"Just Do It"
Pastor Albert Almore
“God gave Solomon very great wisdom and understanding, and knowledgeas vast as the sands of the seashore. In fact, his wisdom exceeded that of all the wise men of the East and the wise men of Egypt.”
1 Kings 4:29-30
“He was wiser than anyone else, including Ethan the Ezrahite and the sons of Mahol—Heman, Calcol, and Darda. His fame spread throughout all the surrounding nations.”
1 Kings 4:31
“He composed some 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs. He could speak with authority about all kinds of plants, from the great cedar of Lebanon to the tiny hyssop that grows from cracks in a wall. He could also speak about animals, birds, small creatures, and fish.”
1 Kings 4:32-33
“And kings from every nation sent their ambassadors to listen to the wisdom of Solomon.”
1 Kings 4:34
HE COMPOSED SOME 3,000 PROVERBS…
1 Kings 4:32
What were these 3,000 Proverbs all about? Proverbs 1:1-2 tells us. It reads,
“These are the proverbs of Solomon, David’s son, king of Israel. Their purpose is to teach people wisdom and discipline, to help them understand the insights of the wise.”
Proverbs 1:1-2
“Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and successful lives, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.”
Proverbs 1:3
“These proverbs will give insight to the simple, knowledge and discernment to the young.”
Proverbs 1:4
“Let the wise listen to these proverbs and become even wiser. Let those with understanding receive guidance by exploring the meaning in these proverbs and parables, the words of the wise and their riddles.”
Proverbs 1:5-6
"THE FEAR OF THE Lord IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
Proverbs 1:7
“We cross the threshold of true knowledge when we live in obedient devotion to God. Stubborn know-it-alls will never stop to do this, for they scorn true wisdom and knowledge.”
Proverbs 1:7
“TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE, YOU MUST FIRST HAVE REVERENCE FOR THE LORD. Stupid people have no respect for wisdom and refuse to learn.”
Proverbs 1:7
THE FEAR OF THE Lord IS THE BEGINNING OF KNOWLEDGE… We cross the threshold of true knowledge when we live in obedient devotion to God…
TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE, YOU MUST FIRST HAVE REVERENCE FOR THE LORD…
It all starts with God because He’s the ALL KNOWING One. It all starts with God because He’s the ALL POWERFUL One. It all starts with God because He’s the ALL PRESENT One.
This is why we reverence Him. This is why we honor Him. This is why we yieldto Him. We yield to Him and submit to His ways because Isaiah 55:8 declares,
““For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:8-9
Let’s put this all together. Since knowledge begins with Him. Since wisdom begins with Him. Since understanding begins with Him, and since His thoughts are not our thoughts, and since His ways are not our ways, then it’s only right that we follow the instructions from the one who knows Jesus the best—His mother. John 2:3…
“And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.””
John 2:3
“Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.””
John 2:4
“His mother said to the servants, “WHATEVER HE SAYS TO YOU, DO IT.””
John 2:5
Since knowledge begins with him. Since wisdom begins with Him. Since understanding begins with Him, and since His thoughts are not our thoughts, and since His ways are not our ways, WHATEVER HE SAYS TO YOU, DO IT! In fact, that’s our sermon title for today…
JUST DO IT!
John 2:5…
His mother said to THE SERVANTS…
John 2:5
We must always remember…
📝 We are the SERVANTS, He is the SAVIOR.
Jesus Himself says in John 13:16,
Most certainly I tell you, A SERVANT IS NOT GREATER THAN HIS LORD, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. John 13:16
We must always remember…
📝We are the PRODUCTS, God is the MANUFACTURER.
To this, Isaiah 45:9 says,
“What sorrow awaits those who argue with their Creator. Does a clay pot argue with its maker? Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, ‘Stop, you’re doing it wrong!’ Does the pot exclaim, ‘How clumsy can you be?’ Isaiah 45:9
God doesn’t take HIS ORDERS from us, we take OUR ORDERS from God.
May I remind you of Proverbs 1:7…
We cross the threshold of true knowledge when we live in OBEDIENT DEVOTION TO GOD… Proverbs 1:7
“His mother said to the servants, “WHATEVER HE SAYS TO YOU, DO IT.””
John 2:5
Why?
📝 When the Lord speaks, He speaks from a place of LOVE.
"For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my FAITHFUL LOVE for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you.”
Isaiah 54:10
No matter who or what moves out of your life, no amatter who or what may disappear from your circle, God’s love for you will remain.
When God speaks, it will never be from a place of deceit. When God speaks, it will never be from a place of malice, or harm.
All God knows is love, because all God is love.
When Jeremiah the weeping prophet found himself in a difficult time, he records in Lamentations 3:18-19,
“I cry out, “My splendor is gone! Everything I had hoped for from the Lord is lost!” The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words.”
Lamentations 3:18-19
“I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I STILL DARE TO HOPE when I remember this:”
Lamentations 3:20-21
“The FAITHFUL LOVE of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.”
Lamentations 3:22
When God speaks, He speaks from a place of love. His way may seem different from your way, but Just Do It.
📝 When the Lord speaks, He speaks from a place of PROTECTION.
📝 God sees the ENTIRE BOARD, when all you see is the NEXT MOVE.
“When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS THE SHORTEST ROUTE to the Promised Land. God said, “If the people are faced with A BATTLE, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.””
Exodus 13:17
“So God led them in A ROUNDABOUT WAY through the wilderness toward the Red Sea…”
Exodus 13:18
If the people are faced with A BATTLE, they might change their minds and return to Egypt…
📝 When all we see is the POTENTIAL PROMISE, God sees the POTENTIAL BATTLE. That’s why in some things, God said, "No.” That’s why some things didn’t work out.
I can hear the children of Israel now…"Why are we going THIS WAY? This isn’t the shortest way. Is God mad at us about something? Is this why He’s taking us THIS WAY?
📝 Sometimes what we perceive to be PUNISHMENT, is actually PROTECTION.
📝 From God’s perspective, the SHORTEST route is not always the SAFESTroute.
In the Kingdom of God, the easiest route isn’t always the most beneficial route.
God isn’t trying to keep you from FUN He’s trying to keep you from DESTRUCTION.
Proverbs 14:12 says,
“There is a way THAT SEEMS RIGHT to a man, BUT ITS END is the way of death.”
Proverbs 14:12
Don’t Go That Way.
“But THE LORD IS FAITHFUL, and HE WILL STRENGTHEN YOU and PROTECT YOU from the evil one.”
2 Thessalonians 3:3
📝 When the Lord speaks, He speaks from a place of BLESSING.
“Their purpose is to teach people to live disciplined and SUCCESSFUL LIVES, to help them do what is right, just, and fair.”
Proverbs 1:3
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have GOOD SUCCESS.”
Joshua 1:8
“I will make you a great nation; I WILL BLESS YOU And make your name great; AND YOU SHALL BE A BLESSING.”
Genesis 12:2
God knows the way to GOOD SUCCESS. God knows the way to THE BLESSING. The key to it all is found in Deuteronomy 28:1-13. It reads,
““IF you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world. You will experience ALL THESE BLESSINGS IF you obey the Lord your God:”
Deuteronomy 28:1-2
“Your towns and your fields will be BLESSED. Your children and your crops will be BLESSED. The offspring of your herds and flocks will be BLESSED.”
Deuteronomy 28:3-4
“Your fruit baskets and breadboards will be BLESSED. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be BLESSED.”
Deuteronomy 28:5-6
““The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven!”
Deuteronomy 28:7
““THE LORD WILL GUARANTEE A BLESSING ON EVERYTHING YOU DO and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will BLESS YOU in the land he is giving you.”
Deuteronomy 28:8
““IF you obey the commands of the Lord your God and walk in his ways, the Lord will establish you as his holy people as he swore he would do. Then all the nations of the world will see that you are a people claimed by the Lord, and they will stand in awe of you.”
Deuteronomy 28:9-10
““The Lord will give you PROSPERITY in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, BLESSING you with many children, numerous livestock, and abundant crops.”
Deuteronomy 28:11
“The Lord will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will BLESS all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.”
Deuteronomy 28:12
“IF you listen to these commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today, and IF you carefully obey them, the Lord will make you the head and not the tail, and you will always be on top and never at the bottom.”
Deuteronomy 28:13
In 13 verses, God uses the word bless or blessing 11 times, followed up with the word "IF” 5 times.
WHICH SIDE OF THE "IF” ARE YOU ON?
📝 God knows the way to the blessing. The way to the blessing is through OBEDIENCE.
Whatever He tells you to do, just do it! You can have a blessed assurance, that when He speaks, He’s speaking from a place of LOVE. You can have a blessed assurance, that when He speaks, He’s speaking from a place of PROTECTION.You can have a blessed assurance, that when He speaks, He’s speaking from a place of BLESSING.
God knows THE WAY to the blessing but be careful! THERE IS A WAY THAT SEEMS RIGHT to a man, BUT ITS END is the way of death.
WHICH WAY ARE YOU TAKING?
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