Two Are Better Than One by Brother Duke Hansen

         Our scripture reading this morning will be from the book of Ecclesiastes chapter 4. Before we begin reading I want to discuss a little about the importance of warnings. Sometimes people misconstrue the exact meaning of a warning. We need to understand that despite you truly being saved there will still be moments of what you had sown you will reap. It isn't as if God places you under a hedge of protection from that.The difference in salvation is that you have an awareness of your actions and consequences. Now, there are some people in life who do not receive a warning. When God views you and I, he doesn't just see us, he sees our generations back and forward because he is outside of time. There are things that you may have been exposed to or saddled with because of something a great grandparent did. God will sometimes challenge you. There needs to be a maturity in your trials as you grow, when you can see when you are the problem, when the devil is the cause, and sometimes when it is God. God will use your job, your home, vehicle, family, even your pets in reaching out to communicate with you. The five fold ministry is established to help young baby christians grow in their faith.

        There has been warnings here about the path, not veering left nor right but staying in the center. The center of the path is where God is present. He is not hanging out to the sides of the path where there are briars, mire, and mud. Be cautious that you do not loving the creation more than the creator. When we look at what our government wants in the way of taxable income, a healthy estimate is 25-30%. God requires his people merely 10% and there's a small vocal group that complains about that. God wants an intimate relationship in your walk with him and him with you. If we were to add up time truly committed to God outside of roughly 2 hours here in this church, how much time do we truly devote to God? As it was spoken here in previous services; the world is waxing worse, if you are on God's side act like it. Don't repay evil with evil. Examine yourself. Guard the door. Each of these messages are important to you and I. In guarding the door, physical doors like your properties. Groups and associates you are around in public. There are people who claim want your help and end up in a spot where they are draining the life out of you. If you look at Psalm 51, King David is in a repentant tone proclaiming that God loves a broken and contrite spirit. God is not going to correct your faults or mine. He reveals things to us to correct ourself in order to make it into heaven. We are living in the last days. We are on God's timetable. We need to always be ready to answer God. In the book of Matthew chapter 24, Mark chapter 13 both speak of no one knows about the day and hour when God will return. In the Bible there are many references regarding the importance of watchmen. How humbling is it this morning knowing that God is your watchman? There are people who flee adversity and avoid conflict. Adversity can sometimes be the best thing in your life. Yet, if you walk through life with a victim mentality, God cannot help you. You have to allow things to happen to you and quit fighting all the time. You need to learn how to handle confrontation if you truly want change in your life. As believers we have legal insider information to have a better walk and life with God in this Bible.

        Now we are going to read from Ecclesiastes chapter 4, starting at verse 9;

        9 Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labor.

        There is a big difference in whatever you do when someone is helping you. 

        10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. 

        You have to help in this life. We are ill equipped to do this all by ourself. Attempting to do all things by yourself will run the risk of bitterness and making you jaded. 

        11 Again, if two lie together, then they have heat; but how can be warm alone? 

        12 And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a three fold cord is not quickly broken.

        For three verses the preacher is speaking of two. By verse 12 a threefold cord is spoken. Who is the third cord? It's Jesus. Two may not prevail against a trial or trouble, but they can stand against it.

        If you remember in the gospels Jesus sent his disciples out by two's. Some of what has been spoken this morning may be offensive to you. You don't have to like what God says but he doesn't care. Man loves to control situations and people. God doesn't want to control everything about you, he wants you to control it standing on a firm foundation and not being tossed and unsteady. A hard truth to come to grips with is that the children of God are the most dangerous group in the world. Why? They can do great things in life but can also do greater destruction. God knows how to forge relationships and tears other ones down. Two people together need to be as of iron and not unbalanced. 

        In verse 12, it shows unity with two. Sometimes being able to stand is a victory itself. As what was spoken last week, God can do the impossible. Whatever rises up two in the faith can do a lot. Faith can crumble and move mountains, but it cannot substitute the three steps of salvation or cover the flesh's disobedience. When faith is aligned with the scripture, there is fruit. There are many examples of this in the Bible. One is the story of David and Goliath. You cannot prove anything nor break sinful habits until you prove to yourself that you can overcome. If there is someone to blame or someone is at fault in your life, you will always have that victim mentality. Blaming others for your problems will not get you anywhere, You need to have someone in your corner. Two are better than one. Look in the book of Acts, the apostles went by two's spreading the gospel. Ruth and Naomi. Moses and Aaron. Man still doesn't get this truth and put it into practice. He wants to run everything for himself. If you look at most denominations are run by one man. God wants us to trust him and for that to really happen our flesh needs to be torn down. Don't let your flesh lie to you and disrupt the patience you need to rest in. Life is better when God is involved in it. You will outgrow people as you move through life. Merely knowing the truth is not enough, it is in living in the truth that matters. The cords can be broken when they are separated from another. Seek out that 3rd cord today.