Ants

     THE BIBLE TEACHES US MANY LESSONS FROM NATURE & GOD'S CREATION. HE USES SIMPLE THINGS LIKE, A FARMER SOWS SEED, WE'RE LIKENED TO SALT, WE'RE ALSO LIKENED TO SHEEP, HE USES THINGS LIKE A FIELD, & HE ALSO USES ANTS. WE CAN LEARN SOME VALUABLE LESSONS FROM T ANTS.

     I. T ANTS TEACH US PERFORMANCE. JOH 15:5

                                A. ANTS ARE ALWAYS BUSY, NEVER LAZY. I HAVE NEVER HEARD AN ANT MAKE EXCUSES. WE CAN LEARN PERFORMANCE FROM ANTS.

                                     1. T BIBLE TELLS US TO CONSIDER HER WAYS. IN OTHER WORDS USE T ANT AS AN EXAMPLE.

                                                                a.  T ANT IS HARD WORKING. WE ALSO SHOULD BE HARD WORKING.

                                                                b. THAT MEANS ON OUR JOB, IT MEANS AROUND T HOME, & IT EVEN MEANS HARD WORKING FOR GOD.

                                B. NO EXCUSE IS ACCEPTABLE FOR CHRISTIANS TO REFRAIN FROM WORKING FOR GOD.

                                     1. GOD'S FIELDS ARE READY FOR HARVEST. (MAT 9:38) SAYS, Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. (KJV)

                                     2. WHEN WE PRAY FOR LABORERS TO BE SENT INTO T HARVEST, MANY TIMES T LORD WILL SEND US. HE WILL SEND US INTO OUR OWN TOWN WHERE WE'RE WORKING.  WE MUST LABOR IN T FIELDS.

     II. T ANT ALSO TEACHES US TO PREPARE. PRO 30:25

                                A. ANTS ARE STORING UP FOR THEMSELVES FOOD FOR WHEN IT'S TO LATE TO WORK, TO LATE IN T YEAR.

                                     1. CHRISTIANS ALSO NEED TO PREPARE. BE PREPARED THAT T LORD MIGHT RETURN TODAY, BUT ALSO BE PREPARED THAT T LORD MIGHT TARRY.

                                                                a. PREPARE FOR RETIREMENT & THINGS LIKE THAT.

                                B. TO T ANT HIS FOOD COULD ALSO BE COMPARED TO A TREASURE.

                                     1. MAT 6:19-21

                                     2. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR CHRISTIANS TO STORE UP TREASURE FOR ETERNAL LIFE, LIVING FOR GOD & SURRENDERING TO HIS WILL.

     III. ANTS TEACH US TO PARTICIPATE, TO WORK TOGETHER. 2COR 6:1

                                A. (Eph 4:11-14) And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: (14) That we {henceforth} be no more children...

                                     1. ANTS SEEM TO HAVE NO PROBLEM IN WORKING TOGETHER. THEY WORK IN HARMONY, & ACCOMPLISH THEIR ASSIGNMENTS.

                                     2. MY ANTS........  (WORK IN UNITY; WAR TOGETHER)

                                B. TOO OFTEN CHRISTIANS FAIL TO WORK TOGETHER IN ACCOMPLISHING GOD'S WORK, OR WILL.

                                     1. THAT GOES FOR A LOCAL BODY, OR A SEPARATE BODY (WHICH IS NOT SEPARATE)                             2. GOD'S LOVE SHOULD CONSTRAIN HIS CHILDREN TO WORK TOGETHER W/ HIM IN UNITY. 2CO 5:14

                                                3. T WORD `CONSTRAINETH' MEANS `TO HOLD TOGETHER; TO COMPRESS'.

                                                                a. GOD'S LOVE SHOULD CAUSE US TO WALK IN UNITY, IT SHOULD TO SEEK OUT T SAME GOALS.

                                                                b. NOT TO FIGHT & WAR AGAINST EACH OTHER.  WE ARE CALLED TO UNITY. (EPH 4:3) SAYS, Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (KJV)

     IV. T ANTS TEACH US TO ENDURE. MAT 24:13

                                A. WHEN AN ANTS HOME IS DESTROYED, THEY BEGIN IMMEDIATELY TO REBUILD. WHEN I WAS A KID I DESTROYED MANY ANT HOLES, THEY WOULD ALWAYS REBUILD.

                                                1. ANTS ENDURE NO MATTER HOW BAD THINGS GET. 2TI 2:3

                2. (1PE 2:19) SAYS, For this {is} thWAR TOGETHER) B. TOO OFTEN CHRISTIANS FAIL TO WORK TOGETHER IN ACCOMPLISHING GOD'S WORK, OR WILL.

                                                1. THAT GOES FOR A LOCAL BODY, OR A SEPARATE BODY (WHICH IS NOT SEPARATE)                  2. GOD'S LOVE SHOULD CONSTRAIN HIS CHILDREN TO WORK TOGETHER W/ HIM IN UNITY. 2CO 5:14

                                                3. T WORD `CONSTRAINETH' MEANS `TO HOLD TOGETHER; TO COMPRESS'.

                                                                a. GOD'S LOVE SHOULD CAUSE US TO WALK IN UNITY, IT SHOULD TO SEEK OUT T SAME GOALS.

                 b.            BECAUSE OF A SPIRITUAL FAMINE HE WAS FORCED TO GO TO SIN.

                                                                c. NOT THAT GOD FORCES A PERSON TO GO INTO SIN, BUT JUST LIKE THE FLESH FORCED HIM TO SEEK OUT EGYPT, A SPIRITUAL FAMINE CAUSES THE FLESH TO SEEK OUT SIN.

                                                3. IN V'S. 11-19 ABRAM IS INVOLVED IN A LIE & POSSIBLY SELLING HIS WIFE TO PHARAOH. [STILL CONSENTED]

                                C. V. 20 AT LEAST ABRAM WAS LEAVING EGYPT

                                                1. NOW LOOK WHERE HE WENT. GEN 13:1-4

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