it that way, it sounds so harsh. So you're looking for love? I won't say it that way either, it sounds so specific. Well how would you say it? Well for some you might say it this way... somebody oh, somebody, can any body tell find me, somebody to love. Each morning I get up, I die a little, can barley stand on my feet, take a look in the mirror and cry, Lord what are you doing to me? I spend all my years in believing you but I just can't get no relief, Lord, somebody, somebody, can anybody find me somebody to love. Now listen, nah, no, ha, your saying -Bob I won't say it this way either. But here's what we all would say today, today-should you be single there are more options and opportunities for you to find. Well think about it, there's on line services, there's personal advertisements, there's match hunting companies, there's dating clubs, dating societies, and one has to stop and wonder-God is this what you really had in mind? I mean I don't know about you but earlier on when I was single it was not so complicated and it wasn't certainly so complex. I mean your looking for someone you have your single line and you think you're a -attractive lure and your fishing in the pond near by, you wait that for that one fish that's yours and when that one fish grabs hold you know Wow!, look it's the Lord, I found that someone special, however today with all those options and opportunities, well I see some Christians they look like some commercial fishermen. They got outriggers out, six lines in the water, yes, they're gonna find a mate and they using sonar systems, depth finders - they got rigs and lures at every level yes, yes.yes, some of them at the bottom, looking for bottom feeders; in clubs, bars. Some of them they got a lure at mid level at work, yes, I don't care- blind date, sure. And some they have toppers on the float, yeah, yeah, yeah, they come into the church bobbing around is she here, could it be, would it be, is she mine?
Bob! Your intro is cute, it's funny but really what am I supposed to do? Listen, God's word provides insight and understanding what to do about this single state, absolutely God's word, not a formula found but certainly insight God so graciously provides because well it is one big love story, this book the bible. And you have a Heavenly father yes, He has a Son and that Son is seeking a bride. Now, don't forget that fact as we dig into the Word, you'll discover the parrels are profound. It's Genesis twenty four the first few verses we read Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things. So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please, put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell; but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac." And the servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?" But Abraham said to him, "Beware that you do not take my son back there. The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father's house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, 'To your descendants I give this land,' He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there. And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there." So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter. Pause right there and give your attention please
I have five sentences each one start looking for love...you get the idea. If you looking for love number one rest and rely on God. Rest and rely upon God? Yeah, yeah, yeah, the pendulum is swinging in the body of Christ today. And it swings between extreme faith and extreme flesh. Extreme faith? Well extreme faith is the person that's convinced they don't have to do anything to find that someone special. In fact, they have not been on a date; they have been struggling answering that phone. Why? Well I just believe that someday supernaturally it will ring and on the other side hi, it's me, yes, God told me to call and God told me to tell you. No, no, no, that's not gonna happen. Please, please, please that won't happen. What I'm suggesting is that faith is trusting that the Lord cares. It's not in the flesh, but it's not certainly with your flesh you will be willing to be around members of the opposite sex. Imagine that yeah, you see there's gonna have to be that- why don't you be a part of Bible Study, Why don't you be on the mission field? You see while your doing that thing that God has called you to do in the real world, now real people cross your path and by faith your trusting that God will on that path provide. But the other side moving from faith to flesh- commercial fisherman? Yeah, you've joined e-harmony, match dot com, you've actually taken out personal ads and you're waiting for the best offer. You got a couple of faxes today with your know it's starting to climb the pri- well I'm thinking whoa, wait a minute. Your perfecting the path of pursue in the name of finding someone it's all you think about Is that the case here in our study? First ten verses did you note Isaac's not there. Isaac's not there? Isaac's not in the first ten verses but the whole chapter is about his bride, his wife. In the first ten verses he's not there, in the first ten verses listen carefully, we have a father who really cares about his son employing his servant to find a mate.
Now don't miss the parallel, Father God -Son Jesus Christ find a mate it's the Spirit who seeks for a bride, it's you. It's how we all came into a relationship with God. But if in fact that's the way that He works, how would he work in relationship to your mate? In the same way, God the Father cares more about who you marry than you do. Wow! Tell me that's true, tell it again. Listen again, God cares more about who you marry than you do. because the who that you are you've been divinely designed and the who that other person is when you come together as one flesh and he makes the best representation of His will for your life, they will assist you that you as a person with God's plan on your forward moving into God I know I'm here by divine destiny. I moving forward, I need someone to assist willing to assist me someone to help me awe, look who this is...exactly. They will be called listen your other half. That's my other half, your other half? Yeah, because they are very much half of you. Now, listen to this...if they are half of who you are they will also be half of what you'll be and if there not you will be less of what your called to be because they where not the person you needed them to be. Oh, Bob don't scare me like that!
] Scare you like that, it's true. La, listen, listen- I'm a single Christian, I'm in Las Vegas, NV and I'm dating and I'm getting serious with a girl. All my friends meet her they think she's great, she is a wonderful Christian sister, she totally loves the Lord and she's really crazy about me. I introduce her to my brother, his wife, she's meeting a lot of my friends-everyone looks on and says you found her, that's the one. Except for one brother in the fellowship, he pulls me to the side, I'll never forget it, he's worried. I said what's the deal? He goes I'm looking at the way she loves you and she really loves you. And I said yeah I know. No, I mean she like adores you, worships you, your everything... Ha I know... Is there a problem with that? I don't see the down side and and he said this and I'll never forget it. Listen he said, I believe God's got the call on your life to be a pastor and I don't know if she's a pastor's wife. He said, I'm watching her around the church and I don't think she's into giving you up. Really? We'll you know I took a few steps back and I watched her for the following several weeks and you know what I noted? I noted that very thing, I would be around the church and start ministering and she would...uh go ahead pray for them, I'm here. Oh, really. Aye-aye. Aye-aye, Aye-aye Do you know that today I know there are some wives of Pastors and other Pastor's wives and there's a difference between the two. Some of them look on at the ministry as your mistress, oh; you gotta go to church again? Or you going now? Well we'll be here. Let me tell ya, my wife Diane gets this thing. And over the years she's been my cheerleader, and my support and my friend and my sympathizer, she's that kind of person that at home says, we'll be praying for you and I've had to wonder, what would this church look like had I married that other girl? Oh Bob, your really starting to scare me, cause well you think it's important that I don't scare you but I stir your heart to understand this is not something you just kind of casually walk into? But when you actually move forward to true looking, the first thing you do is rely on the...and then rest in- God. God, you really care. and I'm gonna rely on you-show me, speak to me, make the spirit lead and guide and I'm gonna really rest that you care more so than I do, God what is it that I have to do.
Well what is Isaac doing? If he's not in the first ten verses where is he? Well its chapter twenty four look with me at verse sixty three here here's Isaac, Genesis 24:63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field in the evening; and he lifted his eyes and looked, and there, the camels were coming with Rebekah. What's that? He's in the field and he's in the field and if you got a pencil handy note-meditating. Now what does that mean, he's out in the field meditating? When you look up that word in the original language and compare it to the English equivalent. Here's what you'll find, listen - Meditate is not in the Hebrew, there is nothing actually in the Hebrew, we see him going forth and then there are no words that follow. So the scribes and scholars are saying how do we take this he goes forth, there's nothing on his mind and he's in the field, Oh I know we'll use the English word meditate to simply say, he's got an open mind, there's nothing really on his mind. He's just at work, busy about his business. Now, listen don't miss that. He is not going to work, I wonder where she is? Is she here? Ok, I'll go to synagogue next week, where is she? Ok, is she at church where is she? No, he'll be the kind of guy who would walk in the fellowship today and finding a mate is not on his mind right now, what's on his mind right now? Worshipping God, I'm at church I'm here to worship God, that's what I'm here to do because that's what this experience is supposed to be.
Now should God cross my path with the perfect woman, I'm open. I'm open minded to that but I'm not so preoccupied with my own interest that I loose interest with the things I should be focused on, please. You say bob could it be that I could actually rest and rely on God that much. Yeah! Do you remember how it happen the first time? The first time? When God found the first wife. Please Genesis twenty four keep you place, its Genesis chapter two look with me verse twenty one- Genesis 2:21 says And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And man said: "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Your attention please. When God brings a wife to Adam he says I really don't need your help in fact it will probably be best if you so kicked back I know, I'll put you to sleep. And while he's sleeping God finds him a mate. How can that happen Bob I gotta be awake for this. No, no, ah, I understand you have to be awake for it, what I'm saying is that he probably doesn't need as much of your help as you think he does. Can you rest that the Lord cares more about your mate than you do? Can you even believe that?
If you can believe that what happens is now your busy doing your thing knowing- listen to this that in Isaac's case an Angel's going before Eliezer to make sure that the match is perfect. You mean I have an angel that's right now looking for me so I don't have to look? Its God's way of saying this will be a spiritual thing. This is a spiritual thing; this is not something that's purely physical. Now, the reason I note that in some of these opportunities and options it's almost like we pull the faith factor out completely. God I really don't need you either because on this website they have me fill out these one hundred questions and then they send me all the pics and I get to pick them. That doesn't sound like God! Well it does to me; you don't know how long I've been single. No, no, no, what I'm saying not a formula ok, but insightfully ask yourself if your in the business of looking more faith or more flesh? More faith or more flesh? Don't forget the profound parallel is this, when it comes to you seeking the Lord remember we have God the Father who's looking for the bride for his Son and right now the spirit could be speaking to you. And it will be a supernatural thing, what do you need to do to get saved? Let me tell you something if you're here today right now the spirit is seeking you, he's drawing you to his Son because he knows this is going to be a great relationship and you have to rest and rely upon God for salvation. Parallel profound but practical that we might understand how it is he even works this wonderful work of salvation. Back with me to Genesis chapter twenty four this time pick it up in verse ten Then the servant took ten of his master's camels and departed, for all his master's goods were in his hand. Now we'll come back to the second half of that sentence for all his masters goods were in his hand. And he arose and went to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor. And he made his camels kneel down outside the city by a well of water at evening time, the time when women go out to draw water. Then he said, "O LORD God of my master Abraham, please give me success this day, and show kindness to my master Abraham. Behold, here I stand by the well of water, and the daughters of the men of the city are coming out to draw water. Now and here's his fleece let it be that the young woman to whom I say, 'Please let down your pitcher that I may drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I will also give your camels a drink'-let her be the one You have appointed for Your servant Isaac. And by this I will know that You have shown kindness to my master." And it happened, before he had finished speaking, that behold, Rebekah, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, came out with her pitcher on her shoulder. Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. And she went down to the well, filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her and said, "Please let me drink a little water from your pitcher." So she said, "Drink, my lord." Then she quickly let her pitcher down to her hand, and gave him a drink. And when she had finished giving him a drink, she said, "I will draw water for your camels also, until they have finished drinking." Then she quickly emptied her pitcher into the trough, ran back to the well to draw water, and drew for all his camels pause right there your attention please.
If you looking for love the rely and rest upon God number one. If you looking for love listen create a criteria before you start looking, number two. Create a criteria? Yeah, make a list, make a wish list of what your hoping to marry even before- listen if you're a Dad sit down with your daughter, she's fifteen years old say Honey, let's talk about what your looking for in a man. It's still going to be another fifteen years but let's start talking now. And you know what should happen, here's what should happen, well daddy I want someone just like you awe. What about me do you like? I like that you're so spiritual, yeah at the very very top of the list, you are spiritual. Is that in fact what he's looking for? Someone who's spiritual? Oh, what does he find? I know what he's looking for what does he find? Well what he finds is in verse sixteen again, twenty four and sixteen Now the young woman was very beautiful to behold, a virgin; no man had known her. What? He found a virgin young babe. Some of the guys are saying- show me where! Tell me how! There out there? And some of the sisters are saying that's a little embarrassing, uh, my past is uh, this is actually little hurtful, you say it. No, no no wait a minute, listen - listen Sis- when you come to Christ, do you understand that if anyone is in Christ they are a new creation. That you're past is past and God makes everything new. If you've made some dumb mistakes with yesterday, today is today and when you look on at this list and I say Hey, where looking for that virgin, young very beautiful- do you understand there's a beauty that's far deeper than the shallowness of your skin. And do you understand that God can take your sorted immoral past and make you whole again. Do you know that the youthfulness of your heart is sometimes more valuable- I know some classy woman in the fellowship that are much older than I am but there's a sparkle in their eye that says they're loving life. Do you want to start all over again? You can start all over again right now and actually be the candidate that some man is looking for because redemption is happen in your heart wholly so, don't forget that. But, is that really all that's on the list?
I'm looking for somebody young, somebody virgin, somebody is beautiful, no that wasn't on his list. What was most important on his list, look at twenty four and three again, twenty four and three reads it this way and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites Yeah, yeah, yeah, the very top of the list says I want a woman who shares our faith. I don't want you to get or marry or find a Canaaniteish woman, I'll tell you why. Cause now based upon God's word these Canaaniteish people well there wicked and there destine for destruction. Do you understand that the world is going to be judged if in fact there's no repentance? So if in fact your looking for somebody to wed God says now listen, listen your from the family of faith and I want you to marry within the faith family all of those other things this virginity that can be restored, this beauty that's more than physical, this youthfulness that happens in the heart. He says, all of those things are important but number one on the top of the list-in fact Abraham says, Eliezer this is so important I want to uh take my hand and put it under my thigh...excuse me! Do you see that happen on the very second verse? He takes an oath and puts his hand under his thigh, Excuse me, what is that again? In our day it's a hand shake, sometimes a high five, this is a low thigh. now but I want you to understand it had the covenantal concrete of someone agreeing- I promise! You really promise! I really promise! Put your hand under my thigh and I put my hand in your thigh we look each in our eyes say yes, yes. In fact, if you don't get the list and she's not from our family, she's not from my country and she doesn't have shared beliefs, tell you what your released from this oath. In another words, I would rather have my son marry no one than someone who did not match the list.
Now please I'm hoping with your conversation dad with your daughter you say, well honey is money really that important to you? No, let me teach you something as dad you want to find a good provider but having a whole lot of money. Oh, he might be athletic but keep in mine honey you know gravity will take its toll on everyone over fifty so please. And you start having those conversations where her list and her desire match mom and dad's list and desire and now you have a template, you got a paradigm, you got a model. You say, this is what were looking for and we agree upon that at fifteen so that when that man comes knocking on the door at twenty. Hi come on in, hey honey get that list, let's compare it. Yeah, the one we've always-the one on the plaque, the one we put on gold, yeah bring that down. [13:28.04.23] Well let's take a look, we decided this long time ago. Yes, yes, Yes, come on in son. Oh, wouldn't that be wonderful? Wouldn't that be great if you would agree upon your son or daughters decision because you know you've already agreed on what they are looking for. Is this really imperative, is it really important, is it really necessary? Let me show you how necessary it is.
Keep you place in Genesis twenty four, second Corinthians chapter six, I do not tier going to this teach, although it always invites a truck load of email and the reason we made sure you had Bibles in your hand some of you need to see its God's word not Bob's word. 2 Corinthians 6:14 says Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship its an interesting Greek word, if you have a pencil handy what intercourse or participation, in another words this is going to be the closest relationship two people can ever have if your going to have this kind of fellowship, He says make sure its believe with believer why he moves a little further he say because What Fellowship is there with righteousness and lawlessness? And what is common or in communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with the Devil or Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people."[Therefore "Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord.  Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty."' Come on back, what do we have here?
An unequal yoke? An unequal yoke? Yeah, it's uh New Testament times we have a uh mature season ox and were going to yoke it with a immature uncertain calf. The reason we woke-yoke them together is that one who is stronger will lead the other one in the same path in the same direction. Now you yoke yourself with an unbeliever the unbeliever doesn't want to go to church, the unbeliever doesn't want to go to a Bible Study for fellowship, the unbeliever doesn't want to even go on vacation where you- what happens when a yoke that on your neck and yoke on his next. Every time you're going in the wrong direction and here's what your relationship is a pain in the neck. man, I don't know about this woman.
Unequally yoked? Imagine with me running a five k race and you put a ten pound weight on one leg. And when I say to you- Hey do you want to carry a one pound weight on one leg? At first cause you're a littlie prideful man, I'll work out that one leg it will ripping strong. Yeah, put it on, I can do that, I can do that. And you know how many times I've talked with Christians who say, Yeah, I'm dating a non believer, I can do that. I'm strong in that! Strong enough for the first mile and then on into the fifth mile, what a drag, I can't believe I carry this thing. What is that going on? I'll like to take this thing off. Well you can't take it off now, why? It's called wedlock! It's here! Your bound man! But here's the problem unequally yoke, this let of yours the who that you are; wants to go to church, wants to surf, want to go do the cardio thing, wants to worship and here's your other half...I don't like this. I have to carry this all my life?
Now, I will sometimes present truth in a light hearted way to bring you to the place where it's a little easier - ha ha- for me to say. On my side of the desk, it's tragic. Because on my side of the desk, we don't require that both parents be believers when we accept their kids at CCA, we want one of them to be Holy there. But if the other one is not all way there, we're not going to hold back a great Christian education from kids because mom or dad are not where they are supposed to be. But let me tell you the story I hear, let me tell you what its like to have a dad go to a song residual where these Christian tunes are playing but you feel like he's this empty box while he's hearing songs about the Lord and salvation and grace and love. What's it like for this mom who wants nothing to do with Jesus to show up at the play and here's the kid playing the part of Jesus and he's expressing himself and communicating truth or whatever part that child might have and there' mom just sitting there, just appreciating the artistic value but bothered here it is one more time this Jesus stuff. Or worse than that. What's it like when you feel in love and now loves not love like it was when you first lusted after one another. No, it's been a couple of years- you have a baby in the back bedroom with one hundred and four temperature and you walk over because you're the believer but you've been so back-slided at heart that you put your hand upon your fever laded son- God please, I know I've made some mistakes- and he's in the other room flipping the channels, it's like he doesn't even know how to talk to you and I just been so far away from you but now I really need your help and I don't even know if I'm there because I decided to to this thing on my own Why did you decide to do that thing on your own? Because when you feel in love sadly it was the dance floor and while you were grooving and the disco ball was spinning hey, I like you- I like you yeah, we have something. No you got nothing man.
Criteria before you start looking! Why, it's going to effect the way you spend, it will affect way you vacation, it will affect the way you talk, it will affect your pillow talk in the evening late at night just the two of you talking about your plans for the future and how much you love your kids. Everything is divided! When I taught this study last night, I'm gonna leave here and go to the radio station and I will get phone call after phone call of woman who will say Bob, make sure you say that even louder and I did. In fact I had one phone call from a woman who said, I regret being married because he's so far away from God. Bob, I don't want to be alone, let me tell you what's worse than being alone. Being married to someone you don't want to be with. You've rather be alone, well I made a mistake! But the problem is that I'm next to them right now. Well can I say in the most tackle fully way once your married him he became the right man. Oh, don't say that! No, no, you made your choice, now listen to this-God will assist you with your choice but he's no longer the wrong man he's the right man because of your choice. So stop looking! Because what happens is we make these decisions and after the fact we go, awe-wish this wasn't the decision- let God in. You didn't let Him in that the be-wedding, let Him in now. Your married, let Him in now because the sooner you let Him the sooner you'll find God is able to do the impossible and that impossible thing he wants to do is so redeem your relationship that it's like you're in love again. Just like on the dance floor. It's true, hey, it's true.
Now, please back with me to Genesis chapter twenty four it's the twenty first verse we read And the man, wondering at her, remained silent so as to know whether the LORD had made his journey prosperous or not. So it was, when the camels had finished drinking, that the man took a golden nose weighing, golden nose ring weighing half a shekel, and two bracelets for her wrists weighing ten shekels of gold, and said, "Whose daughter are you? Tell me, please, is there room in your father's house for us to lodge?" So she said to him, "I am the daughter of Bethuel, Milcah's son, whom she bore to Nahor." Moreover she said to him, "We have both straw and feed enough, and room to lodge." Then the man bowed down his head and worshiped the LORD. If you're looking for someone to love please number three- sacrifice, surrender, submission and service are all imperative ingredients. Should I write them down like that? Yeah, here's what I want you to remember. It's going to cost you something, see so many people go into a relationship planning to get, I can't wait to get that and get this and get it, and get this- marriage is all about I can't wait to give up that. And give up that? Good bye Saturday, good bye Monday, good by car!
Do you know when I got married, I had a two eighty, it was a Nissan two eighty ZX. A fine looking piece of machinery. I moved here to South Florida and I couldn't afford the insurance while we were starting a church so I sold it and I bought a seventy three Volt wagon bug. For Jesus! I did that for Jesus. Now, why do I say that? Because sacrifice and surrender in my heart and Diane's heart, do you know who she married and who she ended up with? Do Do-Listen, not now but then. She married a man who in Las Vegas was an associate Pastor, had a apartment full of furniture, had a nice sports car, had a lot of friends and had a lot of local notoriety We moved here to Fort Lauderdale I lost the car, we found ourselves in an apartment where the man said to me who managed it- don't do ministry here, I'm selling electronic equipment at JcPenny's at the Pompano Square Mall and nobody is calling me Pastor Bob. So now my wife looks at me ok. Um, did I loose God? Did I marry a looser? No, no, no-here's the reality. She already knew who I was. She already knew who I was now why is that important?
Because if your willing to sacrifice your sacrificing because your understand the value. The value is already there. This man Eliezer, she, he he looks at Rebekah and says- Hey Rebekah uh and now while he's talking to her having seen her serve him whole heartily watering how many camels he takes out the ring he takes out the bracelets, he shows her this group of camels she looks on and listen to what's happening? Verse ten of chapter twenty four remember we'll come back to it. He offers her all of his master's goods. And the way that she responds all the masters goods. Come in to my house, lodge with me, straw, water, whatever I can do. I am willing to do more in light of listen to this the father's wealth worthy of serve - the brides' service worthy of reward.
Now don't miss that because the parallel. Jesus Christ is hanging on the cross what is he holding back from you? Anything at all Jesus on the cross-hanging back anything? He's giving you his all! His all, His all! I'm convinced with the ask not seek pattern that he's always saying come on talk to me; I still have more stuff I would like to give to you, why? Because the group of camels and the ear ring is not all of his possessions he's saying all are in his hand because he had the authority to give them all but what's he's given right then with the ten camels and the ring and the bracelet is a deposit. And here's what the Bible says. Bible says that the Holy Spirit is a deposit in our hearts guarantee us the kingdom to come. {] Do we already have all that we need? We have all the at that we need to get saved but do we need more from God on a daily basis as we simply come to him and say, I'm wiling to serve you because you're given to me your all Absolutely he's given to you His all. And you can't get away from that because when she gives her all, I'm impressed with this girl. Listen I found it on the internet, ten camels- a camels water capacity ranges from eight to fifteen gallons, that means Rebekah was prepared to draw up to up to one hundred gallons of water for Eliezer's ten thirsty camels. This would mean quite a number of trips steps and down steps to a well at the same time a great number of heavy buckets pulled up by a rope. Now hundred gallons of water, you guys have a water cooler at your work? One of those five gallons Zephyrhills things. This is on her shoulder she comes down, Hi, I'll take care of the camels, I'll be right back. Twenty times! Is that what she did? She's gotta be ripped, you know what I mean, she's gotta-ready. But more than ripped, she is willing to serve, now let me ask you a question. She's a ten camel gal are you a ten camel Christian? In other words, you look at God saying all I have yours church. I I want to wage you, I want to be you, I want to take you high heights, I want to take you spiritual journeys, all that I have is yours. Hey do you see it? Well let me think about what I'm gonna do for you. Well I went to the afternoon serve, he went a little long it was a communion I gave you an extra five minutes. Man, oh Lord.
Sacrifice and Submission, if you go into a relationship hoping just to get you gonna get a lot less. If you go into a relationship hoping to give you'll get a lot more. It's all a matter of sacrifice, but if your not ready to sacrifice your not ready to find a mate. If you are not ready to sacrifice your not ready to be a Christian. Listen again, you're not ready. Jesus said, you wanna come after me? Deny yourself , pick up the cross and then come follow me, but if your not willing to deny yourself and pick up the cross, I'm sorry, Jesus said your not worthy of me. Because I have given my all and I'm looking for a love relationship which would mean you too would be willing to give your all. It's the wife gives her all, the man gives his all and now all in all look what God is going. But you give half it ain't gonna happen, it's not gonna work keep that in mind. Back to Genesis Chapter twenty four this time pick it up in the twenty seventh verse we read And he said, "Blessed be the LORD God of my master Abraham, who has not forsaken His mercy and His truth toward my master. As for me, being on the way, the LORD led me to the house of my master's brethren." (Watch this) So the young woman ran and told her mother's household these things. Now Rebekah had a brother whose name was Laban, and Laban ran out to the man by the well. So it came to pass, when he saw the nose ring, and the bracelets on his sister's wrists, and when he heard the words of his sister Rebekah, saying, "Thus the man spoke to me," that he went to the man. And there he stood by the camels at the well. And he said, "Come in, O blessed of the LORD! Why do you stand outside? For I have prepared the house, and a place for the camels." Come on back, your attention please. If you're looking for love get the ataboy and Amen from those closest to you. Did you see what happen? She felt for this Eliezer proposal the first thing she does is run home, Oh mom, you won't believe what happen, I went down just for regular water I say to this guy, hey, How would you like to have a drink and I decided to water his camels, next thing you know look, gold bracelets mom ha ha, gold nose ring, oh, this is cool, I think I'm in love with a man I never met auh! And mom's listening going- Oh, this is so incredible! This is amazing! This is wonderful. And here's big brother standing by, and all he hears is this and he looks at the gold bracelet and looks at the nose ring. Who's the guy after my sister? Let me go find out, he walks over sees the pack of camels, not the pack of camels, the uh, group of camels. That might actually be a turn off- what happen he says uh, he's ha ha- he says, hey, uh, you're the guys who's telling my sister that somebody's interested huh. And then he notices some little fancy stitching on the guys pocket? Sees that he's pretty well dressed, uh, come on into our house. Uh, you got season tickets to the uh, what is he doing? Listen to this.
His motivation may be a little greedy but his interest is in his sister is obvious and clear. In the same way, the interest in the mother obviously clear and here's what I've said in the past and I'll say this all the time to singles here in the fellowship.
Find out if the guy you want to date is endorsable. And that's the word I use, is he endorsable? Who's endorsing that guy? Who's endorsing that girl? Endorse them? Yeah, listen it was an Olympic Swimmer he gets caught with a bong in his mouth and suddenly there are companies that have been sponsoring him- tell. Wait a second, we we're not sure about this. Why aren't you sure about this? His friends obviously knew that was his character cause they took pictures of him doing it. Well we obviously weren't close enough to his friends, cause we would have known this cause we won't have put so much money behind him had we known this was his behavior. make that connection, if some guy says Hey, what are you going Friday night? Here's your answer, meeting your mother. Meeting my mom? What's my mom got to do with, I haven't seen for four years. You know what, skip it. Don't need to me- Why? You need to meet mom. I would go to work, meet co-workers get around this guy get around this girl get to know who this person is. Why? Because, life is not going to be just the two of you. So many times people fall in lust and the next this you know, I haven't seen my friends for three weeks, I know, she met a man and every night they are isolated in his car, or at a restaurant just the two of them in a booth and then they are over here all by them selves. Guess what? At some point we'll be reengaged to the real world and at some point time you'll find out if he has a job, or if that's just money on that credit card, I mean all these things are gonna come out at some point. And we want to make sure you know ahead of time, please. Get to know his mom, get to know his sister, get to know his work friends, get to know them all, go over to his mothers house tell me about your son. Listen if her reaction is I ever glad you're here, he needs somebody so bad. Look at him, close your mouth when you chew, I tell you that all the time. Oh, I'm glad you're here to rescue him. He took you out where did you get the money? You still owe me fifteen dollars from last week. I don't know where he got the money, I know he borrowed that shirt from a friend of his; he doesn't have that nice of cloths. Ok. Ok!
Ecclesiastes seven and one A good name is better than precious ointment. A good name. Does he have to have a lot of money? No, but I hope he know how to provide. Does he have to be athletic? No, but I hope he can move from point A to point B without...find that person don't settle for less and get the Amen from those closest to you.
Now, finally look at this number five it is verse thirty two we'll start it and then stop it just the right place Genesis 24:32 Then the man came to the house. And he unloaded the camels, and provided straw and feed for the camels, and water to wash his feet and the feet of the men who were with him. Food was set before him to eat, but he said, "I will not eat until I have told about my errand. And they said speak on. Now from verses thirty three all the way to forty nine, listen to this, thirty three to forty nine is the repeat of the story we just read. Now, you say, why in the world would God use the paper space to say the same thing from thirty three to forty nine that he just said. Because there's a truth there, that I don't want you to miss. listen, if your looking for love, I hope you have a testimony of the grace and providence of God. In other words, I hope that there's a story willing to- that's really worthy of telling again. Do you understand what's happening? Now, Eliezer walks into the house and Dad walks in Hi, I heard about you with the gold bracelets and gold nose ring, what is this all about? And now Eliazer says well it happen back in chapter twenty four in the first couple of verses- Abraham had me do the old thigh covenantal hand shake and I said Lord, I want...And now the whole story is being told and there's mom, and grandma, and we have other friends, the family dog. Listening to the story, I'm trying to paint the picture, you get the idea. Every one's in the family retelling the story, now, here's the point. I have told my story of redemption hundreds of times and if the providence and grace of God is in that story I don't grow tired of telling that story. I like to run into you at the grocery store, I like to run into you- you know at the mall, I go hey, I have minute, tell me your story and you- well here's what happen and with these stories that declare the miraculous grace of God we all rejoice cause they need to be told again. Well the same thing should be true with your love relationship; I want to hear how God showed up when you fell in love. I want to know that He was a part of it but there's nothing worse than, hey how did you met your husband- well I was at the bar and he bought me a beer and then uh, he asked me to dance and boy could he boat scoot. And uh, I have some room in the trailers so he moved in. I apologize for the southern accent on my conversation, but here's the thought
I don't hear God! I hear the absence of God. And this is the person you want to be with for the rest of your life. I'm thinking that if God's in it, there ought a be that thing were you go auh! And then, I'm on the mission field and just serving anyway I can, I'm a nurse you know and next thing you know there's this guy that walks up and he says, nurse, can I take over and I look over and he's just these dreamy blue eyes and when he puts the stereoscope up I happen to there's no ring on his finger, so I'm thinking could it be I'm a nurse-he's a doctor and we serve in missionary work for the rest of our lives it was so cool cause he has money and doesn't care about it and... and you start listening and you go...this is an amazing story. Now listen, this is an amazing story. This is a love story, chapter twenty four is a love story. God loves a great love story and he has a great story for Abraham and Isaac and Rebekah and Eliezer and he's got a great story with Bob, his brother Jim and His Son Jesus Christ and His spirit Eliezer knocking on my heart just the right time. And in my brother's living room looking up towards Heaven saying Jesus I'm ready.
Why? Because he's proposal to you, listen, his proposal to you Jesus hanging on the cross saying, Don't let your hearts be troubled you believe in God believe also in me. I'm going to prepare a place for you so that where I am I can also be. If it wasn't true I won't tell you this, but in my Father's house there are many mansions. You see when Jesus proposed to you He did it with blood stained hands, he did it with a crown of thorns on his head, and he saying to the church, I really love you and you accept this, this is gonna be a great love story. but a lot of us have nothing more than a religious experience with God and because it's such a religious experience we never really get the have or enjoy the plan and purpose His will for our lives. We just miss it, we come up short and I'm saying, there's gotta be more. There's gotta be more and please I pray that more is something that happens in your heart even today as we close in prayer because listen, finally. You can be very happily married and still not be satisfied. You go what do you mean? It's not about your physical fleshly mate no that will never completely satisfy, it's about a spiritually Holy savior friend and that my friend is the relationship that meets all the needs. So my prayer for you even when we go now into prayer is that with the act of communion, we all draw a little closer to God and when we are closer we find the intimacy strengthens our spirit and now with the resolve to stay close, it's uh, story that ends and they lived happily ever...together. Amen!
Closing Prayer
Father, we thank you so much for this opportunity to acknowledge just how good you are and how graceful you've been. And Lord, we pray for anyone that might be joining us today for the first or second time, in a moment you will be in there hands, the communion elements- the body and blood of you. My savior friend who died in my place so I could have the best of-best relationships. Thank you God so much for your sacrifice may we see your sacrifice in light of your grace, may we be drawn to you willing and ready to serve whole heartedly God in light of your love. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Communion Message
Hey, in just a moment they ushers and deacons are gonna pass out the communion elements and as they do, I want you just to hang on to them for a minute, you know. Like get the elements and hold on for a minute, don't eat and drink right away. Because I want to come back in a minute just with a brief comment and then we'll partake together. But while Andrew leads us in song, you go ahead and hold on to these elements, spend a little time in prayer; we'll come back in just a minute.
The principles of our faith are theory and practice and from a theory point of view, I think we all know that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, I think we know he's the savior of the world, and I think we all know He's ready to forgive us and cleanse us. That's the theory side of that truth, but he practice you have in your hand. Think in terms of God willing for you to really grasps this principle so true to form He puts it in a physical way that you can say; now in my hand I hold the body of the Lord and the blood of my savior. And He says, I want you to eat this and drink it. Lord, eat your body drink your flesh well; you can't do the things you want to do with out my help. So the way for you to practically see that I am willing to be able to in you is to partake. You see, I'm not a very good Christian without Christ. I can't walk in the spirit without the help of the spirit. So if I'm trying to do the things that I know the word of God tells me to do, the only way, I can do these things is with some divine intervention. So right now you have in your hand and I have in my hand and this is my communion and you have your communion and it's my chance to say afresh, God I really, really do want you in my life. I really need your help. Please God! And He says, I'm not just some where far away or even along side I'm with you in this cause I'm in you for this. So when I eat and drink it's my way of yes Jesus I so what you in my life. I so want you to lead and guide me Oh, I get it, you get inside of me and of course you gonna lead and guide me because now we are truly truly one. You see in just moment you'll eat this and drink this, it's gonna go in your body and moments later it will actually be in you. Apart of who you are, if this represents who Jesus is, His power, His provision, His wisdom, His mercy all that stuff, I mean that's all going to be in you.
Now, it was so powerful of principle that the Apostle Paul actually warned in writing to the Church in Corinth, he says, you know if you don't recognize what your doing, don't do it. It says some people turn this thing into a religious routine and they actually bring judgment and sickness on themselves. Don't do it. My recommendation is not -not do it; my recommendation is just see what it is. And if you're really ready today to say, you know what Lord, I do need you in my life, Lord. I want you in my life Lord, I'm ready Lord. Fill me afresh with your Spirit. I'm your child be in me and I in you yeah, you pray that kind of prayer and now you eat and drink and thank God that He is at work in you-in you. I'm gonna take a minute get alone with God and I'm encouraging you to do the same. Andrew is gonna play a little background backdrop music and as he does you spend that time with the Lord. Talk to him.
Amen. Take a big deep breath. Repeat after me, I can do all things, thru Christ that strengthens me. That's His promise, that's His Word. Don't forget that. You know, if your married sitting through a study like this, your reminded of what it can be it might a good time for you to turn to your mate look at them in their eyes and say. I'm gonna try a little harder and you say the same thing. Why don't you do that right now? Say, I am gonna try a little harder give them one of those good hand hold squeezes like, love you babe! Love you too! This is special, glad were doing this, oh, man I love this church. Now if we me saying that, your reminded your single, it's like that's Bob, for bumming me out. Now, listen you have your marching orders man. Now you got a uh, section of scripture that has proved the kind of insight you begin to do those things we talked about. Watch God work and if you don't have the gift of celibacy, there is someone out there for you and I don't know a lot of Christians with gift of celibacy so we'll uh, trust He has somebody very special for you and uh as you trust and rely upon Him by His spirit and uh continue to pray cause you never know. Hey uh, we're going to close in song but I'm going to invite the Pastors and the folks in our fellowship that always make themselves available to pray for you on up and they will both sides of the platform area. If you need a little extra prayer today, make sure you come on up and say, hey I need a little extra prayer today, and we'll do just that. Will you stand with me please? Andrew, if you close us in song.
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