I Will Preach Till They Get It

SERMON: “I Will Preach Till They Get It”
Psalm 147:1-11, 20
February 8, 2009 Dr. Dennis Ginoza

When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought
like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I
grew up, I put away childish ways. Well sort of.

How many of you still remember your childhood?
Wasn’t it fun?
When I was young, we used to play with old tires.
I had a sister who could curl inside a fire and roll
down the hill. She was a tomboy and that’s another story.

I came across a list of great truths that children have
learned; let me share these with you.
*No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize a cat.
*If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back. They always
catch the second person.
*Never ask your 3 year old brother to hold your tomato.
*You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.
*You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.

Let us remember to always welcome our children in worship.
The only way our children will learn about worship
is when they worship. James Dobson says,
“Values are not taught, they are caught.”

One summer when we were coming home from our
vacation, we were traveling on Sunday. I said to my
wife and two boys, Jeremy and Aaron, we’re going to
find a place to stop and worship. We got off the highway
in Arroyo Grande. I said, “Here’s a nice place.” My
wife said, “You’re kidding?” I said, “No, I’m not.” It
was a cemetery; and it was nice and green. My wife couldn’t
believe it. We parked our van under a tree and we had a
family worship. One of the boys read a scripture, we had a
prayer, and we shared some thoughts. It wasn’t so bad.
Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up your children in the way they
should go and they will not depart from it.

Worship is like breathing. It gives you life, it gives you
health, and it binds you to the remarkable grace of God.
Brother Lawrence says, even when he is washing dishes,
he praises God.

2

Psalm 147 says: Praise God!
God heals the broken hearted.
He binds their wounds.
God decides on the number of stars and h
gives them names.
When you’re down, God will lift you up.
God prepares the rain for the earth; thank your
God for rain.
When the young ravens cry, he gives them food.

The trouble with most of us is, we think we don’t need God.
We think we can do this life ourselves.
When we have money, who needs God.
When our legs are strong, who needs God.
When we’re good in sports, who needs God.
When we can win 8 gold medals, who needs God.
(Michael Phelps, he was caught smoking marijuana.
Not smart and he lost some endorsements. )
Did you hear about Matt Bush? He was the Padres top
draft pick several years ago. He got caught in drunkenness
for the third time and he was just dropped from the team.
I thought he had a great future ahead of him. Some of
dream making the majors.

When the hour is up,
when the sun is going down,
when our bodies get weary,
when the bells tolls, we will finally learn,
we cannot walk this life alone; without God.

A few years ago, George Hallett gave me a prayer. Let me
share it with you.

Lord, help me to live from day to day
In such a self forgetful way,
That even when I kneel to pray,
My prayers shall be for others.
Help me in all the work I do to ever be
sincere and true.
And know that all I do for you must
need be done for others.
Others, Lord, yes others.
Let this motto be, help me to live for others
that I may live like thee.
3
George wrote this note to me:
Dennis—this is the poem I spoke to you about
last week. I found it in a magazine 40-50
years ago and kept it visible under a piece of plate
glass on my office desk, during which time I was
manager of Personnel, Labor, and Public Relations
in several companies. It was a great help.
--George G Hallett, Jr.

I said it and let me say it again,
you cannot walk this life alone.
It’s like a child who says, “I can’t stand it
anymore. I’m leaving home.” Dad says,
“What if you get hungry?” He says, “Then I’ll
come home.” “What if you run out of money?”
“Then I’ll come home.” “What if you get lost?”
….”I’ll call, Mommy! She’ll come.”

I said it and let me say it again.
Without love you’re nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind.
Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant
Or rude. Love does not insist on its own
Way. Love is not irritable or resentful.
Love bears all thing, believes all things,
Hopes all things, and endures all things. Love never end.

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the fastest lion or it
Will be killed.
Every morning a lion wakes up.
It knows it must outrun the gazelle or it will
Starve to death.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle.
When the sun comes up, you better start running.
--African Proverb

All of us are like a gazelle and a lion.
When we get up in the morning, we
realize we are part of existence. But today,
we wonder, will I have a job? Can I keep my
house? Will I send my kids to college? Will
I have enough for my retirement? When I get
old, will my kids take care of me? (They’d better!)
And let me say it again, “You can’t live this life alone.”

4

Is there anyone here who is worrying about tomorrow?
Don’t worry about tomorrow, it won’t do you
any good anyway. If you’re worried about tomorrow,
I suggest that you read Matthew chapter 6
beginning with verse 25. God always provides. But
here is the catch. You have to trust God with everything
you do.

Jesus keeps on telling us over and over again,
Seek first the kingdom of God.
You and I are here only for a time.
I had a high school friend who died at age
27. I had an aunt who died at age 49 and she had
five children. I had a college friend who died at age 52.
My dad’s sister lived until she was 98. My mother
just celebrated her 94th birthday in October. Remember
Alice Eifert. She lived until she was 107. Up until
three months before she died, she was still able go
to the bathroom with her walker.
I have concluded that we only live on their earth
for a short time.

Jesus said the kingdom of God is at hand. The kingdom
will break open any moment; so stay awake!
In I Peter 4:7-10, Peter reminds us.

The end of things is near; so be serious and
discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers.
Love one another.
Be hospitable with one another and don’t complain.
Serve one another with the talents that you have.

You can’t life this life alone.
Without love, you’re nothing.
Get ready and stay awake!
Jesus is Lord!