Learning from the Experiences of Others
(Proverbs 1:5) “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning, and a man of
understanding shall attain to wise counsels”.
The Bible tells us in Romans 15:4 “for whatsoever things were written foretime were
written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope”; in II Timothy 3:14-17 “continue you in the things which you have learned
and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them. And that from a
child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works”.
We can learn from the mistakes of others. The Israelites are God’s chosen people,
however when they fell into idolatry, they were brought into captivity and suffered many
things. When they repented, they were delivered (Psalms 107:8-14) “Oh that men
would praise the Lord Yahweh for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the
children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with
goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in
affliction and iron. Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned
the counsel of the Most High. Therefore He brought down their heart with labor, they
fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried to the Lord Yahweh in their
trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses”.
The church is God’s chosen people too (I Peter 2:9) “but you are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the
praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”. God doesn’
t stop loving us and bring the calamities upon us, when people sin they open the door
and the devil is able to bring things upon them, because they are out of the arms of
protection. Psalms 91:1 says “he that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall
abide under the shadow of the Almighty”. Remember God can’t be near sin, because
He is a consuming fire. God does not leave us, people leave Him, trying to justify
disobeying His commands. The Bible warns us in Galatians 6:7-8 “be not deceived,
God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that
sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that sows to the spirit shall of
the spirit reap life everlasting”. And in Romans 6:15-16 “What then? Shall we sin,
because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know you not, that
to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you
obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?” God is a consuming
fire and if He gets near sin, people are consumed. Remember Uzza, who touched the
ark when it was falling and fell down dead (I Chronicles 13:9), only the priest were
supposed to handle the ark. In the New Testament there was Ananias and Sapphira
who both fell dead when they lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 53-5, 9-10). The early church
was walking with one heart and one soul toward God, and when Ananias and Sapphira
lied to the Holy Spirit they fell down dead. Their sin caused them to be consumed.
Hebrews 12:28-29 warns us to worship God acceptably; “wherefore we receiving a
kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God
acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire”. Both of
these New Testament examples are talking about believers. God made away for
believers to repent and be restored (I John 1:9) “if we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us from all unrighteousness”.
We can also learn from what people did right. The Bible says that David was a man
after God’s own heart. Some may think this strange because David had an adulterous
affair, and then had her husband murdered to cover up his sin. But when David was
confronted, he repented. David also earlier in life would not kill king Saul, when he had
the chances, because he said that king Saul was God’s anointed, even though Saul
was trying to kill him. David poured out his soul asking for forgiveness and mercy in
Psalms 51:7-12; “purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, wash and I shall be whiter
than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which You have broken
may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a
clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your
presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your
salvation, and uphold me with Your free spirit”. We can learn a lot as we look and
study the faith champions in Hebrews chapter 11, we can learn a lot about pleasing
God, and walking in victory.
God has provided the Bible for our guide, He has sent the Holy Spirit for us to learn
from, Jesus said in (John 14:16-17) “and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you
another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth, whom
the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him, but you know
Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you”. The Holy Spirit is sent to be our guide,
teaching us all things. We have to learn to hear Him. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:11-
15 “And He gave some apostles, some prophets, and some evangelists, and some
pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ. That we hereafter be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love, may grow
up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”. Pray about what church you
are supposed to go to, then go whenever the doors are open, so you can grow
thereby. We are told in Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to
God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and
acceptable and perfect will of God”. We need to know what pleases God.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: August 3, 2007
(Proverbs 1:5) “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning, and a man of
understanding shall attain to wise counsels”.
The Bible tells us in Romans 15:4 “for whatsoever things were written foretime were
written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might
have hope”; in II Timothy 3:14-17 “continue you in the things which you have learned
and have been assured of, knowing of whom you have learned them. And that from a
child you have known the holy scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation
through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and
is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.
That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished to all good works”.
We can learn from the mistakes of others. The Israelites are God’s chosen people,
however when they fell into idolatry, they were brought into captivity and suffered many
things. When they repented, they were delivered (Psalms 107:8-14) “Oh that men
would praise the Lord Yahweh for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the
children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with
goodness. Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in
affliction and iron. Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned
the counsel of the Most High. Therefore He brought down their heart with labor, they
fell down, and there was none to help. Then they cried to the Lord Yahweh in their
trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses”.
The church is God’s chosen people too (I Peter 2:9) “but you are a chosen generation,
a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the
praises of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”. God doesn’
t stop loving us and bring the calamities upon us, when people sin they open the door
and the devil is able to bring things upon them, because they are out of the arms of
protection. Psalms 91:1 says “he that dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall
abide under the shadow of the Almighty”. Remember God can’t be near sin, because
He is a consuming fire. God does not leave us, people leave Him, trying to justify
disobeying His commands. The Bible warns us in Galatians 6:7-8 “be not deceived,
God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that
sows to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that sows to the spirit shall of
the spirit reap life everlasting”. And in Romans 6:15-16 “What then? Shall we sin,
because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know you not, that
to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you
obey; whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?” God is a consuming
fire and if He gets near sin, people are consumed. Remember Uzza, who touched the
ark when it was falling and fell down dead (I Chronicles 13:9), only the priest were
supposed to handle the ark. In the New Testament there was Ananias and Sapphira
who both fell dead when they lied to the Holy Spirit (Acts 53-5, 9-10). The early church
was walking with one heart and one soul toward God, and when Ananias and Sapphira
lied to the Holy Spirit they fell down dead. Their sin caused them to be consumed.
Hebrews 12:28-29 warns us to worship God acceptably; “wherefore we receiving a
kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God
acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire”. Both of
these New Testament examples are talking about believers. God made away for
believers to repent and be restored (I John 1:9) “if we confess our sins, He is faithful
and just to forgive us from all unrighteousness”.
We can also learn from what people did right. The Bible says that David was a man
after God’s own heart. Some may think this strange because David had an adulterous
affair, and then had her husband murdered to cover up his sin. But when David was
confronted, he repented. David also earlier in life would not kill king Saul, when he had
the chances, because he said that king Saul was God’s anointed, even though Saul
was trying to kill him. David poured out his soul asking for forgiveness and mercy in
Psalms 51:7-12; “purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean, wash and I shall be whiter
than snow. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which You have broken
may rejoice. Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a
clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Your
presence, and take not Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your
salvation, and uphold me with Your free spirit”. We can learn a lot as we look and
study the faith champions in Hebrews chapter 11, we can learn a lot about pleasing
God, and walking in victory.
God has provided the Bible for our guide, He has sent the Holy Spirit for us to learn
from, Jesus said in (John 14:16-17) “and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you
another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever. Even the Spirit of truth, whom
the world cannot receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him, but you know
Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you”. The Holy Spirit is sent to be our guide,
teaching us all things. We have to learn to hear Him. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:11-
15 “And He gave some apostles, some prophets, and some evangelists, and some
pastors and teachers. For the perfecting of the saints for the work of the ministry, for
the edifying of the body of Christ. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the
knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the
fullness of Christ. That we hereafter be no more children, tossed to and fro, and
carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, and cunning
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. But speaking the truth in love, may grow
up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ”. Pray about what church you
are supposed to go to, then go whenever the doors are open, so you can grow
thereby. We are told in Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the
mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to
God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world, but be you
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and
acceptable and perfect will of God”. We need to know what pleases God.
Sermon by: Harriet Bond
Date: August 3, 2007
