What will it take to bring you to God?

Amos 4:6-12

1.      It took a Nervous Breakdown to Bring Nebuchadnezzar to God  Dan 4:33-34 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' [feathers], and his nails like birds' [claws]. And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion [is] an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom [is] from generation to generation:

a.       Pride kept him form God

b.      Pride brought Lucifer down Ezk 14 

2.      It Took the Birth of a Baby to Bring Enoch to God  Gen 5:21-22 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

a.       He was 65 when Methuselah was born

b.      He walked with God after Methuselah was born

c.       “A little child shall lead them” Isa 16:11 

3.      It Took a Funeral to Bring Isaiah to God  Isa 6:1 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

a.      When the King died Isaiah saw the Lord

b.      Uzziah died as a Leper II Chr 26 

4.      It Took a Storm and a Fish to Bring Jonah to God Jonah 1:3-4; 17 But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. (17) Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights

a.      Jonah paid the price for running from God vs 3

b.      The Lord sent a great wind vs 4

c.       The Lord prepared a great fish vs 17 

5.      It Took an Earthquake to Bring the Philippian Jailor to God Act 16:22  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat [them]. (24) Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. (26) And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed

a.      They beat them

b.      They cast them in prison

c.       There was a great earthquake 

6.      It Took Rags, Poverty and Bankruptcy to Bring the Prodigal to God Luke 15:13 And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.

a.      He wasted his substance vs 13

b.      He came to himself vs 17

c.       He made the decision vs 18

I Thank God I Didn’t Have

Rom 1:8; 1 Cor 1:4; Phi 1:3; Col 1:3; 1 The 1:2; 2 The 1:3; 1 Tim 1:12; 2 Tim 1:3

It is one thing to be thankful for what you do have but altogether another thing to be thankful for what you did not have or do not have.

I THANK GOD I DON'T HAVE:

1.      Myth for a Bible   2 Pet 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

                        a.       Inspired

b.      Indestructible

c.       Infallible

2.      Modernist for a Pastor   Joh 1:6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John

a.       Born Again

b.      Bible Believer

c.       Builder of Faith

3.      Morgue for a Church    1 Tim 3:15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

a.       Scriptural Preaching

b.      Spirit Filled Singing

c.       Soul Winning

4.      Monkey for a Mother Joh 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

a.       Godly in Character

b.      Great in Love

c.       Good in Caring

5.      Misguided Sunday School Teacher Lev 10:11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

a.       Saved by Grace

b.      Straight on Bible Doctrine

c.       Separated from Sin

6.      Makeshift Salvation Eph 1:13In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

a.       Genuine Holy Ghost Conviction

b.      Gift of God received by Faith

c.       Grace of God in Offering

The Declaration of Independence

I.             Intro:  In history, when one group leaves another, to become a new and equal country, it is right that they declare to the world  why! 

II.           Body 

A. Basic Rights   Thomas Jefferson explains we all have rights and governments are created to ensure these rights and that when governments are abusive, it is the duty of the people to change them. 

1.    God given natural rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. (All people are created equal.)

2.    Governments are formed to secure these rights (for the governed).

3.    When governments take these rights away it is the right of the people to change that government and form a new government that ensures these rights.

4.    Wisdom says that long standing Governments should not be changed often for small reasons. Men would rather suffer than take the trouble to change.

5.    However, when one government takes away the natural rights of its citizens, it is the right, and the duty, of the citizens to over throw that government, and establish a new one that WILL protect these rights. 

 B. Charges Against the King

1.        He wrongly prosecutes innocent    citizens, and finds them guilty.

2.        He holds local legislative meetings at remote areas, to prevent their meeting.

3.        He protects soldiers from prosecution by finding them innocent in  secret trials.

4.        He has cut off our trade from the rest of the world.

5.        He imposes taxes without our approval. 

C. Responses to the King   We sent the Olive Branch Petition (1774); we tried to talk, but he would not listen. 

III.          Con:  The American Colonies formally break away from England, and form a new and separate country: The Independent States of America.