M.Y.O.B.

Proverbs 26:17
He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own
Is like one who takes a dog by the ears.

How many times has your momma told you to mind your own business? Hundreds or thousands for me. When you’re a nosey little boy you will be told this many times. What is so funny to me now is I often yell this phrase out on my bus. I don’t say it like my momma used to tell me though. I just yell, “M.Y.O.B!” Then my kids on the bus say, “What does that mean?” Mind. Your. Own. Business.

Daily you can ride with me and hear, “She’s talking about me, He’s staring at me, They won’t stay out of my conversation!” Then I usually have someone jump in and try to solve to problem. You know that person that sticks in their two foot long nose... I always tell them to M.Y.O.B. You don’t know what you are talking about and you don’t want to get involved.

God’s Word explains it much better than I can. He says a “person that walks by and meddles in a quarrel not his own...” First of all this isn’t talking about a person who walks by and sees an argument or fight and tells them to just keep walking. No, He says that a person that sees a quarrel and wants to “meddle” in it. In the south I hope that I don’t have to explain what meddling means.

Last of all, God says the person who passes by and meddles in a quarrel that’s “not his own is like a person who takes a dog by the ears.” I don’t know about you but I don’t think grabbing a dog by its ears would end well. It may just come back to bite you. So, what is the conclusion we should come to? Let me spell it out like our scripture teaches us this morning... M.Y.O.B.

Reacting VS Responding

Exodus 19:7-8

And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. And all the people answered together, and said, All that the Lord hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of the people unto the Lord.

When the man of God preaches the words of God, what do you do?  Did you fumble through a hymn book?  Did you clip your nails? Maybe catch up on some Bible study time?  Or did you listen with the Spirit of God and respond?

When we hear God and His word it asks for us to respond, not react!  Some will react by getting angry and turning their ears and heart off. Some will even react with emotions, jump up and shout but then fizzle out like an old soft drink. God's word leads us to respond. Responding is an emotional heart search that leads to an action. Responding is faith in action. When these people heard the word of God something happened. First, they all came together. Then they all answered together. Look at their response to the word of God...

"All that The Lord hath spoken we will do."  Now we can continue to read about the children of Israel and see that some of the people said this out of reaction to their emotions. We see it because they went away from this promise shortly after they made it. It's because they reacted instead of responding. 

Lastly, to our Moses' (preachers of the word), maybe people react to the message because you just skim through what God has told you and you're not giving it all. Maybe because you only give the emotional part of the message is their reason of reacting. God's words are sometimes tough for the speaker and the hearer, but what are we sharing if we only share what we want and not what God says?

Think if Moses told everyone that it was going to be simple and easy. That there would always be a banquet to feast on and roses to walk on. God says it will be tough and I require obedience from my children, but know this... I love you and I will be there every step of the way. 

What did you take from God's word? How did you respond? Let Him hear your answer right now. 

All Day Long

Romans 10:21
But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Haven't we all been disobedient at times? Sure we have. When we were children, our parents would instruct us to not do something and what would we do? That's right, run right over to what they told us not to do and do it. No one had to teach us this kind of behavior. It seems to just come naturally.

But even when we were children we understood the disappointment of continual disobedience. At some point it must turn from disobedience to just a total rejection of the truth. God tells us that He has stretched out His hand to a disobedient and gainsaying (pride filled) people. Over and over God reaches out His hand of mercy and grace to a disobedient people. It reminds me of a parent. With love and understanding the possible danger, they instruct their child. They tell them to not go somewhere or to not touch something. At first they understand the child's mind that doesn't know any better. Sometimes this can be an all day affair.

God says, "I have reached out for you. I love you Israel!" But again and again they continue in their own disobedient ways with things making them happy. Not mine! I want you to hear me O Lord. Stop walking in disobedience right now and walk in the glorious light of His Word

Is There Room?

Luke 2:7

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

They say this is the most wonderful time of the year right?  The time of year where most will donate or throw out all the old things in order to make room for the new. We will get busy cleaning out closets and rooms. Isn't it funny how we will do this?  We make room for new toys, new TVs, new clothes, one more piece of pie, etc... 

What about making room for Jesus?  Do you allow Him to remove the old things about you and replace them with new?  Do you take time to read His Words?  Do you set aside time to worship Him with others together in His house?  Begin today, start right now, making room for Jesus. Not just a baby, but a Savior who gave His life for you. Pray that He would remove the old things you don't need and room would be made just for Him. 

One great thing about Jesus is that He has made room for you. Room at the Cross!

 Luke 14:22

And the servant said, Lord, it is done as thou hast commanded, and yet there is room.

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

Proverbs 18:24

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly:

and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

John 15:13-15

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth:but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Friendship is defined as a relationship between friends. Our God is so desirous about having you as His best friend. He wants to be close enough to you that your thoughts are constantly fixed on His thoughts. So close that your hurts are shared and easily seen. So close that your wants are the same as the other. So close that your joys are doubled and enjoyed together. 

Friendship is two people giving and taking. "A friend that has friends must be friendly". Jesus gave His life for us while we were lost and in sin. He chose to die while we were already dead in sin. He treated us as friends even when we were unfriendly. Most of all, He loved us when we were/are unlovable. 

Romans 5:8-10

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear;

What a privilege to carry, everything to God in prayer. 

Oh what peace we often forfeit, Oh what needless pain we bear;

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. 

What Time Is It?

John 12:23
And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.

Most of my life I never wore a watch. I was always asking people, "What time is it?" When I was younger it was a question I would ask every two or three minutes apart. Especially if there was a specific time I was waiting on. I'm sure I bothered many people back then.

Can't you remember your parents telling you that you were going over to your cousins house at five o'clock? Usually mine would tell me this at about eight in the morning. So all day long I would ask, "What time is it? What time is it now? Is it five yet?"

Think of all the glorious miracles that the disciples saw Jesus perform. Imagine all the words of life and power that they heard come from the mouth of the Son of God. Over and over Jesus would tell them that His time had not yet come. I imagine that they would look at Him with that look of, "Is it time yet? Will you show your full glory now? Can we glorify you now?" Then one day when they probably lest expected it... Jesus says, "The hour is come..."

"IT'S FIVE O'CLOCK, LET'S GO!" I would yell to my parents. I would hurry them out the door because this is the time I had waited on all day. At eight in the morning it seemed like it would never get here. It seemed like the minutes were hours. But when I wasn't paying attention... the time came.

You may be waiting on Jesus to show up or you may be waiting on His return. Let me assure you this morning that He will show up. He will return. The hour will come some day that ALL will glorify the Son. We will ALL bow our knees, we will ALL confess that Jesus is Lord. As John said in the closing book of the Bible, "Even so, come, Lord Jesus."

Make up in your mind this morning that it is time! It's time that you glorify the Son of God, Jesus.

Who Me?

Ephesians 3:8
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;

Can you believe that? God chose someone like Saul of Tarsus to deliver the greatest message this world has ever known to the Gentile nation. This same Saul was before a persecutor of the church people. He had them killed, imprisoned, beaten and told to stop spreading this disease called Christianity. But now he is saved and sharing Jesus with the Gentiles. When Saul got saved even his name was changed.

One of the facts I find to be the greatest is the fact of who Paul is now preaching to, it's the Gentiles. These people didn't get their name from being gentle or acting like gentlemen. To the Jew, they were barbaric dogs and not worthy of God. But to God, now that's totally different and Paul is called to tell them about it.

Paul went out into the Gentile nation preaching the Gospel of Jesus. How Jesus was born of a virgin, how He died on the cross and how He was resurrected of His Father. How could God use someone like this? Remember who he used to be? A persecutor, murderer, attacker of the Gospel is now preaching the Gospel. The one who went to all extremes to get rid of this heretic message of the Gospel is now preaching this Gospel.

Can you imagine the talk with Christ that day of his salvation? Who me? You want me? You want me to do what? I know this very well! I was one who was before a blasphemer, persecutor and often took the name of the Lord in vain. I was a drunkard. I was a brawler. I was a liar. I was a fornicator. I was, I was, I was... But that's just it. I was... But do you know something? I am now! I think of it like this... Unto me, Steve Abney who is the least of all the saints, is given this grace. See I don't stand on my experience or abilities, but in His grace. I can share with you about Jesus and not worry about who "I was" because of who "I am". AMEN! And so can you.