HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

July 8, 2005

Matthew 5: 6

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled!

SIMPLY PUT; THERE IS A HUNGER OF HUMANITY:

1-    There is the physical hunger that we will pursue every avenue to satisfy.

2-    And there is the Spiritual hunger!

3-    And left unattended and neglected we simply starve to death!

4-    All the above has to do with how our appetite is working!

5-    As a child, I can remember all those Elixirs, SSS Tonic, and Hadacol. Iron tonics.

6-    They were Blood builders they said and would increase your appetite.

SINCE WE’RE CHRISTIANS:

1-    And have tasted of the goodness of the Lord.

2-    We know of His Love, His peace, His Joy, and His grace.

3-    We’ve tasted of it all!

4-    “How’s your Appetite?”

WE ALL ARE BORN WITH AN APPETITE!

1-    Adam and Eve ruled as Prince and Princess of Paradise.

2-    And had built-in satisfaction.

3-    They had no need to go looking for ANYTHING.

4-    They had built-in fulfillment based on their relationship with God!

BUT THEY LISTENED TO SATAN:

1-    In fact they ate us out of a house and home.

2-    So they got the fruit but the lost their fellowship with God.

3-    And Wound up alienating themselves from the God who made them.

SO EVERYONE BORN AFTER ADAM AND EVE ARE BORN WITH THEIR BACK TO GOD:

1-    We all must be turned around!

2-    Men are yearning and crying to be right with God!

3-    There’s a built-in craving to be reconciled back to God who made us.

4-    Reconciled back to “He who made us”?

5-    Reconciled back to Him who has put a hunger in us for “HOLINESS”.

6-    For without “HOLINESS” no man shall see the Lord!

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-    What are you hungering for today?

2-    So many are hungry today; they realize something is missing.

3-    But so many have no earthly idea what’s missing.

4-    On the inside there’s a yearning and craving for their need to be met.

5-    And most who have a hungering today their hunger is not for Spiritual things.

OUR SOCIETY HAS TOTALLY LOST THEMSELVES IN THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD:

1-    Their Appetite is geared up for all the wrong things; and looking in all the wrong places.

2-    Life for so many has lost its meaning!

3-    Their everything is engulfed in having a good time!

4-    It’s all about having “FUN” and being entertained!

SO FOLKS TODAY ARE LOOKING FOR SATISFACTION IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES;

1-     They look for satisfaction in the “CAFÉ OF CARNALITY”.

2-     Man made menus won’t satisfy the appetite for God!

3-     Appetites for the things of man may excite but won’t satisfy.

4-     There’s no lasting satisfaction in the Liquor bottle.

5-     The drug addict thinks he finds satisfaction in the likes of; but it won’t last.

6-     Lusting for the flesh is exciting just for a season; but it won’t last.

7-     The gambling tables for some, hoping for something for nothing;

8-     But it doesn’t work; Nothing is free is this old world! Amen?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

Ungodly living is only temporary satisfaction:

1-      Ungodly living will only leave you sick and nauseated.

2-      Beloved; the pleasures of this world are like Cotton Candy!

3-      It looks good, tasty and inviting:

4-      But when you get into it; you find there’s nothing to it but “AIR” and sugar.

WHY DOES IT TAKE US SO LONG TO LEARN THAT THIS WORLD PLEASES US TOO EASILY?

“Love not the world, neither the thing in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him”.

          For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

          And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

1-    This old world pleases us far too easily.

2-    We spend money of things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t even like.

UNFORTUNATELY:

1-      When we’re finished eating at the “Café of Carnality & drinking at the well of this world.

2-      We still have an appetite that is not satisfied.

3-      Beloved; if you’re looking for satisfaction!

4-      You can only find it in “The Restaurant of God’s Righteousness”

YOU SEE; WHEN ADAM AND EVE SINNED IN THE GARDEN:

1-    The weight of disobedience fell on you and me!

2-    And we are crushed under all that debris.

3-    And because we cannot save ourselves!

4-    We must call out to God!  “Lord!” “I’m thirsty!”

5-    For that which we’ve been drinking from leaves us still thirsty!

6-    But Jesus sees us in our distress and says, “I’ll save them Myself”!

7-    But their Spiritual Appetite must go to work.

8-    Man must first of all realize he is lost and un-done without the Lord!

9-    God comes to fill man! Only when he realizes he is hungry and thirsty! Amen?

10-                       How’s your appetite?

DIDN’T HE DO A GOOD & PERFECT JOB IN THE REDEMPTION PLAN?

1-     He didn’t just prick his finger as we do for diabetic testing!

2-     He said; “Nail My hands and My Feet and they Pierced His side!

3-     And BLOOD and WATER came streaming down!

4-     “BLOOD” for our Redemption!

5-     And WATER for our CLEANSING!

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

YOU SEE; YOU GOT IN TROUBLE IN THE GARDEN:

1-    But you also got out of trouble in the Garden!

2-    You got in trouble hiding behind the tree; but you get out of trouble with the Cross!

3-    You got in trouble with a woman called Eve.

4-    But you get out of trouble with a woman called Mary!

5-    We got in trouble with a man called Adam!

6-    But we got out of trouble with a man called Jesus!

7-    You’ll find SATISFACTION at the RESTAURANT of GOD’S Righteousness!

HOW DO I DO THAT PREACHER?

1-        Hear the voice of Isaiah advertising God’s restaurant of righteousness!

“Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea,

          Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which satisfieth not?

          Harken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness”

1-       Now! If you believe in the MIRACLE of salvation! This will work for everyone!

2-       He who is the ORDER OF THE DAY! says “Come and eat & Drink; it’s free”

BLESSED are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled! Mt. 5: 6

1-    What is righteousness? What am I seeking for?

2-    RIGHTEOUSNESS; is Divine LAW and ORDER:

3-    It is CONFORMITY to the revealed will of God!

4-    RIGHTEOUSNESS is Rightness with God!

5-    Going to church, reading your Bible and paying your Tithes are not Righteousness!

6-    It’s all GOOD, but it doesn’t make you right with God!

7-    We are made right with God; Righteous, when we rid ourselves of Un-righteousness.

8-    We’re made right with God ridding ourselves of being wrong with God! Amen?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-             Have you accepted your positional righteousness in Christ Jesus the Lord?

2-             If not, you need to!

·       For the wages of sin is death! Rm. 6: 23

·       For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God! Rm. 3: 23

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

These things I write unto you that you sin not. And if any man sins we have an advocate with the Father.

          And he is the propitiation for our sins, not only ours, but the whole world. 1^St. John 2: 1-2

FRIENDS; THE SINNER WITHOUT A SAVIOR IS LIKE A MAN ON DEATH ROW:

1-    That man is “DOOMED”

2-    And so are ALL of us, except for POSITIONAL righteousness with our Lord!

3-    Positional righteousness is Justification!

4-    And by that the Son has made us free from the law of sin and death! Amen?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-    Have you eaten of the BREAD OF LIFE?

2-    And are you drinking from the FOUNTAIN of LIVING WATERS?

3-    If your thirstings and hungerings are up to date;

4-    “YOU’RE FULLY JUSTIFIED in Christ the Lord.

WELL! NOW WE HAVE TO DEFINE JUSTIFICATION: Amen?

1-    Beloved; to be Justified in the sight of God the Father.

2-    Means you have been declared righteous;

3-    You have been declared innocent; declared righteous and blameless!

PICTURE THIS:

1-    In the courtroom of Heaven; God has given you and appointed Advocate; and attorney if you please.

2-    And even though all have sinned and come short of the glory of God!

3-    Even though the wages of sin is death; the gift of God is eternal life.

4-    When the Judge (the Father) sees the Attorney (His Son) standing before the (Defendant) who is saved through the Son.

5-    The Father God will say; “I declare you to be Innocent” righteous if you please!

6-    Listen to the Father saying:

“I now declare you blameless”!  “NOT GUILTY”!

1-    Not because of who you are; but because of your Attorney, (My Son).

2-    Blameless! Not because of what you’ve done; but because of what He has done!

3-    That My Children is POSITIONAL righteousness; freedom from the penalty of sin. Amen?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-      Do you like that position of POSITIONAL righteousness?

2-      Then How about this?

HOW ABOUT PERPETUAL RIGHTEOUSNESS?

1-           That’s SANCTIFICATION; our perfect position with our Lord!

2-           We mess up every day that we live!

3-           Sometimes our actions; sometimes our mouth! You know!

4-           But He frees us from the POWER of sin!

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-    There’s more to come!

2-    Have you taken your “SPIRITUAL TONIC” lately?

3-    Friends the crowd called Christians; and the other side as well need an increase of appetite for Godliness~ Amen?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

HOW ABOUT POTENTIAL RIGHTEOUSNESS

1-    That is what God is doing to handle our future.

2-    That’s called GLORIFICATION!

3-    All of this in our future Home in His presence! Amen?

4-    Beloved; Just as bread and water is the necessity of the body.

5-    Righteousness is the necessity of the soul!

6-    It frees us from the presence of SIN. Amen?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-     With my physical hunger; I know when the stomach is crying for food.

2-     I can recognize the pangs of hunger down deep inside of me!

THE SPIRITUAL HUNGER IS DIFFERENT:

1-    This is not a SWEET-TOOTH hunger.

2-    Iced-Tea, neither Kool-Aid nor Pepsi can satisfy this thirsting and hungering.

3-    Spiritual hunger is unique and very different!

4-    Jesus can take the fundamentals of human instinct and make them spiritual!

“As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God”! Psa. 42: 1

1-    When this happens within a man.

2-    Christ that very moment attaches to that very longing; panting after Him!

3-    The words; “Blessed are they who are hungering”!

4-    “Blessed are they who are thirsting”!

5-    NOTICE IT ALL IN THE PRESENT TENSE:

6-    That is to say; “Since you have tasted the goodness of God, we ought to desire the pure milk of God’s word”

7-    Milk is good for the baby to grow on to become developed and nourished.

8-    The milk of the word; we are to desire that we too may grow up in the Lord our God!

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

SO MANY TODAY TREAT RELIGION LIKE CAFETERIA FOOD:

1-    We take what we want and leave the rest!

2-    We go through the Bible like going through the K & W cafeteria line.

3-    We settle for “HALF-BAKED HOLINESS!

4-    When we really need to be as Ezekiel was!

5-    Ezekiel ate the scroll of the book!

JEREMIAL SAID;

1-    I found your word and I ate it!

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

BE LIKE DAVID;

“Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you”! Amen?

BELOVED; SO MANY SETTLE FOR BEING MINISTERIAL MIDGETS AND RELIGIOUS RUNTS:

1-    Some Churches today are as “ Theological Fast Food”

2-    They serve a fast food; Have it your way religion.

3-    Don’t get me wrong; And I don’t mean to stifle your shout today! But!

4-    Some have the “COMMOTION” and some the “EMOTION” and leave wondering in their hearts:

5-    They leave hungry and thirsty and wonder what in the world is going on?

6-    “Where’s The Beef” Where’s the substance; and Where’s the power; and the meaning of FAITH?

7-    Shouting is all right; and we don’t do enough of it!

8-    But you need to know what you’re shouting about!

9-    Don’t entertain me! Minister to me! Amen?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-    Have you checked out the characteristics of your hunger lately?

2-    Compare it to your physical hunger!

3-    Just as we none can hide our physical hunger; “You know! The flesh growing”!

4-    So it is with the Spiritual!

5-    Spiritual hungering is not about wearing lettered T-Shirts and Crosses!

6-    Spiritual Hungerings, show in your walk, your talk and your lifestyle; Amen?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-    Take me to the Music Store; and I won’t buy music.

2-    Take me to the Book Store; and I won’t buy a book.

3-    Take me to Church; and I wont eat; I’m not hungry!

4-    I heard one say one time; One service a week is enough; more and I’m not hungry! Hello!

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-    Beloved; it you’re hungering and thirsting for righteousness:

2-    It’ll help you to get rid of a whole lot of foolishness! Amen?

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, But his delight is in the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psa. 1: 1-2

1-             Beloved; the person seeking after righteousness will not sit on the couch of the scorners!

2-             The seat of the scornful!

3-             And He does not meddle in the affairs of others. Amen?

4-             Those seeking after righteousness have found a love for the Word and meditate on it day and night.

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-    God makes the tasteless seem tasty when you’re real hungry! Amen?

2-    He’ll make your bitter experiences become sweet when seeking righteousness in Him.

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

1-    Beloved; out of hunger; there can come a contentment.

2-    It can be satisfied;

3-    And so shall it be with the Spiritual hunger.

4-    Satisfaction; & contentment will come when I seek to be right with God! Amen?

5-    Seek Him; Seek to be right with God; and be fully SATISFIED! Amen?

HOW’S YOUR APPETITE?

The word declares; “For they shall be FILLED”

1-    In Luke’s Gospel; 1: 53 we read;

“He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away”.

1-    Beloved; If we will do God’s will, He will fill us with goodness!

2-    If we’ll walk as we should walk; He’ll fill us with Goodness!

3-    And if we’ll talk as we should talk; He’ll fill us with Goodness!

PAUL SAID;

“All things work together for the good of them that love the Lord; to those who are the called according to His purpose!”

1-    They shall be filled!

2-    How’s your appetite?

DAVID; HAVING BEEN A SHEPHERD AT ONE TIME SAID;

“For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness” Psa. 107: 9