R1417 The Anchor That Holds

Has an encouraging word for you and me today.

The Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton and his message about the anchor that holds getting connected to something so much bigger than ourselves the power of God, the love of God, word of God. That's what The Encouraging Word is all about image estimate is Dr. Wilson leads us. We want you know that we believe God can deepen our walk and perhaps broaden our perspective on his will for each of our lives like to have someone to talk with her prey with especially at this time of getting more connected electronically. Even though her more physically apart. We love to pray with you.this number down storing your cell 866-899-9673 will connect with one was 24 hours a day, talk, or listen to pray or connect to great resources and connect online as well@gwonline.org. We would love to connect with you now try. We try very hard.

In fact, enjoy your heart most of the time, but you know we just cannot do it all. Now can we not capable of doing on our own and I I'm just praying that today that you can hear some things that runs so deep and so powerful. God has an encouraging word for you today and he's already doing that, you know, I'm so grateful to God, I'm so grateful for the people of the Lord puts into our lives. I thought about the things that cost to others from those who know better, and who had an opportunity to assimilate life and to learn which makes what I'm about to share with you today, something worth listening to because when Jesus see what he said in Matthew chapter 7 that I'm about to read to you don't get the idea that he was just talking to a whole lot of vagabonds. Certainly he was talking to all kinds of different people in every different walk of life, but do not under any circumstances.

Think for one minute that he was not talking to some very jolly fine people, good people will mean kindhearted and this is what Jesus see an army in Matthew chapter Matthew chapter where my Matthew chapter 7 in verse 24's is what Jesus said. He said everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who he's house on the rock and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house full because it had been founded on the rock. Listen to this and everyone who hears these words of mine but does not do them will be just like a foolish man who booties house on the sand and in same way. The rains fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and great was the fall of I want to speak to you about the anchor that holds the listen carefully.

Some of you are married and some of you just got married. Listen, some of you are going through struggles in your marriage. Listen carefully. Some of you are in high school. Listen some of you are in college. Listen some of you lack lost week. We've never seen such a and boring that we had from last week. People coming to understand just God does forgive me for my sin. He no longer condemns me and I'm sick free not to license I'm sick free to walk in the spirit and under the conviction of God. Listen, Jesus never had any time looked at you and me and said you know when you give your life to me. Your life is going to become free of problems free of challenges.

He never said that.

In fact, if I may say to you being a believer being a Christian. Even in America today presents tremendous difficulty and challenges in many different ways.

Jesus never did that. In fact, when Jesus came to this earth. His life my life. He was tempted in all points. Just as we all yet without sin. Jesus identified with the journey of life that we are engaged in the rigors of life. The sickness the struggles the divorce. The problems the emotional upheaval anyone today that is depressed and anxious. Anyone feel left out lonely anyone today who is saying you know I'm not so sure I I don't know that I can do this again. Jesus was saying something here that runs deep for people like me up and prepared for all of us. He identified with dried visits. He identified with flowing streams he identified with high waves and steep cliffs he identified with abundant blessings and in our world today. We spend a lot of time talking about doing things right. Having a solid foundation in order that we can benefit from what we do right.

There is a saying you know begin right in right begin your marriage right you going to be more likely to end it right you put fundamental things in place disciplines in your life. Some of you looking at me right now. You're a fine person, but you have no discipline you, not self-discipline. Some of you looking at me I'm going where angels fear to tread. And you know that you've been told that you potentially couldn't get diabetes and the doctor looked at you and say let me tell you something. You don't have to get diabetes you can do something about it.

Cut out the sugar and eat less of this and do little bit more exercise and you know you know what you're supposed to do, but you just don't do it. You need to stop, you need to get it. You need to understand it and start doing you need to learn to say no that's what I want you to hear what Jesus is saying here is we got suddenly switching to a spiritual context. I don't find I'm not a natural person at so many things I'm not a like you I'm not just a natural product site. I know what I'm going to do but to actually do it is the discipline that it takes in order to accomplish that there are so many of you folks of us every day you wake up with a new resolution you end up in the same place because you just won't discipline yourself, you will not do what you here you have to do and you know that if you not any here but it's going to change, but you will insist every night on going to bed so late.

You walk around in a fog all the time and you just will not go to bed just a little bit earlier and you killing yourself you walking around in a far bolder time. But you know what you should do some of you battle with your weight on your life. I know what that is my back with my weight every single day and I love food and I appreciate it. I could eat everything including an obligor to every day is a back it's not. It's every day. I blurted discipline myself not deprive myself. I go to discipline myself because I hear what I'm supposed to do in order to feel better. This is what it means. This is what I'm told to just do it. Some of you want to get selected to play on the bull team but you not willing to do what it takes to get selected to the bowl team. You think you can just walk up and because you there that the coaches going to choose. You see Jesus to it. It this is this. She is very special. Jesus say I mean he looked said everyone who hears the word and doesn't is a wise person that builds the house on a rock. This is the same as this is so, I want to speak about the anchor that holds so what's this real quickly. Okay so Jesus here.

As I began to pray. Jesus gave to us to the three inevitable facts about life cannot give them to you. All three inevitabilities you can.

You and I can do whatever we like. These three things will always be there. These are three inevitable facts number one rain will fall, God has so spoke to me.

Jesus looked and said rain will fall. That means water is going to come down on you and me. By the way water can be a huge blessing.

Jesus wasn't picking on things that are not a huge blessing, but too much water can become a problem. So the first inevitable fact of life. So if I'm gonna marry a couple in this couple is in love and they about to get man I'm looking at them and I have the privilege of being able to say something to them. You know, I would like to be able to cite them amongst many other things on know you're in love and I know that you think it's just going to be wonderful all the time but I want you to know rain rifle. It will fall.

Number two. What's the second one you going to get so far ahead of me today saying one Jesus was saying number one rain will fold number two streams will rise streams will rise rain will fold streams will rise you going to get flooded out floods, and some of you today you saying man that's that's me. The rain is been falling and you can actually even point out the blessing of that Ryan and then the floods began to rise in the food inevitability again. Jesus said it, the winds will blow forgive the eruption will be back with the rest of today's message. The anchor holds with Dr. Don Wilton just a moment, but many of you been asking about the port out believer in the book from Warners were off running all the details are on our website, EW online.org.

Take a minute and check out these remarkable resources help us through difficult days. It's what it's all about encouragement through difficult things again. The details are online@twonline.org if you have questions call us at 866-899-WORD.

That's 866899673. Now back to today's message with Dr. Don Wilton can't tell you how many times I'm so grateful for when you know when it's in the middle of the summer it's 90° is just a lovely wind blowing and it cools everything down. Well go talk to the folks quoting Hurricane Katrina Gulf Coast area, Mississippi and Alabama and Louisiana.

Jesus was saying here. Winds will blow great destruction. It's interesting always to note that when these things happen that structures with the perhaps least foundation all the ones that suffer most. The greatest foundation evening tornadoes. You know, experts tell us listen to basil tornado go into the middle part of your facility get into a bath tub close get in the middle of it. Don't be near the windows don't get near the outside. The flimsy park. Don't let yourself get exposed go to the strongest point the rock the foundation so guess what what Jesus was saying, he looked at a people just like you and me, and I think he said this with tenderhearted compassion, but this is a powerful word that I want you to know there are two groups of people and the reason you know he was saying this to people. Both of these categories of people.

Jesus said all they are hearing this, he wasn't talking about people who just shut it out and who refused to he said those who hear. I'm talking about those like you every one of us today.can't judge that of you. Your mind and maybe somewhere else. Maybe you haven't heard a word today.

That's between you and the Lord, but everyone who has heard what God is saying today that he's talking to. Now he sees there are two categories of us.

There are so many of us who again and not just kill what he sees, but we going to go and we going to do what he sees but there's a whole lot of us today listening together. Genesis celebration thousands by way of television all across the nation. There are many people today who hearing the same thing and you know at least one of you today, even in a practical way I'm picking on this at least one of you today has been having health problems and and the doctors said something to you and you know what you need to do and 10 years of gone by and you still haven't done it in your health is getting worse and you know you could do something about.

And by the way, Jesus doesn't say the Christian life is an easy life.

Self-discipline is not easy. This is not I don't get up and you don't get up in the morning and for about a beta site. You know piece a cake.

I'm going to go on direct right if you cannot like to meet you. God is speaking to you about your marriage and and they're all foundational things you need to put back into your marriage to save the inevitable tea of rain falling in streams rising and winds blowing to the point at which your house could be destroyed and you know you've got to change some things you start apologizing and asking one another to forgive you go to start talking to one another. You start changing your habits.

This at least one father here today you God is speaking to you for the children who are now eight and nine and 10 and you are one of these days you pay your children lipservice course you love them. That's not say whether or not you look close you love your kids that's not even the issue, but you are so been on shooting your own turkeys. Hunting your own fields going to your own bowl games, doing things your own way. Your children are growing up and you die just why would you spend any time with them you to YouTube easy to say no to other people and every time you turn around you always going to have somebody else that you don't give them any priority attention. You don't get down with them. You don't love them. You never do their homework with them. You don't sit down and eat with them. You come home late to get up early die just like ships passing in the night. You do not have time to go to a bowl game.

You not willing to give up anything about yourself. For those children not you love them, not just like they gonna grow up and leave all you got to be one of the man I wish I had I wish I had. I wish I had done this and I wish I had done that 07 life anchors. I want to give you ready.

This is a practical application, seven life anchors number one surrender. Surrender your life to Jesus's life. I already believe that life anchors number one if you haven't given your heart to Jesus, I'm talking to about the anchor that holds can you do life on your own a lot, but you will never have peace, you will never have forgiveness and you will never have a deep and abiding ability in you that is not your own unless you surrender that is anchor drop that anchor give your life to Christ.

Number two life anchor number two trust. That's the word faith that subdiscipline. That's a life anchor. It's actually trust God cannot tell you why you can drop that anchor because God never fails. That's Watson anchor. He never fails.

He loves you that much when you when you drop the anchor of trust when you surrender your life to him and then you actually say you know what I'm going to trust God for this.

I know I got this big decision on know that I'm struggling with this. I know that I'm battling to make this payment. I know that that is never the point at which you throw up your hands and say well I don't do. God doesn't do that.

But when you trust God. God gives you the instructions God tells you what to do and by the way, and I love this one. When you trust God God by the spirit gives you the stuff necessary to actually be able to get up and do what you battle to do anyway. Number three third life anchor. Listen. Listen to what God signed by the way, that's what Jesus was saying here. Hearing is one thing. Listening is another listening is the precursor to doing because listening is the means by which you take to heart what it is that God is saying there's at least someone today.

Now you you you and you.

But step one, you haven't even dropped the anchor you not even listening and I meant to put two categories listen to what God has to say you ready for this one.

Listen to godly people God uses godly people to help us godly doctors, godly teachers, godly parents, godly friends, listen, anchor, number four, obey, obey, drop that anchor of obedience. It's the essential arm of Christian discipleship obeying means that you know when God shows us we going out but a warty season. We going to do it.

Now that sometimes generally difficult to do. Not easy to do that. It's a discipline number five serve as an anchor serve the Lord, Nausicaa? What are you doing in active service for the Lord Jesus right now. What is God doesn't categorize service by the way, and we serve the Lord by serving our fellow man. That's an anchor and if you not doing that put an anchor down because is the key. I don't how I can't explain it to you but life gets so deeply stabilized and foundational lies when you are engaged in meaningful acts of service. Number six give this another anchor give some anchor.

It's a biblical principle. I don't buy this thing not in our church but I don't buy this thing that goes around when you're in church and church people don't talk about giving just get over that because the Bible is full of all the time, the money God gives me, and everything beyond that everything God does give gives to me and to you. He gives with somebody else in mind next time you go get a Coke by somebody else.

One first you'll Coke will never taste better and then God will speak to you and tell you that you need to stop drinking Coke somebody my diet too much sugar you see and then just one more. I mean they just so many of them go. There's an anchor you say go away serving meals getting involved in helping ministries.

Children neighborhoods go, get up and go. So watch watch this it's it's Jesus said who ever cares my words and does them is a very wise person because they believed the house on a rock.

Now watch the rains come down on the floods go up the rains come down, and the floods came up and the rains came down and the floods came up and the house on the sand fill. I grew up with little kids came down and fun. I used to do that when I was to break soon and taking that happened and when we got to the hospital was wonderful and I was just a child but now when I became a man I put away childish things. This is people told people as we know. I need this I need a rock to be moved under my feet and Jesus tools me how to do. Jesus does tell us step-by-step day by day. It all starts with the most important first for Dr. Donna's been preaching from the pulpit right now as he comes in the studio.

Take a minute for this. Perhaps the most important 60 seconds of today's broadcast are you ready to give you a heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that Arneson and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today, I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. Jesus name, my friend.

I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting new God has stirred your heart and you given your life to Jesus Christ.

All welcome to the family of God. We would love to rejoice with you and also put some free resources in your hands the Dr. Donna's prepared for you to launch this brand-new life. Following Jesus Christ.

Give us a call at 866899 word put these things in your hands. That's 866899967. Love not only connect to those resources that were available for prayer and also to connect online with great resources like bumps or what you climb on.

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