GOOD TREASURE OF THE HEART

VIDEO LINKS TO THIS MESSAGE

GOOD TREASURE OF THE HEART - PART ONE

GOOD TREASURE OF THE HEART - PART TWO

GOOD TREASURE OF THE HEART - PART THREE

Good Treasure of The Heart

Sermon by Pastor Mark Taylor

“A good person out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things; and an evil person out the evil treasure brings forth evil things.” (Matthew 12:35)

Our Lord Jesus is giving us a life principle in these scriptures which is recorded also in Luke 6:45.  It is very important for us to guard our minds, our mouths, and our hearts, because what ever goes into our hearts and minds will come out of our mouths and out in our actions.  This applies to our spiritual life, our professional life, and our relationships with others.  This is not just a principle of “positive thinking”, but of “positive living”.  For the purpose of this message this principle is specific to those who love the Lord and are serving Him.  It does apply to everyone in a general sense, Christian and Non-Christian, but the blessings promised are to God’s children.

First, let me say that I do not think everything that bad happens to us is a result of bad thinking or bad living.  There are times when we have unexpected health problems like cancer, diabetes, or heart problems that can be related to heredity or just general environmental reasons.  There are also times when we are Attacked by Satan using others or even nature itself. A storm could come through your area and destroy your home, an accident could occur leaving you disabled, and many other things could happen to you that are not related to bad thinking or bad choices. You and I do not have control over outside forces that act upon our lives.  Paul was often beaten and put into prison just for preaching God's Word and living a Godly life.  This was not the result of bad thinking on Paul's part, but God gave Him the strength to get through those difficult days.

This message is not to bring guilt or condemnation upon you.   The Bible says: "There is therefore now, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus". (Romans 8:1)

The purpose of this message is to help you change your thinking and living to prevent unnecessary heartache and defeat as you live your daily lives.  One thing we do have control over is our thought live and our responses to others and choices we make.

Good thoughts and actions do not produce bad results.  Bad thoughts and actions do not produce good results.  Nothing can come from a seed that is planted except the fruit it was designed to produce.  If you plant corn, you will get corn.  If you plant weeds, you will get weeds.  People understand this law in the natural world and use it to produce good things they can use and eat.  But few understand this as a spiritual law that works in our lives.

Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own results, good or bad.  These seeds will blossom sooner or later into an act.  Your thoughts will bear a fruit of opportunity or a circumstance of failure.  Good thoughts produce good fruit, and bad thoughts produce bad fruit.

A person is literally what they think.  Your character is the complete sum of all your thoughts.  Your mind is like a garden which may be spiritually and intelligently cultivated to bring success and happiness or allowed to run wild and produce failure and unhappiness.  Intellectual and professional achievements are the result of thought dedicated to the search of knowledge and developing skills.  Spiritual achievement is the result of holy aspirations and goals empowered by he Holy Spirit to aid you in self-control, resolution, purity, righteousness, and well-directed thoughts.

Success and happiness do not just randomly happen.  It is something that God wants us to have and He has a plan for us to achieve it.  “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you a good future.”  (Jeremiah 29:11).

Your thoughts not only produce the kind of fruit you think, but also the quantity.  “He which sows sparingly, shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”  (2 Corinthians 9:6).  If your thoughts are always negative, you will reap a lot of negative results in your life.  If your thoughts are good, a lot of good things will happen in your life.

Our Lord wants us to be optimistic in difficult times and even be happy when the world around us is not a happy place.  “In this world, you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer; for I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33).  Optimistic people become successes in school, at work, on the playing field and in relationships.  They are successful because of what they do when they feel they have run up against a brick wall.  What one does is the difference between helplessness and success,  They learn how to keep going and do not quit.  The child of God says and believes: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13).

The way we think about life can actually diminish or enlarge the control we have over it.  The pessimist can become paralyzed by fear and the very thought “Nothing I do matters”, prevents them from acting.  Pessimistic prophecies are self-fulfilling..  One of the most significant findings in psychology in the last twenty years is that individuals can choose the way they think.  Isn’t it amazing that the Bible told us about this 4000 years ago:  “For as a person thinks in his heart, so is he”  (Proverbs 23:7).

The Lord is saying to us all today, to think about how you treat yourself and in turn others.  “You have planted much, and bring in little; you eat, but you have not enough, you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you put clothes on yourself, but there in no warmth;; and he that earns wages, earns wages to put into bags with holes.  Thus says the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways.”  (Haggai 1:6-7).  This is what happens to people who live a life of pessimism.  Will you “Consider your ways”?

You may say that you cannot help the way you feel, but you can control what you think.  And when you control what you think and what you say to yourself, your feelings will change. 

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8).

Think about what you think about!!  Are you constantly thinking that you are a “victim” of life.  “In every things give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I Thessalonians 5:18). When bad things happen to you, and they will to all of us, take this attitude and things will change.  “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose.”  (Romans 8:28).

Every day we have the opportunity to do something good for someone without expecting something in return. Each of us has God-given talents and abilities we can use to make life better for others.  You may feel and say that nothing good ever happens to me.  It may be that you are not planting the right kind of seeds to get the harvest you desire.  Service and love toward others is part of the “good treasure” our Lord was speaking about.  You can’t out give God with your time, money or service to others.  The more you give, the more treasure you will receive in this life time and in Heaven.

EXCUSES

 Excuses  

by  

Pastor Mark Taylor

“And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?”  (Exodus 3:11).

When God appeared to Moses at the burning bush, He called him to the task of leading the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.  In response, Moses gave excuses as to why he did not think he was the man for the job.  Today, I would like for us to look at those excuses and God’s response.  Then let us examine what the Lord is asking us to do and apply God’s answers to Moses to our calling.

Moses first excuse was “Who am I?” Though he was once a member of the ruling house of Egypt, he was now a lowly shepherd.  It had been 40 years since he had been in Egypt and now he was 80 years old.  He believed he was insufficient for the task God was asking him to do.  What about you and me?  What has he called you to do?  Maybe it is as simple as going living a Christian life and influencing others to come to the knowledge of the love of Christ.  You may feel that you are too old, too young, or simply not good enough.  It is true that without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and a real relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, we are all insufficient in strength and ability.   But God’s answer to Moses was: “And He said, Certainly I will be with you;” (Exodus 3:12).  God has also given us that promise.  "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20).  Reach out to others today with the message of the love of Christ and don’t make excuses of what you cannot do.  Instead, make this verse your life motto: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

 (Philippians 4:13 ).

Moses second excuse for not going was “What shall I say?” (Exodus 3:13).  We try to excuse ourselves by saying that our knowledge is inadequate.  God told Moses what he needed to say in response to others questions.  God has told us what to say.  “And this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” (1 John 3:23-24).  Talk about Jesus and His love.

A third excuse was “Then Moses answered and said, "But suppose they will not believe me or listen to my voice; suppose they say, 'The LORD has not appeared to you.'" (Exodus 4:1).  The fear of failure often keeps people from trying to follow the Lord.  God gave Moses convincing proofs and He gives us the Word of God to produce faith in us.  “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  (Romans 10:17).  Today we have the evidences concerning the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, and His promises to be with us when we proclaim His Words and His Love.  “"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you." (Deuteronomy 31:6).

A fourth excuse Moses gave God:  “Then Moses said to the LORD, "O my Lord, I am not eloquent, neither before nor since You have spoken to Your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue." (Exodus 4:10).  God already knows the inability and shortcomings of those He calls.  But our God is a God of miracles and He can give you what you need to get His job done.  “But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible." (Mark 10:27).

Moses’ real excuse:  "Now therefore, go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall say." But he said, "O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send." (Exodus 4:12-13).  He simply did not want to go.  It may be true with us that we would really rather that God would use someone else.  Send someone else to visit the sick.  Send someone else to invite people to church.

Someone else can pray.  Someone else can give their money and time.

With Moses we know that He did answer the call and was successful in delivering the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage.  What about us?  Will we heed the call to use our gifts and abilities for the service of the Lord?  Moses is with the Lord right now enjoying his salvation and rewards for making the right decision.  It is an honor to be called by God and to serve Him.  If you put aside your excuses you will hear Him say to you: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.” (Matthew 25:21).