03-17-2019 – Ivie Powell – Building Your Life (AM Sermon)

A faithful Christian, whether they dig ditches, whether they fly an airplane, whether they are the president of the United States, it makes no difference. You want them to be a faithful, dedicated, faithful member of the Lords. I’ve driven to Memphis, Tennessee, many, many a time grew up down at west Memphis, Arkansas, glad to get away.

But I grew up there. I’ve been across the oldest, the O I’m trying to think of the bridge Hernando de Soto bridge. That’s the old bridge going into Memphis. Then about 1972, three, they built a brand new bridge. But when you go across those bridges, they are supported with pillars, strong pillars, many years go and Linden. And the children when our daughter,

son, and daughter were little boys and girls went down to Florida and CR my uncle going back, went around new Orleans, going across that long, long bridge down there. And Louisiana, as the longest bridge you’ve been across in my entire life. And I did not have any great plans of going across that bridge. I kept thinking if a barge hits this bridge,

we are done for. And I found out that that wasn’t unusual for barges to hit the bridge barges where hit the bridge at the Mississippi river. That’s true up at K row. It’s true. All, all of these bridges across the country. Now, the reason that so many of them are able to stand is because of the support. Now, I want you to think about this.

All of you in this room, if you believe in God in the Bible, you have a, a system by which you operate from life. And that system is called a lot of things by a lot of psychiatrists and other folks in the system of your faith, your core beliefs, what you really believe. And from that basis, you’re going to determine in life what to do,

what not to do to put it very simple. Now, I would like to suggest that when you build your life, you can start building again. It’s not too late to build your life. If you’re not a child of God, you can become a charter. God, this very morning, you don’t know how old I am. I don’t care how old you are.

I baptized people, all ages, baptized a woman. One time in her nineties. Don’t say it’s too late, never too late. As long as their breath in your body, your mind is keen and alert and you know what you’re doing? You need to do it. You need to do it right today. I would suggest to you that when you build your life,

you’re going to build it, bone something. It may be that your life is built around your job. If you don’t be able to do that, it may be that your life is built around your family. That’s your family, your entire life centers around your family. And some, unfortunately they don’t have time for God. Then some folks would build their life around some philosophy.

You don’t have to act 17 to read about the Athenians. Do you remember those folks? The intellectuals, they weren’t interested in the gospel there. Weren’t willing to listen to the inspired Paul, because they were hungry for truth. Why? No, they just want to hear something different. That’s how a lot of people are in this world. They build their life around the idea that there some great intellectual.

And so they are always going from one philosophy to another. When you look at all the different dynamics of a psychology, you just had a lot of these fellows there take various disciplines and then they will make up their own disciplines. So there’ll be recognized as you know, the expert in that field. And everyone knows what an expert is. When it’s put under pressure,

they just went big drip. So, but we looked at so folks build their life around a lot of things, but I want to suggest four, four pillars or four supports that you need to think about young people. Don’t go be playing out there. Y’all listen. No one’s playing parents. Don’t get excited. Don’t you listen, I’m just going to preach maybe 25 minutes.

You can look at you. What get it over with now. They’re going to be looking for sure. Now I know. All right. Why would you, where would you put it the basis at the very first thing? The very first thing is going to have to be faith. That has to be yet without faith. It’s impossible to please him for he that comes to God must believe that he is.

And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. He brews 11, six as ARVO. Glen freed wrote many years ago. Faith is like a giant, main spring. You just think of a big old coil and the, and you’re on top of that coil. And when they launch it, you’re going to be launched. Well, faith launches us to believe in God,

believe in Christ. Biblical pave in and of itself is not going to save anyone, but it will launch us to repent of our sins, confess Christ to be baptized and to live a faithful Christian life. So faith is the foundation. We know that it comes by the word of God, Romans 10, 17. But you know, there are a lot of people that have obeyed the gospel,

but as far their life is concerned. They’re very shaky when it comes to their faith and how strong it is when you build your life up on biblical faith, it will withstand all of the storms of life. You know, the wise man, what he did and you know what the foolish man did and what the Lord said in Matthew seven, you look at the rock,

you look at the sand. So when people remove faith or in the case of unfortunately many members of the church who lose or abandoned their faith, the quick sand of life is going to swallow them up. So here we are various ones of us at various stages of life. And so we’ve seen some minor storms, but then we’ve seen some hurricane force storms.

We’ve seen things that have really shaken us. And if it were not our belief in God and in the word of God, we could not withstand these storms trust in Jehovah with all your heart, lean, not your heart, upon your own understanding in all your ways, acknowledge him. And he would direct bypass. You know, we’re not to be wise in our own understanding,

spiritual hope and keep his commandments. So when you look at Proverbs three, five through seven, there you have faith. Now, when you think about when faith is attacked, it, it hurts, but it’s not really just life destroying to a strong Christian. We’re not. Faith is attacked by those who are not Christians. We understand that that often happens.

But now there are attacks upon our faith that are very difficult. When it’s from our family, here’s a man, that’s a member of the Lord’s church. His wife is not or reversed that she’s a member and he isn’t. And they, bud has all the time over religion all the time. It’s a house that the Lord described. Matthew drab, divided,

divided house, always encouraged Christians to marry faithful Christians. That isn’t always the case. I know many, a person who’s better than non Christian has converted their mate. Wonderful. But the far majority have never done that. But we’re thankful for those who have, so when there are tax from within, it may be from a mate or then it may be from your mother or your father.

Now that’s extremely painful, very painful. Have you ever known anyone to abandon the faith of the Lord because of their family? Have you ever known anyone not to obey the gospel because are afraid of their mother or father what they were thinking, oh, a day something you better think about what God’s going to think. Don’t worry about mama and daddy. Cause they’re going to meet God as an individual,

just like you and I, when we meet the Lord, it’s not going to be whoever the head of the Powell clan is way back then he’s not going to stand up and represent all of us. I’m thankful for that. It’s scary enough. When you think about every one of us, should I give a account of himself to God, Romans 14,

verse 12. So there are attacks that we can stand, but now have strong leisure of faith. I’ve known people to have their faith almost destroyed because of brethren attacks from brethern a hard, hard, we don’t expect anything else from the world, but when on brethren, turn on us, take heed. If you bite and devour one another, you be consumed.

One of another Galatians, five verse 15. What is it that helps us to stay together in spite of our differences, our love for God and our love for one another. You look at first Corinthians 13. So we understand that attacks are going to come. And so my friend, when you build your life, build it up on the solid word of God Christ and never let you down.

He’ll never leave you. I never leave the I never for safety. So the Lord said in Hebrews 13, the latter part of verse, number two, preach it too long. On one point now, number two, here’s one that a lot of things you could put as supports, not just three or four. I understand that, but it is another one.

What about personal honesty? What about honesty? It’s terrible to see how many politicians. We may not be surprised, but many politicians, how many different so-called professional people, how many preacher are designed? Okay. Were balls. Teachers are dishonest people they most certainly are. It takes a lot of help not to understand what the Lord said. I’ll give you one verse of scripture,

mark 16, 16. He, the believers and is baptized might be no, either. I believe it is. Baptized shall be saved. Either believe is not Chevy damned or condemn. Now it takes a whole lot of help not to understand what the Lord said. I don’t understand what the Lord said. I was talking to a good sister in Christ.

She told me that many, many years when she grew up in a denomination, when she sat there in the Bible class, come to mark 16, 16, she asked a question and the answer she received was not what the Bible talk looked at the verse of scripture, looking, listen to that person. And then one day by the Providence of all mighty God,

her brother was converted through the Lord, did the church of our Lord. And he and another brother studied with her mother and dad. And she is well. And all the pieces of the puzzle came together. All the questions she had, that she had never received a Bible answer from family. They were there and she liked all others in new Testament times obeyed the gospel.

But given you test them a Christian honesty, honesty, honesty, Romans chapter 12 were to provide things honestly, in the sight of all men, Romans 12 and verse 17. When people are members of the church and are dishonest, you think of the harm it does to the cause of Christ. You think about that right there. And so honesty is important,

right? We need to be honest in preaching the gospel hospital. Turn with me quickly to second Corinthians chapter four, look at the first four verses second Corinthians chapter four, first four verses. Therefore seen, we have this ministry. Paul said we received mercy. We faint not as we have received mercy. We faint not, but every announce, the hidden things of dishonesty,

not walking in crafting Israel, handling the word of God deceitfully but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man’s conscious in the sight of God. Now notice it. But if our gospel be hid, it is here to then little lost in whom the God of this world, that Satan has blinded the minds of them, which believe not last.

The light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God should shine under them. We need to be honest and faithfully, fully discharging truth. God did not ask preachers their opinion of what they should preach and should not break. They had to preach the truth. How much of the truth? Oh, counsel of God, though. In second Timothy four,

it was written to that young preacher, Timothy. He understood he was to preach the whole truth. Like Paul, you’re not going to be guilty of the blood of people. It’d be free from the blood of people where, because we’re discharged truth that I can acts 20 verse 20 and 26 and 27. Can a man stand in the pulpit and preach truth.

Now listen carefully, get a man stand in the pulpit and preach truth every Lord’s day and lose his immortal soul. Yes. Were you mean yet? You said he preach truth. I know what I said, but what if he refuses to preach needed truth, truth? And he knows the brethren knee, but he’s not going to preach it because he’s going to get,

make a mad, go and get fired. Not to upset some of his can folks. We need to preach the whole counsel of God. And of course in the spirit of law, I realized some of us have a little stronger voice than others. And I know, I know thunder doesn’t kill. I understand that. I understand. But I like to put a little,

a whole lot of lightening with it from the word of God. And so we need to be honest in preaching the truth because we love the souls of all men after all, if you remove certain subjects, whatever the subjects might be from the Bible and from the pulpit and from the classroom, what effect will it have up on the breadth where they’re going to think nothing wrong with these things that we,

we are what we are taught. And so when you think of searching for truth, we have to be honest in our search for truth. Do you believe truth can be painful? You believe that. Okay, honey, do I need to lose weight? Remember mirror that commercial that fell on TV when he’s eating that tick tack and his wife walked up to him and she had a pair of pants on that looked like that they were the size a five and she was a considerably larger than that.

And she said they used to tight. His eyes got real big and he ate that ticktack barn started groaning. He was afraid to tell her the truth. That’s just a commercial. I know, but truth can be painful. I’ve often said, as you will remember, hopefully the truth is going to do a lot of things. It will make any,

and all of us either happy, mad, sad, or glad. And they, you think about that. You think about, have you ever told someone the truth sincerely, kindly as much as possible. And they got mad at him. Truth from God’s word. Have you ever seen people real sad over truth? Have you ever seen people real happy and real grad?

Yes. Yes. So it works. But the here’s the thing about it. People that get upset because they have learned truth. It may cause them. And hopefully it will to go back and study to gather their thoughts, to settle their emotions down as much as possible. And to look deeply into the word of God and say, well, it may be that I’m wrong.

It may be what that preacher told me what my mom and daddy told me that they’re wrong because here that really is what the Bible says. But I, is that what it means? Yes. That’s what it means. Then I have to be honest and obey truth. We need to be honest in upholding the truth. We need to be federal helpers to the truth.

Not hinders looking third, John verse eight over there. And of course we need to be always never selling truth out. Well, there’s a another point real quick, real quick. I have another point down and I have here on this outlines. That is moral integrity. Ooh. Okay. What’s happened to the morals of our country. You turn on television and the things that they say,

I ju I, I’m not used to easily shocked when I just shake my hand. I thought I just cannot believe. And it would be a program that you would not think that there’ll be any bad language coming out or any horrible innuendos, but all of a sudden that they bring things up and they thank you. It’s so funny. I’m going to tell you when people are laughing at sin,

it tells a lot about them. What about members of the church? What about members? I’m going to tell you a verse of scripture real quick, James four, verse four, your daughters, your daughters is no, you’re not that friendship with the world. Medicine is emit T with God, whosoever, therefore would be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.

We do not want God to look upon us. And as an enemy, no, we don’t want that at all. But when members of the church live ungodly lives, they’re an enemy to all mighty God. I was asked and I still smile and laugh. I just can’t. I help him many years ago when we lived in Texas every summer, I was asked to speak on a lectureship,

a summer series at the Cedar hill, church Christ and Cedar hill, Texas. The good brother that was in charge of the program. Very faithful preacher, one of the preachers there and, and titled a sermon. The only way that I, that some brother will in tablet being our black brother. Not saying that with respect. Now, they have a way of saying some things that we think,

wow, I know that’s true, but I wouldn’t quite say it that way. Now here’s the title he gave me to speak on Richard brother power. We want you to speak on the Christian and modesty my no problem. No problem. Then when you look at the brochure, here’s what was read or print it. Abby Powell, I’m just going to speak on the Christian’s apparel or if you’ve got it flown it,

I have felt well. I believe I understand what you’re saying there, but I want you to listen. I say this delicately, but very bluntly. It seems like the world. We were not surprised about any of that, but it seems like some sisters they’re so in love with the world that it cannot get too tall, too tight. It cannot get too high.

It cannot get too low because they are apart. Oh, the world, listen, when you hear some woman say, well, it’s my body. I’m going to do what I want to. It’s no one’s business. You ever heard that? That is not true. Ladies. When you marry your body belongs to you and your husband, man, when you married,

your body belongs to you and your wife, it doesn’t belong to the world. Men are, women are so involved in the world that they work too. So attract the opposite sex that they would be looked upon and lust after they’ve sinned. Not only have they said, but they’ve created a sin in the part of the other person. That’s what the Lord was talking about.

Matthew chapter five or 28, moral integrity. When, when brethren do not have any difference about their, the way they look and act in the world and what it’s going to attract the world, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father, which is in heaven. Matthew five 16 real quick, another point 25 minutes at a time might be,

I don’t know. All right. Another point here is the hot, hot issue. And I know that I always have to clarify this. I shouldn’t have to, but I want you to know that I really do love people. And I want you to know that I hate sin. God wants me to hate what he hates. And he hates sin because sin is going to cause the person to lose their immortal soul and eternal damnation spend forever and ever in hell.

And that has to do with unscriptural marriage. I know, I know how painful. This is very personal. My sister has been married five times. Hm. Have I told her through the years about what the Bible teaches? Yes, no misunderstanding what I’ve told her. Do I love my sister? Why? Yes. I love my sister. I,

if I didn’t love her, I wouldn’t tell her one thing. I let her. And here’s my, here’s a new sermon title. I happy on the way to hell. That’s a new sermon. I were God. And he wasn’t not preaching it this morning, but there she is. Is it possible that she has a script, drove marriage and divorce all the time?

Well, it’d be just kinda tough, but, and all I can do is that, and here’s what the Bible teaches on marriage, serene marriage. I mean, I can’t make her do truth. It does involve fellowship and involves other things. I understand that. And she didn’t live in California lives here. It still be a big problem. I understand that.

But now when you look at what the Lord taught and Matthew 19 nine, we used to have very little problem with this. And all of a sudden, everyone looks for loopholes. They look for loopholes. When you look what the Lord said again, it takes a lot of help. Not to not to understand the Lord. Now let’s just turn there real quick.

This is not my opinion. Now this is what the Lord said in Matthew 19, we’re looking at verse nine. And I saying to you who so ever, who’s that whosoever, whosoever, who is whosoever is whosoever. Where are you? Mean whosoever, whosoever. And then everybody. And then everybody just Christians. That’s not what he said. When you look at Matthew 19,

you go back up there from the beginning. When’s the beginning, Genesis chapter two, one or two over there. Three made them male and female. Whoever heard us, same sex marriage. Wow. That’s disgusting that sinful people read paddle thing. Here’s the book you need to read a man, a male and a female or a woman, female elders.

You go from Eric. So whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication. As you’re married, another committed adultery. Who’s a Mediterra which has put away death committed adultery. Now that’s plain. I can understand that. And so I don’t, I don’t have all the answers to all the questions I do. Not when people here’s how I handled marriage,

divorce, remarried. I’ve told you this before they come to me folks. After the years they talk about their marriage. I said, I want you to read this verse. You read Matthew 19 nine. I turned there. Some will read it silently. Some may read it out loud. So I may want me to read it. And I’ve never had anyone tell me there may well may be one or two.

They had to back up real quick. Well, when people say, we believe that we have a scripture, divorce and script or remarriage, I’m not a detective. I’m not a blood ham. I leave that between them and God, but God knows. Now, if I know that’s a different ball game. So if there’s no moral integrity, if I,

if I don’t tell people the truth is that brother David. If I refuse to tell people the truth and they meet God at judgment, they’re going to turn around and say, I have the power. Why didn’t you tell me this? So we tell people because love their souls. We love families. It’s hard. It is very, very difficult. I understand that there’s no moral integrity for our elders.

Our preachers does there where we’re just going to let God do the judge. You know, and this guy’s already done the judge and in the Bible, they just read it. There has to be moral integrity in our homes, and we need to save what God would have us to say. One last point, we’ve touched upon it. The pillar of truth,

all the lies in the world and not going to save your soul. They may make us feel good. People may tell us what we want to hear. When people come to me and they’ve done this through the years in my counseling, they would come to me and not everyone wants a, they don’t want advice. They want agreement. You know, are they’re coming.

They’re coming to me. Some have come to me like I was father confessor, you know, just spill everything, have prayer, go out and do what they want to do. No, it don’t work that way. Now. It doesn’t work that way. We understand. When, when we look at truth, we’re interested in, what’s going to save our soul.

Jesus said, you shall know the truth and the truth will make you free. John eight 32. His word is truth. John 17, 17. I know that if I obey the absolute truth, I’m going to be a Christian. I know that first Peter, one 22, seeing you a purified, your souls in Oban, the truth. That’s the first part of that verse.

So our obedience to truth make our souls claim. What if we obey error? What if we sincerely honestly, obey era? Have we obeyed truth? Why? No, no. Being honest in citizens, Sarah alone is important, but it is not going to save us. We must be honest and sincere as we obey the truth. So we, when we look at truth,

there is truth about how to become a Christian. It’s not difficult. Most of the religious world, I don’t know of anyone in the religious world. So-called Christian. That would agree with four steps. Whether it be some, I take that back as one Baptist, preacher. I heard then on Arkansas. I know what I called him. I understand.

That’s what he was. That’s what I didn’t tell you. He said to become a Christian. Just believe in Jesus. You don’t have to repent. I was listening to him on television. I was in a gospel meeting in little rock that year, many years ago. And I, I did, as you, I looked at bad. What do you mean?

You’re as repent. Are you? Here’s a hint. Let me tell you what an inspired man said, repent. Oh no. He said, no, you don’t have to repent. Just you don’t have to. And that’s what he said, repent and be baptized. Every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, you’ll receive the gift of the holy spirit acts two 38.

So there are some people believe that you don’t have to repaint it all. You don’t have to do anything. Nothing. That’s ridiculous. Jesus said, except that you believe in him, you’re dying your sins. John eight 32. I mean John eight, 24 that’s belief. Jesus said, except you repent. You’re all likewise perish Luke 13, three.

That’s what the Lord said. So there’s, there’s believe in repentance. And I’ve already quoted the inspired Peter that we have to be baptized in order to receive the remission of sins. Actually 38. When we do that, the Lord adds the saved ones to the church acts two 47. Now my friend up on, where do you go to build your life?

Here are four of many, many pillars, and all of these are built upon the foundation or spring from the foundation of Jesus Christ because he’s the founder. The foundation of his deity is Christianity. Matthew 16, verse 18. If you’re a Savage, an invitation, we encourage you to come to obey the gospel or to be restored as we stand in the same.<inaudible>.