Sermons → Will Curtis
Termites In Our Foundations
PART 2 OF 2, Page 1
Writer: Will Curtis | 14 November 2002 | Broken Chains Ministries
Out of the Mouth Comes the Issues of the Heart
Often we think we don't harbor bitterness/unforgiveness/anger against other people because we 'feel we forgave them'. Here's a COMMON conversation that shows we are not as 'clean' as we think we are:
"Did you know, when I was growing up my brothers and sisters went outside to play every Sunday after lunch? I didn't get to though. I had to stay inside and wash the dishes and wash clothes for the next week. Mom said it was my job and the rest of the kids were too little to help. They would come in and make fun of me sometimes. It really hurt me...but of course I forgive them. GOD says we must forgive them so I do."
After a few minutes out comes, "Even today when we meet at moms house for dinner on Holidays it's ME who has to do the dishes. Nobody ever offers to help BUT I don't care. It's 'ok.' At least I'll know I did all I could before mom dies."
The conversation may shift to another topic for a while but OUT OF THE ISSUES OF THE HEART comes "I'm pretty sure mom's planning on leaving the house to my brothers and sisters. I don't really care that much BUT I always wanted mom's China cabinet, since it was passed down to her from my Great Grandmother ...BUT I do make good money at the bank and can always buy one for myself....right?"
While this conversation is fictional I CONSTANTLY hear discussions that go along that train of thought of unforgiveness. With their mouths they are CONFESSING they have forgiven but deep inside the scars are still too painful. The spirits and ROOTS of bitterness/unforgiveness grow deeper and deeper.
We MUST TRULY forgive all who hurt us. Read the following scripture:
Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven... continue reading Matthew 18:21-35
We must LEARN to GIVE THE PAIN TO GOD and keep asking HIM to deal with the deep bitter roots of unforgiveness, anger, rejection, anger and such. We must PRAY FOR THOSE WHO SPITEFULLY USE US or that has abused us.
Anger at God is Not Usually at the Surface
Unlike anger/bitterness/unforgiveness against humans ANGER AT GOD is usually buried DEEP WITHIN us and those of us who WANT to serve GOD and LOVE GOD. We are in denial. At the conscious level we feel we've forgiven GOD since we do NOT dwell on the past hurt or when we felt GOD abandoned us or allowed terrible things to happen to us or someone we love. We want to forget the hurt but just like the EXAMPLE above it is there just festering. The demons will bring this pain OUT at a time in your life when you are most vulnerable in an effort to get you to turn from GOD! Like a Time Bomb waiting to go off... quietly ticking. WHEN THE STORM COMES, DOUBTING GOD and HIS word comes to the surface. Satan LOVES THIS!
The Termites in the Foundation
"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.
"But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: "and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall." Matthew 7:24-27 (NKJV)
(verse 24) Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
(verse 25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
(verse 26) And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
(verse 27) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.Matthew 7 (KJV) verses 24-27
We are told to build our house on the ROCK which is the fact that JESUS is the only way to the FATHER. HE is the only way to be forgiven for our sins and the Word of GOD is our 'operators manual' while we remain on earth. When you build your house on that SOLID foundation, which includes studying/reading the word of GOD and doing as HE tells us to... you will not be like those who are on sinking sand. Those who build their foundation on sinking sand do this by focusing on the 'doctrines of MAN' and are shaken by the circumstances around them. Those who do this will eventually lose sight of JESUS and their foundation will be slipping away from under them. When the rough times come (a big wave) they crumble in their faith in JESUS and the PROMISES OF GOD are forgotten. This is what happens to those who build the house on sinking sand in the scripture above. They are shaken and destroyed by the storms (problems) that befall them.
GOD is saying to me, that when we have ANY unrepented sin it can be a factor when we stand before JESUS for the JUDGEMENT SEAT OF CHRIST. This can be a 'salvation factor' for many who are not taught BY THEIR CHURCH that as soon as they sin they NEED TO ASK GOD TO FORGIVE THEM IN JESUS' NAME! DO NOT go before the throne with UNREPENTED SIN!
If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:8-10
Lets look at the scriptures which is talking about people standing before the throne that at one time confessed JESUS as their LORD and have done the WORKS that JESUS did:
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. Matthew 7:21-24
Now, these people JESUS is talking to could ONLY Prophesy, cast out demons and done the works of JESUS if they were Christians YET HE says to them, "DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU WORKERS OF INIQUITY."
SOME denominations try to 'cover this truth over' by saying that those who turn totally back to a sin-FULL life AFTER they confessed JESUS as LORD "were just never really saved at all!" It could be a couple months or YEARS after they got saved.