Here is the link for my sermon today.
Love to have you all join us one Sunday.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/7hp1ncidc02bm2b/11-17-13%20Sermon.docx
Monthly Archives: November 2013
It
It
2 Corinthians 4:5-7 For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.
It ain’t about you.
It is all about Him.
It is the power over sin.
It is what you cannot accomplish.
It is what He did accomplish.
It is the perfect sacrifice.
It is an Atonement.
It is your bail money to get out of Hell.
It is the Light in a very dark world.
It is a free gift from God.
It is the grace of God.
It is the mercy of God.
It is unimaginable sacrifice.
It is the answer to the Law.
It is what you can never attain through the Law.
It is being elected by God.
It is that tug that you feel from deep within.
It is how you respond when you feel that tug.
It is from an eternal well from which you will never thirst again.
It quenches the fire from which the lost only want a drop to cool their tongue.
It requires humble repentance, not works based penance.
It makes you go against what the world teaches.
It teaches selflessness and sacrifice, not pride.
It makes you a new person on the inside, for those on the outside to see.
It readjusts your priorities in life.
It makes you see what truly matters in life.
It makes you want to share what you have with everyone.
It presses you to a life of service to the One whom gave you life.
It will give you a hope that the world does not have.
It will give you a hope the world cannot steal away.
It will keep you “up”, when the world tries to knock you “down”.
It is an endless list of what it can do in your life that you nor nothing else can ever do.
It is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
It…..is eternal.
Pray for your pastor(No retirement plan)
Pray for your pastor(No retirement plan)
2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we do not lose heart.
What ministry was Paul talking about? He was talking about the New Testament ministry. God’s New Covenant through the work of Jesus Christ’s shedding of his sinless blood to atone for our sins. The Old Covenant was the Law, or the Ten Commandments, which pointed to our need for a Savior. Jesus came and fulfilled what the the law could not accomplish. Paul was bound by his love for Christ in preaching the Gospel to those that he had once persecuted unto death. Paul knew he was going to suffer for Christ; Acts 9:16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” The Lord had appeared to Ananias in a dream, and sent him to fulfill a vision that He had given Saul (Paul), of healing his eyes, restoring his sight. Paul’s ministry had began with suffering for Christ; he had been struck blind by Christ on that Damascus road.
Intensely personal, I have never been where I find myself today. I am in a place of honor and the greatest humbleness I have ever experienced. The complexity of these two emotions is hard to articulate. My testimony was one of pride, yet now I feel withdrawn from the honor; I do not want to be elevated. Yet the burden on my heart for preaching the Gospel tugs me to climb on the mountaintops and preach. Matthew 10:27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. The intensely spiritual warfare in my mind and those that are close to me is very real; elevated to a place that is painful at times for me and those that endure. Physical pains have increased, this is tangible evidence of this warfare. In all of these Satan seeks to draw my attention away from Christ; in all of these my attention seeks to draw closer to Him; all of these point to the evidence of my NEED for Him.
I humbly write this to any of you that read this: Pray for your pastors. It has taken on an entire new light in my life the pleas I have heard from them through the years. What they battle for your sake, and primarily for the spreading of the Gospel for which they have been entrusted, is a very tough ministry. They share with Christ his sufferings in many ways; yet they hopefully as Paul do not loose heart and preach the only Gospel that saves eternally until their end of days. There should be no retirement plan in ministry.
Does the grass taste good?
Does the grass taste good?
Daniel 4:37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble. (ESV)
King Nebuchadnezzar had asked Daniel to interpret his second dream; he did not like what he heard. God had proclaimed that he was going to loose his kingdom, his mind, and live like a wild beast for seven periods of time (thought to be seven years). God was not going to kill him, but to leave a portion in him that He will restore. God told him that He would restore him to his kingdom; but in all of this God was pointing out to the king, Who appointed him as king. God is showing Nebuchadnezzar that He is truly the ruler of all in the universe; God is giving him a big does of humble pie in an unimaginable way. He literally went crazy and lived like an animal for those seven years. But God just as miraculously as He cast judgement, restored the king. 34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
I had given my testimony this weekend at church, and the backbone of it was a man rooted in pride. My youngest son has been reading in Daniel for our Bible story each night, and low and behold in my study in 2 Corinthians this morning I was led there also; I love how God works. Even in the study of 2 Corinthians, Satan has blinded so many of today in the pride of life. There are countless ways that stem in pride that keep us from humbling our hearts and seeing the light of the Gospel. 2 Corinthians 4:3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Even in one of my study Bible’s notes it says, “The unbeliever has a barrier to overcome. Because of Satan’s deception, what the world thinks is obviously true, is painfully wrong.” Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. You are never going to get through to God with a prideful heart; only through humbleness is eternal paradise found. If you are feeling those questions arising in your heart, make a heartfelt plea for God to open your eyes and your heart to the truth. Be ready for Him to reveal the opposite of what the world teaches. Be ready for the Gospel of Free Grace to open your eyes, your heart, and your eternal salvation through the removal of the pride of life, and the forgiveness of sins.
In all of it
In all of it
2 Corinthians 4:7-8 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed
Lord you have me here
Where you want me to be;
A new place in life
To pour yourself through me.
My enemy comes at me
In so many different ways;
All sorts of busyness
Taking time from my days.
I want to submerge
In your Word only be;
But that is not your plan
You love to challenge me.
Tasks, tests, & trials
That is how I will grow;
Closer to You in all of them
Out of them You will flow.
As I lay there this morning
Contemplation on my mind;
I come to open my Bible
And this was the verse I find.
It is a verse full of struggle
It is a verse showing the pain;
It is surrounded by the proofs
Of in You we shall we remain.
You are the Light within us
Your Light will shine through;
Your evidences pour from us
In all that we do.
5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
Basic Training
Basic Training
2 Timothy 2:1-4 You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.
The apostle Paul’s second letter to Timothy is one of encouragement; one that is likely Paul’s last words to his protege, his son in the faith who had been by his side from Paul’s second missionary trip on. Paul had poured his heart into Timothy, he had stretched the boundaries of what Timothy thought he could do at a young age. Paul knew he had the upbringing and the capability of being a great leader in the church for Christ. Paul knew Timothy would make a good soldier for Christ. Here he reminds him of those struggles that will come to face a soldier for Christ. He is not only telling him to teach, and to delegate, but to remain focused. Soldiers must have a keen eye or focus on the mission at hand; Timothy’s mission was to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all that he encountered. Satan in the spiritual warfare that is the Christian life, brings all that he can to distract one’s eye from the mission at hand. Paul was consistently urging believers to remain focused on the eternal; he wrote in Colossians 3:1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Timothy understood these things for he had been with Paul and known first hand the troubles that came as a soldier of Christ.
Today is Veterans Day; the day we salute those who have served our country in the military forces. Many have paid the ultimate price for their service with their lives. One thing is assured; very early in all of their basic training is instilled the necessity of a focused mind. Seeing the goal of the mission at hand; doing whatever it takes to accomplish the mission, no matter what the difficulties or the cost. A well trained soldier is like a machine with only the ability to accomplish the tasks at hand. Is that your mindset when it comes to your faith? Do you waiver when the going gets tough and see the distraction in front of you? Are you able to keep the mindset of a soldier and endure the distraction and press onward and upwards towards the goal? Being a soldier for Christ means you will suffer with him. Listen how Paul points to the promises to those that remain focused: 2 Timothy 2:10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. 11 The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; 12 if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; 13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful–for he cannot deny himself. (ESV) When the going gets tough, remember your basic training; focus on the eternal.
My testimony on 11/10
Here is a link to my testimony and sermon for today.
Please pray for me for this. God has really been stirring my heart the last two days regarding this.
I awoke this morning in great physical pain also – my back is out big time.
This is going to be hard in many ways, but that also lets me know I am on the right track.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/1qp24prp46a0r25/Testimony%2011-10-13.docx
Thee, thou, art, beloved……HUH?
Thee, thou, art, beloved……HUH?
Matthew 6:5-8 “And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? 6 “Here’s what I want you to do: Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace. 7 “The world is full of so-called prayer warriors who are prayer-ignorant. They’re full of formulas and programs and advice, peddling techniques for getting what you want from God. 8 Don’t fall for that nonsense. This is your Father you are dealing with, and he knows better than you what you need. (The Message)
How many times do you use the words, “Thee, thou, art, beloved……” You know the ones that I am talking about, most likely geared towards a time period of speech that it’s time has passed. The King James Bible reads like beautiful poetry, and many of us were exposed to it’s beauty early in life. My favorite scripture I recite in King James because that is how I have it memorized (Matthew 6:33). I am not saying there is anything wrong with this dialect, (for a lack of a better word), for all of these are to honor God. They place great emphasis on Whom you are praying to. There is great honor, respect, and awe found in the use of them. But, they are not required to reach Him. He is hearing the words that come from your lips, but he is only listening to your heart.
This passage in Matthew is where Christ is telling us how to pray. There are those that pray for all the wrong reasons, but here Jesus is pointing to those that pray to be heard by men. They want their prayers to be a “theatrical production” The New King James version calls them hypocrites; 5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. This is pointed to the Scribes and the Pharisees of the day, the religious of the day. You still see them evident all around us still today; those that pray to be heard and receive their accolades of men. Christ tells them that is all they will get.
Don’t you love the simplicity, and even sometimes the comical nature of a child’s prayer? They are just talking to God like he is standing right there with them. They tell him whatever is on their hearts and minds. Children are naturally humble; it takes the world creeping in to bring on the pride of life that is the root of all sin. Christ teaches humility; repentance, grace, and mercy never teaching the pride of life. Christ rebuked his disciples when their eternal pride surfaced into questions of greatness; Matthew 18:2 Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3 and said, “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Don’t let pride creep into your prayers; just keep them simple and loving in honor of who you are speaking to.
You want me to do what at 46?
You want me to do what at 46?
Proverbs 8:17 I love those who love me, And those who seek me diligently will find me.
Today is my birthday, 46, closer to 50 than I am to 40. This morning in prayer I rattled off all that came to mind in a heart a thanksgiving to God. I – Am – So – Blessed. Even with all that I could think of, I can’t help but wonder how much I forgot. The aches and pains have accelerated, yet I am so thankful for my health. I look back at the life I led for so many years as a rebel without a cause; raised in a Christian home ,yet, with the freedom that came at 16 I turned my back on God. God let me travel down that road of many sins for over half my life, and then He started reeling me back in. I knew it was Him calling, I knew it was a decision with eternal consequence. I am so thankful for my upbringing that helped me realize the weight of that decision.
I am giving my testimony from the pulpit this Sunday. My testimony is one rooted in pride, rooted in selfishness, idol worship, and worldly pursuits. My testimony is one of grace, mercy, forgiveness, and the power of God through a daily pursuit of him. I am living proof of this Proverb above. Jesus Christ saved my life with what he accomplished at the Cross, paying the price for my sin debt due, that in no way could I ever earn by any good work; being a good person, or sadly what so many of us think that Salvation is found in church pews. The understanding of Grace is truly what changed my life. I now find myself in a position by His design that I do not deserve, and never would have imagined as a preacher at a small church. I am committed to delivering His Gospel message of grace and repentance found only through Christ for the remainder of my days here on earth.
What do you believe gets you to heaven?
How you answer that question determines your eternity. I truly believed for most of my life that it was going to church; that belief puts you into the category of earning your salvation by your own works (your attendance record). That would mean that Christ died in vain. Galatians 2:21 I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain.” You must come to understand Grace; God’s free gift that you can only accept as a free gift that you cannot earn. That He gave you grace through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross as a payment through his perfect blood for your sins. Once you understand the grace found in the Good News, your life will be transformed eternally and for your time here. Your heart will be moved to that of a disciple, and your life’s desire will be to make other disciples of His. Won’t you join me on this eternal journey with your Creator, Savior, and Sustainer of your life?
ME T-shirts
ME T-shirts
Romans 12:3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (ESV)
Anytime I spend time in the Word and read about pride, it impacts me. I could go on and on about the life I led for most of my life; I lived a life defined by pride. It was almost a game of seeing how far I could push myself to see what I could attain. My motto was always, “You don’t know your limits until you find them”. Those pursuits landed me all sorts of financial debt and emotional pain. When God had enough of my selfish pursuits, he turned off power switches and took me down great roads of wonder and pain. He humbled me financially to the point it looked as though bankruptcy was the only option. He humbled me physically with a shoulder injury that even the doctors could not explain. It even seems to this day He continues the physical side of sanctifications work in me; he knows I still rest on my pride of continually pushing myself to the limits. I cannot help but wonder how far I, and He, will continue down this road.
Paul was writing here in Romans of the sovereignty of God prior to this; of how once we realize that everything is by his hand, (Romans 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen).it should become a sobering moment in our lives, and should transform our lives forever. Romans 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. Paul was beyond qualified as prideful with his pedigree; raised and educated as the epitome of a devote Jew to the point of religious persecution, even to the point of death of those that followed Christ; until Christ struck him blind on that Damascus road. Paul’s life changed in the blink of a blinded eye; Paul was humbled by the grace of God that chose not to kill him, but to use him to preach the Gospel that he had condemned to the point of murder.
This world teaches pride, this world teaches selfishness; look out for yourself to the point and understanding that no-one else will. If we each are so worried about ourselves, how could anyone have any concern and show love for their fellow man? The evidences of a world wrapped up in pride are evident to each of us every day in countless ways; from the lack of integrity in the business world, to day to day encounters with people in life. Everyone should wear a t-shirt with “It is all about ME” printed on the front. Spend time in the book of Romans 12 today; Paul teaches the exact opposite. He teaches a sacrificial life to the One whom gave and sustains your life. Which one will matter for eternity?
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