Word and Spirit

Come and See A fun Play in an Intimate Dinner Theater Setting!

2011-08-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Backstage in Bancroft presents “Arsenic and old Lace”
By Nathan Countryman, Assistant Editor

BANCROFT—The classic play “Arsenic and Old Lace” will be presented on Thursday, August 18, Friday, August 19 and Sunday, August 21 at Main Street Pub and Grill.

“This play isn’t about sex or love,” said director Rev. Glenn Wilson. “It’s about murder.”

Recently, members of the cast took a chance to introduce their characters to those in attendance of the Party in the Park.

Rev. Robert Wolfert is playing the character of Teddy Brewster. He is convinced he is the president of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt, and is digging the locks of the Panama Canal in the basement of the Brewster house.

Rev. Dr. Glenn Wilson portrays Jonathan Brewster, who has received a bad plastic surgery job. The role was originally played by Boris Karloff, the actor made famous for playing Frankenstein and the Mummy.

Aunt Abby is played by Kate Thompson.

“My favorite line is ‘there is one gentleman in the basement that isn’t ours. The other 12 are our gentlemen,” Thompson said.

Victoria Koestler, co-president of Backstage in Bancroft, plays Dr. Witherspoon, the superintendent of the Happy Dale Sanitarium.

“All conventional households have secrets,” Koestler said.

Rev. Wayne Garman is portraying Mortimer Brewster, the titular character of the Mortimer household. He is a drama critic.

“Playwrights have no imagination and are killing theater,” Garman said was one of his favorite lines from the play.

Aunt Martha is played by Diane Wilson, a woman who loves to cook and mix up great things like elderberry wine.

“I take one gallon of elderberry wine and mix one teaspoon of arsenic, a half teaspoon of strychnine and a pinch of arsenic,” Diane said.

Director Glenn Wilson has had fun with working on the new theater start-up in Bancroft.

“Everything is new and takes building from the ground up many things that other theater groups have already done,” Glenn said. “We have a great cast, many of which have been acting for the first time.”

Glenn also praised Joseph Kesserling’s script as a drama that even new audiences could enjoy.

“Kesserling’s script holds up really well,” Glenn said. “He pokes fun at newspaper drama critics, and the script is a lot of fun.”

Tickets are currently on sale for the dinner theater of “Arsenic and Old Lace” to be shown on Thursday, August 18, Friday, August 19 and Sunday, August 21. Thursday and Friday’s shows begin at 6 p.m., and Sunday’s show begins at 4 p.m. A social time begins at %;30 before the dinner on Thursday and Friday, ON Sunday the meal follows the show.

The cost of the tickets is $30, with $20 going towards the four star meal meal.

“The staff of Main Street Pub and Grill will be serving chicken cordon bleu, salad, potatoes and dessert,” Glenn said.

The other $10 goes to helping the new not for profit theater company starting up.

Advance tickets for the chicken cordon bleu meal need to be purchased by Friday, August 12.

The show has drawn talent from across Kossuth County for the production, including five different pastors in the roles of cast and crew.

“We’ve drawn talent from Algona, Burt, Titonka, Bancroft and Woden,” Glenn said.

Glenn also said that without Koestler and Charlie Kennedy’s work and vision, the creation of Backstage in Bancroft wouldn’t have been possible. Special thanks is also due John and Jan Hellman, owners of the host restaurant, the Main Street Pub and Grill in Bancroft.

A Great Tree Has Fallen

2011-08-09T23:53:00.001-07:00

A wonderful man, the patriarch of a proud family, the kindly grandfather and great grandfather to many children has left us. Joseph DiPietro died this week, and the world is less because of his leaving. He was a man of principle and integrity, a leader in his career, a supportive member of his church, and he was active in service to his community. He was also my father-in-law. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

In Southeastern Alaska, where my wife Diane and I once ministered, the Tlingit leaders had a saying for when a leader had passed on the glory. "A great tree has fallen, and the forest is crying." Joseph DiPietro was a great tree in our midst. He touched the hearts of his family and he made a strong, positive mark in this world.

Joe, as friends called him, served his country honorably as a soldier in World War II, and then continued to serve the nation and fellow soldiers in a distinguished career as an administrator of Veteran's Administration hospitals. He supervised the start-up of a number of key hospital facilities and had a key role in shaping the agency that has helped millions of veterans with their health concerns. He helped this nation keep its commitment to its troops, and the nation is better because of his careful leadership.

Joe was a no-nonsense leader -- he could cut through situations like a knife through butter to get to the root of a problem. Then he worked with his team to find the solution to the problem and implement that solution. The country could us more of his problem solving, pragmatic leadership today.

Joe lived a remarkable, abundant life. He was 95 years old when he died, but it still came as somewhat of a surprise. He had been so strong, so vibrant, so active for so long, that many in his family suspected he might outlive us all. But the time came for even Joe to go home to be with the Lord, and in his typical way, Joe exited the stage with little fanfare. He became ill and in a short time he was gone. But he lives here in the hearts of a large great family, his dear wife Elizabeth, and the dear memories of them and his many friends.

Joe would not want us to focus on his death, which for such a committed Christian as he was and is, is just a transition, a spiritual passage to a better realm. No, his legacy is how lived -- how he did live his life to its fullness.

Christian Lessons from the Life of the Great Theologian Dr. Martin Luther

2010-11-06T20:51:00.000-07:00

In 1501, at the age of nineteen, he entered the University of Erfurt — which he later described as a beerhouse and whorehouse.[14] The schedule called for waking at four every morning for what has been described as "a day of rote learning and often wearying spiritual exercises."[14] He received his master's degree in 1505.[15]

In accordance with his father's wishes, Luther enrolled in law school at the same university that year but dropped out almost immediately, believing that law represented uncertainty.Luther sought assurances about life and was drawn to theology and philosophy, expressing particular interest in Aristotle, William of Ockham, and Gabriel Biel. Philosophy proved to be unsatisfying, offering assurance about the use of reason but none about loving God, which to Luther was more important. Reason could not lead men to God, he felt, and he thereafter developed a love-hate relationship with Aristotle over the latter's emphasis on reason.

For Luther, reason could be used to question men and institutions, but not God. Human beings could learn about God only through divine revelation, he believed, and Scripture therefore became increasingly important to him.

He later attributed his decision to an event: on 2 July 1505, he was on horseback during a thunderstorm and a lightning bolt struck near him as he was returning to university after a trip home. Later telling his father he was terrified of death and divine judgment, he cried out, "Help! Saint Anna, I will become a monk!"

He came to view his cry for help as a vow he could never break. He left law school, sold his books, and entered a closed Augustinian friary in Erfurt on 17 July 1505. One friend blamed the decision on Luther's sadness over the deaths of two friends. Luther himself seemed saddened by the move.

Luther dedicated himself to monastic life, devoting himself to fasting, long hours in prayer, pilgrimage, and frequent confession. He would later remark, "If anyone could have gained heaven as a monk, then I would indeed have been among them." Luther described this period of his life as one of deep spiritual despair. He said, "I lost touch with Christ the Savior and Comforter, and made of him the jailer and hangman of my poor soul."

Johann von Staupitz, his superior, concluded that Luther needed more work to distract him from excessive introspection and ordered him to pursue an academic career. In 1507, he was ordained to the priesthood, and in 1508 began teaching theology at the University of Wittenberg.

He received a Bachelor's degree in Biblical studies on 9 March 1508, and another Bachelor's degree in the Sentences by Peter Lombard in 1509. On 19 October 1512, he was awarded his Doctor of Theology and, on 21 October 1512, was received into the senate of the theological faculty of the University of Wittenberg, having been called to the position of Doctor in Bible.

In 1516–17, Johann Tetzel, a Dominican friar and papal commissioner for indulgences, was sent to Germany by the Roman Catholic Church to raise money to rebuild St Peter's Basilica in Rome.[1] Roman Catholic theology stated that faith alone, whether fiduciary or dogmatic, cannot justify man;[2] and that only such faith as is active in charity and good works (fides caritate formata) can justify man.[3] The benefits of good works could be obtained by donating money to the church.

On 31 October 1517, Martin Luther wrote to Albrecht, Archbishop of Mainz and Magdeburg, protesting the sale of indulgences. He enclosed in his letter a copy of his "Disputation of Martin Luther on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences," which came to be known as The 95 Theses.

Hans Hillerbrand writes that Luther had no intention of confronting the church, but saw his disputation as a scholarly objection to church practices, and the tone of the writing is accordingly "searching, rather than doctrinaire." Hillerbrand writes that there is nevertheless an undercurrent of challenge in several of the theses, particularly in Thesis 86, which asks: "Why does the pope, whose wealth today is greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build the basilica of St. Peter with the money of poor believers rather than with his own money?"

Luther objected to a saying attributed to Johann Tetzel that "As soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory [also attested as 'into heaven'] springs." He insisted that, since forgiveness was God's alone to grant, those who claimed that indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation were in error. Christians, he said, must not slacken in following Christ on account of such false assurances. He saw no Scriptural basis for the sale of indulgences. He began the back to the Bible movement that was the Reformation.

The 95 Theses were posted on the door of the local church and then were quickly translated from Latin into German, printed, and widely copied, making the controversy one of the first in history to be aided by the printing press.[9] Within two weeks, copies of the theses had spread throughout Germany; within two months throughout Europe.

Luther began the movement that ended up shaping of ideals of freedom and liberty that lie at the heart of the 21st century.

Martin Luther stands as a hero, the man who built the bridge between the two halves of the last millennium, the Medieval and the Modern. Martin Luther was born into a world dominated by the Catholic Church. For the keenly spiritual Luther, the Church's promise of salvation is irresistible - caught in a thunderstorm, terrified by the possibility of imminent death, he vows to become a monk.

Luther wrote: The first and chief article is this: Jesus Christ, our God and Lord, died for our sins and was raised again for our justification (Romans 3:24-25). He alone is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29), and God has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6). All have sinned and are justified freely, without their own works and merits, by His grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, in His blood (Romans 3:23-25). This is necessary to believe. This cannot be otherwise acquired or grasped by any work, law, or merit. Therefore, it is clear and certain that this faith alone justifies us...Nothing of this article can be yielded or surrendered, even though heaven and earth and everything else falls (Mark 13:31).

Luther with resounding forcefulness in 1545, the year before he died, "Let the man who would hear God speak, read Holy Scripture" (see note 5). Earlier he had said in his lectures on Genesis, "The Holy Spirit himself and God, the Creator of all things, is the Author of this book"

The Word of God that saves and sanctifies, from generation to generation, is preserved in a Book. The central part of our work is to wrestle God's meaning from a Book, and proclaim it in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Luther knew, that some would stumble over the sheer conservatism of this simple, unchangeable fact. God's Word is in a book, and as we study it the Holy Spirit in us giving life and light.

Luther was a great lover of the Holy Spirit. In 1533 he said, "The Word of God is the greatest, most necessary, and most important thing in Christendom" Cherishing the Book implied to Luther that the Holy Spirit is a beautiful person to be known and loved, not a buzz to be felt.

Prayer was the root of Luther's approach to studying God's word. Prayer is the echo of the freedom and sufficiency of God in the heart of powerless man. It is the way he conceived of his theology and the way he pursued his studies. And it is the way he died.

At 3:00 a.m. on February 18, 1546, Luther died. His last recorded words were, "We are beggars. This is true" (see note 72). God is free—utterly free—in his grace. And we are beggars—pray-ers. That is how we live, and that is how we study, so that God gets the glory and we get the grace.

FAMOUS SAYINGS OF DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER:

All which happens in the whole world happens through hope. No husbandman would sow a grain of corn if he did not hope it would spring up and bring forth the ear. How much more are we helped on by hope in the way to eternal life!

Anyone who is to find Christ must first find the church. How could anyone know where Christ is and what faith is in him unless he knew where his believers are?

Every man must do two things alone; he must do his own believing and his own dying.

Everything that is done in the world is done by hope.

Faith is a living, daring confidence in God's grace, so sure and certain that a man could stake his life on it a thousand times.

Faith is permitting ourselves to be seized by the things we do not see.

Christian life consists of faith, love and charity.

Faith, like light, should ever be simple and unbending; while love, like warmth, should beam forth on every side, and bend to every necessity of our brethren

God writes the gospel, not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars.

For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.

If you are not allowed to laugh in heaven, I don't want to go there.

If you young fellows were wise, the devil couldn't do anything to you, but since you aren't wise, you need us who are old.

Nothing good ever comes of violence.

Our Lord has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime.

A wicked tyrant is better than a wicked war.

War is the greatest plague that can afflict humanity, it destroys religion, it destroys states, it destroys families. Any scourge is preferable to it.

Whatever your heart clings to and confides in, that is really your God.

Becoming a Fully Realized Acts 16:5 Church

2010-10-24T20:11:00.000-07:00

As we work toward becoming a fully realized Christian church, which we call an Acts 16:5 church. we seek God;s guidance to those goals that God may have in mind for our congregation as we seek to become one with a dynamic vision. Dr. Stan Ott, our adviser for our presbytery, stresses developing discipleship, a missional focus, and an insight about friendliness and hospitality that is critical. Ott makes a distinction between friendliness and hospitality: "friendship is warm, sociable and pleasant" while hospitality invites people into our lives in meaningful ways. Hospitality is the key to keeping new attendees and making them a part of the congregation.

Ott urges us to look at making worship responsive to many needs and explore the importance of small-group ministry. Ott also advocates shared ministry between the pastor, the leaders, and the members of the congregation.

Ott offers seven signs of a vital congregation and six principles for going about the practice of vital ministry. Ott is practical and inspiring, hopeful, and confident that God is at work in every congregation. Ott urges us to use scriptural references that support the ongoing message he preaches to us about mission, vision, and God's presence in the church.

The practices of discipleship Ott lists are the "Seven Habits of the Burning Heart." These are spiritual practices that support and sustain the growth of disciples. Ott's habits are concerned with relationships, both with God and with others; well-being--spiritual, physical, and emotional; stewardship; and ministry and work. He reminds us that these tools of discipleship are the work of God's Spirit among us that forms Christ within us.

Ott recognizes that the church is in a time of transition today but reminds us that this is not a new state, that the church is always in some state of transition. Ott offers a very positive definition of transition. He writes, "But I want to offer a new definition of the transitional congregation--a church in transition to a positive, future-embracing vision that says, 'We have not yet experienced this congregation's greatest ministry. Let us bless what God has done among us and add the ministry we believe will touch another circle of people'"

Heaven is Our True Home -- What a Day of Rejoicing That Will Be!

2010-10-22T09:39:00.000-07:00

Heaven in our destination when we believe in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior!In John 14 Jesus tells us He is going to prepare a place for us in His Father's abode, where there are many mansions. In John 14:6 He tells us how to get there -- THROUGH HIM!

The Bible is the most beautiful book ever written. It tells us some things about heaven and all are awe-inspiring. What a day of rejoicing that will be!

The Bible does not say a lot about heaven. Reinhold Niebuhr once said, "The Bible tells us very little about the temperature of hell, or the furniture of heaven."

But it tells us enough to get us excited. In John 14 Jesus says He is going to prepare a place for us. And LET ME EMPHASIZE THIS FACT -- In John 14:6 He tells us how to get there -- through HIM! There is no way that human language can capture the majesty and the grandeur of heaven.

The Bible does tell us though, everything you and I need to know. We can see great insight into the very heart and the essence of what heaven is really all about. Turn with me to Paul's letter to the Philippians, the third chapter; and let's take a look this morning at verses 17-21. This is the Word of God. Paul writes to those early Christians in Philippi:

Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction, their God is their physical being, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on early things. But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

There is a story about the two guys who were dying to know if there would be baseball in heaven. They made a pact with each other. The first one to die, he would try to come back and communicate to the other person whether or not there was baseball in heaven. Well, one of them dies; and sure enough the remaining friend one night hears a familiar voice, "Jim! It's Fred! I've come back to tell you whether or not there is baseball in heaven. I have some good news and some bad news for you. The good news, there is baseball in heaven. The bad news, you are the starting pitcher tomorrow night."

What is heaven like? Probably a better place to begin is to ask ourselves the question, "Will we be ready for what heaven is like?" In the third chapter of Philippians, Paul has spent a lot of time talking with those early Christians about what eternal life in Christ is like. In verses 17-19 of our text, he hones in on the fact that the reality of heaven ought to impact the way you and I live in the world as Christians. In fact, he urges those early Philippian Christians to model their lives after him, and after other Christians who are living godly lives.

Then he warns the Philippians, 'Don't model your life after some Christians inside the church, who call themselves Christians,' but who in reality Paul says, 'are enemies of the cross.' These are men and women within the church but they are enemies of the cross; not because they deny the existence of heaven; but because they have been perpetrating a myth. The myth that there are other ways to heaven other than through the cross of Jesus Christ.

Friends, let us be clear here this morning. There is no other way to heaven than through Jesus Christ and his once and for all sufficient, perfect, sacrificial death on the cross. Not Ron Scates, not the Presbyterian Church, but Jesus says, 'I am the way. I am the road. No one comes to the Father, but by me.'

But there in that Philippian church, and in the church right here, there are those Christians who in reality are masquerading as Christians, who are enemies of the cross. 'Oh, there are all kinds of ways other than Christ to get to heaven.'

Paul says, their destiny is not heaven but destruction. Their god is their gut. And Paul says they have fallen into what we might call the Jerry Springer Syndrome: They glory in their shame.

If there is a just criticism of some Christians that they are so heavenly-minded that they are not earthly good, then just the opposite is true for these folks. Their minds are totally focused on this world. They have forgotten, or they have lost that transcendent vision of a godly, Christ-centered life.

Now remember that Paul is writing to Christians here. He is not saying that the way you and I live determines whether we merit heaven. No, not at all. You and I are saved solely, totally by grace alone, through faith in Christ. But what I think Paul is saying here when he urges them to model their lives after him and after other godly Christians, is that the way you and I live our lives here on earth, has an impact on us as we make the transition into heaven.

Think about it. If you are going to spend eternity with a God that you do not passionately love right now; if you are going to spend eternity subject to a God who in this life, you continually refuse to surrender all of your life to; then at best heaven is going to be somewhat of a wearisome place, if not a miserable place. Our lives lived here on earth are to be lived in preparation for life in heaven. We are to seek out men and women of integrity, and authenticity, and compassion, and courage, and faithfulness; and then pattern our lives after them. Seeking to live in ways here and now that glorify God through eternity. So ask yourself a question. Who or what is your life modeled on?

Let's get back to the original question. What is heaven? In verses 20 and 21 of our text, Paul gives us some great insights into what heaven is really all about. In verse 20, the first thing he tells us, he reminds us to check our spiritual passports as Christians. He says, 'Our citizenship, is not in this world. Our true citizenship is in heaven.' This earth is not our real home.

If you are a Christian, ask yourself this, 'Am I a pioneer, or am I a homesteader?' A pioneer is never settled. They are always moving on. They know that wherever they are is not their home. They are always heading toward a final destination. They are just passing through. But so many Christians have, in relationship to this world, become homesteaders. They have circled the wagons. They have sunk down roots. They invest themselves so much in this world, that they have almost totally forgotten where their true home is.

Where is your true home? It is not here. If you are a Christian, you are at best a resident alien. You are a sojourner. You and I need to remember that this world is not all there is.

In September when Anne and I are in Scotland, I don't think we are going to be confused about Scotland being our home. At every turn we are going to be reminded that we are tourists. We are just passing through. We are just resident aliens there, and we will only be there for a short time.

Let me confess, I like this world. I am in no rush to get to heaven. I need to be reminded that I am a resident alien. I am a sojourner. I am just passing through. This is not my home.

Max Lucado tells a story about flying home to San Antonio one evening and as the wheels of the plane hit the runway, he said all through the plane you could hear the unfastening of seatbelts. As the voice came over the intercom saying, 'Please remain seated with your seatbelt fastened until the plane comes to a complete stop,' he said, no one was paying attention. People were already out of their seats, opening the overhead compartments, getting their stuff out. Why? Because they were home. Their final destination was not that plane. They wanted to get off of that plane, and get out, and get home with those they love. He said he didn't see any of the stewardesses having to struggle to pull people out of their seats, with people going, 'Wait a minute. I want to stay on the plane for a few more hours. The food is really good. These seats are so comfy, I want to stay.' No. They were home. They wanted to get off of that plane.

Why then, as Christians, are we so clutching when it comes to this world? This is not our true home. By the way, if you are a Christian when you die, where do you go? You don't go to heaven. When Jesus died He didn't even go to heaven. He went to hell. He went to hell to close the gates of hell for all who place their trust in him. But if you are a believer, when you die you don't go to heaven either. Where do you go?

Paul says that Christ one day will return, and take you and me home to heaven to be with him. If you don't remember anything else about this sermon, remember this. This is the most important thing about heaven: that you and I will be with Christ.

Join me as we pray:
Father we thank you that as we pass through this world as sojourners you are our companion, you are our pioneer and perfecter of our faith. We follow hopefully in your footsteps. Lord, give us a healthy appreciation of the beauty and wonder of this world. May we pour ourselves out, living for you; binding up the wounds of those who are hurting, ministering to the poor. But also may we be so fueled by the reality that this is not the last word. This is not our true home. We are here to do what we can. But our destiny is eternal life with you. Through Jesus Christ our Lord and him alone. Amen.

There is a Heaven and There is a Hell -- Hell is a Spiritual Reality

2010-10-11T06:15:00.001-07:00

Hell is a spiritual reality that can be countered only by the Cross of Christ.
Introduction

• Read Matthew 13:47-51 47"Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
51"Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they replied.

• Jesus uses a commercial fishing illustration to teach about the afterlife: (1) there will be judgment for everyone, (2) people will be separated into two groups, and (3) the saved will be destined for heaven and the unsaved for hell.
• Jesus speaks often of hell, and other biblical writers do, too.
• In Scripture, justice demands a hell.

WHY IS HELL NECESSARY?
A. Its necessary for the devil, who it was created for in the first place-Matthew 25:41.
B. Its necessary for those who do not trust Jesus to pay for their sin-Romans 6:23 and II • Thessalonians 1:5-9.

Hell involves emotional anguish.

• Hell is like gehenna, the smoldering trash dump outside Jerusalem, and in hell, people will be consciously aware that they have been deemed trash--worthless, irredeemable, fit for no good purpose.
• Hell involves gnashing of teeth-
•
• Hell is described as fire, flames, furnace-a pain so intense that in the parable in Luke 16, a man begs for a few drops of water.
•
• Preachers of the past thought it was a terrible place to go. An example comes from the great speaker Gharles Spurgeon…

“There is a real fire in hell, as truly as you have a real body, a fire exactly like that which we have on this earth except this: it will not consume you though it will torture you. You have seen asbestos lying amid coals but not consumed. So your body will be prepared by God in such a way that it will burn forever yet without being consumed, with your nerves laid raw by searing flame yet never desensitized for all its raging fury. And with the acrid smoke of the sulfuric fumes searing your lungs and choking your breath you will cry out for the mercy of death, but it shall never, never, no, never come
•
Even Billy Graham is uncertain about the literal nature of hell being on fire.
In Time Magazine on November 15, 1993, he said, “I think that hell essentially is separation from God forever. And that is the worst hell that I can think of. But I think people have a hard time believing God is going to allow people to burn
in literal fire forever.”

A few years before that Billy Graham said in his book, “A Biblical Stand for Evangelists”,1983, pp 45-47….. “When it comes to a literal fire, I don’t preach it because I’m not sure about it.”
•

Be Thou My Vision: Having the Eyes of Christ -- Open My Eyes So That I Might Have "People Eyes"

2010-10-05T20:06:00.000-07:00

The Acts 16:5 concept of looking at people as Jesus would see them, with eyes for people and their hearts. We catch His vision for helping and loving and nurturing people. We see people through the eyes of Christ, as people with needs to be met – physical, spiritual, emotional, social, relational – and look for ways to meet those needs in the mission of Jesus Christ in our time and place.

To see people the way Jesus saw them is to look beyond failure to another chance.
In a world in which it’s “three strikes and you’re out,” to see people the way Jesus sawthem is to believe in redemption, really believe in it, not just as a religious idea but as a fact of real life. To see people the way Jesus saw is to put hope back into the equation. Jesus saw people differently. And we, as new creations in Christ, are called to see people the way he saw them.

Jesus would have us look beyond the obvious and the superficial. He would have
us look deeper into the soul and spirit.

What do you see? What do you see when you see an autistic child? What do you
see when you see a homeless man selling newspapers at the intersection? What do you see when you see a poor person in the line at a food pantry? What do you see when you see a black man or Mexican man or an Arabian man? What do you see when you see a senile senior adult, once proud and accomplished but now reduced to repeating over and over, hundreds of times every day,“Please help me. Won’t somebody help me”? What do you see?

Or, more importantly, through whose eyes do you see? Do you see through the
eyes of a society in which worth is based on what one can produce or generate, and
therefore one in which there is no place for the non-productive – senile senior adults, the mentally ill, the unemployed, the poor? Do you see through the eyes of a selfish, greedy society in which hedonism, the belief that the satisfaction of one’s physical and material desires is the highest good, has become so much a part of our lifestyle that we scarcely notice it any more. Do you see through eyes that align with social Darwinism, (the survival of the strongest, the richest, the financially fittest), rather than Christ's law of love?

Or do you see through the eyes of Christ and the eyes a Christian society in which we have a sense of responsibility for one another, for people we don’t even know but who share something important with us, namely that we are all humans,that we are all people with Christ in common. Are you caught up in the radical individualism, or do you follow the teachings of the radical Savior Jesus Christ? Do you see through the eyes of the world or through the eyes of Christ?

The fundamental challenge for us as followers of Jesus Christ is to recognize that
if we do nothing, if we float along through life, we will see through the eyes of the world. To see through the eyes of Christ requires a conscious decision on our part, a choice.

That decision must be followed by a lifetime of being alert to the ways the world has of shaping our vision and a lifetime of perpetual learning what it means to see through the eyes of Christ.

May God call us to that decision today and every day so that the prayer of the
hymn writers might be our prayer:

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart...give me the vision you have for my heart!
Open my eyes that I may see,glimpses of truth thou hast for me. Lord, give us eyes to see the way Jesus saw. In his name, Amen.

Jesus Calls on Us to Help the "Least of These" Part Two

2010-10-04T13:50:00.001-07:00

There are people going hungry in Africa and Asia but also right down the street. There are people who cannot heat their homes this winter and people who don’t even have a home. We will go eat lunch today but there will people who haven’t eaten since Friday. This is the last parable Jesus tells his disciples. These are the last words he conveys to them as a group. He looks at them and says that these people are our family and we need to be taking care of them.

We cannot forget that but we in order to do that we need to stop the judgment. We have a huge tendency to look at people in need around us, the least of these in our community, and pass judgment on them. We constantly pass judgment but Christ tells us to stop and have compassion.

Brothers and sisters, we all are sinners and the majority of us are lucky enough to escape paying for those sins for the rest of our lives. Instead of seeing the just the sin, we need to learn how to see the person, the child of God, as Jesus did. Instead of imparting judgment to impart compassion. In the parable, Jesus the king is the judge. We do not need to do that. He is quite capable of judgment. He calls on us to do the compassion part with the least of these, for Him in His Name.

When we start with compassion then we start to take care of those people’s needs. When we start with compassion we start to have a heart that looks like the King we serve.

Mother Teresa once said: “When I die and I meet Jesus I can see him upset that I judged too much but I cannot envision him telling me he is angry because I had too much compassion.”

.So what does all this mean for us as members of Burt Presbyterian Church? Well, one of our core values is acceptance of others and hospitality ot others in the name of Jseus Christ. That’s why we’re an Acts 16”5 congregation – because we as a congregation feel
that we should be a welcoming place to everybody regardless of race, color, economic status, letting Jesus tear down the barriers between us.

But it means more than that. It means that each one of us should take that core value of acceptance and love and try to live that value in our daily lives. It means that when we go out into the world, we don’t look at the world as a world of “us” and “them,” but that we look at the world as composed of children of God, and potential church members with us, either here or in other churches. And we respect other religions, too, because we with for them to respect us and to live in peace with us. The Bible calls on us to live in peace if we possibly can.

The church cannot preach acts of loving kindness to the hungry, the thirsty, the imprisoned and the naked unless it is composed of congregations of people who live out those acts of loving kindness in their everyday lives.

Those acts of kindness don’t just happen here at the church building on Sunday morning.

Those acts of kindness need to happen in our everyday lives, in our everyday encounters, when you entertain a stranger, when you refrain from thoughts of hate or ridicule, and stay away from those who say and do such things,, when you stand up for the rights of the poor, the down and out, those who are struggling to survive.

Judgment day is coming – and we must be people of the cross. And, God knows that a people of the cross are so much needed in our world in where fear of terror seems to be ruling. However, fear not, and see that there is much Good News in today's text. A final judgment is coming, and may it come soon. For Christ's judgment will cast out fear, and war, and terror, and poverty, and inhumanity.

And because that day is surely coming, we can continue to live our lives with hope. Having children and baptizing them into the mission of Christ, sharing with them the stories and the life of faith, so they might tell others that there is indeed a leader who is worthy to give our true allegiance to. And we may face death with hope, knowing that it is Jesus Christ who will complete the work of the Church and the mission of the Kingdom of God, and that one day, in the twinkling of an eye, we will be raised imperishable, to share in a new Heaven and a New Earth.

For we have faith in the one with the nail pierced hands and feet who walks among those who suffer, pouring out a promise made in his blood, loving all who come to Him regardless of their background – and one day we believe that all of the creation will be set free from slavery to fear and death.

Believe in Jesus the Christ, our Judge and our Hope!
AMEN! AMEN!

Jesus calls on Us to Reach and Help the "Least of These" Part One

2010-10-04T13:44:00.001-07:00

Today is World Communion Sunday, and it reminds us of missions and the communion we have with Christians around the world – many of whom do not look like us or even live in cultures like ours. Our Scripture lesson today reminds us that all of us, all over the world, are linked by a love for Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, which the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is all about!

The Scripture reminds us who is the one in charge, and it reminds us there is a coming Judgment Day. We are ruled by a generous, forgiving, loving, and grace filled king. That king is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. He is righteous and holy and we are not. And He is the mighty judge on the coming Judgment Day. And in this powerful parable He again tells us what he values most of all, after our allegiance – how we live in the way we treat others. Remember the great commands He gives to love others as yourself and to love one another. Well, he is always consistent – and He tells this parable to drive the truth home to us.

This parable starts on judgment but it then flows into compassion. The compassion comes when we learn what the sheep did to inherit the kingdom. Let’s be clear again, there is nothing we can do to earn our way to heaven but if you remember last week we need to live into our gift as well. In the parable of the talents,

Jesus reminds the disciples that they will receive a tremendous gift, the gift of salvation. We are told that we need to share that gift with others and it will come back to us with a 100% return. We can’t do anything to earn salvation but we do need to do something once we have. To live a life with Christ means you have to go where Christ is and that is what the rest of the parable is about.

Each Sunday, when we gather here, we celebrate the resurrection. Each Sunday is a break to be still and enjoy the presence of God, remembering the resurrection. We call it the Lord’s Day for that reason. We, as Christians, believe that Christ is all around us. We just need to have the eyes to see him. “I heard a story at the General Assembly from a missionary to the inner city of Detroit -- one morning when the volunteers who would feed the hungry gathered early to get things ready for the long line of homeless folk that stood outside waiting. Someone asked one of the workers to pray and she prayed, “Jesus, help me to see your face when you come through the line.”

When we look at the people around us we need to be on the lookout for Jesus. When he is talking to the sheep he tells them that they were the ones who had compassion on the least of these around us. The hungry, they gave food. They thirsty, they gave them something to drink. The sick, they took care of. The naked, they clothed. The stranger, they welcomed them in. The prisoners, they visited. They took care of the members of our family, the other children of God.

A professor from Utah State University has reduced the world’s population proportionately from 6 billion to 100 people. If the entire world’s population was 100 people then:

57 would be Asian
21 would be Europeans
14 would be North and South Americans
8 would be Africans
70 would be non-white
50% of the world’s wealth rests in the hands of the 6 US citizens.
70 would be unable to read
50 would be malnourished
80 would live in substandard housing
Only 1 would have a college education

We have to constantly remind ourselves that the world is a lot bigger than what is in front of our eyes each day. There is life outside Burt and Kossuth County and Iowa and even outside the United States and our television channels.

Lessons from the Story of Jesus and the Woman at the Well -- Breaking Down the Barriers!

2010-09-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

We can learn a great deal from story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman in John Chapter 4. Jesus went to where she would be, He broke down barriers, and he met her need in spite of all of her previous bad choices. And then she became a very effective evangelist for the Lord!

In his encounter with the woman at the well, Jesus broke three Jewish customs: first, he spoke to a woman; second, she was a Samaritan woman, a group the Jews traditionally despised; and third, he asked her to get him a drink of water, which would have made him ceremonially unclean from using her cup or jar. This shocked the woman at the well. But Jesus tore down barriers between people, and he still will, if we let him.

Then Jesus told the woman he could give her "living water" so that she would never thirst again. Jesus used the words living water to refer to eternal life, the gift that would satisfy her soul's desire only available through him. At first, the Samaritan woman did not fully understand Jesus' meaning.

Although they had never met before, Jesus revealed that he knew she had had five husbands and was now living with a man who was not her husband. Jesus now had her attention!

As they talked about their two views on worship, the woman voiced her faith that Messiah was coming. Jesus answered, "I who speak to you am he." (John 4:26, ESV)

As the woman began to grasp the reality of her encounter with Jesus, the disciples returned. They were equally shocked to find him speaking to a woman. Leaving behind her water jar, the woman returned to town, inviting the people to "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did." (John 4:29, ESV)

Meanwhile, Jesus told his disciples the harvest of souls was ready, sown by the prophets, writers of the Old Testament, and John the Baptist.

Excited by what the woman told them, the Samaritans came from Sychar and begged Jesus to stay with them. So Jesus stayed two days, teaching the Samaritan people about the Kingdom of God. When he left, the people told the woman, "... we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." (John 4:42, ESV)

The Samaritans were a mixed race people, who had intermarried with the Assyrians centuries before. They were hated by the Jews because of this cultural mixing, and because they had their own version of the Bible and their own temple on Mount Gerizim. The Jews saw their religion as impure, but Jesus reached out ot them anyway!

The woman at the well came to draw water at the hottest part of the day, instead of the usual morning or evening times, because she was shunned and rejected by the other women of the area for her immorality. Jesus knew her history but still accepted her and ministered to her.

By reaching out to the Samaritans, Jesus showed that his mission was to the entire earth, not just the Jews. In the book of Acts, after Jesus' ascension into heaven, his apostles carried on his work in Samaria and to the Gentile world. Ironically, while the High Priest and Sanhedrin rejected Jesus as the Messiah, the outcast Samaritans recognized him and accepted him for who he truly was: the Savior of the world.

Our human tendency is to judge others because of stereotypes, customs or prejudices. Jesus did not judge people as a groupm but rather Jesus treats people as individuals, accepting them with love and compassion. Do you dismiss certain people as lost causes, or do you see them as valuable in their own right, worthy of knowing about the Gospel?

Let Your Light Shine So Folks Will Give God the Glory!

2010-09-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

Jesus said in Matthew 5:16, "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

Jesus clearly commands that the goal of our lives should be to behave so that God gets the glory. Live so that men will see your life and give your Father in heaven glory, not you. So it should be very clear that glorifying God is not merely an act of worship on Sunday. It is a peculiar kind of living.

Let us look at 1 Peter 4:10, 11. Probably no other New Testament book besides James reflects an acquaintance with the teachings of Jesus as clearly as 1 Peter. In 2:12, Peter gives a loose quotation of Matthew 5:16, "Maintain good conduct among the Gentiles so that in case they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation." But in chapter 4, verses 10 and 11, Peter shows more explicitly what it is about the good deeds of Christians that makes them a means to God's glory.
He says:

We see in Isaiah 43:7 that God's great goal in creating and governing the world was to be glorified. That is, he created us for his glory. Not to increase the beauty of his perfections or fill up some emptiness in God, but rather to display his glory in the way we live and to win praise for himself, which in turn brings Him closer to us and His power more evident in our lives.

To maintain the honor of his name and display his glory—these are the driving motives in all that God does in history, in the church, and in individual lives.
At the end of last week's message two crucial questions remained:

In order for God to get glory from the way we live, we must be engaged in good deeds. It is not so much by avoiding gross sins that God's people display his glory, but rather in the pursuit of good deeds, acts of generosity, works of kindness, ways of love. Since it is God's goal to be glorified in his people, and since Jesus says this happens when his people do good deeds, we would expect the Bible to tell us that God's goal in redeeming a people is that they might do good deeds. And this is exactly what we find.

Paul says in Titus 2:14 that Christ "gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds." Christ died that we might do good deeds and so bring glory to our Father in heaven.

God created us for his glory, says the prophet Isaiah. We bring him glory through our good deeds, says the Lord Jesus. So we are not surprised when we hear the apostle say, God created us for good deeds. Ephesians 2:10: "We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good deeds, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." Created for his glory, and created for good deeds, because it is by our good deeds that God gets glory.

One final observation from Matthew 5. It is possible to be a kind of do-gooder that brings no glory to God. There are philanthropists and benefactors and others who for one reason or another spend time and money to alleviate suffering, but who may not even believe in God let alone do it all for his glory.

So when Jesus says, Let your light shine that men may see your good deeds and glorify God, the light must include more than the mere action of the good deed. "You are the light of the world!" (5:14). Not just your bodily motions but your attitude and your motivation also. There is a spirit from which the good deeds must flow if they are to bring God glory and so be pleasing to him.

Remember: To Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. AMEN.

God Is Doing A New Thing! Keep Pressing on Toward the Goal!

2010-09-12T19:27:00.000-07:00

The prophet Isaiah quotes our God as saying: "See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:19)

The Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Philippians: …. straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)

God is still moving, still speaking. Faith, therefore, should not be static either. But rather a process, a journey, a Way of life.

Isaiah proclaims: I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? Or are you set in seeing and knowing God the same way you did five years ago? ten years ago? thirty years ago?

Paul writes: pressing (straining) forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus. Do you share that goal? Are you mindfully on a journey toward that heavenly prize?

In our prayers we regularly pray that, as a people, we might be transformed and conformed into the mind of Christ. There are many reasons, of course, to go to church. But the most important is that going to church makes transformation happen. In church we have an abundant opportunity to cultivate what Walter Brueggermann calls a “healthy imagination.”

There are, in our world and environment, all kinds of images and words, reports and data that can fill our minds and take over our eyeballs with unhealthy things that sap our lives. In church, we have the opportunity to engage our hearts, our minds, our souls, our bodies, in healthy and life-giving ways. Let us become the people God calls us to be. May we be transformed! May we know Whose we are and Who we are in Christ!

The Chief End of Man is the Glorify God and Enjoy God Forever!

2010-09-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

“Enjoy Life, Enjoy God: This is Our Chief End”
Life is meant to be enjoyed. God declared it good. Yet we know that the wholesome earthiness of life is best savored by a robust faith in God through Jesus Christ. Healthy followers of Christ are learning to do both well: enjoy life, and to enjoy God…they are not in opposition, but inseparably connected. May you be encouraged in God’s love. Encouragement, at its root meaning, involves not only a pep talk, or pat on the back, but sometimes a candid voice of exhortation. But it’s all cloaked in the grace of God.
Acts 16:5 leader Rev. Dale Patterson notes that the Westminster Catechism, one of the great documents the church ever produced, is a series of one hundred Q&As. But the first question is the most famous:
Q: What is the chief end of man? A: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever."
As Paul writes: “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.” - Romans 11:36
In light of this truth, there is nothing that deserves our greater care than to fulfill the great end for which each of us was made—to glorify God and enjoy Him forever! ""Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4)

The Amazing Gift of the Lord's Supper

2010-09-05T16:58:00.001-07:00

The Lord's Supper is an amazing gift from God. We are urged to do this sacrament in remembrance of Christ.

We Are To Remember A Suffering Lord - The blood and juice represent the broken body and shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we partake of this observance, we need to remember the awful price that Jesus paid to save our souls. Please remember that when He died on the cross, He was dying in your place, and that He suffered greatly when He did, fie you and for me.

We Are to Remember An Achieving Lord - As we take the bread and the juice today, we need to remember that Jesus Christ died, but that three days later, He arose from the dead. He lives, Matt. 28:1-6; Rev. 1:18!

We Are To Remember An Appearing Lord - After Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended hack to Heaven and sat down at His Father's right hand to await the day when He will return to this earth to receive His people unto Himself. Every time we take the Lord's Supper, we are declaring to a lost world that we believe in a returning Lord, who will surely come again! And, if we really believe that Jesus is coming again, we will live like we are looking for Him to come back any day now.

The Lord's Supper service is sacred for several reasons. By sacred, I mean that it is to be held in high regard by those who participate in it. It possesses no saving power, but it is still holy unto the Lord. There are 2 basic reasons why the Lord's Supper is sacred.

A. It Was Instituted By Christ - Jesus inaugurated the first Lord's Supper before He went to the cross and He intends for His people to follow His example. It is sacred simply because Jesus set the example.

B. It Witnesses To Christ - Paul makes it clear that when we participate in the Lord's Supper service that we are declaring our faith in the death, burial, resurrection and return of the Lord Jesus.
While the Lord's Supper declares the faith of those who partake of it, it also points to the truth of Gospel to those who do not know the Lord. Every time we gather at the Lord's table and observe the Lord's Supper, we are serving up a witness to a lost and dying world that 2,000 years ago, a man named Jesus went to a cross and died for the sins of humanity, that He rose from the dead and that He lives today and will return for His people. It is a powerful witness.

When we come to the Lord's table, we need to remember not just ourselves, but also our brothers and sisters in Christ who are struggling, Gal. 6:2. We need to consider those who are outside the family of God. Those outside the faith need someone to cast them a lifeline. God help us to remember this time is a time to remember and to repent.

We Have The Opportunity To Renew - The Lord's Supper service is a wonderful time for the child of God to his vows and his vision. It is a great time to remember why we are here. It is a good time to renew our vows unto the Lord. Many allow sin to creep into their lives and hinder their walk with the Lord. This is a good time to get al of that fixed up and get back on track with the Lord.

When we come to the Lord's table, there is nothing or no one to get glory but the Lord. When His Supper is received with faith and gladness, Jesus will be glorified, the saints will be edified, sinner will be evangelized and God the Father will be exalted! When we call to mind the price Jesus paid for us and the fact that He lives for our justification, it will bring us to the place of praise and worship.

Be Sure You Are Right With The Lord - If you are saved, then be sure you examine yourself and that you confess your sins before the Lord. He will receive you and forgive you and make you ready to receive the Lord's Supper.

Be Sure You Take It In The Right Spirit - Please focus your heart and mind on the Lord and do your best to be in communion with Him as you receive His Supper. He did it all for YOU!

Random Acts of KIndness -- Spreading the Love of Jesus One Kind Action at a Time

2010-08-31T02:05:00.000-07:00

Helping others at the moment of need -- Do Random and PLANNED Acts of Kindness!

Nearly every day we encounter people that, for whatever reason, could use a little help. As Christians,we need to be prepared to offfer that help to others. We need to be known by our love and kindness.

Suppose you are standing in line at a pharmacy and the elderly woman in front of you is checking out. You can’t help but overhear the conversation. The cashier tells the woman that the co-pay amounts for her medication total $60. The woman hunts through her purse and says that all she has is $45. She will will have to put one of the prescriptions back. Then you remember you have enough to pay for it in your wallet. You hand her the $45 and say, “I hope this helps. The Lord has blessed me and He wants me to bless you!"

That is what the Kindness Project is all about; simply helping others at the very moment of their need. It is a “Random Act of Christian Kindness.”

Kindness is Love in action. We are to emulate God: Loving, Merciful, Compassionate, gracious, generous, Long-suffering, I believe the best word to describe the Christian attitude to those in need is love. Love.....your neighbour, your enemy, the LORD your God, one another, does no harm, fulfills the Law, covers a multitude of sins, forgives all. Therefore we should Love each other.. 1 Cor 13:13 "If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." Lets make sure that our acts gain us treasures in heaven and that we dont recieve our reward in full now.

. Jesus of course told us to be kind, compassionate and loving. The often quoted verse of "Love your neighbour as yourself" rings in our ears and our minds spring to verses where Jesus heals people, or talks to prostitutes, or one of the other humanitarian actions he does.

Matthew 7:12"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.": Bracketed by verses 7-8 and verses 13-14, both of which are about becoming and living as Christians. Matthew makes it quite clear here, and throughout his whole Gospel that acts are a natural outworking of faith and that our acts should lead people to Jesus.

Luke 6:31"Do to others as you would have them do to you.": becuase (V35) it emulates God and (Vs 43-45) it is the outworking of our new nature. Following these teaching Luke writes this "When Jesus has finished teaching all this in the hearing of the poepl, he entered Capernaum" (7:1). Queue the first gentile convert, the centurion, then the widows son is raised from the dead in Nain of which Luke writes this: "They [the Large crowd] were all filled with awe and praised God. "A great prophet has appeared among us," they said. "God has come to help his people." This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country."(7:16-17) When we do good works we open an opportunity to share the Gospel.

Finally, St. Francis of Assisi famously commented, "Preach the Gospel at all times and if necessary use words", for our actions often speak far lounder than words. Do some acts of kindness today and every day, in Jesus Name!

We Reap What We Sow -- So Let Us Not Grow Weary in Doing Good!

2010-08-30T08:26:00.000-07:00

⁷Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. ⁸The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature^will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." Galatians 6:7-8

We will reap what we sow -- so we need to sow good, to sow from the Spirit. And we must keep doing it!

In June of 1955, Sir Winston Churchill, who was the near the end of his life, was asked to give a commencement address at a British university. At this time he was physically infirm; he had to be helped to the podium. Then he held on to the podium for what seemed an endless amount of time.
He stood with his head bowed down but finally looked up. Then the voice that years before had called Britain back from the brink of destruction sounded publicly for the last time in history: "Never give up. Never give up. Never give up."

With that, Churchill turned and went back to his seat. there was silence, and then, as if one person, the whole audience rose to applaud him. They rose to applaud him because here was a man whose life and words were together. During the darkest days of World War II when country after country was being swallowed by the Nazis, when German planes were bombing English cities into piles of rubble, when the threat of invasion seemed imminent, when even the hardiest of souls was giving up hope, Churchill never lost hope and never gave up. Also, again and again throughout his political career, Churchill had known setbacks. Three times, his career apparently over, he was sent off to oblivion. Three times he came back to lead his country. Here was a man who never gave up.

"Never give up. Never give up. Never give up."

This is excellent advice for politicians and soldiers facing defeat, for students facing exams and papers, for athletes facing stiff competition, for parents despairing over wayward children, for married couples wondering if they should divorce, for those lost in the despair that follows the death of a loved one. To all these people I say, "Never give up. Never give up. Never give up."

Especially, though, this is excellent advice for anybody who is seeking to serve the Lord and accomplish His work. In the Lord's service, it is always too soon to quit. In the Lord's service, it is never time to slacken our efforts. In the Lord's service, we never come to the point of giving up. Paul had this in mind when he wrote,

(Gal 6:9) Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Whenever we are tempted to do less than our best, or perhaps to quit completely, we ought to remember this verse and the truths that it contains. Whenever we find ourselves getting tired of or burned out from or losing enthusiasm for the Lord's work we need to remember the words of our text.

A Paul speaks to us about our Christian calling. As Christians, what is our calling? It is "doing good." Each one of us is called to do good. That is what Christian life and service are all about. We Christians are not only believers; we also are behavers. As James puts it,

(James 1:22) Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

We are not only called to faith but we are also called to do the will of God and the work of God.

It is clear from the Bible that God expects all of His people to be involved in doing good. Don't forget, in our text Paul is writing to the churches in Galatia. That means he is writing to men and women, adult singles and young people and children, leaders and followers, teachers and students. To all of these church members he says, "Let us not become weary in doing good ..." Every church member is expected to do good.

What it comes down to is that all of God's people are to consider it their calling to do good.

It is also clear from the Bible to whom God expects us to do good. Did you catch what Paul said in verse 10? He writes,

(Gal 6:10) Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

We are to do good to all people. But it starts off with fellow Christians. It makes no sense to do good in the world if we don't first do good to those in the household of faith. It makes no sense to help out our unbelieving neighbor if we ignore our own family.

If there is any book of the Bible that deals with good deeds, it is the book of James. James tells us that

(James 1:27) Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress ... (Cf James 2:15-17)

Our good deeds are not to be limited to acts of charity. Also in mind is involvement in the causes of the church and kingdom. I think of such things as being willing to serve on a committee or board or in a leadership function; being willing to work with our youth through GEMS, Cadets, Young People, or Church School; helping out in the nursery; using your talents in worship; leading a Bible Study, and so on.

When we do good, we are simply following the example of Christ. Paul tells us in another place to adopt the mind of Christ, to imitate His example (Phil 2:5). We all should know that Jesus "went around doing good" (Acts 10:38). He healed the disabled – the lame, the deaf, the blind. He embraced outcasts – lepers, prostitutes, tax-collectors (their equivalent today are those with AIDS). He made time for widows, orphans, and children. He took the side of the poor, the little guy, and the underdog against those who were rich, powerful, and influential. He fed the hungry. He befriended the lonely. He went out of His way to minister to the sick. He not only had compassion on the crowds but He also taught them. Every time we do good, we who are Christians are simply following in the steps of the Master.

People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered.
Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.
The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest people with the smallest pride.
Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for some underdogs anyway.
What you spent years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you've got anyway!

In other words, "Let us not become weary in doing good."
The last thing Paul speaks of is a promise. "Let us not become weary in doing good," says Paul, "for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

The image here is of a farm. If there is one worker who knows what it means to stay on the job, it is the farmer. He must prepare the soil, sow the seed, pull the weeds, and water the plants. He can never afford to give up or quit. Regardless of the long hours, the heat of the sun, or the cold of the rain, he must keep on working. And in spite of all this he has no guarantee of reaping a harvest.

The farmer has no guarantee of the harvest, but the Christian worker does have a guarantee. God promises a harvest to those who not give up on doing good. God promises a harvest to those who do not become weary in doing good.

B What is this harvest promised, guaranteed, by the Lord? Listen to these verses:

(Matt 5:16) In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

(1 Pet 2:12) Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

According to these verses something wonderful happens when God's people do not become weary in doing good. What happens is that people are attracted to us and our God because of our love for each other. You see, there is a whole world out there that is desperate for love. People are surrounded everyday by hate, murder, rape, theft, abuse, selfishness, and greed. They are looking for and crying for love. When they find it in the church they come to God in faith. The result: the church grows and God's name is praised.

In his sermon on the Mount Jesus talks to us about storing up treasures in heaven (Mt 6:20). When we do not become weary in doing good, we store up treasures for ourselves in heaven. By grace, God rewards us for the good we have done. He one day will say, "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

"Never give up. Never give up. Never give up." In the Lord's service, it is always too soon to quit. In the Lord's service, it is never time to slacken our efforts. In the Lord's service, we never come to the point of giving up.

You will surely reap what you sow -- sow good!

You can e-mail our pastor at: Pastor, Trinity United Reformed Church

Jesus Challenges Us to Love the Ones Who are Different From Us and to Love Our Enemies

2010-08-26T06:34:00.000-07:00

Sometimes some folks who call themselves Christians spew forth a lot of hate. Often it is just racism or its cousin radical intolerance -- forms of hate usually caused by fear and ignorance -- disguised behind a Bible verse taken out of context. Sometimes it is a misguided form of patriotism that wants to keep others from enjoying the freedom we love so much, instead of reasonably extending the welcome that many of our ancestors received when they came here.

As my Native American friends in Alaska remind me -- all of us who are not Native are really immigrants, and many of our ancestors did not come here "legally." Likewise, many of our ancestors came here seeking religious freedom. If we start downsizing that freedom for some citizens, where will it all stop?

What we need is that Christians, those who profess to follow Jesus Christ, should actually put his words into action to guide their own actions. Living by the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) and the Great Commandments (Mark 12:28-31) would transform our national politics and discourse, and work wonders in local situations.

"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:`12

^"28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" ²⁹"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.^[a] ³⁰Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'^[b] ³¹The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'^[c]There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:28-31

Remember, Christians -- God first, country second. Jesus Christ is the head of the church, not a political leader or cable news pundit or television evangelist. His words must light our path, not the glow of our television sets or our computers or cell phones.

Often the Bible is not mentioned directly, folks just allude to it, as if what they are saying the gospel truth, when it is actually just their own ideas shaped by the political winds of the day. And when the Bible is mentioned, we need to make sure we are guided by the whole Bible, and especially by the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is in Jesus that the Bible comes together and makes the divine sense it is intended to give us. Jesus is the theme of the Bible -- and He came because of love (John 3:16).

Often Christians are distracted by hyped up issues thar are used for political purposes, and that is not helpful. The devil is effective at doing that -- and modern media and the politics of personal attack plays right into his evil hands. And when we let ourselves be distracted, we lose sight of the acts that we should be doing as Christians --acts of love in action.

The Bible says feed the hungry. The Bible says clothe the naked. The Bible says love your neighbor, not to persecute those who differ from you. ..Jesus tells us we need to break through the envelope to show love for those different from us, even our enemies:

⁴³"You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor^[a] and hate your enemy.' ⁴⁴But I tell you: Love your enemies^[b] and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Matthew 5:43-48

Love Extended -- Seeking Forgiveness and Peace

2010-08-25T19:56:00.000-07:00

One of the strongest themes in Jesus' teaching is forgiveness. He certainly intends us to forgive each other as individuals. But he was often speaking of the community. In his community there were a number of people who were looked down upon. These included tax collectors, who were regarded as collaborators with the Romans, and prostitutes, whose sin is obvious, but apparently also many ordinary people who didn't have the time and resources to carry out all of the commandments that some considered essential.

Jesus spent much of his time with these people, reassuring them of God's love. However the people who are shown as responding to him are also shown as repenting of their sins. A tax collector who followed him, Zaccheus,vowed to return anything he had fraudulently taken fourfold.

Jesus seems to have accomplished what most of us find nearly impossible: He seems to have accepted everyone on their own terms, but also inspired people to change their lives for the better, without appearing to be judgmental in the process. Christians try to capture this with concepts such as "hate the sin but love the sinner", and "tough love". A more traditional description is to say that Christianity must balance Law and Gospel. I'm afraid that these attempts are not always successful.

Christians are called on to forgive enemies, both Christian and non-Christian. This forgiveness is intended to benefit both parties. In many cases it may win over the other person, and restore (or establish) a relationship with them. However even when it does not, forgiveness is important. Bitterness and resentment are two of the more destructive emotions.

Wars and fights and dehumanizing acts should be a thing of the past for the Christian.. Christians should be able to come up with better ways to deal with conflict. Peacemaking is a priority among Christians. We serve the Prince of Peace. This goes for national events and personal confkicts. We need to work for peace. We need to encourage members to study conflict resolution and personal peacemaking techniques.Love and forgiveness and peace are things that Christians must pursue -- and urge others to pursue.

Love is the Necessity of the Christian Life!

2010-08-25T19:50:00.000-07:00

Jesus accepted the validity of the Jewish laws of his day. However he encouraged people to emphasize the intent behind the law, and to focus on their motivations. He summarized the law as love for God and for our neighbor. Thus much of Christian practice is focused on finding ways to show love for our fellow men and women on this planet. How do you show your love?

Are you a person who acts in love, or do you allow the lesser emotions of hate and greed to dominate you and your actions? Do you allow prejudice and intolerance to win out in your life? Are you a person who lives in fear, or one who lives by faith? Do you live in love, or do you live in racism and hate and gossip and the fine art of running people down. Much of modern media and so-called news is not "fair and balanced," but rather is unfair and imbalanced and oozing hate. Christians must rise above the culture in this regard.

At its best, Christianity has been characterized by helping people. This ranges from the personal to the institutional. At the personal level, Christians should help others. This includes direct help for friends, and participation in more organized activities such as soup kitchens and help for the homeless. At the institutional level, Christians have been active in creating hospitals, schools, and other institutions to help people.

The term "love" in English covers many things, including erotic love, love between parent and child, brotherly love, etc. Christian love can be modeled on love between parent and child and brotherly love.
We are told to love everyone, particularly enemies. It's useful to start by looking at what this does NOT mean. It does not mean that we will like everyone, bur rather that we purpose to act in love in Jesus' Name. Love is not primarily an emotion, although it often involves the emotions, and is supported by them. It is primarily a commitment to care about someone.

Jesus' teachings are largely a description of what love means. However the briefest and perhaps most eloquent description is from one of Paul's letters, the first one to the church in Corinth:

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love is based on our status as fellow children of God. This means that there is at least potentially a close spiritual bond between all of us. It is a reflection of the fact that God loves us, and is an expression of Christ's love active in us. It is also based on honesty and justice, on compassion and service. It is God's hand extended through us as we act in love.

Expecting Miracles -- The Faith of Friends -- Extending Your Faith to Help Others

2010-08-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

Two of Jesus Christ's seventeen healing miracles involve healing a paralyzed person. The healing recorded in Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; and Luke 5:17-26 is the first of the two. It took place in Capernaum, which Matthew calls Jesus' "own city" because it was His continuous home as an adult and certainly after His rejection by the Nazarenes. The miracle's focus is the issue of Christ as the Son of God, which is shown in an obvious and amazing way. Friends bring a man in need of help to Jesus -- and Jesus transforms his life!

The healing of the paralytic impressed and excited everyone present. Energetic crowds of interested people pressed in at the door to hear the Teacher proclaim the "new" truths. The Pharisees, the scribes, and the common people were unaware that they were about to

Four men arrive late, carrying a paralyzed man on his bed. When they realize that they cannot possibly get him through the door, they carry their helpless paralytic friend upstairs to the roof and lower the bed in front of Jesus as He is speaking. Their determination to place him before Jesus displays their faith that he would be healed. Instead of being deterred by the problem of the crowds, they see the possibilities for solving it. If they could only involve God, they thought, things would go well. The persevering efforts of the four friends pay off for their paralytic friend as they help make possible his spiritual healing as well as his physical healing. Their actions are an example of the apostle James' statement in James 2:18: "I will show you my faith by my works."

Christ finds faith in the friends, and He honors their faith, rather than any faith the sufferer has. Of course, no one can be saved by another's faith. Yet, another or others can help him along to Christ since only He can deliver him from the bondage of sin. Being pleased with their works, which exhibited their faith, Christ responds to their resourcefulness and perseverance in behalf of their suffering friend. Their faith in Christ, then, is the catalyst in His performing this miracle. Our Savior works where faith is present (Luke 5:20). Obviously, He can perform His work anywhere regardless of human faith, but He often chooses not to act when people lack faith in Him, as happened in Nazareth (Matthew 13:58).

Hope motivates the paralytic's friends to manifest faith. First, their faith is a wise faith in that it brought the paralytic to the only One who could heal. Second, it is a persistent faith because it is undeterred by seemingly overwhelming obstacles. Third, it is a sacrificial faith in that it gives of its time and effort to bring the paralytic before Christ. Fourth, it is an unintimidated faith because it is unashamedly displayed in public. Fifth, it is a humble faith since the friends do not ask Jesus to come to him but take him to Jesus. Sixth, it is a loving faith because the friends willingly expend great effort to get him real help. Finally, it is an active faith in that they take the man to Christ rather than sit around complaining and grumbling about their friend's woeful condition.

Christ deals first with the spiritual problem—the forgiveness of sins—and then the physical problem—the physical affliction. Most people want it the other way around, putting greater emphasis on healing the physical ailment than fixing the spiritual problem. Solomon gives us the answer to which is more important: "The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?" (Proverbs 18:14). From God's perfect perspective, spiritual needs are always more critical than physical ones (Mark 8:36), so in this miracle, forgiveness precedes healing.

Jesus tells the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you." Seeing his friends' faith, Jesus' first words to the paralytic offer simple encouragement: "Be of good cheer." His comforting support refers directly to the forgiveness of the sufferer's sins. The paralytic, troubled by sin that had caused or was causing his suffering, now had reason for optimism. Having our sins forgiven always brings a deep relief and joy, even if the physical affliction is not healed. David's psalm on the joy of forgiveness speaks of this satisfying comfort: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit" (Psalm 32:1-2).

Now let us look at what the friends did for their paralyzed friend -- According to our text for today, Jesus had a house there in that village. In the story for today, four friends dug through the roof of Jesus’ house and lowered their friend on at mat into the house. Remember the word, “dug.” The friends DUG a hole through the roof. Sometimes we must dig through barriers in order to help folks to see Jesus, to get close to Jesus. It is in his presence that healing comes!

ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL is important, too!

2010-08-20T14:10:00.000-07:00

A SECRET: Attending a Sunday School class is the best way to get involved in the Life of our church and grow closer to God and to other Christians!

There is no better way to become an integral part of our wonderful church family than to attend Adult Sunday School – we have marvelous teachers and a great way of studying the Bible. A weekly small-group Bible study like Sunday School is where you meet people and interact with them as you study God's Word together. This is where masks come off and accountability is shared. It's where burdens are divided and joys are multiplied. It's where we get to know each other well enough to encourage each other to develop and use our spiritual gifts. None of this can happen in a corporate worship service because we experience little or no interaction with other Christians as we sit in these chairs and sing or listen to sermons. Worship is key, for sure, but it needs to be coupled with Sunday School for Christians to grow richly in God.

Well, the sad truth is in these "less is better" days many Christians only attend worship-they never join a Sunday School Class and so they miss out! They never really taste the church because you can only do that by being involved in a small group of Christians with whom you meet to study the Bible on a weekly basis. Someone once wisely said, there are two things you can't do alone: be married and be a Christian-and they were so right because to grow as disciples of Jesus Christ we need interaction with other Christians. Proverbs 27:17 refers to this principle when it says, "As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another."

Sunday School works because each week you spend an hour together studying God's Word-you also meet for fellowship. So if you're not involved in the Sunday School class I would encourage you to join it. I know I am somewhat biased but we have WONDERFUL teachers with fine spiritual depth and instructional capability.. They will stretch you and guide you such that you grow closer to Jesus than you have ever been. Plus-attending their classes will enable you to really get to know this church family. I promise, attending Sunday School will be more than worth the hour it costs you each week. You may say, "Well, Pastor Glenn, worship is enough or me. I mean I just love the music and your sermons." And you can say that as much as you want but I would reply, "! Come to Sunday School and give God another hour of your life. He will multiply it back with many blessings.. There is no better way to do so!"

THE AMAZING IMPORTANCE OF SUNDAY SCHOOL – Read What God Did!

2010-08-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

Sunday School is important. A Sunday School teacher has a powerful influence for as Jesus said in Luke 6:40, "A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher." A teacher then becomes a role model for his or her students-talk about influence!

How many of you have heard of a man named Edward Kimball? Well, if you haven't don't feel to bad because he lived over a hundred years ago and his name does not appear in any history books that I know of mainly because most historians would say that Mr. Kimball never did anything that was all that newsworthy. He was just a "simple" Sunday School teacher in Chicago who taught a class full of teenage boys. Well one day he got a new student-a country boy who didn't know the ways of the city or of the church. When he first came to his class, Edward Kimball handed him a Bible and asked him to turn to the Gospel of John but the country boy didn't know how to find the Gospel of John.

Edward Kimball realized how little the boy knew so he ignored the snickering of the other boys, opened the Bible to the Gospel of John and handed it back. When he asked the boys to take turns reading the Scripture, the country boy always fumbled along. But Edward Kimball saw possibilities in the boy. He worked with him, and after a few months he went down to the store where the boy was working, into the back room where he was stacking boxes, and led the boy whose name was Dwight to embrace a personal faith in Jesus Christ. This was the beginning of a great, marvelous thing that God was doing!

That was the beginning of the ministry of Dwight L. Moody, one of this continent's greatest evangelists during the last century. But that's not the end of the story. You see, Moody, whose international speaking took him to the British Isles, once preached in a little chapel there pastored by a young man named Frederic Meyer. In his sermon Moody told an emotionally charged story about a certain Sunday school teacher he had known who personally went to every student in his class and led every one of them to Christ. That message changed Meyer's entire ministry, inspiring him to become an evangelist like Moody.

Over the years Meyer came to America several times to preach. Once in Northfield, Massachusetts, a young preacher sitting in the back row heard Meyer say, "If you are not willing to give up everything for Christ, are you willing to be made willing?" And, that remark led J. Wilbur Chapman to respond to the call of God in his life. Chapman went on to become one of the most effective evangelists of his time.

A volunteer by the name of Billy Sunday-a famous baseball player-helped set up his crusades and learned how to preach by watching Chapman. Sunday eventually took over Chapman's ministry, becoming one of the best known evangelists of the 20th century. In the great arenas of the nation, God used Billy Sunday's preaching to turn thousands of people to Christ. Inspired by a 1924 Billy Sunday crusade in Charlotte, North Carolina, a committee of Christians there dedicated themselves to reaching that city for Christ.

The committee invited the evangelist Mordecai Ham to hold a series of evangelistic meetings there in 1932. And a lanky 16-year-old sat in the huge crowd one evening, spellbound by the (message of the white-haired preacher, who seemed to be shouting and waving his lone finger at him. Night after night the teen attended and finally he went forward to give his life to Christ. His name was Billy Graham-the man who has undoubtedly communicated the gospel of Jesus Christ to more people than any other man in history. And all this started with the work of a faithful Sunday School teacher named Kimball.

So, you see Sunday School teachers have the potential to make an amazing impact on eternity. They have a unique opportunity to disciple people because they meet them one on one. They get to really know them and become a part of their lives. Might you be a teacher or helper?

Being a People of Prayer

2010-08-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

Let us be people of prayer and houses of prayer! God's help through the power of prayer is available for all kinds of requests and issues. Philippians 4:6-7 tells us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

If you need an example of a prayer, read Matthew 6:9-13. These verses are known as the Lord's prayer. The Lord's prayer is not jsut a prayer to memorize and simply recite to God., but it is also an example of how to pray and the things that should go into a prayer - worship, trust in God, requests, confession, protection, etc. Pray for these kinds of things, but speak to God using your own words.

The Word of God is full of accounts describing the power of prayer in various situations. The power of prayer has overcome enemies (Psalm 6:9-10), conquered death (2 Kings 4:3-36), brought healing (James 5:14-15), and defeated demons (Mark 9:29). God, through prayer, opens eyes, changes hearts, heals wounds, and grants wisdom (James 1:5). The power of prayer should never be underestimated because it draws on the glory and might of the infinitely powerful God of the universe! Daniel 4:35 proclaims, "All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: 'What have you done?'"

Faith Mighty Faith!

2010-08-15T05:48:00.000-07:00

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see," (Heb. 11:1).

1.Faith is an important word in the Bible. Faith is where the Promises and Work of God are made real to His redeemed.

A.Ephesians 2:8-9, We are saved by faith.
B.Rom. 1:17, We live by faith.
C.Rom. 4:13, We receive righteousness by faith.
D.Rom. 5:1, We are justified in Christ by faith
E.Rom. 5:2, We have access to God's grace by faith.
F.2 Cor. 1:24, We stand firm in our belief by faith.
G.Gal. 3:14, We receive the promise of the Spirit by faith.
H.1 Tim. 1:4, We do God's work by faith.
I.Gal. 5:5, We wait for the return of Christ by faith.

2.What is Faith?

A.According to Webster's Dictionary faith is "an unquestioning belief that does not require proof or evidence."

B.Though Webster's Dictionary says we don'tneed evidence to have faith, as Christians we do have evidence for our faith. Examples are:
We have the Bible: 66 books, 40 authors, written in 3 languages, over 1600 years, prophecy, and moral and spiritual truth, We have the resurrection of Jesus; confidence in His words, and evidence of God's truth in our lives.

The nearest definition we have in the Bible of what faith is is found right here in Hebrews 11:1

A Christian understanding of faith is very different, and John Calvin proves especially helpful in defining faith: "Now we shall have a proper definition of faith if we say it is a steady and certain knowledge of the Divine benevolence toward us, which being founded upon the truth of the gratuitous promise in Christ is both revealed to our minds and sealed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit" (Institutes of the Christian Religion, III.2.vii).

The Proper Object of Faith
According to Calvin, the object of faith's knowledge is Jesus Christ. He defines faith by proceeding to the center of a series of concentric circles: God's existence, God's power, God's truthfulness, God's will "toward us" as revealed in Scripture, and finally Christ. All these circles are implied in faith, but only the last is properly understood as the object of faith.

Calvin goes so far as to say that those who say that God is the proper object of faith "rather mislead miserable souls by vain speculation, than direct them to the proper mark" (Institutes III.2.i). Christ as mediator is necessary if humans are to know God. Christ is not set over against God. Rather, Calvin asserts, Christ is the means—the only means—by which we can believe in God.

True Knowledge of Christ

To explain what this means, Calvin writes: "This, then is the true knowledge of Christ—to receive him as he is offered by the Father, that is, invested with his gospel; for he is appointed to be the object of our faith, so we cannot advance in the right way to him, without the guidance of the gospel…The gospel certainly opens to us those treasures of grace, without which Christ would profit us little" (Institutes III.2.vi). Christ, who is the object of faith, is understood in terms of the gospel, which, in turn, is explained by reference to grace.

Faith That Pleases God, Part Two

2010-08-08T21:47:00.000-07:00

YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT GOD REWARDS THOSE WHO DELIGENTLY SEEK HIM (Hebres 11:6)

Most people have been raised to not believe in a positive outcome concerning anything, and actually, taught to believe in a negative outcome. It's a safety mechanism that says, "Don't get your hopes up, so if it doesn't work out, you won't be disappointed."

There's no logic in that because you will be disappointed anyway. Now, it's normal to feel disappointment. It's what you do with the feelings of disappointment that's important, but that's another subject.

Beleiving in a positive outcome is vital to our success. If we could only believe that God has our best interest in mind and simply trust that everything will work out, we would see great results. Life would change in ways we'd never thought possible. But, most people just can't believe things will work out for them. They look at past results and judge their future based on their past.
s a fact that the best predictor of future behavior, is past behavior. The good news is, that your behavior is a choice. Your past does not have to equal your future! Just change your expectations and have faith.
James 2:20 tells us that faith without works is dead, which means "faith" is an action word. The word "faith" in Webster's Dictionary is also translated as "belief." So, believing is an action. And, it really doesn't take any more effort to believe, than to not believe. It's just an attitude.

One night a house caught fire and a young boy was forced to flee to the roof. The father stood on the ground below with outstretched arms, calling to his son, "Jump! I'll catch you." He knew the boy had to jump to save his life. All the boy could see, however, was flame, smoke, and blackness. As can be imagined, he was afraid to leave the roof. His father kept yelling: "Jump! I will catch you." But the boy protested, "Daddy, I can't see you." The father replied, "But I can see you and that's all that matters."

The Bible is clear; what you believe is what you get. Jesus said in to the man who needed healing in Matthew 9:29, According to your faith, let it be done unto you. Faith is important. The just – the righteous – those made righteous by Jesus, shall live by faith it says in Romans 1:17, quoting Habakkuk 2:4. We need to live, we need to walk by faith.
Jesus didn't say we would see the manifestation of our prayers immediately. We must keep believing and not waver, "For a man who wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord" (James 1:6-7).

Expectation is the key to receiving from God when you pray! If you are not going to expect God to act, then don't pray at all. It's ineffective and displeases Him when you don't believe. Remember, Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith, it is impossible to please God."

God will do His part when we pray, but our part is simply to believe that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him – and we must seek Him daily!/
The African impala can jump to a height of over 10 feet and cover a distance of greater than 30 feet. Yet these magnificent creatures can be kept in an enclosure in any zoo with a 3-foot wall. The animals will not jump if they cannot see where their feet will fall. Faith is the ability to trust what we cannot see, and with faith we are freed from the flimsy enclosures of life that only fear allows to entrap us.

Luther said: The true, living faith, which the Holy Spirit instills into the heart, simply cannot be idle. It must be used! A little faith in God will take your soul heaven, but great faith in God will bring the power of heaven to earth!

That is the kind of faith that pleases God. Charles Wesley put it this way:

Faith, mighty faith, the promise sees,
And looks to God alone;
Laughs at impossibilities, A
nd cries it shall be done.!

Hebrews 11:6: Faith That Pleases God, Part One

2010-08-08T21:34:00.000-07:00

We have a great blessing – prayer. Prayer has power! It connects us with the Lord of the Universe, Jesus Christ. We are to pray, to trust and obey, and He promises to take care of us. Jesus taught us to pray daily (Matthew 6:11).

Does prayer actually change things? Well here in the Burt Presbyterian church we believe in the power and impact of prayer. How about you? Do you personally believe that?

The Bible gives many examples of God’s intervention in the lives of those who seek Him and trust in Him! Note the example of the prophet Daniel: "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days" (Daniel 6:10). Daniel was thrown into the lion’s den, but God rescued prayerful Daniel and preserved his life (vv. 11–12)!

Your Bible also reveals the power of prayer. Many recall that Jesus’ prayer raised Lazarus from the dead (cf. John 11). But His disciples also experienced such power in prayer. When the Apostle Peter was in Joppa, he saw a dead Christian woman, much beloved by the widows who mourned her death. We read that "Peter put them [the mourning widows] all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, ‘Tabitha, arise.’ And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive. And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord" (Acts 9:40–42). Yes, the Apostle Peter raised a woman from death!

"But these were great men of faith," you may say. "What if I don’t have that much faith?" God’s Word gives us the good news that we can have faith. Your faith grows by hearing and reading and studying the Word of God (Romans 10:17)

We can grow in faith as we read the Bible. Hebrews 11 is called the "faith chapter." Here we read about the men and women of faith. You can have faith in God. God promises that if you seek Him sincerely, you will find Him: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Martin Luther said: God our Father has made all things depend on faith so that whoever has faith will have everything, and whoever does not have faith will have nothing.

But first you will have to acknowledge the existence of an all-wise, all-powerful Creator God who loves you and every human on earth! We read: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good testimony. By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible" (Hebrews 11:1–3).

Let what the Bible says become a part of your being and the way yout live:, Without faith, it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is God, and a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).

Faith is to believe what we do not see; and the reward of this faith is to see what we believe. said the great theologiuan Augustine

Therefore, expectation is the key to receiving from God when you pray. Jesus said in Mark 11:24, Whatsoever things you desire when you pray, believe you receive them and you shall have them.

Believe you receive when you pray! What good does it do to pray without expecting to receive? You might as well not pray at all, for faith is required to receiving what you desire.

Surely, God will do His part when we pray, but we must also do our part. Our part is simply to believe. So many people are busy asking God, but never really believing what they are praying for will come to pass. You can tell by the way they talk, or act. But the Bible says you must believe that HE REWARDS YOU WHEN YOU DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM!

Expecting Miracles -- Baptism, Part One: Baptism Signifies God's Faithfulness and Our New Life in Christ!

2010-08-02T06:44:00.000-07:00

Lawrence of Arabia participated in the Paris peace talks after World War I. Several Arab leaders came with him to Paris and stayed in the same hotel. When they went into their bathrooms they were amazed to find unlimited running water. By simply turning the handle on a faucet, they had an unlimited supply of water. When they got ready to leave Paris, they stole the faucets and hid them in their luggage. They thought the faucets magically created the running water. When they told Lawrence of Arabia what they had done, he laughed. He explained that the faucets were useless without pipes to a source of water.

In the same way, a person who’s not connected to Christ is not connected to the Father. God has no spiritual sons who are not sons by faith in Christ Jesus. No one comes to the Father except through Christ (John 14:6). Baptism is the sacrament that attests to this miracle of the Spirit – when we are sealed to Christ, His power is made available to us.

Baptism is the sacramental sign of the New Covenant -- the covenant established by Jesus. It is a sign of what the holy Spirit does an He seals God’s pledge to those who have been called by God's grace to inherit salvation.

Baptism tells us of several things God does for us. Primarily, it is a sign of the cleansing and remission of our sin as accomplished at the cross of Christ. Also, and very importantly, it signifies being regenerated by the Holy Spirit, being buried and raised together with Christ, being indwelt by the Holy Spirit, being adopted into the family of God, and being sanctified by the Holy Spirit.

Baptism was instituted by Christ in Matthew 28:19 where he told the disciples to "go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...".

However, this outward sign is just that--an outward sign of the internal union that the believer has with God. It does not automatically confer the realities that are signified. For example, though baptism signifies regeneration or rebirth, it does not automatically confer rebirth. The power of baptism is not in the water but in the power of God.

Baptism signifies

• The faithfulness of God.

• The washing away of sin.

• Rebirth into Christ

• Putting on the fresh garment of Christ.

• Being sealed by God’s Spirit.

• Adoption into the covenant family of God and into God’s Church.

• resurrection and illumination in Jesus Christ.

Baptism is one of the two sacraments of the church universal. Presbyterians agree with most Christian denominations that baptism is a sacrament given to the church by Jesus Christ. "A sacrament is a holy ordinance instituted by Christ." The sacraments are in a sense the Word of God made visible. Karl Barth calls them "eventful witnesses to the truth of the gospel."

Christ has appointed material things—water, bread, and wine—not only to represent spiritual truths, but also to seal and apply those truths to the believers. The visible sign in baptism is the washing with water, which signifies our cleansing, our regeneration, our being made new by the work of Christ. The sealing is the work of the Holy Spirit in the person, wherein he is stamped as God's child. Baptism is done in the name of the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Just as Jesus at his baptism was anointed by the Holy Spirit, so are we at ours. This the water of baptism symbolizes, immersion in God’s Spirit.

On the day I preach this sermon, we will baptize by immersion in a body of water, in our case, Smith Lake. The symbolism of immersion, based largely on Romans, chapter 6, is that of dying with Christ to sin and rising with him to a renewed life. Immersion is a biblical form of baptism that is rich in meaning, for our sins are washed away by Christ.

"All of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." Romans 6:3-4

Expecting Miracles -- He Sent His Word and Healed the Boy

2010-07-28T07:51:00.000-07:00

John 4:46-4:54:
46Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum. 47When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.
48"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."
49The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies." 50Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed. 51While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living. 52When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour." 53Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.

54This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.

The nobleman, who was a royal officer, met Jesus. And his life was changed. That happends when you meet Jesus!

He had heard of Jesus. After Jesus changed water into wine people began to spread the story all over the country. Jesus had power that belonged to God. Jesus had revealed his glory. The disciples had seen it. The word had gone out far and wide that Jesus could do the signs that identified him as God’s Son. The creative power of God is what changed ordinary water into good wine. To meet Jesus therefore is to meet God.

God reveals his love to us in Jesus. This nobleman saw God as far away and silent. But then he met Jesus.. He implored Jesus to come to where his son was and to heal him. Jesus responded with what appear to be surprising words – almost as if he were callused to the man’s pain. He said, “Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.”

But what was Jesus actually doing here? Jesus was driving the man to trust more simply and strongly in the word that Jesus would speak. The man obviously thought he knew how Jesus would answer his prayer. He would provide some kind of dramatic display of power. He would go to the man’s home and provide the kind of sign that was expected of him. But Jesus deliberately chose not to go to the man’s home, indeed not even to approach it. Instead he spoke. “Go your way; your son lives.”

Jesus stood in the flesh face to face with the nobleman. He spoke. The words he spoke to the nobleman healed the boy who was miles away. Jesus spoke and by that speaking he brought life to a dying boy. Jesus spoke and by that speaking he brought his gracious presence to a home filled with dread. By his almighty word he brought that nobleman to faith. In fact, he brought his whole family to true faith.

Our text tells us that the nobleman believed Jesus’ word when Jesus spoke it. It also tells us that the man believed Jesus’ word when he saw that Jesus had saved his son’s life. It was the same faith. Jesus’ words bring us to faith and keep us in the faith. We have the words of Jesus right here. Believe them. Believe them!

Without his words our faith wouldn’t even exist because it would have nothing to live on. We live on the words of promise. Jesus deals with us through his word. This is why he chose to heal the man’s son as he did. He wanted to teach them and us that he chooses to be present with us through his word. In this way he teaches us not to seek him out anywhere else than in his word.

Most people are very confused about what faith is. They think that faith is a decision that we make. They think that faith is doing something. That’s not true. Faith is the very opposite of doing. Faith is believing. It is trusting. It is hearing what God says to us and relying on the truth of what he says. “Your son lives.” So says Jesus. Faith says “amen” to what Jesus says. It is very simple.

Faith trusts in the word and in this way it trusts in Jesus. You cannot trust in Jesus without trusting in his word. When you trust in his word you are trusting in him. And when you trust in him, you are trusting in God.

The only way to know the Father is through the Son. The only way to know the Son is by the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit speaks to us only and always through the word Jesus gave him to speak. This is the word written down in the New Testament, the word that amplifies and explains and fulfills the word in the Old Testament.

It is the word preached from the pulpit of this church. It is the word joined to the water in Holy Baptism. It makes baptism a washing of rebirth that creates and sustains saving faith in our hearts throughout our lives. It is the word that is joined to bread and wine in the Lord’s Supper so that ordinary food becomes the body and the blood of Jesus. It is the word that is spoken in the absolution so that Jesus Christ himself gives here and now today in this place the same forgiveness he won on the cross.

Listen to the word of God as Jesus gives it and learn to love him. You can rely on your own experiences to understand God’s love, but your experiences must align with God’s word to be truth.

Brothers and Sisters, listen to this -- the God who sent his Son into this world continues to talk to us through this same Son. It is as the Epistle to the Hebrews puts it, “God, who at various times and in different ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.” (Hebrews 1:1-2a)

The revealed God speaks to us through Jesus.Jesus Chrsit was crucified, buried, and on the third day rise from the dead. In our baptism we are joined to that holy event. In the Supper, the same body that there bore our sins and the same blood that there was shed for us are given to us to eat and to drink and we hear Jesus’ words that this is his body and his blood given and shed for the forgiveness of sins.

Do you believe him? When he says what he says, do you think it is so? Believe His word. He says his word and when he says it that makes it so. Whether it is the little baby being baptized, the penitent being forgiven, the lost being saved, or the bread and wine being consecrated by the Words of Institution, God’s word always makes it so.

The young man’s fever left him at the very hour Jesus said, “Your son lives.” “So he and all his household believed. This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee” (John 4:53-54).
There is one final stage in this man’s faith. Three different times he believed in Jesus and each time his faith moved to a higher level.

*He believed once when he came to him in Cana—faith in his Miracles.
*He believed again when he left to go home to his son—faith in his Word.
*He believed ultimately when his son was healed—faith in Jesus himself.

And he believed so fully that he swept his whole family and all his servants with him into the kingdom of God. He came and they came with him! Here is an important word for fathers. Let the father believe and the mother will believe too. Let father and mother believe and the children will believe too. Let the family believe and soon the relatives will believe. Thus does God’s grace spread from one person to another.

I should add at this point that not every prayer for help is answered in the same way as this prayer. Not every child is healed in a miraculous way. Oswald Chambers speaks to this point: “Faith for my deliverance is not faith in God. Faith means, whether I am visibly delivered or not, I will stick to my belief that God is love. There are some things only learned in a fiery furnace.” This is a wonderful story with many applications. Let us learn from this that all the roads of human experience lead ultimately to Jesus Christ. When we find him, all will be well.

Behind everything else in this story is the sovereign hand of God. Though the father could not see it in advance, his son was brought to the point of death that the entire family might be brought to eternal life. Thus does God work through our adversity, our pain, our trials, and our sorrows. When we are in the midst of desperate circumstances, we see only our problems and we come as children begging for help: “Lord Jesus, come quickly. We need you. The world is falling apart and only you can help us.” And Jesus quietly says, “Go your way. Be in peace. I will take care of your problems.” Will we have faith to go in peace, trusting him? When we do, we discover that Jesus is as good as his word. And very often we look back much later and say, “I didn’t see it then. In my sorrow and sadness I thought the Lord had forgotten me. I thought my prayers had been ignored. But now I see clearly that the Lord was there all the time. He answered in ways I did not expect. And if it had not been for the Lord, I would not have made it at all.”

Many times we can see that a greater miracle has been wrought than the one we sought in the beginning. And so we learn again that his ways are not our ways. Know this – in time, in God’s perfect timing, all will be made right. He will be vindicated in all things and his Word will be proved true. Our part is to trust him and to obey the light we have. Once we bring our problems to him, we must trust him to do what he knows is best. This is true faith.

God’s word is true. Believe it! This means that here and now at this very hour your many sins are forgiven. God sees the sins you hide from others. He knows that you have lied, stolen, and lusted after what belonged to another. He knows that these sins of thought, word and deed bring you misery, death, and eternal punishment.

He placed all these sins on his dear Son who suffered in your place on the cross. There he removed those sins from you by bearing your punishment fully and finally. Right now he gives you his word that your sins are forgiven. You are free from them. God said it. Believe his word. That settles it. Believe him. He has never lied to you and he never will.

Amen. Amen!

Reflections on the 219th General Assembly, Part Three, Section B -- Hope in God

2010-07-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

May the PCUSA presbyteries and their members remember that some things do not need reforming -- the church does need reform, yes, but "According to the Word of God." Just as in Luther and Calvin's time, the Word continually calls us to re-form back to the basics of the faith, and away from traditions and doctrines made by humans without Biblical basis. The Word of God does not need to be, and should not be, re-formed. It is the church that needs to be always reformed, according to the Word of God, not vice versa.

The old saying of the church that so many quote is usually only half-quoted -- It is ecclesia reformata, semper reformanda secundum verbum Dei : the church reformed, always reforming, according to the Word of God. We must hold fast to that key tenet: according to the Word of God.
Sisters and brothers in Christ, we must continue to be faithful witnesses to the Gospel and to the Scripture based truths found in our confessions. We cannot be ostriches, with our heads in the ground, pretending the conflict will just take care of itself. We must fight the good fight of faith. (1 Timothy 6:12)

But we must also continue to do the important work of the church beyond these issues -- caring for the sick, helping the poor, loving our neighbors, spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ in our communities and overseas, doing acts of kindness in Jesus' Name wherever we can, whenever we can.

We must act justly and love mercy. and walk humbly with our God. We must do what we can do, whenever we can do it, in Jesus' Name, following Him in Word and deed. We must walk the walk, not just major in talk. As Christians, we have vital work to do in partnering in the mission of God in this time and in the places God has given us.

A pastor friend of mine led me to consider two great pieces of wisdom as we all continue to pray about the issues that will come before us at presbytery meetings and in session and ongregational study sessions over the next year.

he first is the great prayer by theologian Reinhold Neibuhr:

SERENITY PRAYER
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

The second is the wisdom we find in Proverbs:

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths.
Proverbs 3, 5-6

Yes, O Lord, please direct our paths! Amen. Amen.

And may God bless our presbytery, our churches, the PCUSA and the church universal!

Reflections on the General Assembly, Part Three, Section A -- Being Faithful Witnesses to God's Unchanging Word!

2010-07-25T19:04:00.000-07:00

These are my final meditations on the 219th General Assembly, of which I was and am a minister/commissioner representing the Presbytery of North Central Iowa. In the aftermath of the monumental meeting, I have been thinking and praying for almost two weeks now, and I wish to share just a few more thoughts for you to pray about.

While the PC(USA) is in the process of re-thinking its position on ordination standards, with the General Assembly having recently recommended deleting the current paragraph concerning fidelity in marriage and celibacy in singleness, it is interesting to note reaction from other parts of the church around the world.

Our mission partners in the global south, Africa and South America, where the universal church is growing the fastest at this moment in time, have decidedly different ideas about morality – ideas based on traditional Biblical views of morality, many taught to them by Presbyterian missionaries over the years. One young woman, an observer from Ghana, told me she was appalled at the PCUSA's seeming lack of morality. And she told me she thought she spoke for the great majority of African Christians. They, too, will be saddened by the GA's actions. So it seems to be true also of some Eastern European partners in the Orthodox church. They are standing firm on the traditional view of the Bible as seen in the historic confessions of the PCUSA.

One of the most remarkable moments in the general assembly came when the Orthodox Church’s stance on the sexual ethics controversy was made by clear by the Archpriest of Belarus, Rev. Siarhei Hardun of Belarus, who was invited to address the General Assembly.

When the Ecumenical Advisory Delegate from the Orthodox Church in Belarus, brought greetings, he also brought a tremendous moral authority that is found in the Bible, the PCUSA historic confessions, and in the heritage of the church universal.

Archpriest Siarhei Hardun of Belarus thanked the PCUSA for its mission work in his country, but also questioned some of the moral issues decided at the 219th General Assembly.

After thanking the moderator and GA participants for including him in the Assembly, Hardun shared from his heart. “I represent here the Orthodox Church of Christ – the church that has an unbroken, unchanged and unreformed tradition. And our theology has never been changed or reformed for almost 2,000 years."

“But the last century our church suffered severe persecution. Many bishops, priests and lay people were killed or imprisoned. Most of the church buildings were destroyed by the communists. Theological seminaries were closed. Any social work of the church was forbidden by law. And now our church is recovering after these long trials.

“In my country – Republic of Belarus, where I come from – 20 years ago we had 370 Orthodox congregations and now we have over 1,500 congregations. New churches are being built everywhere. We also try to organize the social work of the Church and in this we find support and assistance from the Presbyterian Church (USA). That’s why I am obliged to convey sincere gratitude on behalf of the Orthodox Church of Belarus to your church for its long standing support of our common projects in helping disabled people, lonely aged people, families with many children and other categories of those who are in need.”

The Belarusian cleric spoke words of gratitude for PCUSA mission workers in the region and then turned to his evaluation of the week in Minneapolis. “I am for the first time with Presbyterians, and now I want to say a few words about my impressions that I feel visiting this General Assembly,” he said.

Hardun’s first impression was related to the use of the 11th century version of the Nicene Creed instead of the 4th century version preferred by ecumenical councils. He then said, “And another thing. I was really struck while listening to your discussion about homosexuality, same-sex marriage, civil unions and other moral issues. Christian morality is as old as Christianity itself. It doesn’t need to be invented now. Those attempts to invent new morality look for me like attempts to invent a new religion – a sort of modern paganism.

“When people say that they are led and guided by the Holy Spirit to do it, I wonder if it is the same Spirit that inspired the Bible, if it is the same Holy Spirit that inspires the Holy Orthodox Church not to change anything doctrinal or moral standards? It is really the same Spirit or perhaps there are different spirits acting in different denominations and inspiring them to develop in different directions and create different theologies and different morals?

“My desire is that all Christians should contend earnestly for the faith, which was once for all delivered to the saints, as St. Jude calls us to do (Jude 1:3). And my advice as an Ecumenical Advisory Delegate is the following: 'Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.’” (Romans 12:2).

Hardun spoke of the very Word of God as the only advice worthy of commissioners’ attention. The subsequent actions of the Assembly indicate that the Biblical counsel fell on a huge room where the majority of folks did not heed his time-honored, tradition rich, Scripture infused advice.

However, Hardun bore faithful witness to the reality that indeed, a faithful remnant can survive persecution and the efforts of the Enemy to destroy the witness of Christ. The revival of the Orthodox Church of Belarus from the ashes of communism is a hopeful witness to American denominations in rapid decline who are beset by a cultural tsunami of situational "psuedo-therapeutic" ethics.

Here is a link to the 8 minute segment of the GA where Hardun spoke:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVOEeQYhX7k

General Assembly Reflections, Part Two -- Staying the Course

2010-07-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

As I continue to reflect on the actions of the 219th General Assembly, of which I was a minister-commissioner, i am heartened by memories of all the good folks I met. I am still troubled by some of the decisions, but I am encouraged by individuals Imet from all over the country, who love the Lord and serve diligentlyin their churches. They share many of my concerns, but we alsoseek to be faithful to God's call in the midst of the turmoil and social upheavals of our times. We live in a challenging era. How will we respond? How does God want us to respond? We must prayerfully discern God's will for us.

One of my new church friends, a Hispanic pastor from New Mexico, who was also disappointed with some of the actions of the GA, sent me an email note with this encouraging Scripture from Hebrews. I pass it on to you:

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God.

"Consider him who endured such hostility against himself from sinners, so that you may not grow weary or lose heart. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood….Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with everyone, and the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble, and through it many become defiled."

Hebrews 12: 1-4, 12-15 (NRSV)

Another friend of mine in the Renewal network of PCUSA, a minister-commissioner from Pittsburgh, wrote to mr that several of his elders told him they did NOT WANT to leave the PCUSA, but "felt like the church was leaving them."

I surely do not want to leave the PCUSA either, but I understand where these elders are coming from. Many good people who have been nurtured by the Scripture and the traditional viewpoints of our PCUSA confessions and such foundational theologians and Calvin and Bullinger, for years and years, and then to be told that these statements of faith no longer matter "for our times", find it a hard pill to swallow. But I feel God is calling for those of us who stand for the historic traditional viewpoints of the church to continue to stand firm, in love and compassion, for the good of the church today and for the promise of the generations yet to come.

What do you think? Where will you stand? As a young man from West Virginia, who I sat with at dinner on Friday night at the GA said to me, "I want to stand on the Solid Rock, not the shifting sands of cultural accomodation, How about you?"

Another friend, a young woman from California, sent me a link to a website of Presbyterian Church in America blogger Adam Parker. The column is interesting, not because my friend is recommending a switch of individual members to PCA or EPA or anything like that, but because it shows another point of view from the Presbyterian family of Reformed churches. There is also a video featuring John Calvin scholar and author, John Piper, who I have enjoyed reading through the years, commenting on the recent trends of churches attempting to accommodate the culture (nothing new to this, just read the epistles to the Corinthians). Take a listen to his powerful comments. Here is the link --

http://www.bringthebooks.org/2010/07/pcusa-decisions-warning-for-pca.html

In conclusion, let us pray for the universal church, our denomination, our presbyteries, out particular local churches, and for each other. May God bless the Presbyterian Church, USA and the North Central Iowa Presbytery. May God guide our steps in the days and months to come.

Reflections from the General Assembly, Part One: Staying Faithful in the Midst of Strong Opposition

2010-07-25T18:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks for your dear prayers while I was representing the Presbytery of North Central Iowa as a minister-commissioner at the 219th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, USA, in Minneapolis the last ten days. I surely needed your prayers, as it was a physically and mentally and spiritually taxing time. I found a great number of people who saw the Bible as our guide, who were committed to following God's Word as the primary way the Spirit leads us -- in accordance with God's Word.

Unfortunately, from our viewpoint, there was a larger number who saw things differently from us, and that was emotionally draining at times, as I found myself several times in a sea of rainbow scarves, deluged with posters and pamphlets calling for "justice now!"

Try as the Renewal network, which included myself, attempted to put forward the traditional view God's Word as a guide, as reflected in our Confessions, the folks on the other side seemed to turn a deaf ear to our pleas. claiming that their way of interpreting the Scripture was equally viable and had "more light" for our times. I strive to love these folks in Christ, and I tried to show them the greatest measure of respect at the assembly, but, after continued prayer and meditation. I cannot agree with that view of Scripture.

In my opinion, the best thing the Renewal network was able to do was to help keep the definition of marriage at "one man, one woman," which is the traditional view and what is now in the Book of Order of PCUSA. Sadly. the Committee on Civil Union and Marriage Issues launched toward plenary four difficult items, each propelled by the momentum of large committee affirmative votes:

A special committee report on same-sex unions and marriage that confessed an inability to agree on Biblical standards for sexual expression, but just wanted everyone to get along.

A set of amendments to the Directory for Worship that would substitute “two people” where “couple” or “a man and a woman” are now used in marriage services.

An Authoritative Interpretation that would immediately permit Christian marriage for “two people” rather than a man and a woman.

Recommendations to disapprove overtures that simply affirmed the Biblical marriage morality Presbyterians have always considered as bedrock teaching.

All was bleak for Biblical traditionalists at the weary hour when the General Assembly finally turned its attention to these matters. But a tortured 90 minutes later, things looked much brighter, thanks to a remarkable bit of parliamentary wrangling that the Renewal network fully supported:

The potentially troublesome report on same-sex unions got itself married to a rock-solid minority report that traditionalists, including myself, consider to be quite well done.. Both reports will be “commended” to the churches and sessions to read and study. Let us hope this study will be fruitful for the PCUSA.

The “two people” constitutional amendments were never even discussed, much less approved.

The “two people” Authoritative Interpretation likewise never got considered and never was approved.

While affirmations of Biblical marriage were disapproved—by a 2:1 margin, the current definition of marriage was NOT CHANGED.

The motion to let the action on the reports stand in answer to all proposed action passed by a narrow margin and then withstood a motion to reconsider the next day. Later on that day there was protest against the assembly's action on this issue, as a number of people blocked the platform and refused to leave until police arrested them and took them away from the meeting hall. The assembly sang a hymn as the moderator and stated clerk asked the protestors to leave, but the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) protestors apparently wanted to be arrested so the sight of it all could be placed on the evening news. Yes, they came into the hall with television cameras following. Such is the politics of our day.

Still, the bottom line is that the traditional view of marriage remains our standard. That radical transformation of the "two persons" language never happened. Pastors and sessions will not have to manage the crisis of explaining to their congregations the immediate introduction of same-sex marriage.

Church leaders will receive a dual set of study papers and recommendations to sort out. But half of the material will be nearly guaranteed to be to the liking of one side or another. Still, I hope all sessions will read both documents and much time in prayer. I sincerely hope that the Minority Report, a remarkable, Bible-based document, will be read by both sides,as well as the majority report. I feel that the Minority Report may put forth the Biblical point of view in a new way and vibrant way for those who may have never heard it, or meditated upon it.

There were other things that were passed that I had problems with, but we can deal with them in the presbyteries. We could not have changed the Authoritative Interpretation, so this was a great victory for the traditionalists. Still there is much to consider and much to pray about. This issue WILL return in two years, you can be certain of that.

I will write more later, when I have had time to ruminate upon all the happenings. It was not all bad news -- this is still a great church in many ways -- I was assigned to the committee on Mission Coordination and we expanded the mission outreach and budget to $82 million and much good is being done in missions. We also reinstated the Office of Collegiate Ministries, putting youth work at a high priority (this measure originated in our Presbytery). We also had some amazing worship services and great speakers like Dr. Steven Hayner, President of Columbia Seminary, amd Message author Dr. Eugene Peterson.

There was a lot of good in Minneapolis. But there were also things that will trouble many of us for some time to come.

On the joyous side, I saw Rev. Matt Glasgow, son of the Burt church and son of Dick and Nancy, who was a minister-commissioner from his presbytery. After my image was shown forty feet high on the big screens of the giant auditorium on the first night of the assembly business meetings, Matt came over and gave me a hug and introduced himself! His two little girls made the GA paper with a very cute picture of them on an escalator. I am sure grandpa and grandma will be proud!\

I also found that Chelsea Mills, a young woman of 17 from Kake, Alaska, was a Youth Advisory Delegate (YAD). Chelsea was in the Sunday School when we were in Kake. Her late father Rick and her mother Judy were outstanding elders and friends in Kake, so it was a delight to see her and to witness the wonderful young woman Chelsea has become!

Thanks again for your prayers. Keep Praying! I will write more later.

Expecting Miracles -- Jesus and the Miracle at the Wedding, Part Three

2010-07-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

Jesus brought a new way of life -- the Jesus Way. The old system of having to live up to an impossible legal code has been replaced by the wine of God’s grace which washes our sins away. We are cleansed on the inside. This is not just symbol; it is substance. Our sins are not just taken away, we have a changed heart that desires to love God and live for him. He places within us holy desire. There is no limit to his grace. What Jesus gives is never just enough, it is always more than enough, with more left over. Just take a look at a flower. Many are blooming this summer. The blossoms are so intricate and beautiful that it could take your breath away.

Think of the miracles of creation itself. You are a miracle! The human body is miraculous. What it does without your conscious thinking is totally awesome. Think of this -- In the depths of the ocean where no one has ever been, God paints his creatures with exotic color and beauty. Below the ground, where no one has yet gone, God places gold and precious stones. He is extravagant.

In very ordinary places He creates extraordinary beauty. Let Jesus touch you, and see if your life is not filled with new beauty and wonder — new flavor and fragrance. See if it is not like wine that gladdens the heart of man (Psalm 104:15). Jesus is in the business of turning water into wine, sinners into saints, fear into courage, sorrow into joy, defeat into victory, despair into hope and death into life.

The third point I would like to make concerning this story is that: Miracles happen when we understand that Jesus extravagantly provides for our everyday requests. There were six jars containing between 20 and 30 gallons apiece. So, at the very least, the jars contained 120 gallons of wine, and as much as 180 gallons. That is a lot of wine. There is no way the guests could have consumed that much wine. Why did Jesus give so much wine? Because he is an extravagant giver. He never gives just enough; he always gives superabundantly.

What the guests had tasted cautiously before, they ... now drank in abundance. This is the same thing Jesus did when he fed the multitude. He multiplied five loaves and two fish so that 5,000 men and their families were fed. And when everyone had eaten their fill, there were twelve baskets of bread and fish left over. He gave them more than they could possibly eat. But that is the way God gives.

Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly, to the full” (John 10:10). We may be poor according to this world’s standards, but we are rich toward God. We may have nothing, but have everything. For we have an extravagant God who lavishes us with his blessings. I like the way The Message translates Psalm 145:16. It says, “Generous to us all, you lavish your favor on all creatures.”

God’s grace means that h is generous to us. The Bible says H gives “immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20). He loves to bless, or as the hymn says, “He comes to make his blessings flow.” To a dying thief on a cross he gave the gift of paradise. To a woman caught in an immoral act he gave the gift of God’s amazing grace and forgiveness. To a grieving father he gave back a child from the grip of death. To the one who denied him he gave the keys of the kingdom. He is lavish with his gifts. And to you who come with your requests, he gives the promise of abundant life here and now, and beyond this world, eternal life.

You remember in the story that when they filled the jars, they filled them to the brim. And when the master of the banquet tasted the wine his eyes lit up. He could not believe what he was tasting. He said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now” (John 2:10). Jesus always saves the best till last. The world puts its best up front and things go downhill from there. But when God shows up things go from good to best. John wrote: “From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another” (John 1:16).

We have been filled to the brim with the blessings of God. One day as we enter his kingdom we will be treated to sights we never dreamed possible. Absent will be everything we have feared, and present there will be the best of everything here and much, much more. Heaven is where the deepest longings of our lives will be met. We will hear him say, “Well done, good and faithful servant. . . enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Matthew 25:23). Rapturous joy will overtake us and we will say, “You have saved the best till now!” The Bible assures us, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). The best that the world has to offer now is only a hint of what is yet to be. The difference will be as different as water is to wine.

One last big thought to share with you today -- It is interesting that Jesus waited until their resources had run dry before he performed the miracle. Only when the people came to the end of their supply were they ready to receive what Jesus had to give. John Piper, in an article entitled “The Present Power of a Future Possession,” said, “The cost of food in the kingdom is hunger for the bread of heaven, instead of the white bread of the world. Do you want it? Are you hungry? Or are you satisfied with yourself and your television and your computer and your job and your family?”

Likewise, the cost of the new wine that Jesus is offering is thirst. Are you thirsty? Do you want something more? If so, when you come to Jesus you have come to the right place, for he is the God of abundance and life. He gives extravagantly. To receive this wine you have to come to him with your thirst. As you stand there with your empty life, follow the instructions of Jesus’ mother when she says, “Do whatever he tells you.” If you do, something wonderful is about to happen — a miracle. Expect a miracle. God makes miracles happen! Amen. Amen.

Expecting Miracles -- Jesus and the Miracle at Cana, Part Two

2010-07-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

There was a popular religious movement around the time of the founding of our country called Deism. Deism was opposed to Christianity’s personal idea of God. They believed that God created the world, but that he wound it up like a clock and then left it to attend to other things. But that is a god who is too small to be God.

Our God lives and he reigns. He is so personal he promises to live within us if we only ask him. He is so great he is involved in every detail of the ongoing process of life upon the earth. He designs every snowflake. He calls for the storm and then commands it to be still. He whistles to the birds, calling them to their winter home. He holds the world together with his loving and powerful hands. He knows your name and he knows your need. This is the mighty God we serve.

The second point I would like to make about this story is that: Miracles happen when we understand that Jesus transforms our everyday experiences. Jesus did not come to give us information; he came to give us a transformation. He changes things. He has a way of taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. He did not come to bring new ideas; he came to make new people. The water did not just appear to be wine; it was transformed into wine — the best of wine at that. Some people have trouble believing this kind of miracle, but it is only because they do not understand the kind of God we have.

Actually, turning water into wine is something that God does every day. As I was traveling in Minnesota recently, I passed several vineyards. I could literally look out the window and see God changing water into wine. The rain falls on the ground, and as the vine draws the water up to the branches, it is transformed into the juice of the grape. When that juice goes through the natural process of fermentation it will become some of the finest wine anyone ever tasted. All because of God’s great creation!

Our God is in the transformation business. The world wants us to get a new hairdo or a new wardrobe. Society wants us to get a better job or learn a new skill. People want to lose weight or get a face lift. But Jesus does not want to change your looks, he wants to change your heart. He doesn’t want to give you a new suit; he wants to make you a new person. He does not want to rearrange you; he wants to transform you. You may want to look better on the outside, and he wants to make you new on the inside. And when that transformation takes place, it will show on the outside.

When Jesus changed the water into wine, he did not just change the color and fool the people’s taste buds — he actually changed the water into wine. When the water was turned to wine, the shame of the bridal family was turned to joy. The mood of the party was transformed.
And Jesus’ disciples were transformed. The Bible says, “He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.”

Here is what Jesus really came to do. He came to transform people. Jewish custom was focused on the importance of being ceremonially clean. The water jars were mostly empty because each guest had been given water to wash their feet and hands as they arrived, but this was not so much for cleanliness as it was for ritual purity. The jars of water were there in order to fulfill the Old Testament requirements for ceremonial washing. In John’s way of mixing events with metaphor, the jars represented the Old Testament law and its inability to make a person truly clean. When Jesus came into contact with these jars used in ritual cleansing, he transformed their contents. He filled the jars with his new wine. The deadness of the Old Testament law was made alive with the wine of the new covenant that Jesus came to bring. Wine is the symbol of God’s grace that comes into our lives undeserved, and transforms us from the inside out. He says, “I am making everything new!” (Revelation 21:5).

Expecting Miracles -- Got WIne? Jesus' Miracle at the Wedding in Cana, Part One

2010-07-17T17:58:00.000-07:00

You have seen the commercials showing someone with a mouth full of cookies, as the question was asked: “Got milk?” Well, the question in the story we have read today was: “Got wine?” And the answer was: “No!” The wine was gone. A miracle was needed to save the family, and the new couple, the ultimate embarrassment of not being able to provide enough for their friends.

They would be forever remembered in this small village as the ones who failed to take care of the needs of their guests. The supply of wine was already running low when Jesus and his five new disciples showed up. They had been invited, but it was putting an added strain on the diminishing supply of wine.

The Gospel of John is full of symbolism and allegory. The story opens with the words: “On the third day. . . .” The story here is heavy with allegory in which John may have been alluding to Jesus’ resurrection after three days. John is preparing us for what he is building up to throughout his Gospel: that Jesus Christ would be buried, and on the third day he would show up, having risen from the dead.

He would then make preparations for the great wedding feast of the Lamb of God, when he would gather together all who would be his guests into the Kingdom of God. Jesus’ first sign would point to his final sign by which he would show his glory.

After Jesus and his disciples arrive at the wedding, Jesus’ mother approached him and said, “They have no more wine.” Some believe that the bridal family may have been his relatives, or perhaps it was even the wedding of one of his younger sisters. They believe she was not asking for, or expecting, a miracle, but was saying, in effect, “The arrival of you and your disciples has caused a problem. Please send some of them to purchase more wine.”

But I believe the more likely scenario is that Jesus’ mother has known all along who he was and what he was capable of. She understands that his public ministry began with his baptism and the calling of the first of his disciples. She expects that he will do something wonderful. And so, even over his reluctance to start his ministry before its time, she tells the servants: “Do whatever he tells you.”

The first point I would like to make regarding this story is that: Miracles happen when we understand that Jesus cares about our everyday needs. Jesus’ mother knows that he cares about people. He cares about all our needs, not just our spiritual needs. He cares about people being unnecessarily embarrassed. He cares about people enjoying themselves.

In fact, in the New Testament, we often see him at parties and dinners to which he has been invited, and he is always the center of the party. He enjoyed himself so much that his detractors called him a “glutton and drunkard” (Matthew 11:19). No one ever accused Jesus of promoting a dour, rigid, emotion-stifling religion — just the opposite.

Wherever Jesus went there was life and joy. He stated that his life mission was, as he said, that his joy might be in us and that our joy might be complete (John 15:11). He has come to bring his joy, and there is joy everywhere in our world. He is the God of irrepressible joy, and he has come to share it. He offers the spiritual wine of joy to all those who are thirsty for life — for those who will come and drink. He takes care of our needs both great and small.

There is nothing too ordinary to pray about. He is just as concerned about the little problems of your life as he is the big problems. If he was a little god he would be able to take care of only the major things, but since he is the great God he is, he is able to take care of all the things in our lives. He sees every sparrow each time they land on the ground. He keeps track of the number of hairs on your head. He calls the stars by name. He is a great God who is too big not to be concerned about the everyday things of your life.

Marriage Part Two: Pray for Christian Marriage and Those Men and Women Who Are Married

2010-07-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

Psychologists say that human beings have a fundamental need for "stable primary bondings" with other people. Yet that merely confirms the Genesis account, in which God says simply, "It is not good for the man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18). It is to provide "a helper suitable for him" that God creates the woman. And the two becoming "one flesh" is in part a spiritual event reflecting the emotional bonding of the two. The woman is someone who, by being of the opposite sex, serves to complement the man, not merely mirror him. Marriage unites opposites, each of whom has what the other lacks, completing the other.

Marriage calls on couples to save themselves only for each other. To do so is essential, because even the most private sexual acts can have destructive public consequences outside of marriage (see 1 Corinthians 6:12-20).

To cite only the most obvious examples, sex outside of marriage results in the birth of children who are deprived of the benefits of growing up with both a mother and a father, while sex with multiple partners results in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. Ironically, both of these problems have increased, not decreased, in recent years.

That reproduction of the human race is one of the central purposes of marriage is clear from God's mandate to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:

27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.

For the human race to "be fruitful and increase in number," it was clearly necessary that man and woman come together in a procreative act, notwithstanding test tube babies adopted by famous homosexuals, it still takes sperm and egg (from a man and a woman) to create a baby. That is God's way.

Here are some steps that you can take personally to protect marriage:

•Work on the quality of your own marriage. Take time to be alone together and enjoy one another. Talk to your spouse openly and lovingly about any problems in your marriage. Seek counseling if you are having serious difficulties. Help others with their marriages by attending church and joining in couple fellowship activities, Sunday School and Youth Fellowship, supporting families in your church.

•Teach your children to honor marriage. Teach them to abstain from sexual relations before marriage. Be a good model for them of the proper relationship between man and woman, husband and wife, and mother and father.

*Pray for marriage and all the married couples you know, especially the younger ones. Hold marriage of others in the highest honor. Pray for the couples and their children each day.

Marriage Part One: Pray for Christian Marriage and the Men and Women Who Have Come Together in Marriage

2010-07-11T20:56:00.000-07:00

What is Marriage For? What is the traditional Christian view of marriage? Marriage between a man and a woman is the keystone of our civilization and a gift from our God.

Marriage is an institution created by God. That much is clear from Genesis 2:18-24 (NIV):

18 The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."
19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.

Jesus later quotes this verse 24 in affirming marriage in the New Testament in Matthew 19:5. Because it was included as a part of the original creation, it is clear that God's fundamental intention for marriage applies to all human beings. However, a look at the whole of Scripture reveals that marriage has special meanings for the people of God.

Marriage of man and woman reflects the diversity of God's creation and the diversity within the oneness of the Trinity itself. This combination of "sameness" and "difference" also characterizes humanity. Indeed, it may be this combination that reflects "the image of God" (Gen. 1:26). In Genesis 2, Adam names the animals, but they are not "suitable" companions for him, because they are not the same as him - they are not human. To create a "suitable helper" for Adam, God takes a part of Adam's body to fashion one the same as Adam - another human being. Yet the person God creates is also different from Adam - a woman, not a man. The human race is incomplete without both male and female. Yet when they unite to become "one flesh" (Gen. 2:24), their oneness - despite their difference - reflects the oneness of God, despite the plurality of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

In the Old Testament, the covenant of marriage serves as a metaphor for the relationship between God and the people of Israel. The worship of other gods (idolatry) is viewed as the equivalent of adultery, with Israel as the unfaithful spouse. (see Jeremiah 3:6, 8)

In the New Testament, marriage is seen as a metaphor of the relationship between Christ and the Church. (Ephesians 5:21-33; Revelation 19:7-9). Marriage advances God's purpose in salvation

Basic Spiritual Exercises That Will Profit You a Great Deal!

2010-06-14T06:05:00.000-07:00

"...exercise yourself toward godliness. For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come." - 1Ti 4:7-8

Basic Spiritual Exercises Will Benfit You a Great Deal!

I. READ THE WORD OF GOD -- 1. The means by which we grow spiritually - 1Pe 2:2. 2. It was by the Word of God that Jesus resisted the devil - Mt 4:4,7,10 3. It is by God's Word in our hearts that we can resist sin - Psa 119:11-- The Word of God is therefore foundational to our spiritual fitness

1. Develop the habit of reading the Word daily 2. Start slow; perhaps with the NT, a chapter a day
3. Progress to reading the Bible through each year 4. Read devotionally, meditating on what you read
-- The Word of God will help you to grow in grace and knowledge

II. SPEND TIME IN PRAYER --A. THE POWER OF PRAYER...1. . There is forgiveness from God - Ac 8:22; 1Jn 1:7-10 2. There is peace from God - Php 4:6-7 3. There is strength from God - Ep 3:14-16,20 4. There is opportunity from God - Col 4:3 5. There is boldness from God - Ep 6:19-20 6. There is wisdom from God - Jm 1:5-8 7. There is healing from God - Jm 5:14-16 8. There is tranquility from God - 1Ti 2:1-4 -- Together with the Word, prayer is foundational to spiritual fitness

B. PRAYING FERVENTLY...1. As you read the Word of God, pray for wisdom 2. Pray daily for forgiveness, strength, opportunity, boldness 3. As needed, pray for peace, healing, tranquility
4. Continue earnestly in prayer, vigilant in with thanksgiving - Col 4:2 - Consistent, fervent prayer will strengthen your relationship with God

III. SING PRAISES 1. One purpose of singing is to praise God - Ac 16:25 2. It is a type of spiritual sacrifice that we offer to God - He 13:15 3. A way to be filled with grace and melody in our hearts - Col 3:16; Ep 5:19 4. A way to respond to the goodness of God - Jm 5:13 -- Singing praises is foundational to our spiritual well-being -- Singing enriches our souls and fortifies our relationship with
God

IV. FELLOWSHIP WITH OTHER CHRISTIANS AND LOVING THOSE WHO ARE NOT CHRISTIANS -- BEING PERSONS OF LOVE AND MERCY -- LOVE THE LOST

A. THE IMPORTANCE OF FELLOWSHIP... 1. The church is the body of Christ which is built up when each part does its share - Ep 4:15-16 2. Our assembling is designed to stir one another to love and good
works - He 10:24-25 3. Our fellowship is a source of comfort and edification - 1Th 5:11 4. A way to avoid becoming hardened by the deceitfulness of sin - He 3:12-14 -- Frequent fellowship is crucial to remaining faithful and steadfast

B. EXPERIENCING FELLOWSHIP...
1. Assemble together with Christians every opportunity you can Heb. 10:24-25
2. Take advantage of the assemblies offered by the local congregation
3. Not just one time on Sunday, but every time the door is open
4. Look for ways to be with Christians daily - by phone, Biblestudies, social activities
-- Fellowship with other Christians strengthens one's faith in God and Christ

V. DO GOOD WORKS A. THE ROLE OF GOOD WORKS...1. We are not saved by good works - Ep 2:8-9; Tit 3:4-5 2. But we are created in Christ for good works, to glorify God - Ep 2:10; Mt 5:16
3. Thus we are to be fruitful in every good work - Col 1:10 4. We are not to grow weary in doing good - 1Co 15:58; Ga 6:9-10 -- Good works are essential if we are going reap spiritual benefits

B. EXAMPLES OF GOOD WORKS... 1. Share the gospel with the lost 2. Minister to brethren and to the lost in need, whether physical or spiriutal. 3. Utilize your resources (time, money, talents) to help the poor or sick 4. Each day try to do something that blesses another person SHARE A CUP OF COLD WATER1-- Good works, done systematically, builds spiritual endurance.

Being a Disciple of Jesus - Love God, Love Other Christians, Love the Lost!

2010-06-12T11:15:00.000-07:00

We are called to be disciples! The disciple of Jesus Christ is one who believes the Good News of Jesus the Messiah with all his heart and knows for sure that all his sins have been forgiven, as God has promised in His Word. God adopts such a believer as His child. Thus it is written in the Gospel: To all who receive Jesus the Messiah and believe in His name is given "the right to become children of God-children not born of natural descent…but born of God." (John 1:12,13) Dear friend, God wants you to know that if you become a child of God through faith in Christ and His sacrifice, you will never perish, and He will give you the right to live forever in His presence!

he person whom God saves and forgives has a changed heart. God washes his heart and makes it clean. The person for whom God has done this will avoid all uncleanness. That is what the Scriptures declare, saying: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (2 Cor. 5:17)

Since the Lord God has forgiven you your great debt of sin and saved you from eternal punishment, we should live for jesus and thank him and honor Him in thought and word and deed all your life long!

Listen to what the Gospel declares concerning those who belong to the Lord Jesus. It says:

(Titus 3) 3At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. 4But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

(1 Pet. 1) 14 [Therefore] As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. 15But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy."

How can we summarize the way of life of a disciple of Christ? Perhaps like this: God wants His children to show forth His character in their behavior here on earth. Simply put, God wants His children to be like Him. Well then, what is God like? In our studies in the Holy Scriptures we have seen that two prominent characteristics of God are holiness and love. God is the Holy One. He is also the God of Love. So what is His will for those of us who belong to Him? He wants us to be holy as He is holy, and to love one another as He loves us.

A holy life and a loving heart are what differentiates those who belong to God from those who do not. Concerning this, God's Word says:

(1 John 3) 10This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

(Titus 2) 11For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

(Eph. 4) 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26"In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. 29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

(Eph. 5) 1Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children 2and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. 3But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. 4Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-such a man is an idolater-has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. (1 John 4) 7[Therefore] dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 20If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

That is what the Scriptures say concerning the way of life for those who follow Jesus Christ. Does all this mean that the disciple of Christ can no longer sin, or that he always loves his neighbor as he loves himself? No! He still commits sin, but he no longer lingers in it. When he sins, he can put to use the promise in the Word of God that says:

(1 John 1) 7…The blood of Jesus…purifies us from all sin. 8If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Amen.

Belonging to Jesus Christ is not just a religion--it is a relationship. When a person belongs to Christ, he is brought into fellowship with the holy God of love. That close relationship with God, which Adam and Eve lost because of their sin is restored to us through the blood which Jesus shed on the cross. God will no longer remember our transgressions because Jesus paid for us our debt of sin. Through our relationship with Christ, God is our heavenly Father, and we are His children. That is what the Scriptures speak of when they say: "For through [Christ] we…have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow-citizens with God's people and members of God's household." (Eph. 2:18,19)

The Disciple of Christ has three loves -- LOVE GOD, LOVE YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST, and LOVE THE LOST! LIVE FOR JESUS AND BE A PERSON WHO LOVES!

Come Holy Spirit (Part Three)

2010-05-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

Now, what does the Spirit do when He comes? Theologians often divide the work of the Trinity this way:

God the Father is the Source of all things.

God the Son is the Channel of all things.

God the Spirit is the Agent of all things.

As the Source, all things flow from the Father’s will. As the Channel, all of God’s blessing flow to us through Jesus Christ the Son. But it is the Holy Spirit who acts as the Agent of the Almighty, who actually carries out the directives of the Father.

A. In History

In almost every interview I’ve been asked what I have learned about the Holy Spirit from writing my book. I always say that I’ve been amazed to discover that the Holy Spirit is everywhere in the Bible. The first mention is in Genesis 1:2 and the last mention of the Spirit is in Revelation 22:17. He’s present at the moment of creation and he’s there at the very end of the Bible. In the Old Testament you see the Holy Spirit coming with great power upon kings, priests, judges and military leaders. He is also the one who inspired the poets to sing and gave the prophets a message to proclaim. He is the cloud by day and the fiery pillar by night that led Israel through the wilderness. He was the spirit that lifted Ezekiel when the people were in captivity. He was also the one who enabled Zerubbabel to rebuild the temple.

When you come to the New Testament, you see him at work especially in the life of Christ. Our Lord was conceived by the Holy Spirit, who came upon him at his baptism, who led him into the wilderness, who filled him with power to work miracles, who bore witness that he was the Son of God, who was with him in the crucifixion and who raised him from the dead. All that Jesus did, he did in the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit was there at Pentecost when the church was born. He was there when Peter and Paul preached across the Roman Empire. It was the Holy Spirit who gave the apostles boldness to preach in the face of persecution and indifference. It was the Holy Spirit who brought unity to the early church and caused it to grow in spite of fierce opposition.

Everywhere you turn in the Bible, you see the Holy Spirit at work. He is the Unseen Hand of God moving through human history to accomplish God’s purposes on the earth.

And the Spirit is active in our world today! We can answer that from the words of Jesus in John 16:8, “When he (the Holy Spirit) comes, he will convict the world of sin, righteousness and judgment.” The word “convict” comes from the drama of a courtroom trial. It refers to what the prosecuting attorney does when he argues his case.

He puts the defendant on the witness stand and begins to pile up the evidence. Fact upon fact, witness upon witness, truth upon truth, slowly, inexorably, irresistably building his case until finally the enormity of the evidence is so overwhelming that the judge is forced to say to the defendant, “I find you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.” Not only that, this word means to present the evidence in such an overwhelming fashion that even the defendant is compelled at the end of the trial to step up and say, “I admit it. I confess. I am guilty.”

Therefore, I conclude that the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the world today is primarily the ministry of bringing men and women to the place of personal conviction concerning their own moral guilt before God. These words of Jesus are literally true today. The Holy Spirit works through us so that as we share the gospel with men and women, they are convicted of their true moral guilt before God. As we share the gospel they come to the conclusion, “Yes, I am guilty. Yes, I need a savior.”

Here are some of the things the Spirit does for us as beleivers:
He baptizes believers in the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13).
He seals every believer, thus assuring their salvation (Ephesians 1:13).

He indwells every believer with his personal presence (I Corinthians 6:19-20)

He gives spiritual gifts to every believer (I Corinthians 12:11). This empowers the church!
He produces the fruit of a godly life in us (Galatians 5:22-23).
He enables us to put to death the deeds of the flesh (Romans 8:13).

He Fills us when we ask, as we are commanded to Be Continually Filled

Ephesians 5:18 says, “Be filled with the Spirit.” In the Greek that phrase is a present passive imperative. An imperative is a command–Be filled. The passive voice means that we are not commanded to fill ourselves but rather to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The present tense describes something that happens continually. You could legitimately translate this verse “Be continually filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Let us step out and open ourselves up to the stirrings of the Holy Spirit, to renewal, to invigoration, to new life for our churches. Pray that the mighty shaking Wind will come upon us and renew us, and let us face this powerful and renewing wind that is the Holy Spirit together, to stir our Church afresh with divine deeds of power. Like the disciples on that day in the upper room, let us too expect the miraculous filling of the Holy Spirit.

What better way to move into the future together than by asking God for a fresh outpouring of the Spirit. What wonderful things could happen if only the Spirit of God would come in great power. May God grant it! Amen.

Come Holy Spirit (Part Two)

2010-05-26T16:10:00.000-07:00

God fills every believer with the Holy Spirit and each in a different way. Young and old. Rich and poor. Men and women. Slave and free. God fills each one of us with his Spirit in a unique way. ALL people are filled with the Spirit, not just the religious big shots of the Old Testament nor the religious heros of the New Testament and each one of us in our day. All people, including you and me in our ordinariness, are filled with the Spirit of Christ.

But notice they were praying for the Spirit to come in the Upper Room. We need to pray, “come Holy Spirit!” We need to open ourselves to the Spirit’s power.

One of the great purposse of the Holy Spirit is to make the church alive. The Spirit of God will shake a church, move a church, renew a church. The Spirit of God blows us off the front porch, blows us out of our pews, blows us out of our institutions and safe communities and into the world.

Who is the Holy Spirit? There are two fundamental facts about the Spirit that you need to know.

A. The Holy Spirit Is a Person --This may seem obvious to you, but it is not obvious to everyone. Some people speak of the Holy Spirit as a impersonal power or influence. They speak of the Holy Spirit as an “it.” If you saw the Star Wars movies, you’ll remember the phrase, “May the force be with you.” That’s how many people think of the Spirit–as a mysterious force from heaven that somehow helps us on the earth.

Te Bible clearly refers to the Holy Spirit in terms that can only apply to a person. For instance, the Holy Spirit possesses a mind (Romans 8:27), he speaks (Acts 13:2), he commands (Acts 8:29), he has a will (I Corinthians 12:11). Ephesians 4:30 says, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit.” But you can’t grieve a force or a power. You can only grieve another person.

In John 16:13 Jesus says of the Holy Spirit, that “he will only speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” That passage is important because Jesus clearly calls the Holy Spirit a “he.”

All the attributes of personality are given to the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Therefore, we may say that the He is a person, not a mere force or an impersonal power.

B. The Holy Spirit is God

The second truth is that the Holy Spirit is not only a person, he is a Divine Person. That is to say, he is God. In the famous story of Ananias and Sapphira in Act 5, Peter says in verse 3 that they had sinned against the Holy Spirit, but in verse 4 he says they sinned against God. Which is correct? Both, because the Holy Spirit is God. That’s why when Jesus gave the Great Commission (Matthew 29:19-20), he commanded the disciples to baptize “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” One name, three Persons. That’s the doctrine of the Trinity clearly stated. The Father is God, the Son is God, the Holy Spirit is God.

Now if you put these two truths together, what do you get? Since the Holy Spirit is a person, you can have a personal relationship with him. And since he is God, his power is God’s power. Therefore, in relating to the Holy Spirit, you are coming into personal contact with the God of the universe.

This week I ran across a powerful quote from J. B. Phillips: “Every time we say, ‘I believe in the Holy Spirit,’ we mean that there is a loving God able and willing to enter human personality and change it.” What a tremendous truth this is.

Come, Holy Spirit -- The Power of Pentecost Propels the Church! (Part One)

2010-05-26T16:06:00.000-07:00

Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the twelve apostles, Jesus' mother and family, and many other of His disciples, 120 in all, were gathered together in Jerusalem for the Jewish harvest festival that was celebrated on the fiftieth day of Passover. While they were indoors praying, a sound like that of a rushing wind filled the house and tongues of fire descended and rested over each of their heads.

This was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on human flesh promised by God through the prophet Joel in Joel 2nd chapter. The disciples were suddenly empowered to proclaim the gospel of the risen Christ. They went out into the streets of Jerusalem and began preaching to the crowds gathered for the festival. Not only did the disciples preach with boldness and vigor, but by a miracle of the Holy Spirit they spoke in the native languages of the people present, many who had come from all corners of the Roman Empire.

This created a sensation. The apostle Peter seized the moment and addressed the crowd, preaching to them about Jesus' death and resurrection for the forgiveness of sins. The result was that about three thousand converts were baptized that day. PRAISE THE LORD!

Red is the liturgical color for this day. Red recalls the tongues of flame in which the Holy Spirit descended on the first Pentecost. The color red also reminds us of the blood of Jesus, and also the blood of the martyrs. These are the believers of every generation who by the power of the Holy Spirit hold firm to the true faith even at the cost of their lives. Red reminds us that the Spirit testifies of Jesus, and empowers those who live for Jesus and follow His commands.

The most powerful force in the world is the love of Christ, and the Spirit rekindles that fire within us! The purpose of the Spirit is to energize the love of Christ within us.

The Spirit makes the teachings and words of Jesus alive in us. His words about forgiveness, eternal life, eternal love, that God is our loving Father. The Spirit makes the words and teachings of Jesus to become living realities in our lives.

How Goes Your Race?

2010-05-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

The Book of Hebrews, from start to finish, is an inspired admonition to perseverance. It is an inspired motivation to faith, constantly holding before us both the example of Christ as our guide and the accomplishments of Christ as our motive. In the face of trails and temptations on every hand, we are called upon to endure unto the end and persevere in the faith, to go on following Christ. We must not quit. We must not give up. We must not go back, though…

* Temptations of every kind allure us away from our Savior

The believer’s life is compared to many things that picture the absolute necessity of perseverance in faith. We are in a warfare that will not end until we have left this world and entered into heavenly glory with Christ. We are engaged in a work, a labor, a cause from which there is no rest until our work is done. In Hebrews 12 it is compared to a race.

Our life in this world is a race, a race with a starting point, a finish line, and a prize.

(1 Corinthians 9:24) "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain."

(Philippians 3:14) "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Contrary to what most seem to think, the prize is obtained not when the race is begun, but when it is done (Phil. 3:3-14). It is not he who begins the race and runs well for a season that wins the prize, but he who finishes the race. It is not he who runs fast, or even he who runs well, but he who runs to the end who wins the prize. "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong" (Ecc. 9:11).

* We are sealed by God the Holy Spirit unto the day of redemption.

The Word of God is crystal clear. We must persevere unto the end.

(Hebrews 3:14) "For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end."

The purpose, the intent of the Holy Spirit in Hebrews 12:1-2 is to show us the necessity of perseverance in faith.

(Hebrews 12:1-4) "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Christ Arose, Part Two -- Rejoice, Rejoice, O Christian!

2010-04-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

The good news of Easter is, not only can you know Jesus, but he can be close to you all the time, through every situation. The risen Lord offers to share his victory with you, to take you through whatever you must face as your close and competent Companion who will never, never leave you.

Some of you have to face very serious problems this week. Some confront what looks like the end of their hopes and dreams. Fears and anxieties, loneliness, emptiness, heartache and sorrow are before them. But the good news of Easter is, you don't have to face any of that alone.

Listen to Jesus' exact words, from Revelation 3:20:

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If any one hear my voice, and open the door, I will come into him and will live with him and he with me."

That is the promise that millions have trusted. They have asked Jesus to enter their lives, to come and dwell with them, to go with them through life, not only through death. To their joy they found that every word was true. They can face tomorrow because He lives. And that strength is available to each one of us today. That is what makes this day a celebration of the resurrection, and a time for the greatest rejoicing.
Do you love God? Is Jesus Christ Your Lord and Savior? Is He the Lord of your life, not just on Sunday morning but on every day and night of the week? Is so, then enjoy this beautiful bright festival of the Resurrection of our Lord!

Are you His grateful servant?

Then rejoice and enter into the joy of their Lord!

Have you worked hard in the fields of our Lord doing good deeds, helping the poor, the hurting, the lonely? Then rejoice and receive you’re the blessing He won for you on the cross! Praise His Holy Name!

Christ Arose -- The Exulatation of the Resurrection! Part One

2010-04-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

It was Paul who included the great Christ Hymn of Philippians 2:5-11, stating that there is coming a time when, at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. That is our future. Our Lord will come again and set all things right.

Remarkably, however, the very first news of Easter was not good news at all. It was terrible news that Mary Magdalene brought to the Apostles Peter and John when she came running with the announcement that the body of Jesus had disappeared. What a shock that must have been.

When the body of Abraham Lincoln was almost stolen back in 1876, some years after his death, to be held for ransom, our entire nation was shocked and dismayed. Thankfully, the plot to steal the body was uncovered at the last minute. But it caused his son Robert Lincoln to make sure his father’s body was put in a permanent tomb, buried ten feet deep under 4000 pounds of cement in 1901, so that no future plots could disturb his dad’s remains..

We can only imagine the shock of these disciples of Jesus, smitten and numbed as they already were at the unexpected death of their Lord, when they heard Mary's hysterical announcement.

On hearing this, both Peter and John immediately left for the tomb, running through the streets of Jerusalem and through the Damascus Gate to the tomb. John, the younger of the two, outran Peter and, stooping down, he looked into the tomb. They both saw that Jesus was not there. And they did not understand the full meaning of it all. The New International Version renders that verse: "They still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead." That suggests that Peter and John did not believe that Jesus had risen.

That brief account focuses first upon the sobbing of Mary, standing outside the tomb, still convinced that her Lord was dead and his body had been stolen. Then, looking in, she saw two young men, "angels" we read, sitting inside. "Woman, why are you weeping?" they asked her. In the early light of dawn they seemed to be looking not at her, but at someone behind her. Turning, she saw a man standing there whom she took to be the gardener, who asked her the same question, "Woman, why are you weeping?"

There is a gentle rebuke inherent in that twice-asked question. It is saying, "This is no time for weeping, but for rejoicing, praise and thanksgiving." It implies that she could and should have known that. Jesus had clearly said several times, as the Gospels record, that he would rise again on the third day. One of the striking phenomena of the Gospels is the deafness of the disciples to the consistent revelations of Jesus concerning his resurrection. He had great difficulty convincing them that he was going to die in the first place. It was only as they saw the opposition closing in on him that they realized his words were true. But even then none of them seemed to grasp that every time he mentioned his death he also added that he would rise again on the third day.

This is a legitimate part of the message of Easter. It does indeed give us a glorious hope when we face death's door. You know, there are three questions we all ask of ourselves at one time or another, "Where do I come from?" "Why am I here?" and “what happens when we die/” We Christians have the answer to that, but still we often ask the question. "Is it really necessary to leave?"

Most of us wish we didn't have to say "Yes" to the third. But that is not what comforted Mary or any of the disciples at this point. It never crossed their minds that this event would give them a hope in the hour of death. What brought them deliri But Mary was just like us! Have you ever found yourself in a distressing circumstance, when the sky seemed to come crashing down on you, and Christian that you are, sometimes you temporarily forget all the promises of God? You felt sorry for yourself, you became anxious and upset. I have. We so quickly forget the promises of God.

Martin Luther once spent three days in a black depression over something that had gone wrong. And he had lots of things go wrong. On the third day his wife Katie came downstairs dressed in mourning clothes, all dressed in black. "Who's dead?" he asked her. "God," she replied. Luther rebuked her, saying, "What do you mean, God is dead? God cannot die." "Well," she replied, "the way you've been acting I was sure He had!"

Many of us have been caught in that trap. We forget who is in charge. We forget whose children we really are. This is also what had happened to Mary.

But Jesus has to speak but one word to her to open her eyes. With indescribable tenderness he simply uttered her name -- not Mary, which is what the account here says, but "Miriam," as he reverted to their native Aramaic. Mary instantly recognized his voice, just as any one of us would recognize a loved one's voice on the telephone. Responding in Aramaic, Mary flung herself at his feet and cried, "Rabboni!" (which means "Teacher"). She seized him by the feet and began to weep tears of joy.

Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

And Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. She was the Apostle to the Apostles. She told them that Jesus Lives. He lives!

I believe this is the first and the chief "good news" of Easter. Most celebrate Easter as a reminder that there is hope on the day when they have to leave this earth -- that Easter means because he lives we shall live also. The hymn says,

Jesus lives, and so shall I,

Death, thy sting is gone forever.

ous gladness of heart was the realization, "Jesus is back again! We haven't lost him! He is here with us, and he will always be with us!"

That is the truly good news of Easter. Through two thousand years of Christian witness what has sustained the hearts of millions is the realization that Jesus can enter one's life and go with you through the trials, pressures, tears and joys of life right here on earth. He will be with you at the hour of death, yes, but not as a stranger just then entering your experience. He will already long have been a trusted Friend, not merely a comforting Companion, but as Lord, Sovereign, authoritative and able to work through the difficulties you face. No one wants to face pressures all alone; it helps to have someone with you. And not only someone like yourself, one who can understand how you feel, but if it can also be someone who has authority and power, one who can work out solutions to your seemingly insoluble problems, what a comfort that is!

At the Cross Where I First Saw the Light!

2010-04-06T08:59:00.000-07:00

In Sequoia National Park in California, There is a big tree that stands 275 feet high and is 36 feet in diameter. It is called the Christ – General Sherman. It is known as the biggest tree in the world. Today I want to talk to you about a tree that reaches from earth all the way to heaven and reaches all away around the world! And extends itself throughout all eternity!

I speak of the Tree - The Cross of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Calvary’s Tree!

You see the devil had made a road for man to travel that led straight to a place called Hell But Praise God - God did not want man to go to hell – So God slammed a Cross right in the middle of the road and said to man I love you and don’t want you to go to hell and if man goes to hell – He has to go around the Cross!

Just think God created the tree that He knew His Son would be crucified on!

There was a Savior before Sin – There was Grace before Guilt – There was Promise of Life before Death – There was a Heaven before there was a Hell.

Where sin did abound – Grace did much more abound! Adam sold us out – But Praise the Lord Jesus bought us back! HALLELUJAH FOR THE CROSS – IT IS THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION!

THE CROSS IS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF GOD’S LOVE

Every time you see the cross – it should remind you of the marvelous Love of God!

John 3:16 – For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life! Romans 5:8 – But God commendeth His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Romans 8:32 – He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.

The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell; it goes beyond the highest star and reaches to the lowest hell

WHEN THE DEVIL COMES AND TRIES TO TELL YOU GOD DOES NOT LOVE YOU – TAKE HIM TO THE CROSS!

THE CROSS IS A CONSTANT REMINDER OF GOD’S GRACE

Eph. 2:8,9 – For by Grace are you saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast.

GRACE – The Unmerited Favor of God --- G.R.A.C.E – God’s Riches At Christ Expense!

Grace is free but it is not cheap – It cost Jesus His life on the cruel cross of Calvary!

THE CROSS REMINDS US OF THE PAYMENT FOR SIN!

When the devil comes –Jesus paid it all – All to him I owe – Sin has left a crimson flow – He washed it white as snow!

At the cross – At the cross – Where I first saw the light – and the burdened of my heart rolled away –

What does the cross mean to the church? What does the cross mean to you?

Galatians 6:14 contains an important answer: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” The Apostles Creed declares, “I believe in Jesus Christ who was crucified.” When we say those words, we mean that the Son of God was murdered on a Roman cross at a place called Skull Hill outside the city walls of Jerusalem. We believe it literally happened — that if you and I had been there, we would have seen with our own eyes the slow, agonizing death of Jesus of Nazareth. We would have witnessed the humiliation of Christ as he died between two thieves, we would have seen the blood drip from his wounds, we would have heard him cry out, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” He did it all for us -- AT THE CROSS -- Praise His Holy Name!

People Get Ready -- Jesus is Coming Again, Part Two

2010-03-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

Some Christians in every generation since then have believed the same thing. For instance, Christopher Columbus thought that his voyages were part of God’s ordained plan and that Jesus would return in the year 1650 (or thereabouts). In the 1840s a man named William Miller convinced his followers to sell all their worldly goods because he believed that the Second Coming was at hand. The 20th century has seen many similar predictions: 1914 (connected with World War 1-"The war to end all wars") … 1975 (a date suggested by the Jehovah’s Witnesses) … 1982 (connected with an unusual planetary conjunction) … 1988 (predicted by a Bible teacher who wrote a book that sold hundreds of thousands of copies) … 1994 (suggested by a prominent radio Bible teacher). 2000 – suggested by many. 2012 -- Suggested by the Mayan calendar, and some Christians think God may have revealed it to them so that non-beleivers might eventually come to Christ.

All these dates have this in common: they were all wrong. In fact, every date for the Second Coming that has been suggested over the last 2000 years has been proven wrong. That should tell us something. It is not for us to know the exact date and time. But Jesus told us that fact long ago! Why do not people read the Bible?

Jesus says in Matthew 24:36 "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”

Despite this clear, black and white statement people still continue to examine the details of prophecy to calculate when Jesus will return. It is like well, maybe we cannot know the day or hour but maybe the week or month or year! Verse 36, is very clear “no one knows” means no one can. Not the angels, not even Jesus himself. But this knowledge is only known by God the Father.

But, brothers and sisters, Prophecy has lost its purpose when it merely becomes predicting the future. Prophecy is for warning and a calling to repent. We are all called to repent! We are all called to get right with God through our faith in Jesus Christ and in confessing our sins to Him. People get ready – the Lord is coming. He desires us to be ready for His return!

Though, we do expect that on the day Jesus returns there will be something special happening, some forewarning, some change in the wind, a feeling in our bones, writing in the sky, a spiritual discernment, an announcement in the newsletter, something… but this is the thing, Jesus introduces to us the mundane of advent. Jesus emphasises the monotony, the humdrum of the second coming. Jesus likens the second coming to the times of Noah (v37-39):

37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.
It took Noah quite a long time to build the ark. A lot of planning, a lot of hard work, a lot of mockery. In contrast to the length of time it took the flood was swift, it was sudden. Jesus doesn’t emphasise the sinfulness of the people in Noah’s time instead he emphasises something else to make his point. The people of the time were simply living life. “People were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage...” nothing sinful here, just life. Life was merely rolling along as it usually did. This is what Jesus wants to make clear about his return is that people will still be doing the normal things of life. Back then, you would have been able to see Noah building the ark and back then you would have heard as to why, but as life went on no one cared. Life just rolled on until it was too late.

Jesus gives two other examples to emphasise, in (v40-41): Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.

Do you want to be the one life behind? Like the image of division in the parable of the sheep and the goats (25:31-46) there is a dividing between those who live life without God, who have lived with God as their purpose for living.
We are saved through faith but this faith is not merely a mental ascent or agreement but a living faith; a faith in action, of obeying Christ, of loving Him and loving others. Our life of obedience to Jesus is what gives our faith substance; our love for Jesus flows into an action of love for the people/world around us whom need to know – to taste the sacrificial love of which Jesus is our example. This, then, is how we live a life of expectation and readiness for Jesus’ return. The whole message of advent and our response to the second coming is about “being ready”.Jesus tells us to"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.

44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

Keep watch or watching and be ready, Jesus says. The purpose of prophecy is to serve as warnings to be ready. They’re not to tell you the exact “when” in the future to get ready for, but to get ready now! I ask you now: Are we ready for that day – that glorious day – that day where Jesus who once came into the world to be judged will be the judge of the world – are we ready for that day – that day when Jesus breaks in as Saviour & King – the last day – that day of His glorious return? Are you friends ready? Is your family ready? Are you ready?

We Must Be Ready -- Jesus is Coming Again! Part One

2010-03-22T08:18:00.000-07:00

Let me be straight to you up front. As sure as I have a voice that you can hear or a face that you can see, you can write it down in the book of your heart – Jesus saves! He is the only way to our salvation. If you believe in Him you shall have eternal life. There is a heaven. There is a hell. You want to go to heaven. You do not want to go to hell. But some of you may end up there if you do not repent and embrace the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savoir. No asbestos suit will save you. No earthly riches wills save you. Only Jesus Christ can save you. Amen?

Yes, people get ready. The Lord Jesus Christ is coming again. The “second” coming of Jesus Christ is the contrast to his first coming in the virgin birth. Through the incarnation Jesus arrives as a helpless, crying, baby; that needs to be fed, changed and entertained. In Christ’s return he comes as a glorious, powerful, authoritative judge over the entire world. And we do not know exactly when that will be, but we know we are closer now than ever before. Every day we get a little bit closer to that blessed day when He shall return and set things right.

This is truly an astounding thought. The same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem is coming again. The same Jesus who grew up in Nazareth is coming again. The same Jesus who turned the water into wine is coming again. The same Jesus who walked on water is coming again. The same Jesus who healed the nobleman’s son is coming again. The same Jesus who raised Lazarus is coming again. The same Jesus who wept over Jerusalem is coming again. The same Jesus who was betrayed by Judas is coming again. The same Jesus who was whipped, beaten, scourged, mocked, and condemned to death is coming again. The same Jesus who died on Mount Calvary is coming again. The same Jesus who rose from the dead on Easter Sunday morning is coming again. The same Jesus who ascended into heaven is coming again.

That’s what we mean when we say that Jesus is coming again. The actual, historical figure who lived 2000 years ago on the other side of the world is returning to the earth one more time.

Kind of blows your mind to think about it, doesn’t it?

Now I must tell you that there is a lot of information out there of an end times nature, and a lot of it is not scriptural, or is just partly scriptural. So beware what you read and here – test it with the Bible before you swallow it hook, line and sinker. Today, apocalyptic imagery is everywhere: in … corner bookstores, where the prophecies of Nostradamus, The Bible Code, and an array of American Indian and New Age books are hot sellers; and in theaters, where movies like Contact and The Seventh Sign of the last decade, and Knowing and 2012 of this past year draw viewers with their apocalyptic themes. Huge disasters like tsunami of a few years back and Haiti and Chile in the past few month make people pause and think.. And on television, glimmerings of Armageddon flicker across the screen – in fictional tv shows and in news footage on the news programs.

None of this should surprise us since Christians have always believed in the Second Coming of Christ. Jesus himself declared, “I will come back” (John 14:3). And when Christ ascended into heaven, the angels promised the disciples that “this same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Belief in the Second Coming has always been considered one of the fundamental truths of our faith. Even though we have often argued about the details surrounding his return, Christians of every denomination have agreed on this fact: Jesus Christ is coming again. By that we mean that Jesus himself ("this same Jesus") is coming back to the earth. Physically, visibly, bodily, personally.

Let me prove it to you that this has been a long time Christian belief – stand and recite with me the beliefs of our Christian faith as written in the Apostle’s Creed – no. 8 in your hymnal. The Apostle's Creed clearly states the Christian beleif that "From heaven Jesus will come again to judge the quick (the living) and the dead."

Yes, He is Coming Again! Here’s an interesting corollary to that truth. Because Christians have always believed in the Second Coming, there have always been Christians who believed that Jesus would come back in their own lifetime. It’s clear that the earliest Christians expected Christ to return to the earth in just a few years. That’s why the Apostle Paul could say in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 that “the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.” Paul clearly believed that Jesus would return in his own lifetime. He never expected to have his head chopped off in Rome; he fervently thought that he would live to see the Second Coming.

Open Our Eyes Lord, Part Four -- The Story of Elisha and His Servant and the Chariots of Fire!

2010-03-22T08:13:00.000-07:00

Travel back with me to the city of Dothan in the eighth century B.C. It’s the era of Elisha, prophet of the Lord and successor to Elijah. Mighty Syria is determined to subdue little Israel. The story is found in 2 Kings 6:8-23.

The king of Israel is advised by Elisha (whose name means “God is salvation”), who informs him of the location of the Syrian Troops, to the great frustration of the Syrian King. Eventually, the king learns that Elisha is the culprit—it is he who, with prophetic insight, briefs the Israelite king on “whatever you speak in the privacy of your bedroom. So, King,” said his servants, in effect, “your problem is not a traitor problem: what you have is prophet problem”

Spies were sent out, and they found Elisha in Dothan. The king immediately assembled a large army and marched to Dothan. The force, complete with horses and chariots, and traveling under the cover of darkness, surrounded the city of Dothan. A mighty army circles a city in pursuit of one man!

Early the next morning Elisha’s personal servant rises from sleep. He walks out to the cool of the early dawn, shakes the cobwebs from his eyes, and what he sees fills him with terrible fear. His eyes scan the hills about Dothan, and they make 360 degree circuit. Wherever he looks, he sees horses and chariots and the great Syrian host. Completely shaken, outwardly and internally, he rushes to awaken Elisha. With fear and trembling he asks the only question available to him: “Master! What shall we do?” In other words -- “We’re surrounded. What shall we do? Our capture is inevitable, and our fate uncertain. What shall we do?”

People still ask s, “What shall we do?” When perverted power holds sway, what shall we do? When conscienceless power suppresses powerless conscience, what shall we do? When mean—spirited people speak with ungodly audacity, what shall we do? When gripped by the terrible twins of helplessness and hopelessness what shall we do? When gossip and tale bearing idly is bantered about our community by evil-spirited people with serpentine tongues, what shall we do?

When these words stumbled out of the servant’s mouth, Elisha the man of God simply stood up in the strength that comes from another quarter, and said calm assurance, “Fear not; we’re in the majority.”

You see, We Need To See Beyond the Physical

Now, you know what this servant is thinking: What’s wrong with Elisha today? Can’t Elisha see what I see? Has this sudden unexpected happening affected his rationality? What’s wrong with his vision? Doesn’t he see those Syrian soldiers, with horses and chariots, all around Dothan? He says, “Fear not: we’re the majority. Majority? You and me? Don’t you see what I see? “Yes,” I imagine Elisha saying to him, “I see what you see. But I also see more than you see! We’re not alone! We’re buttressed. We’ve got a support system. They that are with us are more than they that are with them. We are the majority.”

Then the prophet proceeds to pray. Not a panic prayer. Instead, he prays for his panic-stricken servant: Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. He has eyesight, but he needs sight beyond sight. He can see the visible; he needs to see the invisible. He sees the temporal; he needs to recognize the eternal. Open his eyes that he may see. He sees defeat and destruction. He sees doubt and disillusionment. Help him to see faith and certainty. He sees the valley of the shadow of death. Lord, help him to see goodness and mercy.

Lord, open his eyes that he may see! He sees the king of Syria. Help him to see the King of kings. He sees with the naked eye; help him to see beyond the horizon. Lord, open his eyes that he may see.”

Oh, there is a kind of seeing that transcends eyesight. There is a kind of vision that optometrists cannot measure. There is the kind of perception that comes only by prayer. And when the prophet prays, the Divine Ophthalmologist begins His healing work. He removes scales from the eyes. He takes away the disease of doubt, and He removes the cataract of uncertainty. He gives you a new kind of vision that soothes you doubts and calms your fears—I hope somebody knows what I’m talking about!

When Elisha prayed, God answered. Yes! The Lord answered. The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. He sees the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire. He sees horses from another stable. He sees royal steeds from the stable of His Majesty on high. He sees horses of regal bearing and hears the hoofbeats of eternity. He sees horses and unusual chariots, chariots of fire. And these horses and chariots have a missionary purpose. They are not doing battle with the Syrian hosts. No, they are simply gathered round about Elisha. The young man is seeing clearly now.

My brothers and my sisters, whenever you see clearly, when the Lord opens your eyes, then you begin to understand! Now the young man understands how it is that Elisha can declare without hesitations and without reservation, “Fear not! We’re the majority. They that are with us are more than they that are with them. We are in the majority. The majority that matters!”

In a world like we live in today, where evil is so pronounced and where mercy is so rare, I’m glad that I can see. I’m glad that I’ve had an encounter with the second person of the adorable Trinity. I’m glad I have been touched by the hand of Jesus, and when He touched me I came back seeing, Ijust like Amazing Grace says -- once was blind, but now I see. Praise the Lord!

Open Our Eyes, Lord, Part Three -- Psalm 119:18

2010-03-22T08:02:00.000-07:00

There is great truth in Psalm 119:18. "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law." This verse combines prayer and the Word, and we need to see how, so that we can combine them this way in our lives and in our church. There are three things that we learn from this verse.

One is that there are wonderful things in the Word of God. "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law." The word "law" is "Torah" and means "instruction" or "teaching" in this psalm. There are wonderful things in God's teaching to us. In fact, they are so wonderful that when you really see them, they change you profoundly and empower holiness and love and missions (2 Corinthians 3:18). Which is why reading and knowing and meditating on and memorizing the Word of God is so crucial.

The second thing we learn from this verse is that no one can see these wonderful things for what they really are without God's supernatural help. "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law." If God does not open our eyes, we will not see the wonder of the Word. We are not naturally able to see spiritual beauty. When we read the Bible without the help of God, the glory of God in the teachings and events of the Bible is like the sun shining in the face of a blind man. Not that you can't construe its surface meaning, but you can't see the wonder, the beauty, the glory of it such that it wins your heart. The Holy Spirit does that for us. He gives us spiritual contact lenses, so to speak.

Which leads to the third thing we learn from this verse, namely, that we must pray to God for supernatural illumination when we read the Bible. "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law." Since we are helpless in ourselves to see spiritual beauty and the wonder of God in the teachings and events of the Bible without God's gracious illumination, we should ask him for it. "Open my eyes."

And God just needs to open our eyes so that we can see that He is with us and we can live lives as children of the Living God, as ambassadors of Christ, as Chrsitian soldiers, not afraid, but bold in our love of God and the things of God.

Open Our Eyes, Lord, Part Two

2010-03-22T07:59:00.000-07:00

In Ephesians Chapter One, Paul wanted our eyes to be opened so we can see our hope. But he also wanted our eyes opened so we see …18 “… what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,”
Paul wanted us to see the riches bestowed upon us in Christ! Some people may get carried away with the idea that God wants all of us to become wealthy with money in this life, but I think if God had wanted us to be rich He would have seen to it that Christians of all time would have been wealthy. But history reveals that God chooses to call both the rich and the poor, yet he bestows HIS RICHES on them all!

The richness of the glory of God’s inheritance is so much more than money!

Paul began describing the riches of our inheritance in verse seven of Ephesians chapter one.
Eph 1:7 In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace

Our riches are found in knowing that a King, the God of all Creation, took our punishment in order that we could be forgiven of our sins! That is rich! We were guilty and He was innocent! Peter exclaimed that we were not redeemed with silver or gold, but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. We are loved that much by God! How can you put a price on that? Then again--

10 … in the of the fullness of time He will gather together in one all things in Christ,
God’s plan is to gather us together in His love. Our sins forgiven, our wounds healed, and He would draw us all together as His Family in a way that is pure and lovely where we will all be able to walk together in harmony! Being rich is to be cherished by God and by your fellowman!

Lord, open our eyes to your calling, to your riches, and to your power! Paul included one more item which we need to see with spiritual eyes:

19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe,

There is a power from God that is working in His Church which destroys the power of sin and brings deliverance to the captives! We may see ourselves as being helplessly caught in the situations of life and having no hope of deliverance. That is not true! Through faith in Christ, you and I have “exceeding great power from God to overcome! Does that mean that we are in charge of the universe? No. God is. But as we follow the dream He has given to us … obey the calling … we can meet the challenges of life with a voice of victory! We have been made rich in the love of God and we can be loving and kind and powerful in prayer!

Paul describes this power as being … Eohesians 1:19 ….. according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

Talk about power! When Christ was raised from the dead it was an act of creation similar to the one of creating the world! God the Father gave Him the authority to be seated as God in heaven and have authority over everything in the spirit realm and in the realm of the natural! That is the mighty power that is at work in us as we follow the calling which God has given to us!

Open Our Eyes Lord, That We May See! How Good is Your Spiritual Vision? Part One

2010-03-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Did you ever play pin the tail on the donkey? It is a children’s game that gives us an idea of how difficult it is to not have the physical sense of sight. The Bible shows us that it is sometimes even more difficult if we lose our spiritual way, if we are spiritual blind.

Jesus is in the business of opening blind eyes, both physically and spiritually. We all know how he healed the blind – remember the story of the healing of blind Bartimeus in the Gospel of Mark, chapter 10? In Luke 4:18 Jesus says in his famous “mission Statement”, quoting Isaiah 62:1, that he is in his earthly mission to “preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set free the oppressed and the imprisoned.”

Sometimes we pray for Jesus to open people’s eyes so that they can see the great offer of salvation that He died on the cross so that they might be free. There are a lot of people who walk around in darkness and do not see His lights. Sometimes we pray for Jesus to help people to open their eyes and see the blessings God has for them, but they are not receiving them, because their eyes are closed – blessings right in front of them – just like a good meal but someone is too lazy to lift their fork or to smell the aroma of the feast. Paul prays in Ephesians 1 for spiritual eyes to be opened. It is a prayer we can also pray.

In his great prayer of Ephesians 1 – A wonderful prayer for us to learn from and to imitate in praying for each other, for our families and friends, for our Christian brothers and sisters, Paul prays for the eyes of the minds of the believers to be enlightened. Paul prayed for the Spirit of God to enlighten the Christians in in that they would know the hope of God's calling ; and what are the riches of His inheritance among the saints; and that they would know the exceeding greatness of His power that works in them. Those are great prayers for us today. All of us need the Holy Spirit to open our spiritual eyes that we may see.

John Calvin wrote – “It is true that our eyes are instruments of God’s power and goodness by which he makes us enjoy the light, but that is something common to all. But here St. Paul shows us that we are blind and that we understand nothing of God’s spiritual grace, unless he opens our eyes and takes away the veil that is before them, and even gives us a new sight which we do not have. For our eyes are worse than put out until he enlightens them by his Holy Spirit.”

The apostle Paul wants us to have a spirit of wisdom and revelation that we may be able see how great the things are which God has provided for us! Faith arises in us when God enlightens our minds with His Holy Spirit. We pray and we read the Word and it becomes a living instrument in our hands as God speaks to us through it!

When we have the revelation provided by the Holy Spirit … we begin to see with eyes of faith!

But what did Paul want us to see? 18 “… that you may know what is the hope of His calling,”

He wanted us to know the Hope which is ours because of God’s calling. Our hope lies in Him alone and without Christ we are without Hope!

Much of the world lives without hope. They have nothing good to anticipate. There is not expectation of change or fulfillment. But Jesus did not intend for any of us to live without hope! Hope declares that we have a future … we have a destiny!

Satan does all that he can to destroy hope! In his world he creates dreams, expectation and possibilities and then does his best to pull them out from under you! All of Satan’s expectations are like the euphoria of a hallucinogenic drug. You feel things that are not real, you see things that are not real, your senses are heightened … and then you come down to withdrawals, pain, and emptiness! The pleasures of sin are delightful for a season … but then reality sets in and the pain begins!

The hope in Christ is not like that at all! The hope that Christ provided for us comes from His calling. Jesus is the real Dream Giver! His has given you a calling … a dream! You have a specific reason for living which God has given to you and you alone! You have been chosen by Him from before time began to fulfill your destiny! No one else will ever do the same things which you do! In His calling there is fulfillment and joy!

You have been blessed with a calling, God’s dream. He has chosen you for His purposes, having predestined you before time to be adopted into God’s family, and you have been accepted by Him! When we lose hope it is because we have lost sight of this calling of God! Our dream dies! It therefore becomes necessary that we return to the Lord time and time again and ask for our eyes to be opened again! We must carry a vision in us of the calling which God has given to us! That is where hope lies!

Friends Are Gifts of Our Loving God, Part Two

2010-03-22T07:45:00.000-07:00

The Bible shows us pictures of friendship. In the story of David and Jonathan we get a good vision of a strong earthly friendship with God as a part of the trust between the two of them. We also see friendship exampled in the stories of Jesus and the disciples. Friendship pervades the Bible, most obviously but not only in the gospels where Jesus called his disciples friends. But true friendship was not all one way: he was influenced and changed, challenged and comforted by his friends, by Peter and John, by Joanna and the many Marys we hear of, by Joseph and Lazarus, Judas and Nathaniel.

"Love one another,"says Jesus in the Book of John, and "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's lifefor one's friends."ii These statements are part of Jesus' final commandments to his disciples on the night he was to be arrested and taken away to be crucified. So clearly we need to read into this passage Jesus' own sacrifice -- his own love for his disciples, and indeed for all of humanity, for which he was willing to lay down his own life. Yet, he also makes clear that these words are meant for his followers, and by extension for us here today: "I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."

Who are your friends? Do you appreciate them? Have you told them so?

What is a friend? Friends are people with whom you dare to be yourself.
One example of friendship remains with me as vividly as the moment I first heard of it as a boy. In his first seasons with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Jackie Robinson, the first black man to play Major League baseball, faced venom nearly everywhere he traveled--fastballs at his head, spikings on the bases, brutal epithets from the opposing dugouts and from the crowds.

During one game in Boston, the taunts and racial slurs seemed to reach a peak. In the midst of this, another Dodger, a Southern white named Pee Wee Reese, called timeout. He walked from his position at shortstop toward Robinson at second base, put his arm around Robinson's shoulder, and stood there with him for what seemed like a long time. The gesture spoke more eloquently than the words: This man is my friend. Robinson said that Reese saved his career on that day. He was a true friend.

A small boy defined a friend as "Someone who knows all about you and likes you just the same."

Be slow in choosing a friend, slower in changing friends.. B. Franklin.

In a survey of more than 40,000 Americans said these qualities were most valued in a friend: 1. The ability to keep confidences 2. Loyalty 3. Warmth and affection.

I would add another key attribute – someone who prays for you!

Here is a question – what kind of friend are you? Are you loyal, do you keep confidences, are you warm and affectionate, do you pray earnestly for your friends?

Of course, when we think of friends we have the great model in Jesus, and He says He is our friend. “what a friend we have in Jesus." He is our best friend and if our relationship with him is what it ought to be, then our relationship with others is going to be growing strong each day. In fact, if your relationship with Jesus Christ is a deep, beautiful, personal, intimate relationship, you are going to want to bring your family and friends to the Lord Jesus Christ. He will provide a wonderful new dimension for their lives and He will be a friend who will never leave them nor forsake them.

Have you ever thought about what it means to be a friend in Jesus? You know, when we talk about something like friendship with Jesus it is absolutely thrilled to realize that the Son of God who is responsible for the creation and the upholding of the universe is literally a personal, intimate friend of those who are His own. It is an overwhelming thing when you really grasp that truth. This morning I want you to see what it really means to be a friend of Jesus.

We know what He did for us – He laid down His life for you. What have you done for Him? What are you doing for Him? What do you plan to do for Jesus? What kind of friend are you to Him?

Many times, we imagine the church as the family of God. And we are the family of God. But we are also a a community of friends. Into this community of friends, Jesus invites you, invites you to love the other friends of Jesus with a love that accepts, that cherishes, that challenges, that supports.

We are not all called to give our lives for one another as Jesus did for us. Yet we are all called to that difficult task of loving one another with that same passionate love that carried Jesus through the cross to the transformation of the resurrection.

Jesus opens his arms to you in friendship. Jesus opens his arms to you in sacrifice. Will you follow and do the same? Let me close with just a couple of questions.

1. Are you the friend of Jesus? 2. Are you a friend like Jesus?3. Are you willing to become His friend and a friend like Him?

Friends Are Gifts of Our Loving God -- Are You a Friend Others? Are You a Friend to Jesus? Part One

2010-03-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

Friends are never earned they're a gift from the loving God
And they're precious beyond human evaluation
But you dare not take them for granted or they'll lift away like a smoke
And the warmth of their caring will vanish into the chill of the endless nights
Who is your friend he's someone who warms you with a nod
Or with an unspoken word in hard times when you're hurting beyond words
Who is your friend he's someone who holds you hand And sighs softly and prays with you when no other medicine could possibly stop the pain
A friend is someone who listens when you are hurting
Or answers the phone at three in the morning when you're lost
And with a few words of encouragement and concern
Makes you realize that you're not really lost at all
Friends come in both sexes in all shapes and sizes
The most imprtant thing they have in common is their ability
To share with you your most sky splitting joys
Or your deepest most awesome sorrows, for they are your friends.

Friendship – real friendship – is a gift from God. Be thankful for your friends. The Book of Proverbs tells us in Proverbs 17:17 that “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.” A good friend is with your through thick and thin.

Think on that fact from the Good Book -- :a friend loveth at all times and a brother is born for adversity.” One of the basic needs and longings of life is for a friend, a real friend, a true friend. I want to talk to you about friends, what they're like, how to have a friend, how to be a friend, and then I want to talk to you about the friend of all friends, what a friend we have in Jesus and, and you know, many people have given definitions of friends.

A friend is one who strengthens you with his prayers, blesses you with his love and encourages you with his hope or somebody else said a friend is one whom distance is no barrier to communication or to concern or to caring. A friend is someone who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself. A friend is somebody who is on the scene when you need him and quietly leaves when you want to be left alone. Somebody else said a friend is someone who is there when you call and sometimes even before you call.

Now, all of these are nice and some of them are very good thoughts, some of them are frivolous, but what does the bible say, what does the bible say about a friend, a real friend, a true friend, what is the friendship factor that we find in the word of God? You will be pleased, perhaps amazed to see that the bible places a great emphasis upon friends. And so, first of all, I want you to think with me on what I'm going to call the value, the value of friendship. The bible says “A friend loveth at all times.”Now, friend, if you have a friend, a real friend, a true friend, you indeed have something of great, great value

But the Bible also tells to beware the company we keep – Because untrue “friends” can be a problem. Bad people can bring you down. Proverbs 20:19 urges us to avoid gossiping people. It plainly states that “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.” And Proverbs 22:24 says to avoid a person who is angry all the time, less you learn his or her ways!” And Proverbs also says not to hang around winebibbers – those who drink too much, or in our time, those who drug it up. And the Bible says to stay away from liars and the untrustworthy.

You want your friends to have wisdom, and if you want them to have the right kind of wisdom, you need to seek out Christian friends, like friends from your church family. Christian friends are the ones who will stick closer than a brother or a sister, because friends are friends forever, when the Lord is the Lord of them.

God Has Plans for You to Succeed, to Have Abundant Life in Christ

2010-03-04T20:05:00.000-08:00

God showed Joshua the way of success. Joshua 1:7-9 states: “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go. (8) This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. (9) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

First, Joshua was to know God’s Word. Although not spelled out in so many words, every thing depended on Joshua knowing and studying the word of God. If law to be his guide in everything he did, and it was, then Joshua would have to know what the law said. If you feel that God may be calling you into some sphere of service, the best thing that you can do is to prepare yourself by studying and seeking to know more about the word of God.

Secondly, Joshua was to talk about God’s Word. The text says in verse 8, “this Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, …” Clearly, Joshua is called upon to include the word of God in his daily conversation and to speak the truth according to the Word. he was to speak to his mountains in God's name (Mark 11:22-26).
Third, Joshua was to mediate on God’s Word. Not just read it, but soak it into himself. He is told “…. but you shall meditate in it day and night.” Mediation is the next step beyond just knowing about and talking about the word of God. Mediation means to think about or contemplate how to apply the word in your life. Mediation has application as a goal. It is only when the word of God gets into our minds and affects our normal day to day decision making that we begin to act differently.

Finally, Joshua was to Obey God’s Word In Its Entirety. This is the last element and is the most important. Joshua is told that not only is he to know, speak about, and mediate on the word, he was to obey it.

Yes, God plans for us to succeed. We see this in the lives of many men and women in the Bible. For example, do you remember the story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37-50? By the world’s standards, he was doomed from the start. The young Hebrew had been beaten and sold into slavery by his own brothers, and for years he lived a life of servitude and imprisonment. However, in everything Joseph did, God made him thrive. God had planned for the faithful servant’s good fortune, even during those years when all seemed hopeless.

We see similar accounts throughout biblical history. Moses, David, Nehemiah, and Joshua all demonstrate this same kind of greater divine plan for distinction. And, of course, let’s not forget the apostles—they thrived in the first century and spread the good news of salvation around the world. No doubt, their mission must be considered a success, or we would have no churches or record of Jesus Christ at all.

In each of these examples, people discovered what the Lord wanted them to do, committed their lives to it, followed godly principles, and achieved their goals. In the eyes of God, they were all successful.

Second, God provides for our success. I have shelves of books on this topic, and I’ve yet to find an overriding principle of achievement that is not also found in God’s Word. The Bible contains every fundamental concept on success that I’ve ever read in any other book. Different authors may pluck an idea out of the Scriptures and write a book about it, but they didn’t create the principle.

Remember, the source of our strength: almighty God, who cares for us. You see, God alone is the author of lasting success. Without Him, a person will ultimately know only failure—and in the meantime, perishable wealth at best.

Third, God equips us for success. Because He calls us to be shining lights in a dark world, He has provided what we need in order to be successful men and women. For example, every believer has been given certain abilities, or spiritual gifts. These are amazing endowments that enable us to do the things that God calls us to do.

The Lord has also equipped us by giving every believer the presence of His indwelling Spirit. The Holy Spirit brings us into intimate contact with the heavenly Father, empowers our daily lives, teaches us the things of God, and gives us His discernment.

In the power of the Holy Spirit, we have access to supernatural decision-making processes. You see, the Lord doesn’t set people up to fail. He would get no glory from that. Instead, He gives us what we need to be successful in what He has called us to do.

Fourth, God promises us success. You may argue, “Well, if God has promised me success, then somewhere along the way, He messed up.” No, He hasn’t. However, if we’re struggling to find any areas of accomplishment in our lives, it may be that we ourselves have gotten off course.

Remember again what the Lord told Joshua? He told him to be strong and courageous, to obey His Word, and to be careful to keep His commandments. And the result? “For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success” (Josh. 1:7-8). Do you see? The formula for success is right there in black and white in the pages of Scripture.

We must rely fully upon the Holy Spirit as we practice godly principles of success. We cannot go about the Christian life as though we were acting in a one-man show. We can be successful in Christ when we submit completely to the leading, direction, and empowerment of God’s Spirit.

The Lord is intimately concerned with our success. He offers abundant life in Christ (John 10:10).

Reach your full potential in God by walking God's way, with the Word as your guide and strength!

God's School of Prayer, Second Semester, No.5: The Prayer of Surrender to God: Jonah in the Belly of the Big Fish

2010-02-26T12:57:00.000-08:00

The story of Jonah and the big fish (we don't know that it was a whale from the actual words of the Old Testament) has always been tremendously popular reading, especially with children. That's easy to understand because it has all the elements of great drama. Rebellion, storms at sea, swallowed alive inside an enormous fish, survival, risky business in an alien land--it sure works like a modern day comic book adventure. Couple that with the fact that the whole story is packed into four brief chapters and you can see why it has always had universal appeal.

Because it is so action packed it would be easy to overlook the fact that within Jonah is one of the great prayers of the Bible. Tucked into Chapter 2 is a profound prayer that Jonah prayed from inside the fish's belly. This was a prayer of acknowledgement of God's sovereignty, a final surrender to God's plan and a prayer of faith for deliverance. Let's do a quick review on why Jonah was in this predicament in the first place.

Jonah was a prophet living in a time when Israel was severely harassed by the pagan Assyrians, Israel's long standing enemy. God told Jonah to go to the Assyrian's chief city, Nineveh, and preach against their wickedness and call them to repentance. The fact that God would offer the Ninevites an opportunity to repent made Jonah mad. He did not want any mercy doled out to this hated enemy. So he got on a ship going in the absolute opposite direction in order to get out of God's presence and hopefully away from being used in God's plan. But it didn't work.

Jonah in the deep

While at sea, God caused such a severe storm to arise that the ship's crew cast lots to see who was responsible for what they assumed correctly was a divine calamity. The lot fell to Jonah and he admitted that he was the culprit and he told them to throw him overboard so that the sea would become calm again. It probably seems strange that Jonah would suggest such a thing. One way you could look at it is that he didn't want to follow God's plan for him so badly that he would rather die than do it. Now that's rebellion. Or maybe he felt drowning was all he deserved after his direct disobedience. Jonah was a melancholy sort of guy. Whatever the reason; "they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea, and the sea ceased from its raging." (Jonah 1:15)

The Bible says; "Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights." (1:17) It is in this predicament that Jonah prayed his great prayer. Notice that God is the one who prepared the fish and in this act he demonstrated his sovereignty - and also his mercy. He did not allow Jonah to be drowned because he still had a plan for his life and he still had a plan for Nineveh.

Here is what the prayer says: "I cried out to the Lord because of my affliction, and He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. For You cast me into the deep, into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; all Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.' The waters surrounded me, even to my soul; the deep closed around me; Weeds were wrapped around my head. I went down to the moorings of the mountains; the earth with its bars closed behind me forever; Yet You have brought up my life from the pit, O Lord, my God. When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, Into Your holy temple." (Jonah 2:2-7)

Part description about what happened to him and part prayer to God, we sense an emotional tangle as dense as the sea bottom. I think when Jonah was thrown overboard he fully expected to die. He seemed resigned to it and at the same time a hope was rising from within him because he says; "Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple." Something from inside him still trusted even though he also felt that he had been cast outside of God's sight - outside of God's favor.

He must have come awfully close to death because he says that "the earth with its bars closed behind me forever" and then in the next moment he acknowledges that God brought his life back from the pit. His best moment is when he says that when his soul fainted within him, he remembered the Lord. It is the moment of the surrender of his will. He would no longer turn and run the other way; he would no longer fight the plan of God; he would no longer rebel.

Surrender, finally

Jonah is now ready to cooperate with God as he states in verse 9; "But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord." After some 72 hours in the belly of the fish he vowed that he would now do whatever God wanted him to do. That's what God was waiting for. The next verse tells us that "the Lord spoke to the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land." When the Lord said a second time to go to Nineveh, Jonah went and preached God's message to the great city.

The book of Jonah is the story of the sovereignty of God. Sovereignty means that God is ultimately in control of, well-everything. History, kings and rulers, the seas and the land, weather, the destiny of great cities, the path of a man. It also is the story of God's compassion. Maybe Jonah didn't want Nineveh to repent but God did. He wanted to show them his mercy in spite of the fact that they were heathens who did not worship him or follow his ways.

Okay, you might say, but what makes Jonah's prayer so great? Jonah's prayer is great because he finally surrendered. The story starts with a hard hearted and rebellious man who ultimately bowed his will before a sovereign God and obeyed. Jesus tells a similar story in Matthew 21:28-32 of the New Testament. A father had two sons and he told each of them to go work in his vineyard. The first son said "I will not". But then he regretted his decision and went out into the field to work. The second son said he would go but then did not. Jesus asks which of the two did the will of his father. The answer, of course, is the first son who initially refused.

God did not reject Jonah because he disobeyed; in fact, he patiently kept pursuing him and protecting him until he had a change of heart. This is good news for you if you have been in rebellion or disobedience. God will give you another chance. Maybe you are in a mess right now because of your own choices; maybe you are reaping what you have sown. Because of that you may have felt that you couldn't expect much help from God or that there was no way back to God's plan for your life. It should comfort you to know that God is still sovereign and he is still in the forgiving and restoration business.

If this is you, surrender is your key. Finally, once and for all, surrender your whole self to God's will and be determined that you will obey from now on no matter what he tells you to do. Then see what happens. You may have your own "Big Fish" story to tell someday. We all need to surrender to God. It is never too late to surrender. If you have one foot in the church and one foot in the world, give in to God, give up the playing around and get both feet in God's house. Now is the time to surrender! Pray the prayer of surrender to God.

God's School of Prayer, Number 5: The Prayer of Faith: To Receive You Must Believe

2010-02-23T22:20:00.000-08:00

To receive from God we must have faith. To receive healing you must beleive God heals. You must have faith in God. It is the foundation of all prayer. Have faith in God. He rewards those who seek Him! "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly, diligently seek Him." -- Hebrews ll:6

As Jesus promised us, when we ask we will receive, as long as we do our part and ask in faith, believing that God will answer. Look at verse 6 here,and note James is using a command again. “But when he asks, he MUST believe and not doubt.” It is a two part command. First, note the parallel of this verse to a statement of Jesus’ in Matthew 21:21-22: Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, `Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer."

Sound familiar? The book of James tells us similar truths. James was an excellent student of his brother’s teachings wasn’t he? The first command we find is we must believe or have faith. It doesn’t read we should have faith. The word here is pisteou which means “belief and conviction and assurance in,” and it refers to something more than just believing God will give us what we ask for, but also includes a confident, unwavering, and complete trust in God and submission to His will. Notice the connection here with the unwavering nature of God in His desire to give, and the nwavering trust we should have in Him in order to receive.

The true Christian prays with this kind of faith, not just lip service. Merely invoking God’s name doesn’t cut it, there must be faith. God will answer the prayers of Christians who have faith in Him. . Do you want access to all the great gifts God can give, including joy in the midst of trials? Then believe and have complete faith in God. If you don’t want to do that, then don’t waste your breath.

A big key to the prayer of faith is, “You must not doubt.” Not only do you have to be a believing Christian, but you must also not doubt. The word “doubt” or diakrino literally means “a divided calling or judgment.” Yes, you may be a Christian, but don’t expect to receive from God if you doubt. James wants us to have that absolute confidence and absolute faith in God. We cannot be half-mast Christians. Half way leads to nowhere.

James 5"16 states firmly that “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” God listens to His people and answers their prayers, if they are offered with the kind of faith James has mentioned. As an example, James gives us Elijah who, under the direction of God, prayed for no rain, and it didn’t rain. Then he prayed for rain, and the rains came. Prayers offered in faith by God’s children can do wonderful things! Without them we are like the dry land of the desert, parched and dry, thirsting for God.

Be diligent in your prayer life. Keep on praying. In your trouble, pray. In your happiness offer praises and prayers of thanks. In your illness, have others pray with you. Whatever your circumstances, be in prayer for those around you, whether they be your brothers and sisters in Christ, or family and friends who need the Lord. Pray.

Paul’s exhortation from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 serves as a nice summary of James’ exhortations: "Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in things."

Are you a man or woman of prater and faith? Such a man was Edward McKendree Bounds was born in northeastern Missouri on August 15, 1835, served as a confederate chaplain in the civil war and experienced something of the mighty work of God in the ranks of that army. He became a minister and retired at 60 to spend the last nineteen years of his life praying and writing about prayer. He arose at 4 a.m. each day. He completed eight books but only two were published during his lifetime, his most famous, "Power through Prayer" was one of those, published in 1907. Bounds' great insistence is upon the place of man or woman in prayer.

He famously wrote these words, "The trend of the day has a tendency to lose sight of man or sink the man in the plan or organisation. God's plan is to make much of the man, far more of him than of anything else. Men are God's method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. 'There was a man sent from God whose name was John'...What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organisations, or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Spirit can use - men of prayer, men mighty in prayer. The Holy Spirit does not flow through methods, but through men. He does not come on machinery, but on men. He does not anoint plans, but men - men of prayer"

Those words are as true today as the day E.M. Bounds wrote them over a century ago. We need men and women of prayer, now, more than ever.

God's School of Prayer, No. 4, Part Two: Blessing the Lord: Prayers of Praise

2010-02-16T11:58:00.000-08:00

Bless the Lord, O my soul!” cries the psalmist numerous times in his songs of praise. Psalm 34 and Psalm 103 are great examples of this action. But what does it mean to “bless” the Lord? Scripture tells us that “it is beyond dispute that the inferior is blessed by the superior” (Hebrews 7:7). So we ask, then can we, the infinitely inferior, bless the Lord, the Supremely Superior? Well, it only happens because God, our superior, desires and ordains that we can bless Him with our praises and our actions of worship and praise.

There are two main things that we do when we bless the Lord. The first is synonymous with giving thanks and praise. Some translations actually say, “Give thanks to the Lord,” where others say, “Bless the Lord.” So, blessing the Lord is praising Him and giving thanks to Him—for blessing us! The other thing we do when we bless the Lord is to proclaim Him blessed, to attest to His holy nature.
When we call God blessed, we are saying something about who God is. He is blessed, which is a synonym for “holy.” Blessed is God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! The Byzantine Divine Liturgy always opens with the glorious and magnificent “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, both now and forever and unto ages of ages!” When we speak of God as the recipient of our blessings (praises and thanksgivings), then He is blest. May the Lord be forever blest!

We are to bless the Lord, because too few people do it, and He deserves better that that from us! There is a great old hymn that says:“Blessed are You, O Christ our God... O Lover of Mankind, glory to You!” Blessing the Lord is a vocation, and not merely and occasional prayer formula for times when one is feeling happy. Let’s face it, for most people, the two main forms of prayer are Asking and Complaining. We come to God with a list of petitions, and if we don’t get what we want, we complain and grumble, or else we merely manifest our ongoing discontent with The Way Things Are. But we are to foremost have a relationship with God in prayer, and part of that is to bless the Lord, to praise Him and make Him the center of our attention.

Blessing the Lord can be a real “lift” in my prayer life. The Byzantine When we are glorifying God, he ianhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). To bless the Lord is ascend to a higher and more noble level of awareness, to gratefully recognize God’s universal providence, to honor his wisdom and his plan for the spiritual growth and salvation of all. It is a resounding “Yes!” to all God is and does. This does not mean that we are oblivious to the evil in the world; we simply acknowledge that God's wisdom, compassion, and timing are better than ours,and He is stronger than any evil, and we bless God in trusting Him. To bless the Lord makes us “transparent” to God’s grace, an opening for his light to come in to the world, while we simply lose ourselves in Him. We are to become windows for his light to come into the world.

We may very well do more good for ourselves and for the world by blessing the Lord than by asking for what we need. “For your Father knows what you need before you ask him… Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well” (Matthew 6:8, 33). That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ever ask, for Jesus also said, “Ask, and you shall receive,” but I think that our asking ought to be balanced by (at least) equal amounts of blessing.

So, bless the Lord, O my soul, and you, souls, all of you, bless the Lord! Proclaim his blessedness, his holiness and infinite goodness, and make sure that He is forever blest by your gratitude and praise. Gather all your prayers—petition, penitence, praise, worship, and thanksgiving (and even your complaints, if you must!)—and send them to Him in a package labeled: “Blessed are You, O God!” It’ll get there faster than any other.

God's School of Prayer, Second Semester, No. 4, Part One: The Power of Praise

2010-02-16T11:55:00.000-08:00

I will praise Thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart: And I will glorify Thy name forevermore. Psalm 86:12

The four lines of the Doxology have been the most frequently sung words of any known song for more than three hundred years. Even today nearly every English-speaking Protestant congregation still unites at least once each Sunday in this noble ascription of praise. It has been said that the doxology has done more to teach the doctrine of the Trinity than all the theological books ever written. It has often been called "the Protestant Te Deum Laudamus."

Bishop Thomas Ken wrote a number of hymns, and it was always his desire that Christians be allowed to express their praise to God without being limited only to Psalmody and the Bible canticles. He was one of the first English writers to produce hymns that were not merely versifications of the Psalms.

In 1673 Thomas Ken wrote a book entitled A Manual of Prayers for the Use of the Scholars of Winchester College. In one of the editions of this manual, Ken included three of his hymns that he wanted the students to sing each day as part of their devotions. These hymns were called "Morning Hymn," "Evening Hymn," and "Midnight Hymn." Each of these hymns closed with the familiar four lines we now know as the Doxology. The text of his "Morning Hymn" became especially popular. Two of the verses from this hymn are as follows:

"Awake, my soul, and with the sun Thy daily course of duty run, Shake off dull sloth, and early rise, To pay thy morning sacrifice. Direct, control, suggest, this day, All I design, or do, or say; That all my powers, with all their might, In Thy sole glory may unite." It is said that after Bishop Ken had written this hymn, he sang it to his own accompaniment on the lute every morning as part of his private devotions.

The tune for Bishop Ken's text, "Old Hundredth," is said to be the most famous of all Christian hymn tunes. It was composed or adapted by Louis Bourgeois, born in Paris, France, c. 1510. In 1541 Bourgeois moved to Geneva, Switzerland, where he became an ardent follower of John Calvin and the Reformed Reformation Movement. Here he was given the responsibility to provide the tunes for the new metrical psalms which were being prepared at that time. Bourgeois was largely responsible for the Genevan Psalter, a monumental musical publication, completed and published in 1562. The tune was prepared originally for the French version of Psalm 134 and was included in the Anglo-Genevan Psalter of 1551. The first English words to which it was wedded were William Kethe's version of Psalm 100, "All People That on Earth Do Dwell;" accordingly, the tune became known as "The Hundredth."

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!

2010-02-10T23:26:00.000-08:00

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. The Doxology

God is so amazing! He is our God and He has claimed us as His people! Glory be to God! God gives us favor and He orders our steps! Praise be His holy name!

We need to praise the Lord. Praise is a wonderful form of prayer! In the Old Testament, we see that David discovered that God inhabits the praises of His people. In other words, the very presence of God dwells in the midst of His people as they praise Him (Ps. 22:3).In Acts 15:15-18, James explains that what the Lord was doing in the Church of Acts was rebuilding the Tabernacle of David. He says:

"And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins thereof, and I will set it up: That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things."

It follows then, that the Church should conform itself to the pattern found in the Tabernacle of David. David was a man conformed to the heart of God. Both his life and his prophetic message found in the Psalms show us that the Lord’s dwelling place or tabernacle is made up of every believer who has entered into a love relationship with Christ. This relationship is based on a life dedicated to Christ, and expressed through prayer and praise and doing good in the world in His name.

The Father is seeking worshipers who will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:23). David spent time in God's presence and learned to offer acceptable sacrifices of worship. As New Testament priests, we are called to do the same (1 Pet. 2:5; Heb. 13:15).

The Importance of Praise to the Beleiver

Praise strengthens your faith.
Praise tunes you in to God’s enriching presence.
Praise activates God’s power in your life and in the life of your loved ones.
Praise helps you profit more from your trials.
Praise helps you experience Christ in your life.
Praise helps you demonstrate God’s reality
Praise helps you over come Satan and his strategies.
Praise brings glory and pleasure to God.

God's School of Prayer No. 3: Pray for the Lost and Unchurched -- Share the Romans Road to Salvation With Them!

2010-02-07T19:16:00.000-08:00

I hope you gain a burden to pray for the lost and for the unchurched. Share with them the Romans Road to Salvation that follows. Jesus Christ is the answer for the world today!

The Romans Road to Salvation

The ROMANS ROAD....is a pathway you can walk. It is a group of Bible verses from the book of Romans in the New Testament. If you walk down this road you will end up understanding how to be saved.

Romans 3:23 "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

We all have sin in our hearts. We all were born with sin. We were born under the power of sin's control.
- Admit that you are a sinner.

Romans 6:23a "...The wages of sin is death..."

Sin has an ending. It results in death. We all face physical death, which is a result of sin. But a worse death is spiritual death that alienates us from God, and will last for all eternity. The Bible teaches that there is a place called the Lake of Fire where lost people will be in torment forever. It is the place where people who are spiritually dead will remain. - Understand that you deserve death for your sin.

Romans 6:23b "...But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Salvation is a free gift from God to you! You can't earn this gift, but you must reach out and receive it.
- Ask God to forgive you and save you.
Romans 5:8, "God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us!"
When Jesus died on the cross He paid sin's penalty. He paid the price for all sin, and when He took all the sins of the world on Himself on the cross, He bought us out of slavery to sin and death! The only condition is that we believe in Him and what He has done for us, understanding that we are now joined with Him, and that He is our life. He did all this because He loved us and gave Himself for us! - Give your life to God... His love poured out in Jesus on the cross is your only hope to have forgiveness and change. His love bought you out of being a slave to sin. His love is what saves you -- not religion, or church membership. God loves you!

Romans 10:13 "Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved!"
- Call out to God in the name of Jesus!

Romans 10:9,10 "...If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead, you shall be saved; for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

- If you know that God is knocking on your heart's door, ask Him to come into your heart.

God's School of Prayer, Second Semester, No. 2: "The Greatest Prayer Ever Prayed"

2010-02-02T14:08:00.000-08:00

John 17 gives us the high priestly prayer of Jesus. Some call it the greatest prayer ever prayed. Jesus prayed this prayer for you and me, for his church. Matthew 6:5-14 may contain Jesus’ model prayer, but this is really surely alsoa prayer that can be called the Lord’s prayer, Jesus’ prayer from the heart for those of us who would believe on account of the testimony of those who had gone on before.

Jesus prays for us. Jesus prays that God will be with us in the world. Jesus has prayed for you -- that all will be well with you. And that God will be with you in the world.

Then Jesus asks that we will have joy! This may be rather hard for us to understand. Jesus uses a kind of reasoning that turns all human reasoning upside down. It is God’s reasoning. Jesus prays that you and I have joy in the midst of all that pulls us in this world in which we live.

Jesus requests that we be sanctified. Sanctification is a word that we use too seldom. In fact, many of us may not even know what it means. Let’s all say it together: sanctification. It means purified or made holy. It is a process of transformation that only happens when we walk with God on a daily basis. It only happens when we consciously turn toward God and accept God’s love. Perhaps we can best understand sanctification from a human perspective in terms of discipline. It is the in the spiritual disciplines that we open ourselves to God. In the process God transforms us.

From God’s perspective sanctification is a setting apart. Our life in God is a life apart from many of the things that tug at us as humans. It is a life set apart for being God’s son and daughter. It is a life set apart for living in God’s kingdom.

Then, in John 17:20-26 Jesus prays for the unity of His followers -- that includes you and me -- and he says his praye is not just for the disciples but those who will believe. Praise God, that is us!

Jesus asks that the Church show the same oneness that exists between Jesus and the Father. This is a difficult one for us to understand. All churches -- congregations and denominations -- seem to be filled with divisions. It is Jesus’ continuing prayer for us that we will be one.

1. Our Unity Testifies To Christ’s Love (Verses 25-26)

•John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
•When we get along as a church we show that there is an abundance of love in the body of Christ. If we want to testify to Christ’s love we must love each other. 1 John 4:20 makes it very clear that if we can’t love each other whom we have seen we have no hope of loving God whom we can’t see.

•Some of our hearts are cramped and small – our love is insufficient how do we over come this? Pray, 1 Thessalonians 3:12 Paul prays, “May the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.”

•Our love is dependent on God filling us with his love. Our love is insufficient, often for the people we like. His love is all-sufficient, even for the people we don’t like.

2. Our Unity Celebrates Eternity (Verse 24)

•We will be united in heaven with all believers – we’d might as well learn how to get along now. Revelation 7:9-10, every nation, tribe tongue, denomination…

•When we recognize our unity and celebrate it we get a glimpse of heaven. Our communion celebration is a prophetic event looking forward to eating of it in the kingdom of God when Christ will join us forever! (Matthew 26:29) I believe we ought to eat together and celebrate together it is practice for heaven.

3. Our Unity Shines God's Glory (Verses 22-23)

•In Albuquerque N.M. there is the Sandia National Laboratory which operates a reflective solar power plant, using over 200,000 mirrors aligned around a tower they reflect the sun onto one area in order to generate electricity.

•The church is like that, when we are all aligned and looking towards God hen we reflect his glory and show the world his incredible power.

•I don’t look in my rear view mirror to admire the craftsmanship of the hinge and reflective glass that makes it up, I look into it to see something that lies outside of my car. We are mirrors pointed to God, people don’t want to see us they want to see Jesus and that is our glory when people look at us and they see Jesus.
•We should point that back to Jesus Christ, just like the Trinity. Corner any member of the Trinity for worship and they reflect you to another member. The Spirit points us towards Jesus, Jesus points us towards the Father and the Father asks, “Have you met my son?”

•When we unite as a church – not just here but globally we most brilliantly reflect the glory of Christ. We also more accurately reflect his glory. When we forget that we’re not the only Christians God appears very anemic, lop-sided. But when we unite with other believers we fully reflect the glory of God.

4. Our Unity Starts With A Prayer -- the Prayer of Jesus that is Still Being Answered (Vs. 20-21)

•Jesus started our unity with a prayer and it is still in the process of being answered today.

•Today I want us to pray for unity, just as Jesus did. Let us follow his example. Let us agree with Jesus and his great prayer for unity. The unity can start right here in our church, in our community. It can start with us. John Bunyan said it best, “You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.”

Today, my brothers and sisters Jesus continues to pray for us. Can you hear him? His last earthly prayers are for you and for me. May we truly love one another.May you have true joy! And may you be set apart -- sanctified -- service in God’s kingdom. May the Spirit unite us in His service. Amen and Amen.

No. 1, Part Four: Declarations in Prayer: Bringing Scriptural Reality into Your Life

2010-01-25T00:12:00.000-08:00

Declarations can be a part of your regular prayer time or stand-alone prayers anytime during the day. Jsut begin with "Praise the Lord" or "Thank you God," or "In Jesus' Name" and add a statement that is based on Scripture. When you say it aloud you bring the reality of God's Word (which is the greater reality) into the world in your behalf. Here are declarations with the Scriptures they are based on. Meditate on these holy, power-filled Scriptures and then declare their truth into your life.

I am a member of the Body of Christ and Satan has no power over me. I overcome evil with good. (Luke 10:19, 1 Cor. 12:27, Romans 12:21)

God has promised as a part of my heritage that no weapon formed against me will prosper. (Isaiah 54:17)

I am delivered from the evils of this present world for it is the will of God. (Galatians 1:4)

I will live and not die to declare the works of the Lord. (Psalms 118:17)

Because I am a doer of God's Word, I am blessed in my deeds. (James 1:22, 25)

Because I am submitted to God and I resist the devil, he must flee from me. (James 4:7)

Great is the peace of my children for they are taught of the Lord. (Isaiah 54:13, Deut. 6:7)

Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law. Christ has redeemed me from poverty. Christ has redeemed me from sickness and disease. Christ has redeemed me from spiritual death. (Galatians 3:13, Deut. 28)

Because I delight myself in the Lord, He gives me the desires of my heart. (Psalms 37:4)

The Lord has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant. The blessing of Abraham is mine through Jesus Christ. (Psalms 35:27, Galatians 3:14)

I have received the gift of righteousness and I reign as a king in life by Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17)

I trust in the Lord with all my heart and I do not lean to my own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

In all of my ways I do acknowledge Him and He directs my paths. (Proverbs 3:6)

The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. (Psalms 138:8)

I let the Word of Christ dwell in me richly in all wisdom. (Colossians 3:16)

I do follow the Good Shepherd and I know His voice. I will not listen to the voice of a stranger. (John 10:4-5)

I am a new creation in Christ Jesus. My old nature is taken away, behold all things have become new! (2 Cor. 5:17)

I am not conformed to this world but am transformed by the renewing of my mind. My mind is renewed by the Word of God. (Romans 12:2)

I am fruitful in every good work and I am increasing in the knowledge of God. I am strengthened with all might according to His glorious power. (Colossians 1:10-11)

I am delivered from the power (authority) of darkness and I have been translated into the kingdom of God's Dear Son. Therefore, sin, Satan, demons, sickness, disease, bondages, strongholds, and poverty has no authority over me! (Colossians 1:13)

I am born of God and I have world overcoming faith residing on the inside of me. Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world. (1 John 5:4-5, 1 John 4:4)

I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)

Jesus gave me the authority to use His Name. That which I bind on earth is bound in Heaven. That which I loose on earth is loosed in Heaven. Therefore, in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I bind the principalities, the powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world. I bind and cast down spiritual wickedness in high places and render them harmless and ineffective against me and my family in the Name of Jesus! (Matthew 16:19, John 16:23-24, Ephesians 6:12)

I am of God and have overcome Satan by the blood of Jesus and the word of my testimony. Greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world. (Rev. 12:11, 1 John 4:4)

No. 1, Part Three: "The Prayer if Faith: Our Model Prayer Jesus Gave Us -- The Lord's Prayer"

2010-01-25T00:03:00.000-08:00

The Lord's Prayer contains three amazing declarations and three profound petitions.

1. Our Father, which art in Heaven,. hallowed be Thy Name. Declaration

2. Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven. Declaration

3. Give us this day our daily bread. Petition

1. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Petition

2. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Petition

3. For Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory forever. Declarion

Amen. Agreement with all who have ever said this prayer, starting with the Lord Jesus.

Jesus says “Our Father which art in heaven" This is where all prayer begins = Faith in God. In Mark 11:22 Jesus says, "Have faith in God!" That is where prayer starts, with faith in God. This faith statement, this declaration of God's truth, aligns with the Bible truth. Jesus says we should relate to God, as Father, as part of His family, as children of the living God. And "which art in heaven" speaks of his sovereignty, of being more than earthly, of being over the earth. It speaks of another spiritual reality: heaven, where God is and where we will go.

Then comes a praise portion to the declaration of God's truth -- "Hallowed be thy name!" Holy is your name. This is true. And it is also a praise. God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22).

Then the great declaration comes of what will happen = we believe we will receive it. "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” This states what is to come in God's ppart of the prayer represents adoration. This is the part of prayer where one would show his or her high esteem, honor, and admiration for the Lord through exaltation and glorification. As Jesus demonstrates, adoration can be short and to the point. In the Lord’s prayer, there are only two short (yet sincere) statements of adoration.

We have the petition" “Give us this day, our daily bread.” This section of the prayer is the supplication section, in which a request or plea is made. Here, the request is for the day and the daily bread. According to Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, the request for daily bread is literally a request for daily subsistence, or daily needs. This is a material request, yet it is not an extravagant one. This request is indicative of the promises of the Lord throughout scripture that state that the Lord will provide the basic needs of the believer. Where God guides, He will provide.

Forgiveness is a key part of Christianity. We are saved by God's forgiveness. And we are to forgive others. “And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debts, as we forgive our debtors.’’ Jesus is instructing the disciples to ask God for forgiveness of sin through confession. According to Strong’s Hebrew ad Greek Dictionaries, the word forgive in this verse means to lay aside, or to forsake. By the same token, believers are also expected to forgive those who have sinned against them in the same manner. When a believer prays, they are therefore to ask for forgiveness from the Lord, and to also have a heart open to forgiving those who have wronged them.

Then Jesus asks God the father to “lead us not into temptation, but to deliver us from all evil: Once again, Jesus presents a request before the Father. However, the request is a spiritual request rather than a material request. Christ asks the father to deliver him and his disciples from all evil. According to Strong’s, this evil refers to anything hurtful, including calamity, illness, malice, and from the devil. This model instructs the believer to not only petition the Lord for material needs , but also for spiritual blessings.

"For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” The prayer ends with a great declaration of Who God is and what is God's. It has an element of praise and adoration, but it also calls the future God has promised to come to pass. Amen is an agreement with everyone else in all the ages who have said or who will say this prayer. It means -- SO BE IT! The word "amen" by itself is a declaration of God's power and goodness.

No. 1, Part Two: The Prayer of Faith; Prayer as Declaration"

2010-01-24T19:51:00.000-08:00

We need constantly to be reminded that faith is the one inseparable condition of successful praying. There are other considerations entering into the exercise, but faith is the final, the one indispensable condition of true praying. As it is written: "Without faith, it is impossible to please Him."

Faith must assert itself and bid the foes to prayer depart. Ask God for more faith. Ask Him morning, noon and night, while you walk by the way, while you sit in the house, when you lie down and when you rise up; ask Him simply to impress Divine things more deeply on your heart, to give you more and more of the substance of things hoped for and of the evidence of things not seen.

May faith be yours in increasing measure. One way we see such faith exhibited in the Lord’s model prayer, the Lord’s Prayer. It was taught by Jesus to his disciples. It provided the golden key to the power-house of God. Learning to pray was the one, the only, secret they needed to know to carry the ministry after Jesus' death.

The Lord's Prayer is a prayer of faith that can be said in one quarter of a minute, just fifteen seconds.. The power comes, not in the saying,of the prayer, but in the praying of the prayer from one’s own heart.

Charles Allen, author of 'God's Psychiatry" says, "Praying is not saying words. Words merely form the frame on which the temple of thought is built. The power of the Lord's Prayer is not in the words, but rather in the pattern of thinking in which our minds are formed. When our thoughts begin to flow in the channels of the Lord's Prayer our minds do become new, and we are transformed."

What amazing confidence did our Lord have in us! C. F. Andrews reminds us of an old legend that tells us that when Jesus returned to heaven He was asked by an angel:

"What have you left behind to carry out the work?"

Jesus answered: "A little band of men and women who love me."

"But what if they fail when the trial comes? Will all you have done be defeated?"

"Yes," said Jesus, "if they fail, all I have done will be defeated."

"Is there nothing more?"

"No," said Jesus, "there is nothing more."

'What then?"

Jesus quietly replied "They will not fail."

With a confidence like that, when we face tomorrow, we can triumphantly declare: "For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen."

When we pray the Lord's prayer with meaning, we see the complete victory of God in our own lives and our world. We are declaring God’s thoughts for all the world to hear. We are calling it into existence. It is a prayer of declaration!

God's School of Prayer, Second Semester, No. 1 "The Prayer of Faith: Declarations in Prayer"

2010-01-24T19:45:00.000-08:00

I am amazed by the Bible, by its depth and breadth and it promises for the believer. I am struck by what it says in the letters in red, the word of Jesus. He says some surprising things. He speaks of power beyond our human comprehension. Such is the case in Mark 11:24. He says” “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” Wow! Did he say that? Yes, Jesus did!

Genuine, authentic faith must be definite and free of doubt. Not simply general in character; not a mere belief in the being, goodness and power of God, but a faith which believes that the things which "he saith, shall come to pass."

As the faith is specific, so the answer likewise will be definite. Our eyes should be taken off self, removed from our own weakness and allowed to rest implicitly upon God’s strength. Never forget that with God, all things are possible. Not a few things. Not some things. But the Bible says, all things are possible with God.

Jesus says in our Scripture – Have Faith in God! A simple, confiding faith, living day by day, and casting its burden on the Lord, each hour of the day, will dissipate fear, drive away misgiving and deliver from doubt:

We need to keep on praying, "Lord, increase our faith," for faith is susceptible of increase. Paul’s tribute to the Thessalonians was, that their faith grew exceedingly. Faith is increased by exercise, by being put into use. It is nourished by sore trials where we get through them through faith in God!

Faith grows by reading and meditating upon the Word of God. Most, and best of all, faith thrives in an atmosphere of prayer. It would be well, if all of us were to stop, and inquire personally of ourselves: "Have I faith in God? Have I real faith,—faith which keeps me in perfect peace, about the things of earth and the things of heaven?" And there is another question, closely like it in significance and importance—"Do I really pray to God so that He hears me and answers my prayers? And do I truly pray unto God so that I get direct from God the things I ask of Him?"

Prayer is absolutely dependent upon faith. It has no existence apart from it, and accomplishes nothing unless it is its inseparable companion. Faith makes prayer effectual, and in a certain important sense, must precede it. "For he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him."(Heb 11:6)

Before prayer ever starts toward God; before its requests are made known—faith must have gone on ahead; must have asserted its belief in the existence of God; must have given its assent to the gracious truth that "God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek His face." This is the primary step in praying. In this regard, while faith does not bring the blessing, yet it puts prayer in a position to ask for it, and leads to another step toward realization, by aiding the petitioner to believe that God is able and willing to bless.

Faith starts prayer to work—clears the way to the mercy-seat. It gives assurance, first of all, that there is a mercy-seat, and that there the High Priest awaits the pray-ers and the prayers. Faith opens the way for prayer to approach God. But it does more. It accompanies prayer at every step she takes. It is her inseparable companion and when requests are made unto God, it is faith which turns the asking into obtaining. And faith follows prayer, since the spiritual life into which a believer is led by prayer, is a life of faith.

The one prominent characteristic of the experience into which believers are brought through prayer, is not a life of works, but of faith. Faith makes prayer strong, and gives it patience to wait on God. Faith believes that God is a rewarder. No truth is more clearly revealed in the Scriptures than this, while none is more encouraging.

Doing Things in the Name of Jesus -- Praying in His Mighty Name!

2010-01-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

Doing something in someone else’s name has a distinct legal meaning that is the same under our law as well as Hebrew, Greek, and Roman law.

If you stop someone in the name of the law, it means that you have been given legal authority to stop that person, and that as a private citizen, you have no such authority. If you donate a gift in someone else’s name, it means that they get the credit for it as if they had done it themselves. You do not get the credit for the gift.

If you put property in someone’s name, it means that they become the owner of it. You no longer control that property. If a wealthy man hires me and gives me a power of attorney to purchase real estate, and if I act within that authorization, I could purchase a shopping mall in his name. I would receive no benefit from that transaction, except for his gratitude and the salary he chooses to pay me. If I tried to buy a shopping center on my own, they’d laugh me out of the bank. But if I go in his name, they would do business with me.

If you appoint someone to act in your name, it means that they can act as your agent within the restrictions you impose. Jesus has empowered His followers to act in His name to do certain specified deeds: feed the hungry, clothe the naked, preach the gospel, and so on.

If you do something in Jesus’ name it means that you do it with the authority He gave you and not on your own authority, and that you act within the limits of your authorization, whatever those limits may be. You act as His agent, in His stead, to His credit and for His benefit. You have no benefit from your deeds except His thanks and whatever reward He chooses to give you.

Now we can understand the relationship between faith and works and the necessity for Christians to live holy lives. We are His ambassadors, His hands on earth extended to do His will.

However, we can hire on as Jesus’ slaves. Jesus is the spiritual millionaire who hires us to manage a part of His holdings. He gives us a power of attorney so that we can transact business in His name and gives us infallible guidelines through His commandments. We no longer do good deeds on our own behalf in order to obtain salvation, for all our deeds are in His name and go to His account. We work to show ourselves good stewards of His trust, confident that He will reward those who serve Him well.

It is necessary to do good works, but it is only profitable to do the works that Jesus assigns us and authorizes us to do as His agents and to conduct His business in His name. We do not work to be saved; we work because we have been saved, and strive to show ourselves worthy of His trust. How many talents have you been given? Invest them wisely! Manage them well! Don’t just put them in a safe deposit box and hide them away until His return! (Matthew 25:14-30)

If you do something in Jesus’ name it means that you do it with the authority He gave you and not on your own authority, and that you act within the limits of your authorization, whatever those limits may be. You act as His agent, in His stead, to His credit and for His benefit. Praise the Lord!

Sermon on The Need for Dependence on the Holy Spirit part two: "Be Clothed with Power from On High!

2010-01-18T04:27:00.000-08:00

Pentecost calls us to a heart purity. Peter made this clear when he addressed the first Christian council at Jerusalem: “And God who knows the heart bore witness to them, giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us; and he made no distinction between us and them, but cleansed their hearts by faith” (Acts 15:8-9).In essence, what Peter said was this: “Exactly the same thing that God did in our hearts on the Day of Pentecost, He has now performed in the hearts of the Gentiles.” And what was it God did? He “cleansed their hearts by faith.”
The word “heart” is used symbolically to denote the seat of our affections, emotions, desires, attitudes, and motives. Cleansing of the heart, therefore, refers to a radical inner cleansing of the center of our personalities. We need to get rid of our baggage and old clothes in order to make room for the Spirit to work in our lives. Clean out your heart. Everything must go that is not in line with the Lord's purposes!This cleansing was very evident in the lives of Christ’s disciples. Before Pentecost, on many occasions they manifested un-Christlike attitudes and reactions. For example, they exhibited pride. They argued among themselves who was greatest in the kingdom of Heaven (Luke 9:46). They manifested selfishness. They requested Jesus to grant them thrones on the right and on the left when He established His kingdom (Mark 10:35-40).
They also demonstrated narrow-mindedness. Once when they saw someone who was not of their group casting out demons, they sought to restrain him (Mark 9:38). The disciples at times reacted in anger. Once, while traveling through Samaria, when they were refused lodging and hospitality by the Samaritans, they wanted to call down fire upon these people (Luke 9:54-56). They exhibited carnal fear and cowardice. On the night of Christ’s arrest and trial, they fled and hid themselves. Peter denied his Lord three times (Matt. 26:56, 69-75).

At Pentecost the Holy Spirit performed radical spiritual surgery in the disciples’ hearts. Pride was replaced with humility, self-seeking with the spirit of service, narrow-mindedness with sympathy, anger with love, and carnal fear with holy boldness. Many present-day disciples of Christ need a similar divine operation in their lives.

The desire to be filled with the Spirit must be accompanied by the willingness to be made pure. The Spirit of God is fundamentally the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit is absolutely opposed to evil. To affirm that I want to be filled with the Spirit is to declare that I am willing to be emptied of all my unholy attitudes and spirit. Many of us pray with our lips, “Lord, fill me,” but inwardly we say, “Lord, not entirely! don’t expose my resentments; don’t disturb my comforts.” But God cannot compromise with sin. He puts His finger upon anything that gets between us and Him, and between us and our fellow-men. With the fire of the Holy Spirit, He wants to purify us in our innermost being.

An evangelist friend of mine was invited to conduct a preaching mission is a certain city and was entertained in the home of a middle-aged couple. When the hostess escorted the evangelist to the guest room, she said in a welcome voice, “Now, I want you to make yourself completely at home. Hang your suits up in the closet and put your other clothes in the drawers. This is your room.” The visitor took the hostess at her word, removed everything from his suitcase, and spread it out on the bed. But when he went to the closet to hang up his clothes, he found it jammed full of suits, dresses, slacks, and topcoats, with no empty hanger. When he opened the top drawer of the dresser, it was full of old clothing and rags. He tried the next; it was full also. Likewise, the bottom drawer was crammed with old picture albums and family heirlooms. There was absolutely no room for his clothes, so he put them all back into his suitcase.

When we say to the Holy Spirit, “Make yourself at home,” we can’t expect to keep anything hidden in the secret closets and drawers of our hearts. We must be willing to be emptied of all that is contrary to His nature and will. He must be more than a Guest; he must be Lord. This means He will do a thorough job of housecleaning and will rearrange the furniture to His own plan.

Yes, a major result of Pentecost is power, but it is power from on high. After the experience of Pentecost, the disciples displayed a stronger faith, a new spirit of confidence and courage. They possessed power beyond themselves to withstand persecution and temptation, and to witness boldly to the resurrection of the Lord.
How the Church today needs this supernatural power—power to reach out beyond the confines of brick and mortar, and to carry the spiritual offensive into the strongholds of society! The Church needs power to break out of routine and formality, and to perform exploits in the Master’s name; power to call people to repentance and true righteousness; power to transform individuals and change society!

Pentecost was not merely a historical event; it is a present possibility. It was not a fleeting incident, external to the real core and course of the life of the Church. It is a profoundly vital experience with abiding values and permanent principles. It was not only a particular day, but is an extended dispensation. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was not for the Apostolic Church only; it rests, as both obligation and opportunity, upon the Church of every generation.

Pntecost is age-long and planet-wide. Given a child of God utterly yielding, trustfully expecting, any room may become an Upper Room, any day a Day of Pentecost. Be filled with the Spirit and with power from on high!

Sermon on Dependence on the Spirit: Be Clothed With Power from On High

2010-01-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

In Luke 24:45-49. Jesus promises that He will send the Holy Spirit, and He asks His disciples to wait in the city until the Holy Spirit comes. He says that when this happens, they will be “clothed with power from on high.”

We all know when we are clothed and when we are not. The Greek here literally means “to be clothed.” This indicates that we will have the Holy Spirit covering us, protecting us, making us look good, empowering us. Just like we would not go anywhere without our clothing, so as Christians we should not go anywhere without the Holy Spirit covering us. Without the Spirit, we are incomplete and unprepared for public ministry, but with Him, we are able to witness “to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (verse 47).

Again we see this promise made by Jesus in Acts 1:7-8. At this time, Jesus was leaving His disciples and ascending into heaven. In His last words He again says to them, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” Note that here again the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is referred to as including the gift of power for witness.

We can only imagine what it was actually like to wait for the power to be fully evidenced.For one thing, the disciples did not know how long they would have to wait. (Fifty days from Easter and ten days from the day Jesus ascended into heaven.) What was it really like to spend days, not just hours, in a long prayer meeting? They did not even know how long they would have to wait. Those who were willing to wait and tarry in the presence of the Lord ultimately were baptized in the Holy Spirit.

When the Holy Spirit arrived, He did not do so quietly. Discuss the wind (and the power of a great wind). Give examples of being in a great wind or tornado. A mighty wind blows away so many things that are not tacked down. Likewise, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit removes things out our lives which do not belong there, making room for the fullness of the power of God!

The fire was a blast from heaven. God wants to set us on fire so we are bold to proclaim the good news and step out in faith to heal and change people’s lives. Pentecost was not a slight breeze, but more like a hurricane. nor was it tiny little flame, but rather a licking blaze. Something powerful and distinctive happened when these people were baptized in the Holy Spirit!

The Church today need not go on in its powerless ineffective condition. All the mighty resources of the Holy Spirit are at its disposal. The individual Christian need not remain spiritually weak and anemic. He can tarry in surrender and faith and be “clothed with power from on high.” Just as atomic power represents the release of hidden forces in the physical world, so Pentecost represents the release of invisible forces in the realm of personality.

In the same way, the Holy Spirit may be residing in a believer and yet may not be able to penetrate every part of his being. There are too many hindrances. Resentments, uncontrolled temper, pride, doubt, and other unchristian attitudes are casting shadows in his heart. What the individual needs is not more of the Spirit, but to allow the Spirit to possess more, yes, all of him. Then he will be “filled with the Spirit.”

Living as Children of God -- Seek Him and You Will Find Him!

2010-01-03T20:48:00.000-08:00

In 2010 we need to grasp what it is to live as "children of the living God." We need to live in the reality that God has plans for us. We need to live in the truth that Jesus loves us. That is one awesome truth. But we often take it for granted!

Jesus shows us the love God has for us. In the Old Testament, Isaiah speaks of that love in Isaiah, chapter 40, verse 11, where he states, " He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young."

We see that God purposes to draw His people to Himself, to love them, to cherish them, to remain in close relationship to them. He is not “the God”, some distant creator, but He is the “Lord your God” – a phrase that appears more than 400 times in the ESV.

So if we are in close relationship with the living God, we need never fear evil. We always have a future and a hope, as Jeremiah 29:11-13 proclaims to us – because God controls the future, and He will keep and guard His people.

In light of the relational aspect of shalom, consider verses 12 to 14a. In effect, God here gives His definition of “shalom”, this great wholeness, this complete peace:

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart, 14 I will be found by you, declares the LORD, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations

This is a picture of real, personal intimacy. They call, He hears. They seek Him with all their heart, they put Him first - and they find Him.

He opens those doors to us. He asks us to "Seek me! Trust me! Delight in me!” In the Bible, God shows us that every trial has a purpose, and that God's people can be in relationship with Him no matter what their circumstances might be. These are two precious promises – much more precious than any promise of economic prosperity.

Never forget that Jesus is the prince of peace – the prince of shalom! Isaiah 9:7 says, "Of the increase of his government and of peace (shalom) there will be no end."

Let us seek His face! Let us be His people, then be part of His plan! Delight in Him, and He will fulfill the desires of your heart. As you do that, God will give you shalom. Let us serve Him in our time here. In reality, we are aliens and strangers here and our hope is not in this world. But we can make this world a better place by serving Him again in 2010!

God's Dreams Are Bigger Than Yours -- Dream God's Dreams

2010-01-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

One of the most fascinating and important characters in history is the man Moses. Moses always had a sense of God's call on his life, but it took him some time to determine exactly how he was to fulfill it. The lesson Moses eventually learned is that a person becomes most effective in life when he or she decides to do God's will God's way.

Your Entire Life Has Been Leading Up To God's Call

God prepared Moses from the very beginning, and led him throughout his life.

Birth: Though Pharaoh had ordered the execution of all Hebrew babies born during this time, God protected Moses and his life was spared.

The Early Ambition of Moses: At an early age Moses had the desire to rescue his people from the torment of their Egyptian captors. This resulted in his murder of an Egyptian for mistreating a Hebrew, which forced Moses to flee the country and live as a shepherd in the land of Midian for the next 40 years.

The Re-Education of Moses: During his time as a sheepherder, there were some important changes taking place in Moses' personal life, which would enable him to be used by Go. AND HE WAS USED BY GOD IN A MIGHTY WAY!

God has big plans for you, and your entire life has been leading you toward his plan for your life.

God Will Wait Until You're Ready to Be Used

God will not send you out until you're ready—he gives you the chance to prepare.

When Moses intervened in the conflict between the Egyptian and the Israelite, he thought he was ready, but he wasn't.

God was waiting for Moses to be ready to be used. When the time finally arrived, you see a tremendous difference in Moses' attitude.

There are times when you will need to wait on God's timing, but don't make God wait on you.

God's Dreams Are Bigger Than Yours
Moses' dream for helping the Israelites was to help people one by one, but God's plan was that Moses would lead a nation of slaves to freedom.

God's dream will take you beyond your comfort zone and challenge you to do something bigger than anything you could have imagined.

Lew Wallace, the author of Ben Hur, had modest expectations for the book's success. God's plan was much bigger, and the book sold millions of copies and was made into three motion pictures.

God's will God's way involves asking him to give you a dream for your life that is so magnificent that unless he fuels the dream you have no chance of succeeding.

You will be most effective in life if you seek to do God's will God's way, and are ready when He calls.

God Has Your Welfare in the Palm of His Hand

2010-01-02T07:13:00.000-08:00

Jeremiah was a prophet who prophesied during the last years of the kingdom of Judah in the late 7th and early 6th centuries BC. The verses I want to examine come from a section known as the First Letter to the Exiles; written after the first Babylonian captivity (597 BC), but before Jerusalem ’s final destruction (586 BC). Jeremiah had repeatedly warned the people of judgment to come should they refuse to repent. They refused. Now they were in the midst of a bad situation. God used the prophet Jeremiah to bring a message of hope to his people.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm, plans to give you a hope and a future. Then you will call upon and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:11-13, NIV).

Naturally speaking, perhaps we expect to find Jeremiah saying, "See, I told you so." That isn't the picture at all. Jeremiah didn't care about being "right." He cared about God's people. He offered a word from God; not a word of reprimand, but a word of hope—when the exiles' situation seemed darkest.

God does not change. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Therefore, I tell you, God has a word for you today. "For I know the plans I have for you...plans to give you a future and a hope."

Though the original hearers of this message faced a bleak situation—they’d lost homes, land, and independence—God looked to their future. He saw beyond their circumstances. Perhaps you are in the midst of a fiery trial right now and you don't know what to do. God has a word for you. He has plans for you, and they are good plans. God looks beyond your circumstances, no matter what trial you are facing. God has plans for you. Don't believe the heresy, spread from too many pulpits in our land, that Christians never suffer. Don't be lulled to sleep with soft messages. God is using that trial, the heartache, the headache to shape you. Pain will give way to a future hope.

The NIV translates the Hebrew word Shalom, as "to prosper," an unfortunate translation in light of the health and wealth heresy that spews forth from so many pulpits today. The word is translated "peace" in the KJV, and "welfare" in the NASB. I like the NASB translation best, for though a literal translation is "peace," the meaning entails more than our familiar definition of the word. When hostilities cease, the world says that is peace. God's peace goes beyond the cessation of hostilities. It brings harmony.

Even though Judah was being chastised for her sin, God was planning a future and a hope. Even though we may have to eat the bitter fruit of our self-willed ways, God is planning good plans for each of us.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! God Has Plans for YOU!

2010-01-01T10:06:00.000-08:00

"For I know the plans I have for you...plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

What a joy and relief it is to know that God Himself has a plan for us, plans with faith and a future. Here God gives us a firm foundation simply because God tells us that it is so. We may have days this year when we won't believe this. After all, we are smart enough to handle our own lives--until something unexpected breaks our hearts and the hearts of those we cherish.

Imagine knowing that our loving Father God has us in His thoughts constantly; that they are thoughts of harmony. It hurts Him to know that our life is full of commotion and competition. He never meant for it to be that way, for He is not the author of confusion but of peace (1 Corinthians 14:33). If life is wrong, perhaps we are doing or thinking something that interrupts His purpose of goodness for us.

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace" (Isaiah 55:12); "Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare" (Psalm 40:5); "Your beginnings will seem humble, so prosperous will your future be" (Job 8:7).

Father, forgive our unbelief, our prejudices, and our fragmentations that put blinders on our understanding of your truth and purity and loveliness. They are praiseworthy and excellent! And thank You for Your plans for this day and this year. May we come to see ourselves as God sees us -- through the eyes of faith and hope, with good plans for us, of a future with Him!

I pray that as each of you leave this posting today you will no longer see yourself through your husband's eyes, your children's eyes, your friends' eyes, your parent's eyes, the world's eyes, or even your own eyes....but you will see yourself through your Father's eyes, as His child:

Make this your daily declaration of His power and grace in your life and His might in the world.....

I am Loved by God
Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:4

I am Forgiven
John 3:16; Acts 13:38-39

I am a New Creation in God
2 Corinthians 5:17

I belong to God – I am His Child through Christ
2 Corinthians 6:16-18; 1John 3:1-2

I am Holy through Jesus Christ’s work in my life
Hebrews 10:10; 2 Timothy 2:21

I am Set Apart by God
Jeremiah 1:5

I am Made with a Purpose that is Special to God
Jeremiah 29:11; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Peter 4:10

I am Protected by God and His angels
Psalm 28:7; Isaiah 41:10; Ps. 91

I am a Temple of the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

I am an ambassador and prayer warrior for Jesus
2 Corinthians 5:20 Ephesians 6:10-19

Powerful Bible Verses to Strengthen Your Prayer Faith

2009-12-28T16:44:00.000-08:00

1 Chronicles 16:11
Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.

2 Chronicles 7:14-15
If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place.

Psalm 4:1
Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress; be merciful to me and hear my prayer.

Psalm 5:3
My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning I will direct my prayer to You, and I will look up.

Psalm 17:1
Hear, O LORD, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer--it does not rise from deceitful lips.

Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.

Psalm 50:15
Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

Psalm 55:17
Evening and morning, and at noon, I will pray and cry aloud; and He shall hear my voice.

Psalm 65:1-2
Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled. You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.

Psalms 145:18
The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

Proverbs 15:8
The LORD detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases him.

Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the rrighteous.

Isaiah 55:6
Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.

Matt 5:43-44
You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.

God's School of Prayer, No. 8, Part Three: Are You Called to Be a Prayer Warrior?

2009-12-28T16:37:00.000-08:00

While all Christians are called to be intercessors, some are called to a deeper ministry of intercession – they are called to be prayer warriors. Some of you reading this now are prayer warriors. Some of you are called to be prayer warriors but have not reached the deepness yet. But it is coming. Prayer warriors are people who are known for regularly interceding on behalf of others before God.

Prayer warriors are like defense attorneys, appealing to the Higher Court on behalf of their defendants. We're all guilty before God, but God is merciful. Prayer warriors recognize that quality of God's personality and call on Him for intervention.

Paul was perhaps the greatest example of a prayer warrior in the New Testament. He repeatedly prayed for others, especially the individual churches with whom he was working.

In Ephesians 3:14-21, while Paul was in prison, he prays for the believers in the church at Ephesus:

"For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Are your prayers filled with requests for others? You have been given this ministry of intercession and through prayer you can be used by God to touch lives of people - those you have never met and those who are very close to you. Are you a prayer warrior? If you are, submit yourself to God and He will lift you up to do mighty deeds for him in the realm of the supernatural. Open your hearts, open your minds, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you, to empower you, to fill you, to use you, so help you God!

To intercede means to come between, so prayer warriors are, in effect, coming between God and the trouble in another person's life. The Prayer Warrior goes into battle but his or her weapon is not a gun, it is prayer.

God's School of Prayer, No. 8, Part Two: Interceding in Prayer on Behalf of Others

2009-12-28T16:33:00.000-08:00

One of the things that Christians msut do is pray for each other and pray for others who are not Christians. We are to be intercessors, standing in the gap in prayer for others.

Quite simply, intercessory prayer is the act of praying on behalf of others. The role of mediator in prayer was prevalent in the Old Testament, in the cases of Abraham, Moses, David, Samuel, Hezekiah, Elijah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. Christ is pictured in the New Testament as the ultimate intercessor, and because of this, all Christian prayer becomes intercession since it is offered to God through and by Christ. Jesus closed the gap between us and God when He died on the cross.

Because of Jesus’ mediation, we can now intercede in prayer on behalf of other Christians or for the lost, asking God to grant their requests according to His will. “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). “Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us” (Romans 8:34).

All Christians have the Holy Spirit in their hearts and, just as He intercedes for us in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26-27), we are to intercede for one another. This is not a privilege limited to an exclusive Christian elite; this is the command to all. In fact, not to intercede for others is sin. “As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you” (1 Samuel 12:23).

Certainly Peter and Paul asked others to pray for them. “So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him” (Acts 12:5). Notice it was the whole church that prayed for him. In Ephesians 6:16-18, Paul exhorts the Ephesian believers—all of them—on the fundamentals of the Christian life, which includes intercession “on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests.” Clearly, intercessory prayer is part of the Christian life for all believers.

Further, Paul sought prayer on his behalf from all the Roman believers in Romans 15:30. He also urged the Colossians to intercede for him in Colossians 4:2-3. Those who seek others to intercede for them can use all the help they can get!

God calls all Christians to be intercessors. It is God’s desire that every believer be active in intercessory prayer. What a wonderful and exalted privilege we have in being able to come boldly before the throne of Almighty God with our prayers and requests!

God's School of Prayer No. 8 -- Intercession: We are Called to Be Angels on Earth, to Be Messengers of God, Carrying His Good News, Praying for Others

2009-12-28T16:25:00.000-08:00

The word “angel” actually comes from the Greek word aggelos, which means “messenger.” The matching Hebrew word mal'ak has the same meaning.

Sometimes, the Bible uses these words for human beings:

 ordinary people who carry messages (Job 1:14; Luke 7:24; 9:52)

 prophets (Isaiah 42:19; Malachi 3:1)

 priests (Malachi 2:7)

 church leaders (Rev 1:20)

We usually think of the whole range of helping spirits whom God has created to carry out His will, including both good and fallen, evil angels, and special categories such as cherubim, seraphim, and the archangel.

Angels are mentioned 108 times in the Old Testament and 165 times in the New Testament Hence, there is ample information available in Scripture to allow us to build a foundation for our knowledge of angelic beings.

What does the Bible reveal about angels? Well, we see heavenly beings used as messengers, as we see in Luke 2, bringing good news to the shepherds and praising God:

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2:8-16

While the Scriptures give no definite figures, we are told that the number of angels is very great (Daniel 7:10; Matthew 26:53; Hebrews 12:22). It appears that all angels were created at one time. No new angels are being added to the number. Angels are not subject to death or any form of extinction; therefore they do not decrease in number. It seems reasonable to conclude that there are at least as many spirit beings in existence as there will have been human beings in all their history on earth.

DO ANGELS HAVE BODIES?

Angels are essentially “ministering spirits,” (Hebrews 1:14) and do not have physical bodies like humans. Jesus declared that “a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:37-39).

The Bible does, however, make it clear that angels can only be in one place at a time. They must have some localized presence.

Angels can take on the appearance of men when the occasion demands. How else could some “entertain angels unaware” (Hebrews 13:2)? On the other hand, their appearance is somet We don't know whether every angel carries out the same tasks, or whether some of them specialize in certain areas. The Bible does speak about classes of angelic beings like cherubim (Ezekiel 1) and seraphim (Isaiah 6). We also know the names of two notable angels: Michael (Daniel 10:13; Jude 9) and Gabriel (Daniel 9:21; Luke 1:19,26).

The unnamed angels who appear most often in Scripture carry out a variety of tasks—all designed to serve God…

 Worship and praise - This is the main activity portrayed in heaven (Isaiah 6:1-3; Revelation 4-5).

 Revealing, Giving Messages - They serve as messengers to communicate God's will to men. They helped reveal the law to Moses (Acts 7:52-53), and served as the carriers of much of the material in Daniel, and Revelation.

 Guiding - Angels gave instructions to Joseph about the birth of Jesus (Matthew 1-2), to the women at the tomb, to Philip (Acts 8:26), and to Cornelius (Acts 10:1-8).

 Providing - God has used angels to provide physical needs such as food for Hagar (Genesis 21:17-20), Elijah (1 Kings 19:6), and Christ after His temptation (Matthew 4:11).

 Protecting - Keeping God's people out of physical danger, as in the cases of Daniel and the lions, and his three friends in the fiery furnace (Daniel 3 and 6).

 Delivering - Getting God's people out of danger once they're in it. Angels released the apostles from prison in Acts 5, and repeated the process for Peter in Acts 12.

 Strengthening and Encouraging - Angels strengthened Jesus after His temptation (Matt 4:11), encouraged the apostles to keep preaching after releasing them from prison (Acts 5:19-20), and told Paul that everyone on his ship would survive the impending shipwreck (Acts 27:23-25).

 Used by God in Answering prayer - God often uses angels as His means of answering the prayers of His people (Daniel 9:20-24; 10:10-12; Acts 12:1-17).

 Caring for believers at the moment of death - In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, we read that angels carried the spirit of Lazarus to “Abraham's bosom” when he died (Luke 16:22).

What is also true is now that Christians have been called to obey God through the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the leadership of the Holy Spirit, Christians are now called to do some of the tasks of angels here on earth. In essence, we are

Jesus said in the parable of the goats and lambs: "Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40

We are called to help each other, to be a blessing to each other, to pray for each other. We are called to act as God's hands on earth to help:

1. To Meet the Spiritual, Physical, and Mental Needs of Others as Our Lord Makes it Possible.

2. To NEVER BE LIMITED by Race, Color, Religious Preference, or Organization, Where There Are Needs To Be Met.

3. To ALWAYS Put Our Confidence in God to Meet the Needs, and to Give Us Wisdom and Direction According to His Will.

4. That Whatever is Accomplished, Whether in Word or Deed, is Accomplished in Such a Way as to Demonstrate and Share the Love of Our Lord Jesus Christ and to Bring Praise, Honor, and Glory to Only Him.

God's School of Prayer, Number Eight, Pasrt One -- Being a Prayer Warrior -- Interceding in Prayer for Others

2009-12-15T12:51:00.000-08:00

Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people. - Ephesians 6:18

What is intercessory prayer?

Intercessory prayer is simply prayer for other people. "If you have sinned, you should tell each other what you have done. Then you can pray for one another and be healed. The prayer of an innocent person is powerful, and it can help a lot." (James 5:16) In this sense everyone is called to be an intercessor as we pray for one another.

There is a further level of intercessory prayer in which God lays a particular burden on certain people to pray. This burden might be for a person, a church, a community, or a particular event. Paul speaks of continuing the suffering of Christ. After telling the Colossians that he has not stopped praying for them (Colossians 1:9) he continues to urge them to be deeply rooted and firm (verse 23) in the faith. Paul has an intercessory burden on behalf of the Colossian church. Intercessors should read all of Colossians 1.

I am glad that I can suffer for you. I am pleased also that in my own body I can continue the suffering of Christ for his body, the church. - Colossians 1:24

What is an intercessor?

If everyone is called to some form of intercessory prayer, why do we call some people "intercessors?"

An intercessor is someone who is especially called and equipped by God through the Holy Spirit to spend time in earnest prayer for others. You become an intercessor simply by receiving such burdens from God to pray for others. You learn from the Holy Spirit how to pray for certain people or groups. "Ask me, and I will tell you things that you don't know and can't find out." (Jeremiah 33:3) Intercessors are also called PRAYER WARRIORS!

Why are intercessors needed?

At many times in history God has searched for certain righteous people during times of judgment. In the time of Noah, only one family was found (Genesis 7:1). In Sodom, only Lot and his family were found. In Jerusalem God searched for anyone who was "truly upset and sad about the disgusting things" being done (Ezekiel 9:4).

And I sought for anyone among them who would repair the wall and stand in the breach before me on behalf of the land, so that I would not destroy it; but I found no one. - Ezekiel 22:30 (NRSV)

How is intercession guided?

Intercessors must be listeners. Intercessory prayer is prayer guided by the Holy Spirit. We are not on our own in prayer.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. - Romans 8:26 (NRSV)

THE AMAZING POWER OF PRAYER -- SPIRITUAL LIGHTNING IN THE BOOK! THE SPIRIT EMPOWERS!

2009-12-15T12:44:00.000-08:00

THE POWER OF PRAYER -- IT CAN BE SUPERNATURAL LIGHTNING!

2009-12-15T12:37:00.001-08:00

God's School of Prayer, Number Seven, Part Three: Agreement is a Spiritual Prayer Warrior Secret

2009-12-13T07:31:00.000-08:00

We are called to be prayer warriors. And a secret of prayer warfare is that agreement is a powerful tool of our prayer work. You can experience a place of agreement with God’s Word, and harmony that will produce power, as you forgive and agree with another believer.

You can affect governments, families and the lives of others. You can change your financial situation, affect your church and your pastor with the power of prayer. Find someone who can agree with you according to the Word of God.

The same principle works the other way. If you are in disagreement, the door is open for Satan to come in. “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16).

In Matthew 18:21, Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus replied, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.

How many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus replied, “I tell you, not seven times, but Until seventy times seven” (verse 22). Forgive because God said to, and not because you feel like it.

Build your home, your church and every other area of your life on the unselfish love of God. Selfishness has never built anything it did not destroy. But love never fails. The love of God is the very center of the family of God because God is love. You are His very own child, born again with His love nature inside you.

Don’t let that love lie dormant. Cast down selfishness and let loose the love of God in you. You cannot fail when love is in dominion.

When you forgive and reach for harmony, you come to a place where you have the spiritual awareness to perceive the closeness of God. Jesus said if you get into harmony and agree together, He would be in the midst of you. God wants to be involved with you.

When you are in harmony and agreement with those around you, you will step into a deeper, more personal fellowship with God. He becomes real and vital to you. Fellowship with your heavenly Father is one of the greatest things you will ever have in your Christian walk! It causes a confidence and an assurance deep down in your heart.

You know your prayers will be answered because you have conformed yourself to His will. As you forgive, the joy that comes through answered prayer will become your own personal experience. Jesus said, “Ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full” (John 16:24).

God's School of Prayer, Number Seven, Part Two: Agreement in Prayer is a Powerful Tool from God

2009-12-13T07:18:00.000-08:00

Coming into harmony with another or others when you pray is a Biblical way of prayer effectiveness. Remember the disciples praying in one accord in the Upper Room in Acts 2, and then the Holy Spirit came with a sound like a rushing mighty wind!

Every congregation and all believers everywhere need united agreement in prayer and faith. True, we can play privately, but we must also come together with others, two or more, or the whole local church expecting to find one accord in prayer. The church in Acts began in one accord in prayer (Acts 1:14; 2:1).

United prayer was a top priority of the apostles and the people (Acts 6:4; 4:18-33; 12:1-25; 15:1-30). United agreement in prayer is necessary because of who we are as followers of Christ, united in Him. And we must live with forgiveness and love! Forgiveness, being on the same page spiritually, is important in the prayer of agreement.

Jesus prayed in the Lord's Prayer, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:9-12). He put a condition on forgiveness. The condition is “I don’t expect to be forgiven until I forgive.” He displayed the kind of discipline the believer should exercise when he is praying.

How important is this? In Galatians 5:6, the Bible says faith works by love. If you are operating with an unforgiving heart, your prayer life will be paralyzed.

The Word says we know we have the petitions we have desired of Him, if we do the things that are pleasing in His sight (I John 3:22). Put these scriptures together and you quickly see unforgiveness would actually ruin the whole prayer system.

God's School of Prayer Number Seven, Part One: The Wondrous Prayer of Agreement

2009-12-13T07:11:00.000-08:00

The prayer of agreement when prayed according to Matthew 18:18-20 will cover every circumstance in life: “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Agreement with the Word and another believer are not the only things involved in this kind of prayer. Agreement is also harmony. Harmony is extremely important. When speaking of prayer in Mark 11:25-26, Jesus said, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.” This is vital in your prayer life. Jesus said, forgive when you pray. FORGIVE!

Agreement makes prayer work. Your agreement will produce power, as you forgive and agree with another believer. You can affect governments, families and the lives of others.and yourself, You can affect your church and your pastor with the power of prayer. >Find someone who can agree with you according to the Word of God. A spouse, a relative, a friend can agree with you in prayer!

Jesus said that if any two on earth agree, He would be in the midst of that agreement to see that it comes to pass. You are on earth so you qualify. If you agree with another believer as touching anything that lines up with the Word of God, He is there in your midst to carry it out.

Jesus wants you to agree and will see to it that it comes to pass. The word agree is translated in The Amplified Bible as “agree and harmonize together or make a symphony together.” The word symphony caught my attention one time, so I looked it up and found that it means “all available instruments in harmony.” You must have your spirit, mind and actions in agreement with the Word.

Agreeing spiritually is to agree with the Word of God. Make up your mind God’s Word is true and that it will come to pass.

Secondly, be strong in your mind. That is Satan’s battleground. You must control your thoughts. Writing down your agreement will be beneficial for this reason. It will keep it before your eyes so when your mind tries to change directions, control it with your agreement on God’s Word. Do not tie God’s hands. Allow Him to work.

You have agreed, spirit and soul (mind). Then your actions must come in line. If finances are what you agreed on, expect the money to come in. This is part of being in agreement. You cannot agree in prayer about something, then act the opposite and expect it to come to pass. If you do, your actions will eventually take over your thinking.

God's School of Prayer, Number Six, Part Two: Praise Him! Praise Him! Mary Praises the Great Attributes of God!

2009-12-13T06:58:00.000-08:00

In Mary's great song of praise, Luke 1:46-55, she praises the great attributes of God:

God Is Mighty
The first attribute Mary speaks of is the might and power of God. He is the mighty God, ho dunatos, and in Luke 1:49 she sings, "For the Mighty One has done great things for me." Mary’s God was God Almighty, the Creator of the ends of the earth. There is no one mightier than her God. He alone is able, and with him alone nothing is impossible.

In the first part of verse 51 Mary says of this mighty God, "He has performed mighty deeds with his arm." From Genesis 1 on the Bible speaks of the great and marvelous acts performed by the mighty arm of God. All nations together are considered as nothing by this El-Shaddai, this God, the strong and mighty one. He alone is almighty, and Mary knew it.

Let me ask you: Are you weak? The answer, of course, is yes. But that is not the end. He is strong, and it is in him that we trust. What about the devil and his demons—are they strong? Yes. Martin Luther recognized that in his great hymn, "A Mighty Fortress," and all of us must recognize it. But our God is stronger than all the forces of this world. Remember what Luther said? "One little Word shall fell him." That Word is the name of Jesus.

Knowing who God is, Mary realized that she had nothing to fear. We too have nothing to fear as well. The gates of hell shall not prevail against us, because our God is mighty. Thus, we can say with Paul, "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us" (Romans 8:37).

God Is Holy

The second attribute Mary speaks about is God’s holiness. In verse 49 Mary declared, "Holy is his name." Throughout the Scriptures God tells us, "Be ye holy, for I am holy." God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all. He is the One separate from us—the One without sin.

God Is a Judge

The third attribute of God that Mary speaks about in her hymn is that God is a judge. In the latter part of Luke 1:51 she says, "He [God] has scattered those who are proud in their innermost thoughts." Additionally, in verse 52 we find, "He has brought down the mighty rulers from their thrones," and in verse 53, "He has sent the rich empty away."

God Is Merciful

The fourth attribute Mary speaks of is that God is merciful. The word "mercy" appears five times in Luke 1—in verses 50, 54, 58, 72 and 78. Mary reveled in the knowledge of this great attribute of God.

What is grace? It is God’s love shown to guilty sinners. But what is mercy? Mercy is God’s love shown to the guilty sinners who are miserable in their sinful condition. In Exodus 3;7 we read what the Lord—the eternal God, the great I AM THAT I AM—spoke from the burning bush to Moses: "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering." God was merciful to the Israelites in Egypt and he delivered them. Our God is a merciful God.

God Is a Covenant God

The fifth attribute of God that Mary speaks of is that God is a covenant God. We must realize that God does not have to enter into a covenant with sinful man. There is nothing in his being necessitating that he stoop down and promise salvation to anybody. But the truth is, God did just that. He entered into a covenant with Abraham, promising to show mercy to him and his descendants by granting them salvation.

God Is Faithful to His Covenant

If God promises through a covenant, he will fulfill it, because he is the God of the covenant. The sixth attribute of God Mary speaks of in this passage is the faithfulness of God to his covenant.

Then, all of a sudden, in the fullness of time, God saw the sin and misery of his people and remembered to be merciful them. Our God cannot lie; what he promises he will do. In 2 Corinthians 1:20 Paul writes, "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ." All of God’s promises to us are fulfilled in the indescribable gift of his Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

God Is the Savior

The final attribute of God that Mary describes here is that God was her Savior. "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices. . . ." In what is Mary rejoicing? ". . . in God my Savior."

Two thousand years after God made his promise to Abraham, the Savior had come. Mary knew that it was he alone who could take away sins and destroy the works of the devil. But how would he do these things? By his death on the cross.

This was God’s plan of salvation for us. Because God is holy, he must punish sinners. But God is also love, so he does not desire to punish us. But how can God not punish sinners and still be holy? He punished his own Son who freely gave himself to be punished for our sins on the cross.

God reached out with his strong arm in Jesus Christ and saved the people of God from their sins. He did not do that for angels who sinned, but only for the descendants of Abraham. In him we are forgiven of all our sins and justified forever. In him we find mercy. In him we are made children of God. In him the hungry are filled with his perfect righteousness. In him we are adopted into God’s own family. In him we enjoy fellowship with God.

That is why Mary was singing this song, "My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior." Mary praises the Lord, and so should we!

God;s School of Prayer Number Six, Part One: Praising God -- A Key to Prayer and the Example of Mary, Mother of Jesus

2009-12-13T06:46:00.000-08:00

And Mary said: "My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me--holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants for ever, even as he said to our fathers."Luke 1:46-55

Here we see a key to a powerful prayer life -- Praise and Worship of God. We are to praise Him and Worship Him. Psalm 22:3 states that "He inhabits the praises of His people." Another version puts it this way -- "He is enthroned on the praises of His people." Does not that just make you wish to praise the Lord! If you are depressed --Praise the Lord! If you need help, Praise the Lord! If someone you know needs help, Praise the Lord!

Here we see Mary, the Theotokis, the God bearer in her womb, praising the Lord. In Luke 1:46-55 we find the portion of Scripture called "Mary’s Magnificat." This great worship hymn of Mary is called the Magnificat because it begins in the Latin Bible in verse 47 with the words "Magnificat animum mea Dominum," which means "My soul magnifies the Lord."

When you open the gospel of Luke, you notice it is filled with music, especially the first two chapters. There we find five "hymns": the hymn of Elizabeth (Luke 1:42-45); the hymn of Mary (Luke 1:46-55); the hymn of Zechariah (Luke 1:68-79); the hymn of the angels, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests," (Luke 2:14); and the hymn of Simeon in Luke 2:29-32, which he prayed when he saw the infant Jesus Christ and realized that God’s promise that he wouldn’t die until he saw God’s salvation had just been fulfilled.

The Christmas season is a time of great singing and joy because of the divine announcement of good news of great joy to all the people of the world. As sinners, we need a divine Savior, and the message of Christmas is that God has given us such a competent Savior in his Son who became man, the Lord Jesus Christ.

This divine announcement first came to a poor Jewish teenager, a peasant girl who lived in the despised town of Nazareth in northern Israel. The divine Savior made his grand entrance into history by being born, not in the famous cities of Rome or Jerusalem, but in Bethlehem; not to a famous queen mother, but to a poor Jewish teenager betrothed to the town carpenter; not in a palace, but in a stable and placed in a manger.

The angel Gabriel told Mary that by the power of the Holy Spirit, she would conceive and give birth to a son who would be heir to the throne of David, the Holy One, the Son of God, the Son of the Most High, the King of Israel. Mary and Joseph were to call him Jesus, for he would save his people from their sins.

Mary was puzzled at this stupendous announcement the angel made to her. "How will this be," she asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" In other words, "How can a virgin conceive without the aid of a man?" Mary knew that the recent miracle of her elderly relative Elizabeth conceiving was not unique, because such a miracle had happened previously, when God enabled Sarah to conceive Isaac. But for a virgin to conceive and give birth to a son was unique, so Mary asked the angel, "How will this be?"

"The Holy Spirit will do it," Gabriel told Mary. "The Holy Spirit will come upon you," he said in Luke 1:35, "and the power of the Most High will overshadow you." Then he added in verse 37, "For nothing is impossible with God." Nothing is impossible with God! We must keep this in mind always. How did the universe come to be? The answer is God. How are we going to be raised from the dead? The answer, again, is God. How could old Zechariah and old barren Elizabeth in their old age have a son through natural human reproductive processes? The answer is God. How could a virgin conceive and give birth to the Savior, Jesus Christ, who is eternal God? The answer is God. God is sovereign, and he alone does what he pleases. Nothing is impossible for him.

Mary’s confusion disappeared at this great answer that she received from the angel. She told Gabriel, "I am the Lord’s servant." Then she said, "May it be to me as you have said." Mary believed God.

Mary’s Song of Praise

After the angel left, Mary got up quickly and traveled to Judea to visit with Elizabeth, who was six months pregnant. When Elizabeth saw Mary, an amazing thing happened: through the Spirit of the living God, she recognized Mary, this unmarried teenage girl, as "the mother of my Lord," and began to prophesy.

When that happened, Mary also began to sing in the Spirit, exalting and worshiping God. It is this song that is recorded as the Magnificat, and at this point I want to note something: Although Mary was just a poor peasant girl, she had been brought up in a godly home, where Mary was thoroughly versed in the Holy Scriptures. Like Zechariah, Simeon, Anna, and others, Mary was looking forward to God’s redemption of Israel. So when she heard Elizabeth’s greeting, she was filled with the Holy Spirit and Scripture came pouring out of her heart.

Mary praised the Lord from the depth of her being, and it is a great witness to us of the power of praise!

God's School of Prayer Number Five -- The Blessing of Covenant Prayer

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Matthew 6:19-21 – Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there you heart will be also.

We have begun prayer covenants in our churches -- praying for each other intentionally. Our friend and personal pastor, Pastor Judy Junkermeier, introduced the concept to our churches from some work shared with her by Dr. Stanley Ott, head of the Vital Churches Institute. While our prayer convenants are for a few weeks, Ott recommends a 30 day prayer covenant and we are working toward that goal.

Have you ever heard of a 30-day prayer covenant? The typical response to this question, says Stan Ott of The Acts 16:5 Initiative, is “No.”

A prayer covenant is an agreement between two (or more) people to pray an agreed upon prayer for one another. Jesus said, “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19 NIV)

Think about agreeing with one another to be in a prayer covenant to pray an agreed upon prayer, for yourself and for the other person(s). Thirty days seems to work well. Ott says, "I have tried it for a longer time, but now think 30 days is more realistic. After the 30 days, of course, you can renew the prayer covenant with the same person; or you can enter a new prayer covenant at any time with anyone who will agree to enter it with you."

Stan says that if you ask someone, “Would you like to make a prayer covenant?” the vast majority of people will say, “Yes!” People love and appreciate being prayed for. Praying for one another gives them and us a formal means of growing in our prayer lives. And God answers our prayers.

One prayer for use in prayer covenants that I Dr. Ott recommends goes:

God, grant _____________ and me the grace each day to commit our lives without reservation to the Lordship of Jesus Christ; and grant _______________ and me the grace to know your strength and your guidance each day. Amen.

It’s brief and to the point. The members of our Acts 16:5 team in our area recently covenanted to pray a prayer like this for each other.

Scripture can also be used as the basis for a prayer covenant. See Ephesians 3:16-19 and Colossians 1:9-12 for possibilities.

Ask someone to make a 30-day prayer covenant with you and as you pray for one another expect God to answer your prayer!

in our churches already, we have seen several prayers answered. Some have even been the unspoken desires of our hearts. Sometimes though being part of a prayer group or covenant can be difficult. Yes it requires putting aside that time to bring others before God in prayer. It requires fitting it into a busy schedule. But it can also be discouraging to see the prayers of others answered if yours are not, or don't appear to be being answered.

It's about letting God be God and answer, as and when He chooses. Sometimes answers come quickly. It is like what Joseph said to Pharaoh with regard to the meaning of his dreams, 'the matter is determined by God, and God will quickly bring it about,' Genesis 41:32. God's answer was clear, specific and prompt.

Other times we may need, as my friend reminded all of us before we started this prayer covenant, to be like Jacob in Genesis 32:24-30. Jacob wrestled with God until he received the blessing. Often these prayers where we really have to persist and keep praying, bring the greatest blessing when they are answered.

The key thing is to intentionally pray for each other on a regular, committed basis. God knows each one and where we are at. As we have prayed for each other and exposed the concerns of our hearts God has brought blessing and helped us connect in a very real way.

Maybe God is calling you to initiate a prayer covenant? Think about it. Pray about it. Pray for others! As you pray for them and they pray for you,the blessing is magnified by the Lord your God!

Think on These Things -- How is It WIth Your Prayer Life? -- Powerful Quotes About the Power of Prayer

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I have so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I am able to do it.—John Wesley

I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had absolutely no other place to go. -- Abraham Lincoln

Always respond to every impulse to pray. The impulse to pray may come when you are reading or when you are battling with a text. I would make an absolute law of this – always obey such an impulse. --Martyn Lloyd-Jones

One can believe intellectually in the efficacy of prayer and never do any praying. --Catherine Marshall

Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?-- Corrie Ten Boom

Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan --John Bunyan

Of all the duties enjoined by Christianity none is more essential and yet more neglected than prayer. --François Fénelon

The only way to Heaven is prayer; a prayer of the heart, which every one is capable of, and not of reasonings which are the fruits of study, or exercise of the imagination, which, in filling the mind with wandering objects, rarely settle it; instead of warming the heart with love to God, they leave it cold and languishing. --Jeanne Guyon

We must alter our lives in order to alter our hearts, for it is impossible to live one way and pray another. --William Law

The Third Petition of the Lord's Prayer is repeated daily by millions who have not the slightest intention of letting anyone's will be done but their own.--<Aldous Huxley

Is the Son of God praying in me, or am I dictating to Him?....Prayer is not simply getting things from God, that is a most initial form of prayer; prayer is getting into perfect communion with God. If the Son of God is formed in us by regeneration, He will press forward in front of our common sense and change our attitude to the things about which we pray. --Oswald Chambers