A JUST WEIGHT IS HIS DELIGHT

PROVERBS 11:1

PREACHED BY: PASTOR ROY DELAGARZA

INTRO:

What weighs more, a pound of feathers or a pound of rocks? They both weigh a pound!

When you go to the Dr. He has to weigh and measure you before giving you a diagnosis of what is wrong. There is a just weight that you are to weigh when you stand before the Lord. If you weigh the just weight, you are God’s delight!

God puts everyone on his scale! [A backslider on an airline flight] Hebrews 9:27 says, “It is appointed unto man once to die, after this the judgment. Even kings are put on God’s scale. Go with me to Daniel 5:1-9 as far as everyone was concerned this king had it all. They judged by the outward appearance. “He’s got it all together. These lavish parties often thrown by the king were expensive and outrageous. The king got drunk and sinned, he went too far. Sin leads to more sin, to more sin, to more sin until you step across the line and touch something sacred, and the judgement of God intervenes. Hand writing on the wall. God’s graffiti! It could not be interpreted by any of the psychics of that day. Today either! It must be interpreted by a man (or woman) of God. By the Spirit of God! It said, Mene, mene, Tekel upharsin. You have been weighed in the balances and are found wanting. In other words, YOU DON’T WEIGH THE JUST WEIGHT. There is something missing! We are deficient as Partiers and God will judge us on the money we waste and throw away on pass times that serve no fruitful, useful purpose.

This is what I believe God is speaking today to his people! In Rev. 2 he said that to the church at Ephesus. I know your works and your labor but you have left your first love! Ephesus was the main center of Grecian culture and heathen idolatry. Here was located the temple of the goddess Artemis (Diana), adorned and ornamented by all of Asia, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

1.     I KNOW THY WORKS:

·        God knows every our works, good and bad. Here He commends them for their good works. (Repeat them)

·        Matt. 10:30 – Says he knows every hair on your head and they are all numbered.

·        God keeps track of everything. He forgets nothing. Even a glass of water given to, “one of these my little ones (most insignificant), will not go without reward.”  -

2.     I HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST THEE:

·        You have left your first love. Everything seemed to be all right on the outside; but it wasn’t. God sees the heart! This church seemed to be functioning right but God saw something wrong there. God deliver us from going through the motions but having no real love toward him. – Like the little girl that Joe Wagner wrote about in Reader’s digest. He said, “I was attending a junior stock show when a grand-champion lamb, owned by a little girl, was being auctioned. As the bids reached five dollars per pound, the little girl, standing beside the lamb in the arena, began to cry. At ten dollars, the tears were streaming down her face and she clasped her arms tightly around the lamb’s neck. The higher the bids rose, the more she cried. Finally, a local businessman bought the lamb for more than $1,000, but then announced that he was donating it to the little girl. The crowd applauded and cheered. Months later, I was judging some statewide essays when I cam across one from a girl who told about the time her grand-champion lamb had been auctioned. “The prices began to get so high during the bidding,” she wrote, “that I started to cry from happiness.” She continued with: “The man who bought the lamb for so much more than I ever dreamed I would get returned the lamb to me, and when I got home, Daddy barbecued the lamb—and it was really delicious.” – On the outside it seemed she really cared about the lamb. She didn’t. Today too. There are people (believers) going through the motions but they really don’t care about the Lamb! They have left their first love.

·        How unfortunate it is that someone who loved God with all of their heart, mind, and soul can wax cold in their love of God. (Matt. 24:12)

·        That is what has happened to many believers today! We don’t weigh the just weight because we are deficient in the love area!

·        We play church to look good, but don’t want to commit to the call of God to sacrifice for his kingdom. We’ll become Christian or religious as long as it doesn’t cramp our life style with too many uncomfortable changes.; We’ll believe in God and pray coin prayers as long as he answers us and gives us what we want when we want it. TRULY - WE HAVE LOST OUR FIRST LOVE: If we get on the balance we don’t even tip the scale. Let’s take a look how do we know we have lost our first love?

3.     THE WAY WE’VE ABANDONNED THE HOUSE OF GOD:

·        (Gen. 22)  Everywhere Abraham went, he first built an altar unto the Lord. God’s house must have priority in our lives. There are some who will not miss a football game during the season but are too tired, busy or a little under the weather and won’t attend church. Shame! A USA Today statistic says that 48% of churchgoers attend an average of once a month. – READ Poem, “If you want to kill a church”

·        When you love someone you want to be in their presence. Their House! I was glad when they said unto me, “Let us go into the house of the Lord.

4.     THE WAY WE’VE DEPARTED FROM GOD’S VOICE:

·        God’s inner voice in your conscience. He tells you, “Avoid that!” or don’t go there; or don’t do that.” You do anyway! – A man went to his doctor and said, “I’ve been misbehaving, Doc, and my conscience is troubling me,” he complained. “And you want something that will strengthen your willpower so you won’t misbehave?” asked the doctor. “Well, no,” said the man. “I was thinking you could give me something that would weaken my conscience.”

·        His word (bible) is left unread. Many have a Bible in their homes that are unused. There just is no more appetite for his word. Remember the hunger that you used to have? Develop it again!

·        Hearing the preaching and teaching of it. 2 Tim. 3:16 = “All scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. – Little girl, “I don’t have to read it, I know what’s in it” –

5.     THE WAY WE’VE TURNED TO SIN:

·        People sin as if it is nothing! I don’t feel it wrong. Conscience seared with a hot iron. (Cut limb) (Triangle)

·        Alaskan wolf knife covered in blood all night!

It is time to repent and ask forgiveness from God. He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness but we must repent.