22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. 25 But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
James 1:22-25
When our church looks into the mirror what does it see? If we were to examine ourselves closely would we think of ourselves as an example to the world? We come to church week after week and we look into God word learning how we should live our lives and then we leave and somehow we forget what we have looked at. A church is more than a place where we meet each Sunday, A church is a body of baptized believers working together to accomplish Gods plan. God’s plan is that everyone should believe on Him and have ever-lasting life. I believe if we as a church are going to accomplish this plan we need to plan a Garden.
I.
Plant 3 rows of Peas.
Plant 3 rows of Peas.A.Prayer
Prayer1.Will this be printed in our local newspaper obituary column? Died- at Outreach Baptist Church, the prayer meeting, age one year. The health of this little meeting was poor; most of the year its life was despaired of. But a few anxious friends kept it alive, and sometimes it would so revive as to encourage them. Discouragement at last prevailed; now the prayer meeting is dead. It died from neglect; not a Christian was present when it died; over forty were living within a mile of it, and no one of them was there. Had two or three been there, its life might have been saved, for “where two or three are gathered together in his name their he is also. Two-thirds of the forty might have been there had they been so inclined. But they were not, and so the prayer meeting died.
Will this be printed in our local newspaper obituary column? Died- at Outreach Baptist Church, the prayer meeting, age one year. The health of this little meeting was poor; most of the year its life was despaired of. But a few anxious friends kept it alive, and sometimes it would so revive as to encourage them. Discouragement at last prevailed; now the prayer meeting is dead. It died from neglect; not a Christian was present when it died; over forty were living within a mile of it, and no one of them was there. Had two or three been there, its life might have been saved, for “where two or three are gathered together in his name their he is also. Two-thirds of the forty might have been there had they been so inclined. But they were not, and so the prayer meeting died.2.We have prayer meeting every Sunday Night at this Church.
We have prayer meeting every Sunday Night at this Church.As Mickey Bonner put it- it is time for Christians to wake up, for the Game is over! The only thing that will hold back what is happening around us is God’s hand moving into the matter as a result of answered prayer.
3.If this church is serious about doing the will of God. We must seek His will. And the ONLY way to seek it is through prayer. A few of us are seeking it together on Sunday Nights were are you?
If this church is serious about doing the will of God. We must seek His will. And the ONLY way to seek it is through prayer. A few of us are seeking it together on Sunday Nights were are you?B.Patience-
Patience- 1.Have you perchance found a diamond pendant? I feel sure I lost it in your theater, asked a woman who did not identify herself. Not yet madam said the manager. But we will search for it. Please hold the line for a minute while I make a inquiry. Returning to the phone the manager said, I have good news for you. We have found the pendant. There was no reply. Hello, Hello, Hello, said the manager, but the woman did not have the patience to wait on the line and the manager could not trace the call.
Have you perchance found a diamond pendant? I feel sure I lost it in your theater, asked a woman who did not identify herself. Not yet madam said the manager. But we will search for it. Please hold the line for a minute while I make a inquiry. Returning to the phone the manager said, I have good news for you. We have found the pendant. There was no reply. Hello, Hello, Hello, said the manager, but the woman did not have the patience to wait on the line and the manager could not trace the call.2.When we take our request to God we must be patience enough to wait for a reply.
When we take our request to God we must be patience enough to wait for a reply. 3.Patience Is Bitter, But It’s Fruit is sweet.
Patience Is Bitter, But It’s Fruit is sweet.C.Promptness-
Promptness-1.The submarine Squalas and its crew lay helpless at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, two hundred and forty feet below the surface. The crew sent up smoke flares hoping that their location would become known. The submarine Sculpin did locate them. A ten-ton diving bell was lowered several times, bringing to safety the thirty-three surviving members of the crew of the ill-fated Squalas. Not one of the thirty-three men said to their rescuers,
The submarine Squalas and its crew lay helpless at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, two hundred and forty feet below the surface. The crew sent up smoke flares hoping that their location would become known. The submarine Sculpin did locate them. A ten-ton diving bell was lowered several times, bringing to safety the thirty-three surviving members of the crew of the ill-fated Squalas. Not one of the thirty-three men said to their rescuers, I will think it over.
I will wait for a more convenient season.
I am in good condition as I am
There is too much to give up
I don’t understand the workings of that diving bell
I’ll think about it until tomorrow.
All instantly and gratefully accepted the means of escape from death.
We God speaks- we must immediately act on what he wants us to do without delay.
MAKE SURE TO PLANT YOUR PEAS.
II.Plant 3 Rows of Squash.
Plant 3 Rows of Squash.A.Squash Criticism-
Squash Criticism-1.A grouchy father attended church with his little boy there was nothing in the service, which the faultfinding father liked. As he walked home with his boy, he criticized the minister and his sermon. He found fault with the choir and with everything in general. The boy had noticed that when the offering was taken, his father had put in a dime into the collection plate. So he asked his father, Well, Dad, what do you expect for a dime?
A grouchy father attended church with his little boy there was nothing in the service, which the faultfinding father liked. As he walked home with his boy, he criticized the minister and his sermon. He found fault with the choir and with everything in general. The boy had noticed that when the offering was taken, his father had put in a dime into the collection plate. So he asked his father, Well, Dad, what do you expect for a dime?2.You only get out what you put in. Do you criticize or work to change things? How much effort do you put into this church?
You only get out what you put in. Do you criticize or work to change things? How much effort do you put into this church? B.Squash Gossip-
Squash Gossip-1.The problems in most Churches are 7 Misses.
The problems in most Churches are 7 Misses. a.Misinformation
Misinformationb.Misquotation
Misquotationc.Misrepresentation
Misrepresentationd.Misinterpretation
Misinterpretatione.Misconstruction
Misconstructionf.Misconception
Misconceptiong.Misunderstanding
Misunderstanding2.Don’t Listen To Them- The best way to stop a gossip is to not listen to them.
Don’t Listen To Them- The best way to stop a gossip is to not listen to them.C.Squash Apathy-
Squash Apathy-1.I don’t care if we talk about apathy?
I don’t care if we talk about apathy?2.I don’t care about the people in this neighborhood.
I don’t care about the people in this neighborhood. 3.The day we become Apathetic, we might as well lock the doors. We are here to minister! We must care.
The day we become Apathetic, we might as well lock the doors. We are here to minister! We must care.MAKE SURE TO PLANT YOUR SQUASH!
III.Plant 4 Rows of Lettuce
Plant 4 Rows of LettuceA.Let us obey the Lord
Let us obey the LordBilly Graham once said, Some people are like the man who went through a political campaign with a saucer like button on his coat lapel which read, My mind is made up don’t confuse me with the facts.
Far too often we do what we want to do, never considering what God wants us to do. God has a plan for our lives we must obey Him and if we do he will reward us.
B.Let us be loyal
Let us be loyalAre we loyal to our church and to those in are church. When we talk about our church do people want to come? I can remember when we met in the Funeral Home. It was hard to invite people to come. I just imagine if we invited people in the right way they would have come, but we always added the funeral home.
Now we are in the country, what is our excuse now? Are we speaking of our church in a way that will make people want to come, or we adding some little ending that will make them go somewhere else.
We need to stop making excuses about our church and starts making it the place where everyone needs to be. It is a place where God is moving, working, and changing lives.
I think of the church in the panhandle. Brownsville. They are experiencing a great revival. People are lining up to get in. Why because it is the place to be.
It is just hard for me to believe that God cannot do the same thing here at Outreach Baptist Church. If we will be loyal to God and to our church the same thing will happen here.
C.Let us be true to our obligations
Let us be true to our obligationsAs Christians we have an obligation. That obligation is to serve! We are obligated to meet the needs of this community. We were not asked, be were told by Jesus to serve.
Yesterday the men of this church had a chance to serve a lady in this community. She doesn’t come to church, but she has a the frame work of shed that needed to be finished. What a way to minister. Just go to her house, nail up some plywood, and not expect anything in return. 2 men showed up.
This church needs to be cleaned, the retention pond needs to be cleaned around, and the ditch out front needs to be mowed. We need Sunday School teachers, Awana Workers, VBS workers, on and on and on.
The new building is coming, We are going to need workers to help set it up, the list goes on. We have an obligation, let us be true to it.
D.Let us be unselfish
Let us be unselfishMAKE SURE TO PLANT YOUR LETTUCE
IV.Finish with four rows of Turnip
Finish with four rows of TurnipA.Turn up when needed
Turn up when neededB.Turn up with a smile
Turn up with a smileC.Turn up with a vision
Turn up with a vision1.Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal and I will give you a stock clerk.
Give me a stock clerk with a goal, and I will give you a man who will make history. Give me a man without a goal and I will give you a stock clerk.D.Turn up with determination.
Turn up with determination.MAKE SURE TO PLANT YOUR TURNIP
Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says and you will be blessed.
