Take it to Heart

Justin Boring – Rome Experience Read More......Read Less Initial Reluctance and Divine Provision Initially, there was no desire to go to Italy for missionary work. The trip seemed financially impossible. Victor offered to cover the expenses, which seemed improbable. Unexpected financial opportunities arose. Overtime work became available. Colleagues donated $350 towards the trip. Church donated $500 to each of the five persons going. Despite the provision, a sense of unease lingered. There was a recognition of a potential heart issue. “There’s something wrong with my heart already.” Observations and Reflections in Italy Victor’s deep investment in the lives of the people he served was striking. He knew more about these “strangers” than the speaker knew about their own family. Many had Bible lessons in their homes because of Victor’s influence. Bonding with a Muslim man named Oktar. Oktar had experienced hardships. Victor was actively involved in Oktar’s life. Constant questioning of personal purpose during the trip. “What is my purpose here? What am I supposed to be doing?” Belief that the trip was divinely orchestrated for a specific reason. The Motorcycle Repair and Divine Intervention Initial desire to fix a broken motorcycle. The speaker enjoys fixing things and saw it as a potential way to contribute. The motorcycle was already being repaired. Oktar needed $350 for the motorcycle repair. Victor initially declined the offer to pay, planning to borrow from a roommate. The speaker insisted on using the donated money. The money was given to Oktar. Oktar’s friend was unavailable to lend the money. Oktar was emotional upon receiving the money. The speaker saw this as a clear sign of divine orchestration. “God set this up, the whole thing, me coming here. I have this money, and it was supposed to go to somebody, and it’s supposed to go to you to take care of your need.” Realizations and Apology The experience highlighted the need for greater attentiveness to divine direction. It’s important to “start listening a lot more and also trying to hear what direction he’s wanting me to go.” Faithfulness and presence are more important than special abilities. During a final group prayer, there was a moment of profound realization. Regret for past lack of investment in God’s work and in people. Apology to God and to the group for missed opportunities. “I didn’t have a desire to really invest in your work. I didn’t have a desire to invest in the people I was in contact with.” Recognition that events in life happen at the right time. The trip and its lessons were timely and necessary. Desire to do better in the future. Pastor Tommy Read More......Read Less Giving Glory to God The message focuses on the importance of giving glory to God and the consequences of not taking His warnings seriously. The message is based on Malachi 2:1-2, where God warns the priests about the curse that will come if they do not honor Him. “If you will not hear, if you will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you.” The Commission to Glorify God The commission to take the Word of God to the world is for everyone, not just preachers. “He’s made us all priests and kings.” Everyone has the responsibility to live in a way that others see Christ and that Christ is glorified. Taking God Seriously It is a responsibility to believe God and take His warnings seriously. “We have a responsibility to believe God.” The Holy Spirit and the Word of God will draw people closer to God, but individuals must respond. “We need to take this seriously. This is not a game that we’re playing.” God wants everyone to glorify Him, as it is the preeminent purpose of existence. “He wants you to glorify Him. He has made you and me, every one of us, we’re created to bring glory unto the Father.” Consequences of Not Obeying God Many live with hearts estranged from God because they have stopped taking Him seriously. “Many today live with hearts that are already estranged from God because they have long stopped taking God seriously.” The story of Lot’s sons-in-law is used as an example of what happens when people do not heed God’s warnings. They laughed at Lot’s warning because Lot hadn’t taken God seriously, and his life was a mockery. “He seemed as one that had mocked.” Living a Life That Glorifies God Life matters, including how one lives, speaks, dresses, and where one goes. “Let your light so shine, that they may see your good works, and glorify the Father which is in heaven.” The house would be full if people took God’s admonitions seriously. “If we took serious the admonition of God in our hearts this house wouldn’t be half full it’d be full.” When God is not taken seriously, there is a curse to follow. “Here’s what happens when you don’t take God serious…there’s a curse to follow.” Levi honored God and brought glory to Him, receiving the covenant of life and peace. “He said Levi honored me. He said Levi. He brought glory to me. He said I gave to him the covenant of my life and peace.” Even in old age or on a deathbed, one can still bring glory to God. “You may be on your deathbed and can’t give up, but brother, keep giving glory to God.” What matters in the end is how one conducted themselves and whether they gave glory to God. “It won’t mean anything to God that I was this or that or had a title or didn’t…He wants to know, did I give glory to Him?” Paul beseeches believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice, which is their reasonable service. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” One is not their own, having been bought with a price, and should live to bring glory to God. “I was bought with a price one day. I ain’t my own anymore. It ain’t up to me to do what I want to do. I’ve been purchased and made a child of the king. And I am to bring glory to God.” Everything, including eating and drinking, should be done to the glory of God. “Whether therefore you eat or drink or whatever you do do all to the glory of God.” An encounter in Nashville with an old lady who clearly showed the glory of God is shared as an example. “I saw in you something I didn’t see in some of the others. I saw the glory of God in you.” Whatever one does, do it heartily, as unto the Lord. “Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily.” God cares how one lives, works, and behaves, as life is meant to bring glory to Him. “He cares how you be a mama. He cares how you be an employee. He cares how you live. He cares how you walk.” If life is a mockery, it is because one has refused to follow God. “If my life is a mockery, friend, it’s because I have refused to follow God.” God can curse blessings if He is not given glory. “The very thing that you call blessing in your life, God can curse it.” The reason for cursing blessings is the refusal to give God glory and take His words seriously. “The reason why I’m going to curse it is because you won’t give me glory. Because you won’t lay it to heart.” The Example of Levi Levi had a covenant of life and peace because he feared God. “My covenant was with him of life and peace…I gave it to him for the fear wherewith he feared me.” Living in a country that no longer fears God. “We’re living in a country that don’t fear God no more.” Fearing God means humbling oneself before Him, recognizing His greatness and one’s own nothingness. “When we humble ourselves before an almighty God, that suddenly He gets big and we get small and we see that He is everything and we are nothing.” Fearing God leads to obedience. “It causes me to want to obey Him.” There is no sweeping things under the rug in the throne room of God. “There ain’t no rugs.” There will be regret for not giving one’s all for God. “Day cometh that we’re going to regret having not given our all for God.” Levi kept God’s word on his lips, honoring Him every time he shared it. “He kept my word on his lips…that word honored me.” Levi turned many away from iniquity, which brought glory to God. “He turned many away from iniquity…God said I’ll tell you why I made a covenant with Levi and kept it. He said because one of the things Levi, he continually warned the wicked.” Peter’s death brought glory to God. “This signifying how he would die. To bring glory unto God.” Everything one goes through is to the glory of God. “Everything you’re going through, brother, is to the glory of God.” Conclusion The point of the message is to take God seriously and lay His warnings to heart. “The point of the message was that we’ve got to take it serious. At some point, we’ve got to lay this to heart that God’s trying to warn me.” There are worse things than being broke, such as being lost. “There’s a whole lot worse things than broke. You could be lost.” God glorified Jesus and said, “Hear ye Him.” “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Hear ye Him.” If one does not hear and lay it to heart, there is a curse on the other side. “If you will not hear, and you will not lay it to heart, I believe there’s a curse on the other side of it.” In the New Testament, one reaps what one sows. “Be not deceived. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” It is crucial to take the Word of God seriously and obey Him now. “You better heed the warning of God and take Him serious. You better lay it to heart this morning and give glory to God.”