PEARLS ONLY FOR THE PEARLS OF THE GREAT PRICE

Matthew 7:6

-Dr. Benny M. Abante, Jr. –

Preached during the Sunday Evening Worship Service on November 20, 2016, at the MBBE Sanctuary, Sta. Ana, Manila

Message

A. Text for Success – Joshua 1:8.

1. The Word of God is the only ingredient for success.
2. Obedience is the only condition for success.
3. Joshua and Caleb were men of success.

Quotations on Success:

“Someone has defined success as the art of making your mistakes when nobody is looking.” -Alexander Cooperator

“I cannot give you the formula for success, but I can give you the formula for failure: Try to please everybody.” -Herbert Bayard Swope

“I would rather fall in a cause that will ultimately succeed than in a cause that will ultimately fail.” -Woodrow Wilson

10 RULES for Successful Living:

1. Find your own particular talent or gift;
2. Be big;
3. Be honest;
4. Live with enthusiasm;
5. Donít let your possessions possess you;
6. Donít worry about your problems;
7. Look up to people when you can – down to no one;
8. Donít cling to the past;
9. Assume your full share of responsibility in the world; and
10. Pray constantly and confidently.

B. Text for Blessing/Prayer – Jeremiah 33:3

1. Command – “Call unto me;”
2. Result – “I will answer thee and show theeÖ”
3. Prayer is not old-fashioned; it is a present occupation for future blessings.

Quotations:

The Power of Prayer

J. Edgar Hoover, Director of the FBI, says, “The spectacle of a nation praying is more awe-inspiring than the explosion of an atomic bomb. The force of prayer is greater than any possible combination of man-made or man-controlled powers, because prayer is manís greatest means of tapping the infinite resources of God. Invoking by prayer the mercy and might of God is our most efficacious means of guaranteeing peace and security for the harassed and helpless peoples of the earth.”

Isaac Newtonís Testimony
One of the greatest scientists who ever lived gave this witness to his faith in God: “I can take my telescope and look millions and millions of miles into the space; but I can lay my telescope aside, go into my room and shut the door, get down on my knees and get close to God than I can when assisted of all the telescope and material agencies on earth. (The Pilgrims)

C. Text for Giving – Luke 6:38

Giving is a Christ likeness. God gives more than enough and even to spare (Romans 8:32). If the offering usher is Christ Jesus Himself and you see His nail-scarred hand, would there be any difference in your giving?

D. Text for Equality – 2 Corinthians 8:13-15

1. Not in terms of having but giving; and
2. Equality in reciprocation.

E. Text for Wisdom – James 1:5

How to have wisdom:

1. Accept you lack wisdom (ignorance).
2. Believe that wisdom comes from God.
3. Believe that God is willing to give it to you.
4. Ask the Lord for wisdom.
5. Occupy – believing that the Lord will fulfill His promise.

Quotations:

“There are no locks in the door of wisdom, knowledge, honest enterprise and opportunity.” – Megiddo Message.

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something.” – Plato

F. Text for Greatness (1 Peter 5:5-6).

BE HUMBLE –

1. Before God;
2. Before your Pastor; and
3. Before your fellowmen.

THE WAY UP IS ALWAYS DOWN.

Quotations:

“There is a great person who makes every person feel small. But the real great person is the person who makes every person feels great.” – G.K. Chesterton

“The first test of a truly great man is his humility. Really great men have a curious feeling that the greatness is not them but through them. And they are something divine in every other man and are endlessly incredibly merciful.” – John Ruskin

“The really great people are very simple people.” – Harvey Firestone Jr.

G. Text for Communication – Acts 1:1

1. JESUS – the pattern of communication.
2. DO and TEACH – the order of communication.

Quotations:

“The constant use of long, involved words proves two things:
1. That youíre learned.
2. That youíre ignorant of how best to communicate with people.” – Will Conway

“Inability to communicate is a true sense represents reality in our time. Though we have more communication facilities than man previously had been able to imagine, most of us are spiritually isolated from our neighbors and even our friends. We spend more hours a day listening to radio and TV and donít know how to establish or maintain satisfying relationships with members of our own households.” – Theodore Nelson

“If you master the act of communication, you will be ready for leadership. Peter Drucker say, ëLeadership is not magnetic personality – that can just as well as be a glib tongue. It is not making friends and influencing people – that is flattery. Leadership is lifting a personís performance to a higher standard, the building of a personality beyond its normal limitations.í What Drucker is really saying is that leaders create responses in others; they are communicators. Communicators if not already leaders, certainly have the potential to be.” – Cynthia H. Tayson

“In order to communicate God we need to get close to people, understand their needs, and fears and hopes and dreams, and then, start at that point and preach Jesus to them, putting the story into words and illustrations they can understand.” – Leighton Ford

“Others will follow your footsteps easier that they will follow your advice.”– Advance

“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.” – Albert Schweitzer