DAVID SMOTHERS

Toni was chosen to give the message at the closing of the Layspeaking school on the last day when certificates were handed out…..this is the message.

Good Morning.

I’d like to read from the 116th Psalm, verses 12-14

What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me?
I will take up the cup of my salvation and call upon the name of the Lord.
I will pay my vows to the Lord. Now in the presence of all His people.

Let’s pray:

Thank you Father for your Word and for your love. Bless us this morning as we seek wisdom from your word and power from Your Holy Spirit.  In Jesus name, we pray.

Amen

 David was right when he said that our experience of the past two weekends was rewarding. Actually, that’s an understatement. The people involved with the Lay Speaker’s program are a group of dedicated, truly spiritual people who put together a wonderful program for us.

When some of you asked me, “How was school”, all I could say was, “Well, I thought it was very interesting… but possibly out of my league.” That too…was a gross understatement. But, nevertheless, I went and put on what I call my “Paper Lion Suit” and pretended at least partial nonchalance. That’s my survival tactic when I’m really scared witless. So…now you can probably better understand why I titled my talk: 

Who Do I Think I Am?

Although I enjoyed the experience of being at Lay Leaders school, after the fact, I really was a somewhat reluctant participant.  If you can picture the old vaudeville image of the truly rotten performer who is yanked off the stage by this huge hook around his neck, that’s a good visualization of how God got me there that morning!

The basic group consisted of a bunch of people and so we were divided up…And, of course, David and I were each put into different classes.

We were first directed to introduce ourselves and tell a little bit about jobs and families, which I guess was okay…you know, somewhat uncomfortable for us introvert types, but a pretty normal request in a new group and all… But then… as an  “ice breaker”, and I almost couldn’t believe this, our teacher told us to give a five to ten minute impromptu presentation about our the two most important people in our lives that had been the most influential to us through our spiritual growth. Nothing like jumping in with both feet!

 In the face of everyone’s testimonies, right off the bat, I was glaringly different from everybody else in my class…. They each had all these lovely recollections of generations of loved family members who had provided them with these wonderfully strong, nurturing backgrounds. We won’t go into my background, but believe me it wasn’t anything like there’s. So, from almost the first hour of class, I felt myself to be somewhat lacking…Somehow less qualified to position myself for leadership than the others because I never had any nurturing type experiences as a point of reference or source of confidence as they had.

            But like the psalm I read to you, I still felt gratitude towards God that I needed to express. When I asked what I could do to show my appreciation to God, I had ended up there in that class, so in some way, I did belong there.
                    

So…Though I might have come from a very different childhood and environment than my classmates, it wasn’t really about that… or even about who was less or more qualified. For me, it was just about loving the Lord for what He has done for me and needing to share Him with others.
 

I once had an angry, bitter heart. God healed me of that dark outlook on life and that was a tremendous blessing. But that’s another long story and not what I’m here to talk about today. I’ll just say that God’s ability to heal anything …matters. …It matters a lot.

I learned about forgiveness when it was next to impossible to be forgiving. Because, you see, that lesson was for my benefit.  My forgiveness wasn’t really for those who I eventually forgave. That’s the part of it that is so important  –. That God literally changes us from what we were into what He wants us to become and it’s always better.

We are actually transformed by the word of God and the love contained within it…And unless we are willing to proclaim that fact, we are being selfish children.

A lot of what Paul wrote to his friends from his confinement in a Roman jail became quite literally, food for my thought. I’m sure you all know the verses I’m referring too, where Paul more or less says,

            Brothers, as I close this letter, let me say this one thing more: Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others.  Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.

Those words… those words inspired by the Holy Spirit did literally change my way of thinking. And so dismal, angry thoughts were eventually replaced with happy, life-giving ones. Christian thoughts… delivered from resentment and shame. All I had to do was accept His healing and simply choose to fill my mind with His goodness through the power of His word.

So great…But that has to mean more than just sitting around all day having nice thoughts.  There has to be some effect…some action…that my Christian thinking and living has on the world around me. The beauty that has been disclosed to me is not meant to be held as my own personal secret.

In Matt 5:13-16 Jesus said,

You are the world’s seasoning, to make it tolerable. If you lose your flavor, what will happen to the world? And you yourselves will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.

You are the world’s light – a city on a hill, glowing in the night for all to see.  Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good deeds glow for all to see… so that they will praise your heavenly Father.

I can’t let my uplifting thoughts go unrealized, which they will if I’m not taking some action to share them and give them life. So then I must do something, take some action. 

Serving God with singleness of purpose and putting the concerns of His kingdom first are actions that follow His will and free me from anxiety over any lesser things.

Jesus tells us not to accumulate treasures on earth and not to even worry about our lives at all.  He illustrates His point by comparing what He gives us to God’s provisions for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. We may not know them word for word, but we all know those verses:

Basically, He tells us not to sweat the small stuff but to use our energies more wisely. To seek God and His ways and everything else will take care of itself.  But, we so often overlook this instruction.

We are progressive people, becoming more and more educated, more and more capable – We acquire more and more prestigious things, all the while puffing our chests out further and further. Either that – or we’re worried sick because we’re not as accomplished as so and so, or we haven’t acquired the new car or overpriced house on the lake.

Whether we are situated on the outside or the inside of that treadmill, the resultant anxiety is the same. Worry has become natural to a lot of us – As natural as eating or sleeping. Why I know a lot of people and I’ll bet you do too, who couldn’t possibly get through a day if they didn’t have something to worry about. It’s almost as if worrying was a part of their nature.

Does this tendency to worry have anything to do with what Jesus means in the seventh chapter of Matthew were He talks about entering heaven through the narrow gate? He says that the highway to hell is broad and its gate is wide enough for all the multitudes who choose its easy way. But the gateway to Life is small, and the road is narrow and only a few ever find it. Do you suppose we will find it by worrying?.

We are literally required as children of God to abandon concern for anything other then our spiritual growth and the commission given to us of telling the world about Him.  God is God. He knows what we need and only He controls tomorrow. So are we going to actually obey God…or just think about our striving to be obedient? That was the decision I had to make – You know, actually “Walk the talk.”

It’s a bit unnerving to consider what Jesus says in Matt 7:21.

Not everyone who says to me Lord ,Lord, shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.

For most of us, it’s easy to designate things like lying or deliberate cruelty, or murder, as sins…Those are pretty clear-cut and we can simply decide not to commit them. But worrying is also sinful. Jesus says it is. And that’s just not something most of us think of when we think of being sinful.

For example;

All I could do, from the time we were given the assignment to get up in front of everyone and give a ten minute sermonette, until… well, from that Saturday till the following Tuesday afternoon, was to consider all the possible subjects I could speak about and then worry my heart out about my inability to do it.

My thinking went something like this:

How in the world did I get myself into such a predicament?

Whatever possessed me to think myself capable of preaching to anybody else?

I have no credentials or special talents in relation to public speaking – What was I thinking?

Who in the world do I think I am?….And on and on like that till I had a knot the size of a melon gripping my stomach. It wasn’t until I forced myself to stop and look at how worried and fearful I had become that I was able to actually start to work on this assignment.  But before I could do it, I first had to hand it over to God – Truly leave it with Him.

You see, all the worrying in the world wasn’t going to make me the least bit more capable.  Only God’s grace could do that.  Only when I turned the outcome over to Him could I envision myself speaking clearly and comfortably without having a heart attack from the stress.

Again, my answer came from His Word: (Phil4:13)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So when the temptation to second guess my situation – to beat myself up with thoughts of inadequacy comes, I have to see that for what it really is.  Its just another way that Satan has of creeping into my thoughts and stealing my confidence and perverting my good intentions until I think myself foolishly presumptuous.

Who do I think I am to stand up and preach the Word of God? Well… I’m predestined to adoption as a child of God, purchased and redeemed by the blood of Jesus and sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise who guarantees my inheritance into heaven.  That’s who I am and there is no room for false pride or insecurity in the power of that!

All I have to do is ask the Father to give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.  Because then the eyes of my understanding are enlightened and I recognize the nature of His calling in me which is far above any puny negative power.

 So I can answer the question of whether I should presume to be here with faith. (Eph 2:8) For by grace I have been saved through faith, and that not of myself, but it is the gift of God. Not of works, lest I should boast. For I am His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that I should walk in them.


So, I put on the armor of God… that I may be able to stand and open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the Gospel. I am not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord. Jesus said that the harvest is plentiful but the laborers few. So, like others of us here, I have heard the Holy Spirit call me and I have chosen to be among the few.

And I believe that we are called with a holy calling, not according to our works but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began. (2 Tim1:9)

I’d like to close with one final Bible quote from Matt 12:31

Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.

When the Holy Spirit calls, we can only obey.

Praise God and may He so richly bless each of you.

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY DUMMY….I believe the democrats know they are going to loose the house and senate in 2020 along with trump getting reelected, and they are using the impeachment to rake in as much of the taxpayer’s money they can while they still in office they know most of them will be out of a job……..and their cash cow will be no more.

MAGA……EVERY DEMOCRAT RUNNING IN 2020 ARE FOR ABORTION, MORE THAN ONE GENDER, OPEN BORDERS, FREE MEDICAL TO ILLEGALS

VOTE GOP, DO NOT VOTE FOR ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN IN OFFICE FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS BOTH DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN.

It’s just my opinion, I believe the bible when it says (Obey the rulers who have authority over you. Only God can give authority to anyone, and he puts these rulers in their places of power. Romans 13:1)

I believe Obama was put In power by God and only God knows the reason. (I have my opinion of why) and most of God’s people even thou did not approve tried to make the best of his Presidency.

I also believe God has put Trump in authority, but  people  have rejected God and are in a frenzy trying to destroy him with no regard for the office of the President or GOD. And no regard for life and Gods plan, {So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them, Genesis 1:27}, {Jeremiah 1:55 “I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.    Before you were born I set you apart.” A large part if America have these two major departures from scripture and morality that we must repent of, Abortions and thinking there could be more that two genders

I believe if God’s people do not repent and turn back to him he will let disaster and devastation befall America. {if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14}

The Soviet Union was the largest country in the world, covering approximately one-seventh of Earth’s land surface. It was two and a half times the size of the United States, and only slightly smaller in land area than the entire continent of North America.

Most of today’s masses have no Idea that Russia was once many states just like America only much larger, but in stead of staying united they started fighting among themselves until many states broke away and was a country, loosing the strength of a united USSR. now you have a bunch of countries fighting among themselves and no winners.

America is heading down this slippery slope. United we stand divided we fall. I fear we will eventually have states like California, Texas, New York Florida and many more becoming their own little country, If you think we have a border problem now just think of what lies ahead, a border crossing in and out of Texas, Michigan,

In stead of a united beacon on a hill country the richest in the world we will be no better than Russia and the other countries

When you have a basically two party country and one of the parties can do nothing for the people just spend billions of taxpayers dollars on attacking the other party. WE ARE DOOMED.

We have gone from the richest God fearing county on earth, to another Sodom and Gomorrah.

Our only hope a Christian/Moral nation is God who sent his son Jesus to save us from ourselves.

I can not recall a US Present in my life time that I agreed with everything he was for. So I can see how many Christians may not like everything President Trump stands for.

What I do know is every person running on the Democrat ticket for President is for more than one gender and abortion and late term abortion, this is not hearsay this is directly from their mouths at their debates

THAT IS WHY IT STAGGERS MY MIND TO UNDERSTAND WHY ANY CHRISTIAN OR MORAL PERSON COULD VOTE DEMOCRAT IN THE 2020 ELECTIONS!

It’s JUST MY OPINION Since most of our government is corrupt, If I were a betting man, I think if the democrats would get off their impeach trump bandwagon, and work together with the corrupt GOP and get some common sense laws passed for the majority of Americans, all this crap would go away.

it is not my wish however, my wish is all who are corrupt will be brought to trial and sent to jail. and NO ONE IN OFFICE FOR OVER EIGHT YEARS GETS REELECTED..

As I continue down the narrow rode of life to my final home, (and what a home with my Jesus there waiting to greet me) I am saddened the way the older generation is treated in Churches nowadays. More and more older people are choosing to stay home on Sunday’s because churches are choosing to let them go in favor of a younger generation, seems like many churches are turning into a social club rather than a house of worship, there are no more choir’s in it’s place loud praise music with a theatrical touch and flashing lights. Members are asked to stand thru all the music and scripture reading, which is very hard for some older and impaired members. Its like putting you favorite horse you have had for many years out to pasture to only be seen at a distance.

I completely agree with Churches needing to attract the younger members but at what cost, teaching them not to respect their elder’s? or treating them with dignity, This is not preparing them for what will happen to all of us.

I know an older couple that started going to a new church about a year and a half ago, I am told that each time they attend no more that 3 people say high, and none offer their name and a formal greeting.

I am not saying I have an answer, I am just giving my opinion.

In the (new Church age) and the quest to attract the younger members it seems like our Churches have put the older generation out to pasture as you would your favorite horse you have had for years and it now stands in the pasture only to be seen and not heard.

Choirs have been turned out to pasture in favor of very loud praise music complete with lights and theocratic s, The congregation is asked to stand during all this (about half of the service time) which is a problem for a lot of older generation and impaired members. Many now have snacks Coffey drinks to take in with you in order to make it more appealing to come worship your GOD.

I know an older couple that started going to a new church an later joined. Most of the services they attend they are lucky if a handful say high, almost no one will offer there name and try to befriend you.

It seems like the Church has forgotten the younger crowd will someday be the older crowd and are not doing enough to have the younger members respect the older members and the way they have to live their life

I by no means am implying I have the answer, I just have the question and my opinion.

IT’S JUST MY OPINION BUT….

I believe the democrats and republicans see the hand writhing on the wall, most if not all of the career politicians will not get reelected in 2020. They did not think in their wildest dreams Trump would get elected and they have spent all their time and energy trying to fabricate something, anything that would stick so the could oust a sitting president. They wasted all this time when they could have been doing something for American citizens in stead of trying to oust Trump and letting as many people into America to boost their voter pool. Until the 2020 election you will see a frenzy of lies, accusations, misrepresentations, firing up race tensions, religion, anything to try and save their butts.

The American people have looked on with horror as their country is thrown away. It’s just my opinion but i think in 2020 most of the career politicians both democrat and republican will be tossed out with the trash. We will reelect Donald Trump because he is the ONLY one with America first.

MAGA VOTE REPUBLICAN BUY AMERICAN!

It’s just my opinion, about marriage and being unequally yoked.

The Bible says.

2 Corinthians 6:14 King James Version (KJV)

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

The Bible speaks of the spiritual part of a marriage, but there are many other aspects to look at before you make the plunge. The Bride and Groom should talk about money, what they want in life how to spend their money, should you have one checking account, Do you want children, how many, how will you discipline them,  will you start a college fund, do you want a home or an apartment, do you wish to live in the same place (city, state), do you share the same idea’s on movies, theater, sports, vacation time. Which church to attend, will both of you be working, will one make more money than the other, how many cars will you have, who will do the house work, take out the garbage, It may sound petty now but these things and many more can cause much dissention and grief and even separation in a marriage.

The family that stays together prays together.