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PAYING
ATTENTION TO THE ALMIGHTY Introduction:
There are many religions, yet there is only one true religion.
Satan doesn’t mind religion as long as it is counterfeit. A false
religion cannot save from sin or give eternal life. Real religion points
to Jesus Christ and in our text today focuses our attention on how to hear
Him. It is possible to have good hearing, but be hard of listening. We
must learn how to hear God’s Word because the Bible is the source of
salvation and for the redeemed it is the primary source in developing the
Christian character of pure and true religion. How do we pay attention to
Almighty God? I.
REACHING WORTHY ACHIEVEMENTS (V.19)
A.
A Cautious Ear
(19a) ·
For the purpose seen in verse 21: receiving the Word so a
person can be saved! ·
The greatest temptation in the world is to walk through life
doing your thing your way, therefore neglecting, ignoring, and rejecting
God! ·
How can you be sure to hear God’s Word? (By making sure of
the following)
B.
A Controlled
Tongue (19b) ·
Slow to speak means a person should listen instead of speak
his own ideas about right and wrong. Too often we argue with God’s Word. ·
He should listen to God’s Word instead of insisting on
what he thinks. ·
Slow to speak doesn’t mean slow speech, but restraint or
thoughtfulness before speaking. (Eccl 5:1-2) "Keep
thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear,
than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do
evil. {2} Be not rash with
thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any
thing before God: for God is
in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be
few."
C.
A Calm Temper
(19c) ·
Anger and wrath disturb and distract. (Illus: playing into
the hand of Satan.) ·
No person can ever be saved or conquer temptation if he
reacts in anger against God’s Word of salvation and righteousness. II.
REFUSING WRONG ACTIONS (V.20) Slow to
wrath pictures a settled, steaming anger that seeks revenge. It is a
constant attitude of anger: active, persistent anger. The command applies
to harboring resentful bitterness against another person.
A.
Human Anger (20a) ·
Anger toward others distracts us from hearing God in His
Word. You cannot receive truth in such a state. (Illus: being angry with
others only hurts you!) ·
Anger often blocks the passage of truth into our minds. ·
An angry person cannot do what God says; he cannot live
righteously nor can he receive God’s righteousness fully. ·
If a violent passion is aroused in my mind, accompanied by
the desire to take vengeance or to get satisfaction from someone who has
offended me, and that passion is accompanied by a hidden malice or
smoldering resentment in my heart, I have sinned. (Prov 14:29) "He
that is slow to wrath is of
great understanding: but he that
is hasty of spirit exalteth folly."
B.
Heaven’s Anger
(20b) ·
(Rom ·
One of the things believers lack today is anger concerning
sin. (Eph 4:26-27) "Be ye
angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
{27} Neither give place to the devil." If I am angry at
nothing but sin, I can be angry so as not to sin. ·
(Psa 97:10) "Ye
that love the LORD, hate evil:" III.
REJECTING WICKED ACTIONS (V.21)
A.
Unclean Activity ·
Pictures that of taking off a dirty garment and laying it
aside. ·
One must put off every dirty thing and lay it off away from
him or else his mind will be on the dirt and not on the things of God. The
soul that comes before the Lord unprepared to hear because of dirt and sin
in his or her life can’t take in the message. ·
This word is sometime use to refer to wax in the ear. The
picture is descriptive: the person with wax in his ear cannot hear God
clearly. Therefore, he must remove the wax and put it away from him or
else be deaf to the Word of God. B.
Unlawful
Activity ·
(Illus: picture of weeding a garden.) Putting away all that
remains of evil – as we walk in this world wickedness will be found in
us. Therefore we are to be alert to this and put them off also. The
wickedness of our own heart can nullify the seed sown ·
We must be completely clean from all dirt to hear God’s
Word. Without a Cautious Ear, a Controlled Tongue, a Calm Temper, and a
Clean Heart, we cannot receive. IV.
RECEIVING THE WORD AUTHENTICALLY
A.
The Spirit Of The
Receiver ·
Meekness = humble, gentle, quiet, attentive. ·
We must sit and listen with an open heart ready to hear
exactly what our heavenly Father says. “Receive” = to be at home with;
having free access to all parts of your life.
B.
The Substance Of
The Receiver ·
Engrafted = to implant; to be born within. ·
When a person listens and hears the Word of God it is
planted within his heart and life. ·
In Matt. 13, Jesus describes 4 kinds of hearts: (1) Hard
Heart – did not understand or receive the Word. (2) Shallow Heart –
very emotional but no depth. (3) Crowded Heart – lacked repentance and
permitted sin to crowd out the Word. (4) Fruitful Heart – received the
Word, allowed it to take root, and produce fruit that remained.
C.
The Soul Of The
Receiver ·
The Word of God is born within his heart and his soul is
saved! He is equipped to live eternally with God ·
And equipped to conquer and triumph over all temptation. The
saved need to be saved from unclean practices – from defiling sin. ·
The principle of (1 Cor Conclusion:
Victory comes when we pay attention to Almighty God and His Word.
When we welcome His Word and its challenge through repentance and faith,
then we walk in the truth of the engrafted Word and give evidence of true
and pure religion – Truly reflecting the character of God!
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