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When people hear Luke 8:18, they assume it is talking about stuff.But Luke, like the Book of Job, is not about stuff.It is about darkness and light.When people evaluate others—their first mistake is that they evaluate at all—they measure what others have. That is how the Duopoly assesses Job. They love him because he was rich, pity him because he was poor, judge him because he was self-righteous, or cheer him because he did not give up.They experience the full range of human suffering, not through their own trials, but by observing and evaluating others.They think they are something when they are nothing—wolves in sheep's clothing.Women and men who glory in the flesh; who glory in the suffering of others.They are the Duopoly—the "both-sidesies" people.Thus says the Lord: There is only one side; my throne in the heavens. It is mine, my kingdom rules over all, and I am not mocked.Even what they think they have is already gone, fading before they can grasp it—lost in their foolish desire to measure it.There is only one thing needful.And it cannot be counted as loss, because it does not come from them.That is why they think it has no meaning—because it is not of their making.Those who think like them, who act like them, will become like them.This week, I discuss Luke 8:18.Show Notesἔχειν (to have) and δοκεῖ ἔχειν (thinks he has)1 Corinthians 8:2οὐδεὶς θεὸς εἰ μὴ εἷς “There is no god except one.” (oudeis theos ei mē heis)لَّا إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ “There is no god but him.” (lā ilāha illā huwa; common phrase, e.g., Surah Al-Baqarah, 255)שְׁמַע יִרָאֵל יְהוָה (אֲדֹנָי) אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה (אֲדֹנָי) אֶחָד “Hear O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one.” (shamaʿ yisra'il, yahweh [adonai] eloheinu, yahweh [adonai] aḥad; Deuteronomy 6:4)Galatians 6:3δοθήσεται (it will be given)Romans 12:31 Corinthians 4:7ἀρθήσεται (it will be taken away)Romans 11:21-22ἐκκόπτω (ekkoptō) “cut off, cut down” כ-ל-ה (kaf-lamed-he)To complete, finish, or bring to an end. Destruction, annihilation, perishing.2 Corinthians 13:5Luke makes 2 Corinthians functional in 8:18, reinforcing “the light” in 8:17 as an implement of testing. See my comments on the previous verse: φανερός / ב-ח-ן (bet-ḥet-nun) / م-ح-ن (mīm-ḥāʾ-nūn)In Latin, “en-” and “ex-” are prefixes with distinct meanings:The word “encounter” comes from the Old French “encontre,” which means “meeting” or “opposition,” and is derived from the Latin “in-” (meaning “in” or “on”) and “contra” (meaning “against” or “opposite”). At its root, “encounter” literally means “to meet against” or “to face.”In contrast, the anti-biblical term “experience” signifies “going through a test” or “emerging from a trial.” It emphasizes the personal involvement and subjective perception of events, where meaning is drawn from one's own reference point. This internalized perspective distinguishes experience from encounter, as it places the self at the center of interpretation, making it inherently self-referential.I appreciate Father Paul Tarazi for highlighting this distinction and Matthew Cooper for further exploring the Latin etymologies with us—over coffee. ☕ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★
December 8, 2024 - Psalm 136 His Commitment to His Purpose Endures Forever Point 1 – V.1-3 – Our good LORD - There is but one good God Point 2 – V.4-9 – Our Father/Creator - There is but one creator God Point 3 – V.10-15 – Our Rescuer/Deliverer/Savior - There is but one God of Redemption Point 4 – V.16-22 – Our Victorious King/Protector - There is but one promise keeping God Point 5 – V.23-25 – Our Gracious Provider - There is but one God over all Point 6 – V.26 – Our Precious Holy God - In all situations give thanks because Our God's steadfast love endures forever
By Mary Lindow through the Holy Spirit My heart aches and yes, even trembles a bit at the broad measure of deception that has had a huge increase in these difficult days. Spirits that imitate the voice of our Savior are cloaking themselves as Angels of light and also come masquerading as the Voice of the Holy Spirit in order to distract and lure believers away, slowly from sound convictions, godly warnings, and above all, THE still small Voice. The Bible tells us that deception; doctrines of demons, and false prophets will increase. The Spirit of God has spoken expressly that in the latter times some would depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of demons; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron. It feels as if those days are upon us and though we might try to withdraw or hide, we cannot escape them; we must overcome in the midst of them, for this is the will of God concerning us. Strange as it may seem, the danger today is greater for the passionate Christian than for the lukewarm and the self-satisfied. “THE SEEKER AFTER GOD'S BEST THINGS IS EAGER TO HEAR ANYONE WHO OFFERS A WAY BY WHICH HE CAN OBTAIN THEM.” ~A.W. Tozer The type of person Mr. Tozer is speaking about, longs for some new experience, some superior view of truth, some operation of the Spirit that will raise him or her above the dead level of religious bumpiness they see all around them, and for this reason these people are ready to lean a concerned ear towards the “new and the amazing” in faith, first and foremost if it is presented by someone with an attractive personality and a reputation for “enhanced” saintliness. HOWEVER, our Lord Jesus the great Shepherd of His sheep has not left His flock to the ruthlessness of the wolves. He has given us the Scriptures, the Holy Spirit and yes, the natural ability of common sense watching, and He expects us to apply ourselves to their help all the time. "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good," said Paul. -I Thess. 5:21 "Beloved, believe not every spirit," wrote John, "but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world" -I John 4:1 "Beware of false prophets," our Lord warned, "which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." -Matt. 7:15 A TIME FOR DIRECTIONAL ADJUSTMENT We are in much need of a directional adjustment as believers in the Body of Christ right now as the world turns itself upside down with malice, dictatorships, and political posturing. We need to be certain that nothing of the world and its behaviors are hidden in our own hearts. We must hear that magnetic pulling voice of the Holy Spirit, and obey it without turning left or right. ”So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. “ -Deuteronomy 5:32 NOTHING THAT COMES FROM GOD WILL MINISTER TO OUR PRIDE OR SELF-CENTEREDNESS. N O T H I N G! If we are tempted to be conceited and to feel superior because we have had an incredible vision or a radical spiritual experience, or if we feel extraordinarily more well informed or gifted with educational pursuits and feel the need to inflict our “superior-ness” upon others, we should fall immediately to our knees and repent of the ugly and fleshly, self-serving thing! We have fallen and have been duped by the arrogant and self-deceived enemy of our souls, Lucifer. “For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world.” - 1 John 2:16 LOOKING FOR CONTINUAL SAFETY AND HELP? When we walk in the way of surrender and tenderness with our ears tuned in towards the frequency of the ”still small voice of God”, we actually walk in a safe haven or overshadowing safety of the Presence of God. Training our spiritual ears to hear the voice of the Father creates and provides a lifetime “guarantee” of knowing when the storms or troubles will arise as well as intense persecution. There is a promise for direction from a place of Divine Protection and direction whenever it's needed. ”Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; My body also will rest secure.” - Psalm 16:9 REST AND WAITING IS CRUCIAL The man or woman with an honest heart will find no difficulty here. It is the hardest thing the mind and body to do! Learning to rest and wait when the world is screaming at a fevered pitch, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO NOW? It is a hard learned yet reachable discipline if we will lean into it and ask for God's help. Yes, only HE can train us in this discipline of rest and waiting. Our flesh will never give into it willingly. Hear and then HEED the Voice of God calling you to enter into His rest. It is a place of pleasant minimalism and uncluttered guidelines. His Presence silences all of the noise of the day and noise of the Head. ANY REAL WORK OF GOD IN OUR HEART WILL TEND TO MAKE US UNABLE TO ENJOY WORLD'S FELLOWSHIP. "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." -I John 2:15 It can be declared clearly, that any spirit that allows “give and take” with the world… ...Is a deceiving spirit. GOD'S PRESENCE IS A PLACE OF SAFETY FOR THE WEARY Dear child of God! There is no judgment or shame there. It is a restful place of learning to take up an easy yoke and a light burden. Perhaps right now…. as you read this…you might need to get away from music in headphones or speakers, away from the ring tones on your new awesome phone with all of those cool new apps, and enter into the safe haven of God. Lay down the weight of worry and frustration. The anger at life all bottled up in rage and gloom! All you need to take with you into the place of refuge is a willing and listening heart. Ready to trust the Divine Protector and Provider. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, Even as we put our hope in you. -Psalm 33:22 PLEASE SIT BACK AND LISTEN TO THE FOLLOWING SPONTANEOUS SONG FROM THE SPIRIT OF GOD! IT WILL SING LIFE INTO YOUR WEARY SOUL! CAPTAIN OF YOUR SOUL © Spontaneous Prophetic Song of The Lord There is a river of life; there is a river that flows From the city of God, There is a river of life There is an ocean, Deep and wide and strong And there is a pathway, in the water wide and long There is a Master, Captain, at the helm of life And there is Someone standing, Steering the course in the fog at night Even though the times that you can't see Me Even though the times that you can't hear Me I am the echo in the night There is an ocean deep and wide And there is a river flowing by your side And even though the darkness might come Remember the promise I've given you I will guide you in the storms of life Come with Me a while and see, that I am He The Captain at the helm Come and see that I have a course now set In the heavenly realms There is a river, a place for you to flow There is a river, there is something more, For you to know Let me take control, let Me drift your life away For in the darkness of night You can hear Me better say I am the Captain of your soul And I am the Master of the storm Remember when you can't feel Remember when you can't set your sail Remember when there's no breezes Remember there is a voice that pleases There is a river, there is an ocean There is a Captain at the helm And though you might not see Me And though you might not feel Me I am still in the heavenly realm I am still in the heavenly helm Captain of the sea Captain of the storm Come and rest with Me Duplication and sharing of this writing is welcomed, as long as the complete message, Website, podcast link and information for Mary Lindow is included. Thank You! 2024 "THE MESSENGER" - Mary Lindow www.marylindow.com www.marylindow.podbean.com If you would be so kind and assist Mary helping her to meet other administrative needs such as website and podcast costs, or desire to bless her service in ministry with Spirit-led Love gifts or regular support: Please JOYFULLY send your gift in the form of: ► Personal Checks ► Business Checks ► Money Orders ► Cashiers Checks To: His Beloved Ministries Inc. PO Box 1253 Denver, Colorado 80614 USA Or feel free to use our send a tax-deductible gift with Pay Pal paypal.me/mlindow Under the name of - His Beloved Ministries Inc. ALL gifts are tax-deductible under His Beloved Ministries 5013c non-profit status. We are financially accountable and have been in full compliance since 1985. Thank You!
Devotional Prayer by Be Inspired by His Word © Song by Elevation Worship The weapon may be formed, but it won't prosper When the darkness falls, it won't prevail 'Cause the God I serve knows only how to triumph My God will never fail Oh, my God will never fail I'm gonna see a victory I'm gonna see a victory For the battle belongs to You, Lord I'm gonna see a victory I'm gonna see a victory For the battle belongs to You, Lord There's power in the mighty name of Jesus Every war He wages He will win I'm not backing down from any giant 'Cause I know how this story ends Yes, I know how this story ends No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. Romans 8:37 NLT Prayer Almighty God I worship your name and honour your majesty King of kings thank you for this beautiful new dawn and grace of life Abba thank you for the forgiveness of sin and your blood shed for my salvation Lord thank you for your word and the confidence instilled in me through your word Lord thank you for the victory you have given to me above all challenges I decree I will not be defeated, the Lord has fought and won the battle for me I decree my song of victory will not turn to song of failure I decree that which has been an issue contending with my faith hear the word of the Lord and align with the will of God for me I decree I will not suffer any barrenness or infertility God has reversed it I decree negative proclamation or evil words can not stand over my destiny and lineage I decree concerning the vessel used for this daily prayers all impacted by it and our household, the territory the Lord has given to us will not be taken by the enemy in Jesus name amen *Personal Prayer* Thank you abba for answered prayers in Jesus name amen *Confess Daily: Sin shall not have dominion over me I am operating in the power of the word of God. I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus by faith as Jesus is so am I in this world. The grace of God is working for me daily. I have divine victory, nothing will stop my purpose of creation. The presence of God tabernacle around my life. My days are filled with divine blessings in Jesus name amen.* Today's Prayer by Be Inspired (by His Word) © 17th March 2024 --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/be-inspired-by-his-word/message
On that day, “many will say to Me, ‘Lord, Lord…” There will be many people who think that they knew Jesus. Who sang worship songs and had amazing religious experiences. Who went out and did some great things for Jesus. Who spoke the words of Jesus with power into other's lives, who saw demons cast out but none of that is the fruit that Jesus is truly looking for. And at the end of the day, what matters is not whether we think we know Jesus but whether Jesus the Christ knows us.
Pastor Joshua talks about realizing your power in God. SERMON NOTES: Conquerors Intro: Isaiah 54:17 New King James VersionNo weapon formed against you shall prosper,And every tongue which rises against you in judgmentYou shall condemn.This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord… There are Weapons: Principle: God never promises that there won't be attacks. John 10:10 New International ... Read More
Order of Service: - Prelude - Psalm 130 With the Lord There is Mercy: Soloist: With the Lord there is mercy … C: With the Lord there is mercy… S: From out of the depths I cry unto You, Lord, hear my voice, come, hear my prayer; O let your ear be open to my pleading. C: With the Lord… S: If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, then who could stand within your sight? But in you is found forgiveness for our failings. C: With the Lord… S: Just as those who wait for the morning light, even more I long for the Lord, my God, and his word to me shall ever be my comfort. C: With the Lord… - Matthew 6: 19-21: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Devotion - Prayer - Hymn 263 - Jesus, Priceless Treasure: vv. 1, 2, 4 & 6 - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Chaplain Don Moldstad (Preacher), Rev. Prof. Dennis Marzolf (Pianist), Libby Kassuelke (Soloist)
Order of Service: - Prelude - Psalm 130 With the Lord There is Mercy: Soloist: With the Lord there is mercy … C: With the Lord there is mercy… S: From out of the depths I cry unto You, Lord, hear my voice, come, hear my prayer; O let your ear be open to my pleading. C: With the Lord… S: If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, then who could stand within your sight? But in you is found forgiveness for our failings. C: With the Lord… S: Just as those who wait for the morning light, even more I long for the Lord, my God, and his word to me shall ever be my comfort. C: With the Lord… - Matthew 6: 19-21: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” - Devotion - Prayer - Hymn 263 - Jesus, Priceless Treasure: vv. 1, 2, 4 & 6 - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Chaplain Don Moldstad (Preacher), Rev. Prof. Dennis Marzolf (Pianist), Libby Kassuelke (Soloist)
Summary:Is it possible to be a shepherd and a sheep at the same time?Let's look at Jesus as our example: washing the feet of the disciples, hewas as a sheep to the Father and a shepherd serving the disciples.Show Notes:• We could be a sheep one day and a shepherd the next, then asheep again.• Everything stems from being led of the Lord• There really is no positioning in the Lord, no one is greater thananother.References:Romans 8:14 KJVFor as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons ofGod.Isaiah 11:6 BSBThe wolf will live with the lamb, and the leopard will lie down withthe goat; the calf and young lion and fatling will be together, and alittle child will lead them.John 10:27 NABMy sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.1 Corinthians 15:24 NASBthen comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to our Godand Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority andpower.John 13:5 ESVThen he poured water into a basin and began to wash thedisciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrappedaround him.Quotes:• We can change daily• One day you're a shepherd, the next day you are a sheep• Sometimes you are the leader; sometimes you're the ones being led.• Sometimes some little child could be a shepherd to you.Take Away:Even Jesus was submissive to His Father, and so should we be to thosewhom He has given us to minister with. Let's create a synergistic flowthat shows the Father that we are being obedient to John 15:12:“This is My commandment, that you love one another, jus as I haveloved you.
How God speaks to us Talk 22 Responding to God's Voice (Part 2) Receiving and using spiritual gifts 1 Corinthians 12:11 tells us that it's the Holy Spirit himself who determines what gifts he should give us. But that does not mean that we cannot put ourselves in a position where we are most likely to receive them. As we draw this series to a conclusion, let me share with you five keys to receiving and using them. They are relevant, not only to spiritual gifts, but also to the whole question of letting God speak to us and through us. Desire them eagerly In 1 Corinthians 14:1 we are told to eagerly desire spiritual gifts. The Greek verb here is zeloō. Paul uses it three times in connection with spiritual gifts. Here, and in 1 Corinthians 12:31 where he encourages the Corinthians to eagerly desire the greater gifts by which he probably means those that are of the greatest value in building up the church. See 14:12 where he uses it again. The verb is a really strong word – the KJV translates it covet earnestly – and is the origin of our English word zeal. You may remember that one of Jesus' disciples was called Simon the Zealot (Matthew 10:4). The Zealots were a fanatical political group who were determined to overthrow the power of the Romans, no matter the cost. I mention this simply to emphasise the strength of the word that Paul uses to indicate what should be our attitude to spiritual gifts. So, our starting point, if we want to be used in spiritual gifts, is to ask ourselves how eagerly we desire them. Then, the next step will be to stop making excuses. Stop making excuses I'm mentioning this because it's amazing how easy it seems to be to make excuses for not doing the things we know we ought to do. Now I'm not suggesting that every listener will be making all these excuses, and it may be that you're making none of them. But I know from experience that the things I'm going to mention are common causes of Christians not entering into some of the wonderful blessings God has in store for them. Excuse Number 1 I'm not worthy The first excuse is quite understandable. In fact, it sounds very spiritual. We know it's wrong to boast, and surely, to say I'm not worthy is showing humility? But God doesn't give us these gifts because we deserve them. They come from his grace. That's why Paul calls them charismata (1 Corinthians 12:4) which comes from the word charis meaning grace. In fact, everything God gives us comes from his grace. Even the gift of eternal life is a charisma. In Romans 6:23 Paul says that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. And the word for gift here is charisma. We don't receive eternal life because we deserve it, but because of God's grace. And the same is true of spiritual gifts. We receive them despite our unworthiness, or to put it another way, because we have already been made worthy in Christ. The Corinthians are a clear example of this principle. They were not lacking in spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 1:7), but this was certainly not because they were particularly good Christians[1]. So we should not hold back from seeking spiritual gifts for ourselves because we are conscious of our own shortcomings. Excuse Number 2 I'm not suitable This covers a range of excuses – I'm not talented enough, old enough, clever enough, and so on. It's here that another word Paul uses can help us. In 1 Corinthians 12:1 he refers to the gifts he's about to talk about as pneumatika. The basic meaning of this word is spiritual, but in the context it's probably better understood to mean supernatural. As we've said, all God's gifts come from his grace, so they're all charismata. There are natural gifts and supernatural gifts[2]. Paul refers to the gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 as pneumatika because these particular gifts are supernatural. That means that there's no limit as to the persons God may give them to. They have nothing to do with our natural talents. And they're available to all God's people, irrespective of age, gender, or social status (Acts 2:17ff). Excuse Number 3 They're beyond my reach Sometimes we're tempted to think that the wonderful gifts we're talking about are somehow beyond our reach. We're conscious of our own humanity and spiritual gifts are manifestations of the supernatural power that comes from God himself. God is in heaven and we are on earth. Surely they're beyond our reach? But no, they are not. Spiritual gifts do not come from God in outer space! They come from God who lives inside you. This is where another word Paul uses to describe these gifts will help us. In 1 Corinthians 12:7 he refers to them as a manifestation. The Greek word is phanerosis (v7). It comes from a verb meaning to shine and has been defined as a clear display, an outward evidencing of a latent principle. To understand this better, please think about a lightbulb. Electricity is the power at work inside it. The light that shines from it is the evidence that the electricity is there. It's a manifestation of the power within. Now think of yourself as the lightbulb, and the Holy Spirit as the power at work inside you, and spiritual gifts as the outward evidence of that power. It's the Holy Spirit who gives these gifts and he lives inside you. He can manifest through you any gift he chooses. In verse 6 Paul also calls them energemata, which literally means things worked inside. This means that potentially any of the gifts could be at work in you, because the Giver is already there! But, following our analogy of the lightbulb, it's our responsibility to keep the electricity flowing if the light is to shine. We need to keep filled with the Spirit and the gifts will come. Keep filled with the Spirit In Ephesians 5:18 we're told to be filled with the Spirit. As we saw in an earlier talk, we can best understand what Paul means by this by looking in Acts at the descriptions given there of people being filled with the Spirit. These examples paint a clear picture for us of what Paul means when he tells us to be filled with the Spirit. We learn from Acts that it's a supernatural experience that is received suddenly rather than gradually and is accompanied by miraculous gifts that greatly empower our witness for Christ. Jesus' first disciples began to exercise the gifts of the Spirit when they were first filled with the Spirit on the day of Pentecost and began to speak in tongues (Acts 2:4)[3]. And if we want to be used in spiritual gifts it's clear that we too need to be filled with the Spirit. Now the fact that Paul tells us to be filled with the Spirit implies that there is something we can do about it. God's Spirit is always available to us, but it's our responsibility to be filled. In 2 Timothy 1:6-8 Paul says to Timothy: For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord… There can be no doubt that the ‘spirit' referred to in these verses is the Holy Spirit. It's the Holy Spirit who gives us power and produces in us fruit like love and self-discipline. He also enables us to testify about the Lord (cf. Acts 1:8). So the gift of God that Timothy received through the laying on of Paul's hands was the gift of the Holy Spirit[4]. But what does Paul mean when he tells Timothy to fan this gift into flame? The Greek word here is anazopureo. It literally mean give life again to the fire. We have the fire of God's Spirit within us, but it's our responsibility to keep it burning. Or, following the analogy we gave earlier, to keep the electricity flowing. And to do that, we need to pray, not only with our mind but also with our spirit, but that's a subject for our next section. Pray Talking about spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 14:12-15, Paul says this: 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church. 13 For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. In verse 12 Paul acknowledges that the Corinthians are eager to have spiritual gifts, but he wants them to concentrate on gifts that build up the church. He is emphasising something he's already said in verses 1-5 where he makes it clear that prophecy is more valuable for the church than speaking in tongues. Tongues are useful for personal edification (v4), but prophecy will edify the church. However, tongues can be a means of edifying the church, but only if it's accompanied by the gift of interpretation (v5). So, in verse 13 he says that anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they are saying. That way the church will be edified as well as the person speaking in tongues. And, apart from anything else, this verse shows us that, if we're eagerly desiring a spiritual gift (v12), we should pray for it. Paul then goes on in verses 14-15 to tell us something very important about speaking in tongues. Although, as we've seen, it's of no value to the church unless it's interpreted, it's of great value to the individual Christian. He says that when he pray in tongues we are praying with the spirit. This is different from praying with the mind which is what we do when we pray in English (or any other language we have learned). So if we pray in tongues we are praying with our spirit. This is not a reference to the Holy Spirit, although of course it's the Holy Spirit who enables us to speak in tongues. When I pray in English, I understand what I'm saying, but when I pray I tongues I do not. But, even so, Paul says it edifies me (v4). So, Paul says in verse 15: What shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, I will also pray with my mind. This clearly shows his determination to do both. And if we are to fan into flame the gift of the Spirit, we need to too. Like Jackie Pullinger, who testifies that speaking in tongues for fifteen minutes a day has resulted in her seeing amazing miracles among drug addicts in Hong Kong, spiritual gifts will happen in our lives as we fan into flame the gift of the Spirit within us. We need to keep filled with the Spirit by praying with our spirit (in tongues) and praying with our understanding (in English) specifically asking for spiritual gifts, as Paul encourages the Corinthians in verse 13, for example. But how do I know what to pray for? Aren't the gifts distributed as the Holy Spirit determines? And what if I start asking for a gift that it's not his will for me to have? These are the kind of questions my students often asked me, and I quite understand why. But the problem is, if we don't know what to pray for, we probably won't pray for any of them. As I was thinking and praying about the best way to answer these questions, I felt the Lord say to me, Tell them to pray for whatever gift they like. I'm delighted they're praying for any of the gifts. I will direct them as they continue to pray. I quickly saw the Lord's wisdom in giving that advice. All God's gifts are good, and it's good to pray for any of them. But if the gift we're asking for is not for us, the Lord will move us towards the ones that are. As we said in an earlier talk, God usually guides us when we're on the move. Remember the illustration of the SATNAV? It's also helpful to remember that, when we don't know what to pray for as we pray with our mind (in English), if we pray with our spirit (in tongues), not understanding what we are saying, the words we speak in tongues may well be voicing a request for the very gifts God is planning to give us. Act in faith So, if we're eagerly desiring for God not only to speak to us, but also to speak through us, if we've stopped making excuses, if we're keeping filled with the Spirit, and if we're praying that God will give us these wonderful gifts, all we need to do now is act in faith. Jesus himself said that gifts like tongues, healings and miracles would accompany those who believe (Mark 16:17-18), and the apostle Paul tells us that those who prophesy should do so in accordance with their faith (Romans 12:6). And James tells us that faith without works is dead (James 2:17). We have to do something. If we want God to speak through us, we have to speak. An example of this is how I began to exercise the gift of interpreting tongues, which I've already told you about in an earlier talk. I acted in faith, despite my doubts. Nelson Mandela once said: I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not the one who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. Similarly, faith is not the absence of doubt. It's overcoming your doubts by trusting the Lord. He doesn't give stones or scorpions or snakes when we ask for the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:11-13) or when we ask for his gifts (Matthew 7:9-11). Trusting in these promises, we can act in faith, knowing that God will not let us down. If you've enjoyed this series, you'll want to get a copy of my new book, The Voice of God – how he speaks to us today Available from my website: www.davidpetts.org 228 pages containing all the teaching in the podcasts, and more. £12.00 per copy (including postage) [1] See 1 Corinthians 3:3, 5:1-12, 11:21. [2] Natural gifts include hospitality, marriage, celibacy etc. For a more detailed discussion on this, please see Body Builders – gifts to make God's people grow [3] For more on what it means to be filled with the Spirit, please see A New Dimension – How to be filled with the Holy Spirit [4] Compare Acts 8:17, 19:6
There are no exceptions. Everyone is blessed who fears the Lord! In this podcast learn how Yeshua models and even delights in the fear of The Lord. Some translations rightly translate this verse "happy is everyone who fears The Lord" There is real happiness that comes from fearing God. Join us as we unpack the happiness that everyone is invited to know by walking in the fear of The Lord.
VERSE: I heard the Lord asking, “Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?” ISAIAH 6:8 ✔️ In Acts, we see the leaders in Antioch “ministering to the Lord” ✔️ There seems to be a correlation between our worship and our ability to hear. ✔️ Worship often leads us to an encounter with God and virtually always follows one. ✔️ When our lives reflect God's glory through our affection for Him, we begin to hear Him better. TAKEAWAY: There are few things more difficult than worshiping when life seems to be going against you, but there's hardly anything ultimately more rewarding. PRAYER: Holy God, You are glorious, majestic, and beautiful. I adore Your heart —and Your willingness to share it with me. Let me live with a strong sense of Your presence, an atmosphere in which Your words are abundant and clear. Open my heart and my ears to hear You. ▌ABOUT US ▌
Have you left your love for the Lord- There is a difference between knowing God and loving God. Is he your center of focus and your prized possession-
Summary:Are we living a Christian life?What should I expect?How do I hear the voice of the Lord, the Holy Spirit?How did Jesus know to speak only what the Father told Him?What does hunger have to do with it?Show Notes:• What does it mean to be in motion?• A small child first learns to crawl, then to walk• Honest faith is putting into action what the Lord showsyou or tells you• Learn to expect the Holy Spirit to speak to you.• All of us need an experience with the Lord• There is nothing in the world worth anything• God knows the Heart of a manReferences:Matthew 7:21“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter thekingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father whois in heaven will enter.”John 6:38For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, butthe will of Him who sent Me.Romans 12:2And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed bythe renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the willof God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.John 15:10, 1510. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love;just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in Hislove15. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not knowwhat his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for allthings that I have heard from My Father I have made known toyou.James 2:18, 2618. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I haveworks; show me your faith without the works, and I will showyou my faith by my works.”26. For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faithwithout works is dead.Matthew 25:34-40“I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink”Matthew 7:7“Ask, and keep asking and it will be given to you; seek, andkeep seeking and you will find; knock, and keep knocking and itwill be opened to you.”1 Samuel 3:1-14God speaks to Samuel1 Kings 8:39Then hear in heaven Your dwelling place, and forgive and actand render to each according to all his ways, whose heart Youknow, for You alone know the hearts of all the sons of men,1 Samuel 16:7But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance orat the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; forGod sees not as a man sees, for man looks at the outwardappearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”Luke 2:41-52Jesus as a youth in the temple.49. And He said to them, “Why is it that you were looking forMe? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?”Quotes:• The principle of being in motion is a huge principle.• That is the only time I get revelation and I getunderstanding is when I am moving• Just ask the Lord to show you Himself• It was just the fact of relating to somebody in their need• Read with an anticipation and an expectation that the HolySpirit is going to speak to you• Pester Him, whatever it takes, till He speaks to youTake Away:Jesus said that He only did what He saw the Father doing, onlyspoke what He heard the Father speaking. If we are to be likeHim, then we probably should seek to hear what He is saying.
Songs of Greatness is a sermon series on the greatness of God from the Psalms. Ascribe to the Lord — There are many things in this world that are big and scary, things that are threatening and out of our control. But God is far bigger and more powerful than any threat we could imagine. This is the root of all strength and peace. Recorded on July 25, 2021, on Psalm 29, by Pastor David Parks. Sermon Transcript For the next year, in our preaching ministry, we're focusing on The Greatness of God. And I've said, after all the turmoil of the last year+, it was obvious to me that way too many Christians have way too small of a view of who God is. So we've started this annual theme with a sermon series from the Psalms in the Bible called, Songs of Greatness. The Psalms are a collection of songs/poems that the people of God have used in the worship of God for 1000's of years. And the psalms cover the whole range of human experience, but some of the psalms are all about the greatness of God. Today, we'll consider Psalm 29, which speaks very directly to this situation of ours today. This need to gain/recover a better theology, a better/truer understanding of who God is. Why? Because of the storm, because of the times of turmoil/chaos/destruction. Because of the times that bring widespread anger/anxiety, stress/depression. We lived through a mighty storm this past year or so. But storms aren't new, nothing is new under the sun. Can the greatness of God help us in the midst of the story?? If you have a Bible/app, please open it to Ps 29. We're going to unpack this psalm in three parts: 1. The Glory, 2. The Voice, 3. The King. But first, let's read through this together. Psalm 29, “Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his[a] holiness. 3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is majestic. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks in pieces the cedars of Lebanon. 6 He makes Lebanon leap like a calf, Sirion[b] like a young wild ox. 7 The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning. 8 The voice of the Lord shakes the desert; the Lord shakes the Desert of Kadesh. 9 The voice of the Lord twists the oaks[c] and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” 10 The Lord sits enthroned over the flood; the Lord is enthroned as King forever. 11 The Lord gives strength to his people; the Lord blesses his people with peace.” Psalm 29, traditionally, is one of the psalms of David, that is King David, the most powerful/influential king of the ancient people of Israel. David lived about 3,000 years ago or about 1,000 years before the time of Jesus. And David was a mighty warrior and a prolific poet, having written about half of the psalms in the Bible. Psalm 29 is divided/ordered in a particular way, did you notice? Psalm 29 has three main sections marked by repetition. The first section (vv. 1-2) has the phrase “ascribe to the Lord” over and over. And then, the second section (vv. 3-9) has the phrase “The voice of the Lord.” Finally, the third section/stanza (vv. 10-11) simply has “The Lord, the Lord, the Lord” over and over. So with that, let's jump back to v. 1. Psalm 29:1-2, “Ascribe to the Lord, you heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” So first, The Glory: David starts with this call, really it's an invitation to worship: to ascribe to the Lord, the glory due his name. What does that mean? Does that mean that God is really insecure and needs our words of affirmation? Does that mean that God is waiting around for us to worship him, in order to get glory? No! God is not lacking in glory. God is supremely glorious!
We are living in a post-Christian society. Some today lived in a time in which Christ came first in most cases. That time is gone and most do not believe in God. We live in a time where people are absent of truth and they only believe in things that are not true. A lot believe in evolution and if that's the case then you do not believe in the resurrection of the dead. If people believed that one would live again after death then the churches would be full. If one believes in life after death then someone has to do the raising. This then means that this person has power over death. A lot want to hear how good people are when they die. They want the minister to tell everyone that the person was a good person and somehow got their wings and are walking the streets of gold. All the while the person lying in the casket never accepted Christ as their savior. There is a time that the grave and Hell will give up the dead in order to be judged. When death finds you that is not your end. There is an eternity that you will spend, either Heaven or Hell. If you believe that there is no resurrection after death then that means you do not believe that Christ didn't rise from the dead. One might think that a person that talks to God is crazy but the truth is God talks back. Absent from the body, present with the Lord There is coming an expiration point of your body. There is nothing that any doctor will be able to do to keep this body here and once it's expired it will die. Once the body is expired the soul will go back to God. Absent from the body, present with the Lord instantly. I, is not the external person but the internal. God will separate the two and will take what is His back. This body can not handle God because our body is earthly, sinful. Now on the day of the great resurrection, God will raise each and every saved person's body and change it into a glorified body. It will then meet its soul with its new glorified body to live forever in Heaven. Those that are saved and dead already are already in Heaven but do not have a body yet. Those that are still living during the great rapture will be changed in the blink of an eye and will join those being changed that have already died. You either believe that there is a resurrection of the dead or you don't. You believe that life came from nothing and then it goes back to nothing or, you believe that there is a great creator (God) and at death, you will go back to this creator (God).
Ephraim's sins provoke the Lord—There is no Savior beside the Lord—He ransoms from the grave and redeems from death. The post Hosea 13 appeared first on Sacred Text Daily.
it is absolutely right to call Jesus Lord- Jesus IS Lord- But it is NOT enough to SIMPLY CALL Jesus Lord- Lip service means nothing to our Lord. Therefore- - Understand the Words of Christ here that NOT EVERYONE that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. - MANY will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord- - In what day- The judgment of the great day- In that day, those who -LOVED Jesus and LOVED the world-- and who LOVED the broad way, which led them to destruction will be shouting LORD- LORD-- Jesus will profess to them- I never had any intimacy with you- I do not know you- - Beloved, there are MANY who call Jesus Lord, but who WILL NOT and DO NOT humbly submit to Him as Lord- There are many who call Jesus Lord, who DO NOT obey His Word and commands.
Ephraim's sins provoke the Lord—There is no Savior beside the Lord—He ransoms from the grave and redeems from death. The post Hosea 13 appeared first on Sacred Text Daily.
Fight For Your Family - Brother's Charlie bit my finger - you tube video Genesis 2 Adam and his family....my brothers keeper Matthew 10:21-23 “Brothers don't necessarily have to say anything to each other – they can sit in a room and be together and just be completely comfortable with each other.” brother scriptures.... famous brothers in the Bible... Prodical son (which is famous) diffrent strokes (willis/arnold) orville/wilbur wright What is the things we should be fighting for? Nehemiah teaches us that we need to be reminded what we are fighting for... More than 400 years before Christ… the people of Israel found themselves in a hard moment. After over 100 years of exile… separation from their home and scattered abroad… they struggle to keep their heritage, their faith, their history. Nehemiah is one those exiles… and hears about his homeland… Jerusalem in ruins. Nehemiah 1: 3-4 They said to me, "Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire." 4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Nehemiah made himself a part of the prayer… Nehemiah 4: 13-15 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." 15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work. A teenage boy… In 7th grade, long brown hair… with friends… and is doing well… but making some really bad choices. A older brother is upstairs standing in his room… talking with him… well, fighting with him… trying to get through his heart, thoughts and concern for his brother… he is trying to convey his heart, his needs, his fears… and the sides have been drawn… then Reggie (the other brother) in a moment with talking to his brother… who was very verbally skilled… took a verbal shot at him… that was so personal, and cut to the quick… • He was devastated… took him by surprise…. Took his breath away… And he didn't know what to do in that moment… so he walked out, went downstairs, left the house, got in the car… and drove away… • 15 minutes later he gets a call… his little brother on the phone… “Reggie… I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean it… but, (a moment where the child becomes the parent) but, why did you leave? “ • Why did you walk away… Reggie, I need to know that I'm worth fighting for… In our verse this morning… Nehemiah is up against all kinds of odds… as they rebuild their society, their city… their families. This is the Right Fight – fighting for your kids, your grandkids, your spouse, learning from life's mistakes… and investing into the families and people around us… starting at home, coming to church, and then outside these walls. Here the significant moment again, half way through building the wall they are threatened… Nehemiah 4: 13-15 Therefore I stationed some of the people behind the lowest points of the wall at the exposed places, posting them by families, with their swords, spears and bows. 14 After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, "Don't be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes." 15 When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it, we all returned to the wall, each to his own work. How Nehemiah met this moment of crisis within their community… he did something, and said something… He placed each family member at the wall… So they would know what they are fighting for… you are fighting for your families… your sons, daughters, wives and homes… And Remember the Lord… The Answer: Fight for each other… and remember the Lord! In life, know what is at stake… there are exposed places in the wall… and we must fight for each other… and remember the Lord! Fight for each other, and remember the Lord! Fathers… don't stop fighting for your brothers Mothers… don't stop fighting for your brothers Children … don't stop fighting for your brothers For all of us… don't stop fighting for your brothers … and remember the Lord… There are exposed areas in the wall: Brothers Fight For Your Family Too Brothers Fighting Brother's at arms I. How many of you have ever been in a fight with your brother or sister? A. I have a sister and a brother and we have had our fair share of run-ins. B. Jean is more now than when we where small C. Ty was the opposite Eating contest Threw me off the house.....brothers fighting II. Which brings us to our story today about Joseph. A. Joseph was the son of Jacob B. Jacob who was also called Israel. C. Israel loved Jacob more than any of his other sons...so D. Joseph told them the dream he had 1. Your sheaves of grain bowed before mine. E. Jacob sent Joseph to check on his brother grazing the flocks. F. They seized him and wanted to kill him. Cistern sold into slavery. G. They dipped Joseph's robe in goat's blood to make their father think he had been eaten by a wild animal. H. Sold to Potiphar I. Potiphar's wife tried to tempt Joseph to sleep with her. J. Joseph is thrown into prison. K. Joseph kindly interprets the cupbearer and the baker's dream L. Then Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream so that Pharaoh put him in charge of everything. M. When the famine came so did Joseph's brothers. N. The story of the brother's reunited. O. The brother's wondered if Joseph would hold a grudge. III. The main point behind the story of Joseph's life is understanding his right spirit that he had in his dealings with people. Understanding that forgiveness was important. A. When his brothers sold him into slavery, he didn't hold a grudge. B. When Potiphar's wife lied to get him thrown in jail, because he wouldn't sleep with her, he didn't hold a grudge. C. When the cupbearer forgot to mention him and he spent two more years in prison, he didn't hold a grudge. IV. If not holding anything against anyone is one of the main themes in this story then we should strive to find out what exactly that means. Let's walk through that process. A. If the major theme is forgiveness then is must be important to us as well. 1. Forgiveness consists of many aspects but one in particular is guarding our thoughts from thinking badly of others. 2. If Joseph would have hated his brothers for all the wrongs they did him; he wouldn't have received favor in the sight of God. Then God wouldn't have forgiven him his trespasses. B. So am I saying that if we have bad thoughts about others, or if we hold grudges against others that it's a sin. YES!!! V. Here's why A. Matthew 18:21-35 1. Parable of the unmerciful servant B. Mark 11:24-25 C. Luke 6:37 D. Luke 6:41-42 E. Colossians 3:7-10 F. Let us take Jesus' own example found in Luke 23:34 VI. So you ask me, “pastor, are you saying that if I think anything bad against anyone that it is a sin?” “Are you saying that if I have a grudge against anyone, or anger against anyone that it is a sin?” NO! I'm not saying that. The word of God is saying that. I think this is an important message for us in this fight for your family series. That we start off on a clean slate. That we be continually mindful of our thoughts, because even our thoughts can be sin. That we begin to heal relationships, and friendships now, before it is too late. So I'm calling you out, if you hold anything against anyone today... Christian... I want you at this altar of prayer to get yourself first right with God. Then you go get it right with the person.
Order of Service: - Prelude - Psalm 130 With the Lord There is Mercy: Soloist: With the Lord there is mercy … C: With the Lord there is mercy… S: From out of the depths I cry unto You, Lord, hear my voice, come, hear my prayer; O let your ear be open to my pleading. C: With the Lord… S: If you, O Lord, should mark our guilt, then who could stand within your sight? But in you is found forgiveness for our failings. C: With the Lord… S: Just as those who wait for the morning light, even more I long for the Lord, my God, and his word to me shall ever be my comfort. C: With the Lord… - John 10: 14-16: (Jesus said) ”I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.” - Devotion - Hymn 370 - The King of Love, My Shepherd is - Blessing - Postlude Service Participants: Chaplain Don Moldstad (Preacher), Rev. Prof. Dennis Marzolf (Organist), Noah Gernander (Soloist)
Get Used to Different Part 3: A QUANTUM DECISION Mark 1:4-11 (Baptism of the Lord) There is a book with the interesting title, Quantum Change. The authors of this book interviewed people who had what they called a moment of great clarity that led them to make a decision that changed the course of their lives—hence the title, Quantum Change. The authors noticed two things about this sudden, life-changing moment: first, each person felt as if he had received a mystical message from outside himself that gave him this insight, and secondly, each person's life was never the same after receiving this insight. What is striking about this study is that ten years later the authors interviewed their subjects again and found that their lives had been permanently changed by this decisive moment. As Dr. Miller, one of the book's co-authors, said, “The moment it happened, they knew they had gone through a one-way door—there was no going back.” Quantum Change. That's a great way to describe the decision to be baptized into the Christian faith—“a one-way door—there's no going back.” Because it happens for many people when they are infants or, depending on your background, as a young person, we might not give much thought to it. But we ought to regard it as the most significant moment in our life. Ideally, we should carry with us at all times the consciousness that we are a baptized person. And that baptism should make a difference in everything we do. This Sunday at Misty Creek we will have the opportunity to remember our baptisms and experience an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Grace and peace, Stephen Stephen Streett, Senior Pastor
About this episode: In this week’s episode, Alice discusses the importance of purpose before marriage. Remember that God wants to make you to grow and produce before he releases the promise. Word of the Lord:There are so many who Neglect my purpose and focus on marriage. I have given every individual an assignment that is above your own desires. I want it fulfilled before I bring along the person who will helpYou achieve my ultimate goal for your life. Scriptures Matthew 13:26- There are so many who Neglect my purpose and focus on marriage. I have given every individual an assignment that is above your own desires. I want it fulfilled before I bring along the person who will helpYou achieve my ultimate goal for your life. Luke 13:9- If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’” Mark 12:30 - And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. James 5:13-16 - 13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Instagram : Msaliceinspires Website: Msaliceinspires.Com Shop:https://www.msaliceinspires.com/apparel --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/msaliceinspires/support
DEVOTIONAL VIDEO MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Interior Life – Part 5: The Conscience (Holy Trinity; Madison, MS) Our conscience is that part of our soul that brings our hearts and minds into knowledge of God’s requirements and expectations for living a Godly life. In 1 Timothy 1:5, the conscience is related to love: “The aim of our charge is loving that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”. Do we have a clear conscience before the Lord? There are three aspects of our conscience: 1) the part of our person that knows right and wrong within ourselves – our moral compass; 2) as Christians, our conscience becomes God’s moral compass within us; and 3) a reminder that we have sinned against God or our neighbor. The Holy Spirit deals with conscience first and not our intellect or emotion. What happens when we ignore our conscience: 1) we begin to dumb down the power of our conscience to speak into our lives; 2) even though our conscience speaks to us all the time, we begin not to hear it; and 3) our conscience becomes polluted by the world – a defiled conscience. Ignoring our conscience leads us towards self-deception and depravity. How do we keep a clear conscience: 1) confess our sin to God as instructed in Hebrews 10:22-23: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.", and in 1 John 1:9-10: "We confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."; 2) make a confession of our sin to a Christian friend; 3) sometimes, we confess our sin to a minister; and 4) sometimes, we need to make restitution to those to whom we have sinned, when appropriate. Our conscience is a mighty gift to us from God if we listen to it and keep a clear conscience. TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:5-6; Job 27:6; 1 John 1:9-10; Psalms 131:1-3.; Psalms 56:1-13. THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “With Regards to “Racism”, Jesus Followers and Christian Churches Are Accountable to the “Law of Christ” First – “Love One Another”", at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Are Both Your Interior Life and the Uncertainties in Your Earthly Life Today Challenging Your Conscience?”: www.AWFTL.org/watch DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
ODEVOTIONAL VIDE MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Interior Life – Part 5: The Conscience (Holy Trinity; Madison, MS) Our Conscience is that part of our soul that brings our hearts and minds into knowledge of God’s requirements and expectations for living a Godly life. In 1 Timothy 1:5, the conscience is related to love: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”. Do we have a clear conscience before the Lord? There are three aspects of our conscience: 1) the part of our person that knows right and wrong within ourselves – our moral compass; 2) as Christians, our conscience becomes God’s moral compass within us; and 3) a reminder that we have sinned against God or our neighbor. The Holy Spirit deals with conscience first and not our intellect or emotion. What happens when we ignore our conscience: 1) we begin to dumb down the power of our conscience to speak into our lives; 2) even though our conscience speaks to us all the time, we begin not to hear it; and 3) our conscience becomes polluted by the world – a defiled conscience. Ignoring our conscience leads us towards self-deception and depravity. How do we keep a clear conscience: 1) confess our sin to God as instructed in Hebrews 10:22-23: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.", and in 1 John 1:9-10: "We confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."; 2) make a confession of our sin to a Christian friend; 3) sometimes, confess our sin to a minister; and 4) sometimes, we need to make restitution to those to whom we have sinned, when appropriate. Our conscience is a mighty gift to us from God if we listen to it and keep a clear conscience. Your conscience is God with you and in you. TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Fear. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Faithfulness. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:5-6; Job 27:6; 1 John 1:9-10; Psalms 131:1-3. THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “How Much Time Do I Have Left as a Father to Meet God’s Expectations and Receive the Joys of Being a Father In Christ?": at our Website: www.AWFTL.org/listen/. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “The Apostle John Tells You: ‘You who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life’”: www.AWFTL.org/watch DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
DEVOTIONAL VIDEO MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Interior Life – Part 5: The Conscience (Holy Trinity; Madison, MS) Our Cnscience is that part of our soul that brings our hearts and minds into knowledge of God’s requirements and expectations for living a Godly life. In 1 Timothy 1:5, the conscience is related to love: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”. Do we have a clear conscience before the Lord? There are three aspects of our conscience: 1) the part of our person that knows right and wrong within ourselves – our moral compass; 2) as Christians, our conscience becomes God’s moral compass within us; and 3) a reminder that we have sinned against God or our neighbor. The Holy Spirit deals with conscience first and not our intellect or emotion. What happens when we ignore our conscience: 1) we begin to dumb down the power of our conscience to speak into our lives; 2) even though our conscience speaks to us all the time, we begin not to hear it; and 3) our conscience becomes polluted by the world – a defiled conscience. Ignoring our conscience leads us towards self-deception and depravity. How do we keep a clear conscience: 1) confess our sin to God as instructed in Hebrews 10:22-23: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.", and in 1 John 1:9-10: "We confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."; 2) make a confession of our sin to a Christian friend; 3) sometimes, confess our sin to a minister; and 4) sometimes, we need to make restitution to those to whom we have sinned, when appropriate. Our conscience is a mighty gift to us from God if we listen to it and keep a clear conscience. Your conscience is God with you and in you. TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Heartlessness. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit’s fruit of Kindnesse. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:5-6; Job 27:6; 1 John 1:9-10; Psalms 131:1-3. THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “What Do People See In You as You Live Your Life? As a Christian, You Live Through The Holy Spirit - God’s Gift": at our Website: www.AWFTL.org/listen/. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Your Conscience to Leads You Through Life’s Challenges, and The Holy Spirit Deals First with Your Conscience”: www.AWFTL.org/watch DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
DEVOTIONAL VIDEO MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Interior Life – Part 5: The Conscience (Holy Trinity; Madison, MS) Our conscience is that part of our soul that brings our hearts and minds into knowledge of God’s requirements and expectations for living a Godly life. In 1 Timothy 1:5, the conscience is related to love: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”. Do we have a clear conscience before the Lord? There are three aspects of our conscience: 1) the part of our person that knows right and wrong within ourselves – our moral compass; 2) as Christians, our conscience becomes God’s moral compass within us; and 3) a reminder that we have sinned against God or our neighbor. The Holy Spirit deals with conscience first and not our intellect or emotion. What happens when we ignore our conscience: 1) we begin to dumb down the power of our conscience to speak into our lives; 2) even though our conscience speaks to us all the time, we begin not to hear it; and 3) our conscience becomes polluted by the world – a defiled conscience. Ignoring our conscience leads us towards self-deception and depravity. How do we keep a clear conscience: 1) confess our sin to God as instructed in Hebrews 10:22-23: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.", and in 1 John 1:9-10: "We confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."; 2) make a confession of our sin to a Christian friend; 3) sometimes, confess our sin to a minister; and 4) sometimes, we need to make restitution to those to whom we have sinned, when appropriate. Our conscience is a mighty gift to us from God if we listen to it and keep a clear conscience. Your conscience is God with you and in you. TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, because of I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I will not be controlled by my Self-Centeredness. Rather, I will walk in the Spirit’s fruit of Love. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22f). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:5-6; Job 27:6; 1 John 1:9-10; Psalms 131:1-3. THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “What Do People See In You as You Live Your Life? As a Christian, You Live Through The Holy Spirit - God’s Gift": at our Website: www.AWFTL.org/listen/. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Your Conscience to Leads You Through Life’s Challenges, and The Holy Spirit Deals First with Your Conscience”: www.AWFTL.org/watch DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Every Square Inch Acts 1:1-11 & St. Luke 24:49-53 by William Klock Now, more than ever, we need to be reminded that Jesus is Lord. Some of us are really good at remembering that and we’re hanging onto it as tight as we can these days. Others of us, not so much. I wonder how many of you looked up as you walked under the lychgate as you arrived this morning? How many of you saw those words carved over the entrance? Those words that say, “Jesus is Lord”? There are a number of ways that churches remind us of what it means to be a Christian and of our union with Jesus. The church Veronica and I attended when we lived over in Vancouver was entered through the baptistery. You couldn’t get into the church without having to walk in a semi-circle around the enormous font inside the church doors. The water in the font carries God’s promise of redemption and new life. At some point we each passed through those waters in faith to become part of the people of God. And the font, there at the entrance to the church, was a reminder every time we passed by it of God’s covenant promise and of God’s covenant faithfulness. Here, every time we walk through the lychgate, we’re reminded of the gospel itself. Here we’re reminded of whom we come to worship and why he’s worthy. Jesus is Lord. Brothers and Sisters, that’s the heart of the gospel. And that’s why we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus. Year in and year out, during the first half of the calendar, the Church through scripture and prayer and liturgy leads us through the life of Jesus. The year begins in Advent as we anticipate his coming. Then, at Christmas, he arrives in humble majesty. At Epiphany we see the Jewish Messiah manifested to the Gentiles. Then, through Lent, we walk with him in his ministry as he makes his way to the Cross. On Good Friday we recall his death with sombre silence and yet, still with joyful hearts, knowing that through his death comes the forgiveness of sins. And then that joy rises to its height on Easter as we celebrate the empty tomb and Jesus’ resurrection from death. At the Cross, evil rose up to its full height and did its worst, but on Sunday Jesus rose victorious over sin and death. He broke the chains. New creation went out from that empty tomb like a shockwave through Creation. But the resurrection of Jesus did—or maybe better it signified—something else that often gets lost in the story. Jesus is the Messiah. That’s what “Christ” means. It’s not Jesus’ last name. It’s the Greek word for Messiah. And the Messiah was the long-hoped for and long-awaited king of Israel. Not just a king, but the king—the one who would lead the people in a new exodus, the one who would fix Israel’s heart problem, the one who would set this messed up world to rights. Of course, we read in the Gospels and then in Paul, a lot of the Jews had the Messiah all wrong. They’d misunderstood the plan that God had for the world and their place in it. They were like the postman given a letter and then keeping it for himself. And so they rejected Jesus. More specifically, they rejected Jesus as the Messiah. “We have no king but Caesar!” they shouted. “Crucify Jesus!” they cried. And so the resurrection of Jesus was more than just a happy ending to the story. The resurrection was God’s vindication of his Son. The world said, “He’s not the Messiah” and they killed him. But God overturned their verdict and turned their violent act of hate and rebellion into an act of redemption through which he revealed his King. And so, for forty days, the risen Jesus walked and talked with his disciples. Luke says that he explained the Scriptures to them so that they would understand the story, his place in it, and theirs too. And he says that this risen Jesus was glorious. He was the same and different at the same time. It took a while for his friends to recognise him. But he was as human as ever. He sat on the beach and ate fish with them. I can imagine Jesus juggling the hot fish from one hand to another and gingerly biting into it lest he burn himself. He was as human as ever, but he was more. Appearing in a locked and sealed room and then disappearing just as quickly. The resurrected Jesus was as at home on earth as he was in heaven and at home in heaven as much as one earth. And that’s what we see today as we remember and celebrate his ascension. In our Epistle we read those first eleven verses of the book of Acts and then in the Gospel we read the last verses from St. Luke. Luke says that forty days after the resurrection, Jesus led his disciples out of Jerusalem and up to the Mount of Olives. He promised them that John the Baptist’s prophecy would soon be fulfilled. He was going to send his Spirit to baptise them with fire. They didn’t know what that meant. In fact, it didn’t even seem very important to them at the time. They wanted to know about the kingdom! That’s what the Messiah was about—he was supposed to come and restore the kingdom of Israel. When he rode into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday they were thinking that maybe now he would finally throw off the poor itinerant rabbi disguise and restore the kingdom, throwing out the Romans and taking up David’s throne. But instead Jesus allowed himself to be arrested, beaten, and killed. They were despondent. But then on Sunday he rose from the dead. Maybe this was finally it. But through the next forty days Jesus simply taught them the Scriptures. The disciples were excited to have Jesus back with them. They were excited about his resurrection, although I don’t think they truly understood what it meant at this point. And so there on the Mount of Olives they asked again: Jesus, it’s great you’re alive again. We appreciate all the Bible teaching. But when are you going to bring the kingdom? And in response Jesus once again promised them the gift of the Holy Spirit to empower their witness and then told them that it wasn’t their place to know the times and seasons fixed by the Father. But then Jesus did something amazing: he ascended into the clouds. There were the disciples staring into the sky, probably with their mouths agape, as Jesus disappeared from their sight. And they just stood there, staring and staring until the two men, the two angels, broke into their wonder and amazement saying, “Hey, you men of Galilee! Are you going to stand there forever staring into space? Jesus went up to heaven and he’s coming back. Didn’t he give you something important to do in the meantime?” Why were the disciples standing there agape? You and I would too if we saw our friend ascend into the clouds. That’s not something that people do. But for the disciples it was more significant than we might think. It’s tied to Jesus’ last words and it’s tied to both the Old Testament and the symbolism of imperial Rome. First, that great messianic passage in Daniel 7:13-14 that gives a dramatic visual of the son of man rising to his heavenly throne to rule: I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed. But, as I said, this symbolism was important to the Romans, too. Julius Caesar took on the trappings of divinity when he became emperor of Rome. After his death the senate declared him divine. The later emperors of Rome followed suit. On their deaths the Senate declared that they had ascended to heaven as gods and they were depicted in imperial imagery ascending into the clouds. That was the imagery that surrounded Jesus at his ascension. He didn’t have to ascend into the clouds that way. Heaven isn’t up there somewhere above the clouds. You can’t get there by travelling up—not even with a spaceship. Even the Romans understood that heaven was simply the realm of the gods in contrast to the earth, which is the realm of human beings. And so Jesus didn’t have to fly up into the clouds to leave the realm of human beings for the realm of God. He simply could have vanished from the disciples’ sight. But instead he chose to leave in a way that drew on this imagery familiar to both the Jews and the Gentiles. Everyone knew that Caesar didn’t actually fly up to heaven. The comet commemorating his divinity on Roman coins was just a symbol. But Jesus did it for real. Why? Because it sent the message that Jesus is the Messiah, confirming the prophecies of Israel’s scriptures, and at the same time declaring that Jesus is Lord. “Caesar is Lord” was the creed of imperial Rome. But Caesar was just a pretender. He brought peace to the world, but it was a temporary peace forged by violence and intimidation. Jesus, on the other hand, really is Lord. In contrast to Caesar who conquered his enemies with the sword, Jesus conquered his enemies by humbling himself and dying on a cross. And in return, God exalted Jesus and seated him at his right hand—in the place of heavenly honour. Caesar pretends at being Lord, but Jesus really is. That’s the first take-away from the Ascension story as St. Luke tells it. But the other take-away is the one that upsets much of the popular theology of today, and that’s that the kingdom is here and the kingdom is now. The kingdom is not coming in the future. It’s not coming after a rapture of believers. It’s not coming before or after or in the middle of a Great Tribulation. And it’s not something we have to go to heaven to experience. The disciples asked Jesus when the kingdom was coming and Jesus responded by telling them that it was not for them to know. I suspect he may have said that with a smile, because the next thing we see is Jesus ascending. Just as the Ascension sends the message loudly and clearly that Jesus is Lord, it also sends the message loudly and clearly that his kingdom is here and now. They asked him when the kingdom was coming and in response he gave them a dramatic visual that they’d never forget: They saw the King ascend to his throne. Brothers and Sisters, the Ascension of Jesus tells us very dramatically and unmistakably that the kingdom is here and now. King’s don’t sit on thrones to rule over nothing. Why is the Ascension important? Again, it tells us dramatically and unmistakably that the King is one his throne and that his kingdom has already been inaugurated. All of this is important, but what does it mean that Jesus is reigning and that the kingdom is here and now? For that we need to look at the big picture. In the beginning God created the Cosmos to give him glory. At the centre of it was a garden and in that garden the Lord placed human beings to tend and to keep it. Everything about the garden points to its being the Lord’s temple. When the Israelites built the tabernacle, the design was meant to mimic the garden. It was in the garden that human beings lived in the presence of the Lord. And later it was in the tabernacle and then the temple that the Lord manifested his presence in the holy of holies. The temple was the place where heaven and earth met and where the people went to meet with, to worship, and to fellowship with the Lord. The temple pointed back to the garden. When humanity sinned, the garden was lost. Adam and Eve were cast out and an angel placed at the entrance to guard it. And from there the story of humanity goes from bad to worse. And yet the Lord never abandoned his Creation. The creation was meant to give God glory and when it turned on him, instead of destroying it, God chose to manifest his glory by renewing it—by making a new creation. And as humanity lost all knowledge of the Lord, he called Abraham to himself and through Abraham created a new humanity in the family of Abraham. Through Abraham, the Lord began the work of restoring the garden. “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed,” God promised (Genesis 12:3). And yet think about a garden. You can’t plant a garden in the wilderness and expect it to flourish on its own. Enemies and wild animals will raid the garden and steal the fruit. Without cultivation and protection the wild will quickly overcome the garden. And so the Lord provided for the protection of his new garden. He sent Jacob and his family to Egypt, where the king looked on them with favour, provided for them, cared for them, and protected them. When the king of Egypt became hostile, the Lord himself rescued his new creation—Israel—and led her into the wilderness and to the promised land. He fed her in the wilderness and he drove out her enemies from the land. Eventually the Lord gave her a human king to protect his new creation from the wilderness—from the hostile enemies—that surrounded her. But through it all, it was ultimately the Lord who was King and who protected his people. Isaiah declared that “the Lord reigns” when Israel was faced with conquest by the Babylonian empire. The Babylonian king and the Babylonian gods had no power over Israel no matter how bad things got. In Daniel’s vision ferocious beasts represent the kingdoms of the earth that had conquered and dominated Israel, but in that vision the Lord takes the kingdom away from those monsters and delivers it to the saints and ultimately to the Son of Man—to Jesus. Even when the Lord uses earthly kings to discipline his people, he continues to care for them. That’s the purpose of his kingship and his kingdom: the care and cultivation of his new creation. And all this comes to full fruit in Jesus. He has come as the Son of Man, the representative of Israel. He has come as the Messiah—the true and eternal king in the line of David. He has come to bring the Lord’s new creation to full fruit—to suffer for his people and to give them his Holy Spirit that they might truly be the new creation that Israel was supposed to be—that they might be the true sons and daughters of Abraham. But not only that, he has also come to establish a kingdom over which he will rule himself—a kingdom to protect and to safeguard the new creation—the Lord’s garden as it grows and flourishes and spreads throughout the world. This is the story of the book of Acts. We read the beginning this morning: Jesus ascended into the clouds to take his heavenly throne. Jesus is Lord; Caesar is not. The rest of Acts is the story of the church, of the new creation, of the kingdom spreading throughout the world. And Acts ends dramatically with Paul in Rome, in chains, proclaiming the lordship of Jesus right under Caesar’s nose. Through the suffering, persecution, and martyrdom of the saints, the kingdom of Jesus has triumphed and will continue to triumph. The Dutch theologian Abraham Kuyper summed it up well in that famous line of his: “There is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” Others, like Caesar may make their claims, but the reality is that Jesus is Lord of all. Brothers and Sisters, we are God’s new creation. The wilderness has surrounded the Lord’s garden. Earthly empires and kings have tried to steal its fruit, they’ve tried to stamp it out and burn it down, but King Jesus has preserved it. Because of his preservation, past generations have carried the good news that Jesus is Lord from Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to all the world. Because King Jesus has preserved it we know and believe that good news here in Canada, half a world away from that mount from which Jesus ascended to his throne two thousand years ago. Because King Jesus continues to preserve his new creation, we can have confidence to go out in faith, to charge into the darkness with the light of Christ, knowing that no matter what happens the kingdom of God is here and know and that nothing will stop it. As St. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, this new creation of which we are a part is protected by the one who has been given all authority and who will reign until every last enemy is put under his feet, even death itself. Our hope as Christians is in that day. Death is the last enemy to separate earth and heaven and on that day, when Jesus finally defeats it, he’ll return from his throne on the clouds as the angels told the disciples. As the joyful people of Rome went out to join their triumphant Caesar as he marched into the city as the conquering hero, St. Paul says that the people of Jesus will meet him in the air to accompany him as returns to earth the conquering hero—as he comes accompanied by heaven itself and restores earth and heaven. Brothers and Sisters, in the Old Testament the temple was the one place on earth where heaven and earth met and where the Lord could be known. When Jesus came he became the temple for us. The amazing thing is that Jesus didn’t leave it at that. He sent his Holy Spirit to fill and indwell us. We, his Church, are now the temple. We are now the place where heaven and earth connect and where the Lord is made known. And that’s our mission. Carved on our lychgate are those familiar words: “Jesus is Lord”. We pass beneath them as we come to the church to meet and to worship, but have you ever thought about what they really mean? The next time you walk under those words remember the Ascension. Remember that Jesus is seated on his throne, that his kingdom is here and now, and that he has made us his people. Jesus has restored us to the vocation for which we were created. He has restored God’s image in us. He has made us the people in whom heaven and earth meet. He’s given us the gospel message: the King who died and has risen from the grave is Lord. And he sends us out like Adam and Eve with that good news, to be fruitful and to multiply—to carry the royal summons to our friends, our families, and eventually to every corner of creation, spreading his kingdom. We’ve seen the Conqueror mount in triumph and now we go out as his army. But not an army like those of Rome sent out to conquer barbarians with the sword. Jesus calls us to charge into the darkness bearing his light, to suffer and even to die for the sake of the lost, as we seek to make known his love, his peace, his justice, his mercy, and especially his grace. Let us pray: Gracious Father, in his Ascension you have raised Jesus to the place of kingship and authority. Let us never forget the significance of his rule. As we face the darkness, give us courage to shine his light brightly and to proclaim that he is Lord. In this time of disease that reminds us of our mortality, remind us that you have given us a promise of life. Increase our understanding of your love and grace that we might manifest it to the world around us. And remind us, Father, to live in the hope of his sure return when all of his enemies have been subjected to his rule. In the meantime, as we wait for the restoration of heaven and earth, let us be faithful representative of your kingdom, making heaven visible and known to all around us. We ask this through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and our Lord. Amen.
DEVOTIONAL VIDEO MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Interior Life – Part 5: The Conscience (Holy Trinity; Madison, MS) Our conscience is that part of our soul that brings our hearts and minds into knowledge of God’s requirements and expectations for living a Godly life. In 1 Timothy 1:5, the conscience is related to love: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”. Do we have a clear conscience before the Lord? There are three aspects of our conscience: 1) the part of our person that knows right and wrong within ourselves – our moral compass; 2) as Christians, our conscience becomes God’s moral compass within us; and 3) a reminder that we have sinned against God or our neighbor. The Holy Spirit deals with conscience first and not our intellect or emotion. What happens when we ignore our conscience: 1) we begin to dumb down the power of our conscience to speak into our lives; 2) even though our conscience speaks to us all the time, we begin not to hear it; and 3) our conscience becomes polluted by the world – a defiled conscience. Ignoring our conscience leads us towards self-deception and depravity. How do we keep a clear conscience: 1) confess our sin to God as instructed in Hebrews 10:22-23: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.", and in 1 John 1:9-10: "We confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."; 2) make a confession of our sin to a Christian friend; 3) sometimes, we confess our sin to a minister; and 4) sometimes, we need to make restitution to those to whom we have sinned, when appropriate. Our conscience is a mighty gift to us from God if we listen to it and keep a clear conscience. TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21). Scripture Reference (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:5-6; Job 27:6; 1 John 1:9-10; Psalms 131:1-3.; Psalms 56:1-13. THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Throughout the Bible, We Witness God’s Power; as a Follower of Jesus, You Witness God’s Power, Personally, in Your Life": at our Website: www.AWFTL.org/listen/. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “Your Conscience Is a Mighty Gift From God if You Listen to Your Conscience and keep it ‘Clear’”: www.AWFTL.org/watch DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
DEVOTIONAL VIDEO MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Interior Life – Part 5: The Conscience (Holy Trinity; Madison, MS) Our conscience is that part of our soul that brings our hearts and minds into knowledge of God’s requirements and expectations for living a Godly life. In 1 Timothy 1:5, the conscience is related to love: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”. Do we have a clear conscience before the Lord? There are three aspects of our conscience: 1) the part of our person that knows right and wrong within ourselves – our moral compass; 2) as Christians, our conscience becomes God’s moral compass within us; and 3) a reminder that we have sinned against God or our neighbor. The Holy Spirit deals with conscience first and not our intellect or emotion. What happens when we ignore our conscience: 1) we begin to dumb down the power of our conscience to speak into our lives; 2) even though our conscience speaks to us all the time, we begin not to hear it; and 3) our conscience becomes polluted by the world – a defiled conscience. Ignoring our conscience leads us towards self-deception and depravity. How do we keep a clear conscience: 1) confess our sin to God as instructed in Hebrews 10:22-23: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.", and in 1 John 1:9-10: "We confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."; 2) make a confession of our sin to a Christian friend; 3) sometimes, confess our sin to a minister; and 4) sometimes, we need to make restitution to those to whom we have sinned, when appropriate. Our conscience is a mighty gift to us from God if we listen to it and keep a clear conscience. Your conscience -- God with you and in you. TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Loneliness. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Presence. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:5-6; Job 27:6; 1 John 1:9-10; Psalms 131:1-3. THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Resurrection: Part 3 – In Jesus’ Last Appearance to His Eleven Disciples, He Gives Us and His Disciples His Great Commission", at our Website: www.AWFTL.org/listen/. WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “God Expects Us to Serve the Needs of Others, As Jesus Did”: www.AWFTL.org/watch DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord ? There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. You would shame the plans of the poor, but the Lord is his refuge. Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. Psalm 14:1-7 ESV https://cash.app/$witcfc. https://www.paypal.me/DRJCS2. https://venmo.com/walkintruth --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/walk-in-truth-ministries/support
MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Interior Life – Part 5: The Conscience (Holy Trinity; Madison, MS) Our conscience is that part of our soul that brings our hearts and minds into knowledge of God’s requirements and expectations for living a Godly life. In 1 Timothy 1:5, the conscience is related to love: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”. Do we have a clear conscience before the Lord? There are three aspects of our conscience: 1) the part of our person that knows right and wrong within ourselves – our moral compass; 2) as Christians, our conscience becomes God’s moral compass within us; and 3) a reminder that we have sinned against God or our neighbor. The Holy Spirit deals with conscience first and not our intellect or emotion. What happens when we ignore our conscience: 1) we begin to dumb down the power of our conscience to speak into our lives; 2) even though our conscience speaks to us all the time, we begin not to hear it; and 3) our conscience becomes polluted by the world – a defiled conscience. Ignoring our conscience leads us towards self-deception and depravity. How do we keep a clear conscience: 1) confess our sin to God as instructed in Hebrews 10:22-23: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.", and in 1 John 1:9-10: "We confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."; 2) make a confession of our sin to a Christian friend; 3) sometimes, we confess our sin to a minister; and 4) sometimes, we need to make restitution to those to whom we have sinned, when appropriate. Our conscience is a mighty gift to us from God if we listen to it and keep a clear conscience. TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21). Scripture Reference (ESV): Psalms 51:1-19; 1 Thessalonians 5:23; Ephesians 2:1-8; 1 Timothy 1:5-6; Job 27:6; Acts 24:16; 2 Corinthians 1:12; Matthew 6:22-23; 1 Corinthians 8:7; 1 Timothy 4:1-2; Titus 1:15-16; Psalms 36:1-4; Hebrews 10:22; 1 John 1:9; Romans 8:1-2; James 5:16; Proverbs 27:17; 2 Samuel 12:13; Luke 19:8; 2 Timothy 1:3. THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Your Conscience as a Part of Interior Life", at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “The Holy Spirit Deals with Your Conscience First and Not Your Intellect or Emotion”: www.AWFTL.org/watch DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
What is the best way to live for the Lord? There is no better way than to start by listening. Listening to the Lord and living for him are inseparable. Do you really want to live more for him? Start by listening. This is the final sermon of a six-week series, Knowing –> Loving –> Living.
Prayer and Fasting Why Pray & Fast State: Judah was under threat of invasion from a northern army Joel compares their effect to a recent locust infestation Also calls it the “Day of the Lord” There is no specific thing mentioned about why it is happening.... no specific sin mentioned The day of the Lord…
Prayer and Fasting Why Pray & Fast State: Judah was under threat of invasion from a northern army Joel compares their effect to a recent locust infestation Also calls it the “Day of the Lord” There is no specific thing mentioned about why it is happening.... no specific sin mentioned The day of the Lord…
1/26/20 - Emotions help us feel things about people; our minds help us know things about people. But neither fully allows us to know someone, that is, in a relational sense. Knowing someone goes beyond emotions and intellect, to spending time with someone and understanding their story, their heart, their mind, their dreams. That's what Jesus is asking us to do: to know him relationally. Not just to know things about him or feel things about him, but know him. MESSAGE NOTES: Psalm 14:1-7 ESV - To the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the LORD? There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. You would shame the plans of the poor, but the LORD is his refuge. Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores the fortunes of his people, let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad. Philippians 3:7-11 (ESV) - But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. “Divine truth is of the nature of spirit and for that reason can be received only by spiritual revelation…. God’s thoughts belong to the world of the spirit, man’s to the world of intellect, and while spirit can embrace intellect, the human intellect can never comprehend spirit. … Man by reason cannot know God; he can only know about God. … Man’s reason is a fine instrument and useful within its field. It was not given as an organ by which to know God.” - A.W. Tozer Your 2020 Building Blueprint For more about Crossroads Church Glenwood visit www.ccglenwood.com.
In days soon coming many of you will experience my correction and refinement. You will experience my adjustment, for it is my desire to bring you to a place of excellence, fulfillment, and maturity. So know, just as the vine is already bearing fruit, even so, I will prune it so that it will bear even more fruit. (1) The times of pruning and correction are given for your benefit. This process, though uncomfortable and humbling, will bring about the fruit that you and I desire. While this process seems slow and, at times painful, as you come through it and look back, it will seem brief. As I bring you through the process of correction and refinement I will not leave you alone like an orphan, for I have put my spirit within you, and I have put my grace upon you. Surely you will endure and achieve, for I will enable you to persevere and not give up. Patience must have its work in your life, and when it does, you will come out lacking nothing. (2) So expect habits of old to be confronted, but also corrected. Expect mindsets and paradigms within you to be exposed, and adjusted. Things you have believed for years will come to the surface, and you will be forced to take inventory and decide for yourself who you will serve. You will be forced to decide who will be your master and Lord? There are habits of old, even from generations past that need to be corrected and broken. (3) In this time of pruning, I will be getting your attention as we break old habits and mindsets. Be mindful of this process as you feel unusual pressure from the day. Surely I will be efficient in my dealings with you, so as not to delay the process unnecessarily. With this in mind, embrace the adjustments as you embrace this time of adjustment. It will enhance your life and increase your fruitfulness. It will bring you greater rewards, and increase your joy. Though you will not always enjoy the process, in the end you will certainly enjoy the blessings. (4) (1) 2 Timothy 2:15, John 15:2 (2) 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, James 1:4, John 14:18, James 1:12 (3) Isaiah 55:8-9, Hebrews 4:13, Joshua 24:14-15 (4) Romans 12:2, Isaiah 9:3, James 1:17, Philippians 4:19 Click here to share this #DailyPropheticWord with your friends on Twitter http://bit.ly/2QN8i0d
What You'll Hear: Bert was offered the role of State Chaplain in NC starting this year after he chose not to run for re-election in the state legislature It's a full-time position, though there's some flexibility with it It's a mission position, so each chaplain needs to raise money to fund their position Most legislators are away from their family and lose that support system so they need chaplain support Most people legislators deal with are either bullying them or asking something from them The organization is not affiliated with any particular denomination Right now, 23 states have Capitol Commission State Ministers The two largest obstacles are to have the resources and to have the chaplain be welcome Bert ministers to fellow believing Christians but also is there for any non-Christians who are interested Some of the non-Christian legislators don't go to the Bible Studies but say they look at them Chaplains are non-political. They don't tell legislators how to vote, but are there to change hearts Capitol Commission is not active in our nation's capitol, but there are some efforts in that direction at this time Go to www.Pray1Tim2.org if you want to pray for legislators The Bible commands us to pray for our leaders, and we should pray that they are saved and transformed and to grow in the Lord "There's a lot of overflow of blessings that comes back to us as citizens when we are praying properly for our leaders" There's also an opportunity to reach lobbyists, members of the executive branch, pages, and justices on the court There were over 20 legislators and the Lt. Gov who were part of the National Day of Prayer in Raleigh Bert has had an opportunity to speak at a lot of churches Go to www.CapitolCom.org and email bert.jones@capitolcom.org
MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Interior Life – Part 5: The Conscience (Holy Trinity; Madison, MS) Our conscience is that part of our soul that brings our hearts and minds into knowledge of God’s requirements and expectations for living a Godly life. In 1 Timothy 1:5, the conscience is related to love: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”. Do we have a clear conscience before the Lord? There are three aspects of our conscience: 1) the part of our person that knows right and wrong within ourselves – our moral compass; 2) as Christians, our conscience becomes God’s moral compass within us; and 3) a reminder that we have sinned against God or our neighbor. The Holy Spirit deals with conscience first and not our intellect or emotion. What happens when we ignore our conscience: 1) we begin to dumb down the power of our conscience to speak into our lives; 2) even though our conscience speaks to us all the time, we begin not to hear it; and 3) our conscience becomes polluted by the world – a defiled conscience. Ignoring our conscience leads us towards self-deception and depravity. How do we keep a clear conscience: 1) confess our sin to God as instructed in Hebrews 10:22-23: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.", and in 1 John 1:9-10: "We confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."; 2) make a confession of our sin to a Christian friend; 3) sometimes, we confess our sin to a minister; and 4) sometimes, we need to make restitution to those to whom we have sinned, when appropriate. Our conscience is a mighty gift to us from God if we listen to it and keep a clear conscience. TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Loneliness. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Presence. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). Scripture Reference (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:5-6; Job 27:6; 1 John 1:9-10; Psalms 131:1-3.; Psalms 56:1-13. THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Remembering “he who is forgiven little, loves little”, Is You Focus Outward in the Love and Service of Others?", at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/ WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “The Holy Spirit Deals with Your Conscience First and Not Your Intellect or Emotion”: www.AWFTL.org/watch DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
This is part 4 in the series "When the Bottom Drops Out" by the Rev. Peter Moore given at Greenfield Presbyterian Church, Berkley, MI. Based on the scripture lesson found in the book of Isaiah of the New Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible. Isaiah 45:20-25 Idols Cannot Save Babylon 20 Assemble yourselves and come together, draw near, you survivors of the nations! They have no knowledge— those who carry about their wooden idols, and keep on praying to a god that cannot save. 21 Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is no one besides me. 22 Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other. 23 By myself I have sworn, from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness a word that shall not return: “To me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.” 24 Only in the Lord, it shall be said of me, are righteousness and strength; all who were incensed against him shall come to him and be ashamed. 25 In the Lord all the offspring of Israel shall triumph and glory.
It’s all relative… It all depends on what the standard is! And you know, as we come to this second half of the Ten Commandments it strikes me that you might be able to look at these and say “hey, I’m not perfect, but I’m doing ok….” Do not murder, Check Do not commit adultery… check Honour your mother and father… yeah… sure… And though we don’t keep them perfectly, what do we do? We compare ourselves to the people around us, I’ve done better than this person or that person, and of course the nightly news is always helpful if you need a bit of a bailout.There is always someone to look down on. So we can feel pretty good about ourselves so long as we control the standard, but we can only really do that, because we have totally misunderstood the law of God, and like any tool what we don’t understand, we misuse. What is the purpose of the law? Now, it’s really easy, as a good student of the Bible. To think of Romans 3:20 right? "For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. " So the wrong use of the law is trying to use it to prove ourselves to God. To show how good we are BECAUSE the right use of the law is to show us our sin, YES… But that’s not ALL That’s a right IMPLICATION of the right understanding of the law but that’s not, in itself, the right use of the law. If it were how could David spend so much time saying “I LOVE the law of the LORD?” There must be something MORE to the law then condemnation. In fact, Paul himself gives it away, just three verses later, Romans 3:23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the… what? Law? Isn’t that what it should say? Through the law comes knowledge of sin all have sinned and fall short of the LAW! But what does he say? Fall short of what? --the glory of God--- You see, God’s law is not separate from who He is. He Himself IS the very definition of what is right and true. God as so as He reveals His law, He reveals Himself
MESSAGE SUMMARY: The Interior Life – Part 5: The Conscience (Holy Trinity; Madison, MS) Our conscience is that part of our soul that brings our hearts and minds into knowledge of God’s requirements and expectations for living a Godly life. In 1 Timothy 1:5, the conscience is related to love: “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”. Do we have a clear conscience before the Lord? There are three aspects of our conscience: 1) the part of our person that knows right and wrong within ourselves – our moral compass; 2) as Christians, our conscience becomes God’s moral compass within us; and 3) a reminder that we have sinned against God or our neighbor. The Holy Spirit deals with conscience first and not our intellect or emotion. What happens when we ignore our conscience: 1) we begin to dumb down the power of our conscience to speak into our lives; 2) even though our conscience speaks to us all the time, we begin not to hear it; and 3) our conscience becomes polluted by the world – a defiled conscience. Ignoring our conscience leads us towards self-deception and depravity. How do we keep a clear conscience: 1) confess our sin to God as instructed in Hebrews 10:22-23: "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.", and in 1 John 1:9-10: "We confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us."; 2) make a confession of our sin to a Christian friend; 3) sometimes, confess our sin to a minister; and 4) sometimes, we need to make restitution to those to whom we have sinned, when appropriate. Our conscience is a mighty gift to us from God if we listen to it and keep a clear conscience. TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Hatred. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Love. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5). SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): 1 Timothy 1:5-6; Job 27:6; 1 John 1:9-10; Psalms 131:1-3. THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “You Are Personally Responsible and Accountable, to God, for All He Entrusts to You", at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/.
We Believe || His Only Son, Our Lord In this sermon, Pastor Clint explored the divinity of Jesus in Hebrews 1:1-14. Here we see the relationship, the reign, and the role of the Son. Christ the is supreme expression of the Father's love to us. He's the reigning King. And he is the only one who can save us from our sins. Is Jesus your Lord? There's no greater question for you to honestly answer today.
How long oh Lord? There are answers, if we are willing to hear them...
Matthew 5:33 Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.” 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply “Yes” or “No”; anything more than this comes from evil. Today we will talk about keeping our word. How many of you are liars? Most of us would probably say we are not liars, that we do what we say and we tell the truth. So let me be the first to admit that I often struggle with keeping my word. Now, you may be troubled to hear that. But I’ll tell you, if you don’t know already, that I tend to say I will do more than I can possibly do. When someone asks me for help, I tend to say sure…I can do that. And along the way, I find out that I said I can do about three things on Saturday at 10:00! Well guess what? I can’t be at three places at the same time. This is me not keeping my word. Or I’ll tell Tammy I’ll do something around the house and sometimes I will forget I said it. This is me not being careful with my words, not taking my own commitments seriously enough. And you know there are those times when I just don’t want to do something I said I will do so I procrastinate, put it off until, well, it’s too late now! I tell you all this not just to confess my sin to you but hopefully to jog your memory and help you see that perhaps there are some ways in which you too struggle with keeping your word, doing what you said you would do. By the way, I am working on these things and trying to be more diligent with the Lord’s help to be more careful with my words of commitment and with following through where I should. But the truth is that all of us probably struggle in some way with keeping our word. Oh and yes, my big excuse is always I am too busy…well maybe I am but that does not mean I can be disobedient to the Lord guilt free. Do let’s be honest with ourselves as we open up God’s Word today and consider ways in which we can live our lives to the honor and glory of our Lord who has redeemed us for Himself and for our joy. We have an interesting passage to look at in verses 33-37. Six times in Matthew chapter five Jesus says two phrases: The first is “You have heard that it was said” and the second phrase is “But I say to you.” Only two times Jesus quotes directly from the OT after the phrase, “You have heard that it was said.” In those cases Jesus emphasizes not just what the OT says but also what it really means, not just the letter of the Law that they understood but also the spirit of it. The other four times we see these phrases Jesus does not quote directly from the OT but paraphrases from it, and it appears rabbinic paraphrases of OT passages and in one case for sure, verse 43 of chapter five we even see a clear distortion of the OT passages and its intent which indicate a rabbinic paraphrase. What we see is that at least in part, Jesus is countering current day teaching from the rabbis. He is directly confronting the religious order of the day giving truth up next to their error. Like I said last week, Jesus did not come to uphold the current day culture even religious culture but to lay out truth for God’s glory. His entry and life in this world was radical and His teaching was as well. In John’s gospel Jesus is described as the Word. John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus is the Word and He is communicating truth. So what does Jesus say? Matthew 5:33 Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.” Now this is interesting and again it appears to be a loose paraphrase from some OT passages but is most likely how the rabbis of the day taught the people regarding keeping one’s word. The rabbis taught first: “You shall not swear falsely.” This phrase is a legal one. To swear falsely means literally “do not commit perjury,” or, “Do not lie under oath.” So this command while addressing telling the truth in a legal proceeding, it does not address or prohibit deception when one is not under oath in a legal setting. So the plain meaning of this phrase is…tell the truth while in court under oath…and that’s it. So it is not a sweeping broad statement requiring truth or keeping of one’s word, period. Now the second phrase is, “but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.” This too is interesting because while it appears to be a broader command on keeping one’s word it too has a loophole. This clause used regularly by the rabbis seems to allow for dishonesty to others. The phrase “to the Lord” is key and emphatic in the Greek which suggests that one was to be honest in commitments made to God but not necessarily to others unless God had been invoked in the oath. So, for instance saying something like “I swear to God, I will do such and such,” this then became an oath to God and must be kept. But if God’s name was not invoked then it didn’t carry the same weight leaving a place for deception. When fulfilling a promise to an individual became a divine obligation because God’s name was invoked then there is no place for deception or dishonesty, one must keep his word. But if God’s name were not invoked then, well, you can do whatever is convenient. Here though is what the OT said: Zechariah 8:16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; 17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord. Malachi 3:5 Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts. But again, some first-century rabbis emphasized only the importance of speaking the truth to God and downplayed the importance of absolute honesty in all communications. They thought they had a special obligation to keep promises made to God specifically but could break promises made to others when it was convenient. That is the bottom line. Now what does Jesus say about this? He begins by distinguishing Himself and His teaching from the current day rabbis with these words: “But I say to you.” “Do not take an oath at all.” What Jesus does here is He closes the loophole created by the rabbis in the Jewish system of oaths, and instead Jesus requires truthfulness, consistent truthfulness that does not require oaths at all. Here is the thing…Jesus’ followers are to be characterized by such integrity that an oath is not necessary to make their words credible and true. Now on the surface we can all shake our heads in agreement and maybe even feel really good about ourselves, but I really want to challenge you as I have myself and ask…do you do all that you say you will do? At home? At work? With your kids? With your husband or wife or parents? At church? In ministry? to strangers? With a sales person? With a customer? to your creditors? Is your word credible all the time? When the words leave your mouth, do you take them seriously and fulfill what you say you will do? Many of the Jews thought as long as they weren’t in court or they didn’t invoke the name of God in their promise then keeping their word was optional; if something else comes up then no big deal. But Jesus says it is a big deal—it is a big deal that our word is our word and it should mean something, as believers. And it gets even more interesting. Jesus goes on to help us by prohibiting oath formulas that the religious had come up with, really, deceptive formulas that had been developed by religious leaders that we said to give an impression of a binding oath when the person who gave it did not believe it to be binding. What was developed was ways to lie without guilt. Do you remember as a kid how someone would say, “Do you promise?” And you or someone you know would put their hand behind their back and cross their fingers and say, “Yes, I promise!” And someone crossing one’s fingers meant that although they said I promise they didn’t really have to keep their promise. I don’t know where that came from, I should have looked it up, but I remember seeing that as a kid. That is sort of what the Jews would do. Let me show you this from Matthew 23:16-22. Matthew 23:16 Woe to you, blind guides, who say, “if anyone swears by the temple, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.” 17 You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? 18 And you say, “If anyone swears by the altar, it is nothing, but if anyone swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.” 19 You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20 So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21 And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and by him who dwells in it. 22 And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it. What was happening is that all these formulas were created for swearing. Jesus rebukes the rabbis because they had developed a system of deceit really. They had come up with ways to evade obligations of honesty by carefully crafting these oaths. So they could fool people who didn’t understand what they were doing or saying. So a rabbi says yes I will do this and I swear by the temple of God! And the person hearing that thinks, wow, that sounds serious, he is really serious about his promise to me. And believes the person will do what he says. Yet the rabbi is thinking, well I got away with that one, swearing by the temple means nothing. Or for some they may know there is this complicated system of oaths and a hears a rabbi swear by the temple and they may think, well I’ve got to go look this up—this swearing by the temple, is that binding or not? So trying to figure it all out could be a chore! This was crazy, it was deceitful, it was condoning of lying, really. And this is why Jesus says in our passage today in verses 34-36: Matthew 5:34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. It is this system of deceitful oath making that Jesus is countering here. In the first century regular Jews were not allowed to invoke the name of God so substitutes were installed. According to the rabbis, none of the formulas that Jesus lists here were approved substitutes for God’s name. So each of these were considered non-binding oaths in Jewish law. So breaking oaths made with any of these words were not considered to be breaking one’s word. So Jesus steps in and makes simple the complex. What does he say? Forget all this non-sense. Forget the complicated formulas. Forget the oaths all together. Listen to the simplicity of Jesus words: Matthew 5:37 Let what you say be simply “Yes” or “No”; anything more than this comes from evil. I like simple, this is simple. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Speak words with integrity, and keep your word. When you speak, speak the truth. There is no need for complicated formulas just be honest and be truthful always. Jesus says, anything else is from the evil one or, the ESV says, comes from evil. Anything beyond simple statements of truth are from the evil one who is Satan, who is the father of lies and who deals in half truths for his deceptive purposes. Now does this mean it is absolutely wrong for any of us to take an oath under any circumstance. I don’t think so. It does not seem to me that Jesus is forbidding all oaths in any circumstance like in a court of law but is condemning these deceptive formulas of oaths. One reason I can say this is because in Matthew 26:63-64 Jesus was placed under oath by the high priest and did not refuse to speak but spoke, forcefully spoke the truth. Jesus kept all of His and the Father’s commands perfectly and that would include what He is teaching us here regarding oaths. So in Matthew 26 he did not violate His own words. So taking an oath in a court of law falls outside the scope of the deceptive practices that He was countering in Matthew 5:31 and 32. Now, I have gone through a lot of detail here about oaths, our word and truthfulness. But let me sum it all up for us, and really the best way to sum it up is to quote from Jesus… Matthew 5:37 Let what you say be simply “Yes” or “No”… Let your word be your word and mean it and do it. When we say were are going to do something, most likely there is another person who is depending on it. When we fail to do what we say we will do someone usually suffers in some way. How is that loving our neighbor? How is that putting others ahead of our own interests? How is that honoring to the Lord? There are those times, I understand, when providentially we are hindered from doing what we say we will do. I may say I will meet you for lunch and on the way have a wreck and be in the hospital. That would be me being providentially hindered. This is the exception, really not the normal problem of us not following through with what we say we will do. Perhaps we should always make provision for God’s providential work around us when we say we will do something. Like, I will meet you for lunch, Lord willing. That means I plan to meet you for lunch, unless God providentially hinders me from doing so. Or we can so “I plan to do such and such” meaning this is my plan, my intention, but God can step in and change it. Let’s not make God into our excuse for not keeping our word, only acknowledge that He can and has the power to do so. We are to be a people of our words. One more thing before I close. Each of us will fail at this at some point. We will commit to something we won’t do. When this happens we must repent, confess and repent, ask forgiveness of those we have let down. But there is more. We must remember that God always keeps His word. Every word that we read in the Bible, every one is true, every promise will be kept, All that He has said He will do. He is the ultimate and the only forever and always Promise Keeper. Aren’t you glad for that. And even more when we fail in this, He forgives. He keeps us in the faith, He will keep us all the way to heaven and then forever more. Matthew 5:33 Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.” 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply “Yes” or “No”; anything more than this comes from evil.
Soteriology 101: Former Calvinistic Professor discusses Doctrines of Salvation
“…there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.” – Romans 3:11 In an effort to demonstrate that all people have fallen short of the glory of God and broken His law, Paul quotes from Psalm 14:2-3, which says: “The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” There are basically two theological approaches for interpreting this passage: (1) Calvinistic Approach: Apart from a Divine irresistible work of regeneration (by which God changes a chosen individual’s nature and desires), mankind cannot willingly seek to know, understand, or follow God. (2) Non-Calvinistic (Traditionalist) Approach: Apart from God’s gracious initiative in bringing His Son, the Holy Spirit, and the inspired gospel appeal, no one can merit salvation or consistently seek to obey God in a way that will attain his own righteousness. The contrast between these two perspectives can be illustrated by this simple question: Does proof that I am incapable of calling the president on the telephone also prove that I am incapable of answering the telephone if the president were to call me? Of course not, yet that is essentially the principle a Calvinist is assuming in their theological approach to this text. Calvinists read this text to mean that our lack of initiative somehow proves our inability to respond positively to His initiative. They presume that God’s work in sending His Son, the Holy Spirit, and the inspired gospel, calling for all to be reconciled through faith in Christ, is insufficient to enable the lost to respond in faith. But the text simply never says this. In Romans chapter 3:10-20 the apostle is seeking to prove that no one can attain righteousness by means of the law. But in verse 21 he shifts to reveal a righteousness that can be obtained by means of grace through faith in Christ. Calvinists seem to think that because mankind is unable to attain righteousness by means of the law that they must equally be unable to obtain righteousness by means of grace through faith in Christ. This, however, is never established anywhere in the pages of Scripture. Of course, we all can affirm that no one is righteous with regard to the demands of the law. But there have been many throughout the pages of Scripture who have been declared righteous by means of grace through faith. Calvinists wrongly assume that because mankind is unable to fully keep the demands of the law that they are equally unable to admit their inability to keep those demands and trust in the One who has. Again, this is simply never established in the Bible. HERE> Proof that mankind is morally incapable of earning their own righteousness by doing good works is not proof that mankind is morally incapable of believing and trusting in the righteousness of another. It must also be understood that placing one’s trust in the righteousness of Christ is not earning one’s own righteousness. Those who trust in Christ are graciously imputed with His righteousness, they are not earning their own. If we go back to examine the context of Paul’s original quote in Psalm 14, we read that he is specifically speaking of “the fool” who says, “there is no God,” and then he contrasts between the“evil doers” and “His people…the generation of the righteous.” The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good…Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers who eat up my people as they eat bread and do not call upon the Lord? There they are in great terror, for God is with the generation of the righteous. – Psalm 14:1; 4-5 Now, a Calvinist can make the theological argument that “the fool” who says “there is no God”does so because he could not have done otherwise due to an inborn nature sovereignly decreed by God as a result of the Fall. And the Calvinist can attempt to make the case that “the generation of the righteous” who are considered “his people” were made so by some kind of irresistible working of God. In contrast, a Traditionalist can argue that these “fools” trade the truth of God in for lies by denying His existence with a libertarian free choice, and those who become “His” do so by grace through a libertarianly free faith response. Either way, that is the point of contention — neither side can just assume their position (see question begging fallacy). It is the Calvinist’s burden to prove that fallen man is born morally incapable of responding in faith to God’s inspired and powerful appeal to be reconciled from that fall. They have to demonstrate how our fallen condition prevents us from responding willingly. Additionally, Calvinists need to explain why a just God would seal mankind in a fallen/disabled condition from birth and still hold them responsible for their rejection of God’s appeals, even though they have no control over their naturally disabled condition and subsequent “choices” to reject God’s genuine offer of forgiveness. Also, Calvinists need to explain how their interpretation of Romans 3:11 fits with other teachings of scripture about man’s responsibility to seek God, such as: “And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us,” – Acts 17:26-27 “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” -Isaiah 55:6-7 “Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord.” -Zephaniah 2:3 “And he did evil, for he did not set his heart to seek the Lord.” -2 Chronicles 12:14 “Fill their faces with shame, that they may seek your name, O Lord.” –Psalms 83:16 “Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.” -2 Chronicles 20:3 “For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” –Luke 12:30-31 “He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.” -Romans 2:6-8 “And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” –Psalms 9:10 “And those who had set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came after them from all the tribes of Israel to Jerusalem to sacrifice to the Lord, the God of their fathers.” –2 Chronicles 11:16 Needless to say, the Bible certainly treats fallen men as if they are genuinely responsible (response-able) to His appeals and offers of grace and forgiveness. On what basis do Calvinists rest their presumption that, as a consequence of the sin of another, God has decreed that mankind would be born with “Total Inability” to respond willingly to the gospel? This is a dogma yet to be found explicitly taught in the Bible.
Do you take criticism extremely personally? Do you fear rejection? Do you find it hard to express what you really feel? Do you have a hard time saying “no?” If so, you need to listen to this! Did you know that it is impossible to live as a people-pleaser and be a disciple of Christ our Lord? There is no way that you can take up your cross daily if you are more concerned about pleasing people than pleasing Him. If you follow Him, your desire will not be to please others, but to bless others, and there is a big difference. In this second message in the series, “Four Things You Can’t Do,” Dr. McMahon addresses the truth that although we know we will never be able please everybody, we find ourselves living in the “people-pleasing trap,’ This happens because we all have a deep, God-given, inner desire to be liked and loved. The enemy, if allowed, will take this God-given longing and pervert it in such a way that it winds up destroying our relationship with God, and leaving us unable to engage in deep lasting relationships with others. A longing meant to be directed toward God, when directed toward other people instead, causes us to compromise being the person we were created to be and deeply long to be, and separates us from the God who wants us to know that we are liked and loved for who we are.
I am a Gospel preacher. By definition, that means I preach — exclusively — the Good News of God’s unconditional Love and Grace and Liberty in Christ. As such, I have a two-point litmus test that I apply to every single sermon, message, book, or teaching: The first point, does it reveal God’s Love? John 13:35 tells us that love is the hallmark of discipleship. Therefore, if love is not apparent and abundant, the message may be Biblical…it may be exegetically sound…it may have a solid hermeneutic… But it ain’t the Gospel. The second point, does it reveal Liberty in Christ. Jesus said the Son makes free (John 8:32, 36). Let me stop and hang my hat there for a minute. In the King James version, the text is rendered “make you free.” That is good news! Because being set free is merely conditional (there are “strings attached” and it is subject to change based on your actions); being made free is relational and positional (permanent and lasting based on Jesus’ Finished Work)! Moving right along, the Apostle Paul wrote that “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Liberty” (2 Corinthians 3:17). So, if we “reverse-engineer” that statement, we find that if Liberty is not present, then neither is the Spirit of the Lord” There are a ton of messages that are Biblically sound, exegetically thorough, and have a solid hermeneutic but they’re binding, restricting, restraining, and even constraining. In other words, they aren’t Gospel messages. Let’s examine our core text: What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-2) I’m accused, on a regular basis of teaching “cheap grace;” in other words, that I teach a Grace that gives people a license to sin. Excuse me while I laugh at this… You need a license to drive a car, to do hair, to fly a plane, and to practice medicine. And there are people who do all these things — some of them quite well — without a license. What I’m saying is that a sinner doesn’t need a license to sin. People are sinning just fine without a license. You don’t have to be either a super saint or a rocket scientist to see that sin is rampant. Here’s another one I hear on an almost daily basis: “You’re telling people that they can do whatever they want and still be saved…” Yep, that’s exactly what I’m saying (while I duck and dodge the thrown projectiles)! Now here’s the caveat: You can do what you want but some things are smart and others are just plain stupid. Sin is stupid. Here’s what Paul had to say about this: “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. (1 Corinthians 10:23) In other words, sin is neither helpful nor edifying! You can do anything, but everything has consequences. For any sin or sinful behavior you can think of, there are consequences. The question is, will you do what is smart — following the instruction of the Holy Spirit — or will you wallow in stupidity? It’s really just that simple. Think about it this way, Adam could do anything he wanted. God gave him a simple instruction, “Don’t eat from the tree in the midst of the garden” (Genesis 2:16-17). God could have just dug a moat around the tree or sent some angels with flaming swords to guard it but He didn’t. So what did Adam and Eve do? They ate from the tree. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. They forfeited their lives and home for a snack. God gives us free will. It is a key component of His Grace. Even when we’re born-again, we don’t loose our free will. It is God’s hope that because we see His love clearly in the person of Jesus that we choose not to sin. This is the scandal of the Gospel! There are two ways of keeping your dog in your yard. You can either chain him to the house or a stake in the ground, which will physically keep him from leaving. Or you can lavish him with love, feed him good, and let him chase squirrels!
Jesus Christ is supreme. In him is fullness and we have been given fullness in him. Some of the most significant aspects of his fullness are the effects of his death and resurrection in the lives of believers. Because Christ died for us, our old, sinful nature died with him. Because Christ was resurrected, we have new life in him - new resurrection life. We read that we are to put to death sin like sexual immorality and greed and get rid of anger and lies like they are old, filthy clothes. Paul commanded us to replace those old rags with new clothes. Bear with each other, forgive each other, and, above all, Love each other We are supposed to cover ourselves in this new life with these things within the body of believers. But what about where you let your hair down? And where you work. Home and work are, for better or worse, where we really act like ourselves. These virtues of Christianity are hardest to show the people we live with every day. But Paul drives these commands right into our family and work lives, where we cannot hide for long and we cannot put on a front. Men, You ever tried to be someone you're not in front of your wife? She will call you out on it every time. While you're at home or work, minding your own business, here comes Paul to say, "you've got to live this out with your family. Because with your family and work is where it matters most." Colossians 3:18-4:1 Husbands and Wives v. 18 - "wives submit to your husbands" Means that wives are to voluntarily yield to their husband's authority. It can be thought of as giving preference to or defer to her husband. This refers to a loyal love that says, "I will love you by following you" "As is fitting in The Lord" means that this is fitting to those who belong to The Lord. v. 19 - "Husbands, love (agape) your wives" Refers to God's love. Show your wife a devoted love - the opposite of short-term. It's an unconditional love - the opposite of a self-centered love that demands it's one way. It's a love that demonstrates a concern for the well-being of the one loved. "Do not be harsh with them" is literally, "do not embitter them." It means that we are not to treat our wives in a way that makes them angry or irritated. Don't be harsh, don't be cross with her. This refers to a tender love that says, "I will love you with an unconditional love." Wives, love your husbands with a loyal love. Husbands, love your wives with an unconditional love. Parents and Children v. 20 - "children obey your parents" "Obey" implies a readiness to hear. It has the sense of obeying orders. It starts with listening and follows through with action "in everything" means that you don't judge what to obey or what not to obey. This is not a buffet of obedience. Children are called to be obedient. "This pleases The Lord." This is God's desire, His will for you. God desires obedience and it starts with obedience to parents. v. 21 - "Fathers, do not embitter your children" Paul speaks to the father as head of the household, has special responsibility in training children. But can mean fathers as "parents". The verb translated as "embitter" means to stir up emotion, excitement. Here, the negative sense means, "don't provoke them." Don't constantly criticize, don't nag, don't be fault-finding, don't constantly harass, don't over-correct them. Don't rouse them to resentment. Don't be so exacting, so demanding that your child feels like they can never do anything right. Or they will lose heart. Children grow with showering of encouragement and occasional correction. Slaves and Masters vv. 22-25 - half the people in the Roman Empire were slaves. They are discussed here because they were part of the household. In fact, Paul is going to say here, that before God there is no difference between slave and master; they are equals before God. How does this apply to us today - in jobs. We work voluntarily, we get compensated for our time at work - how much more does this apply to us than to people who didn't have any rights? Do your boss's work with a sincere heart, not grudgingly. Paul then elevates even the most menial work. Do your work to the best of your attitude and ability, as though you are doing it for The Lord. "You will receive an inheritance from The Lord" There is dignity in all work. There is no divide in your live between what is sacred and what is secular. Everything is for The Lord. You can bring honor to Jesus Christ by the way you work - diligently and sincerely. 4:1 - "masters, provide what is just and fair" Those in authority are accountable to God. Masters have a master to answer to. So powerful is the new life in Christ, that He shines through in every relationship and every arena of life.
Sunday, June 09, 2013 The gift of a song. Exodus 15:2 The Lord gives me strength and makes me sing; he has saved me. He is my God, and I will praise him. --------------------- Daughters of Davis DVD It all starts with a gift. God has been giving since the beginning when he gave Adam the breath of life. Then God gave him purpose, a job, a place and woman as a companion. God had given fruit to eat, a garden to care for, animals to name, a command to obey, sons to raise, and a warning with hope for the future. Here after a long, difficult process of trusting God and seeing his miraculous deliverance, Moses and God's rescued people rejoice because God gave them strength. And God gives them a song too. I love how a relationship with God includes the gift of a song. Moses' song shared with the people and led by his sister says that God makes them sing. I'm confident this isn't a one off. The Psalms are replete with people moved to song as a proper response to being rescued. Mary the mother of Jesus celebrates her saviour the baby she carried with a song. And Elisabeth the mother of John the Baptist also rejoices in God's salvation with a song. Songs are an appropriate response to God's nearness. When God comes into our lives and hears our cries for help, often he gives us a song to accompany our Exodus from captivity. Has the Lord of heaven and earth saved you? Has the creator of the universe given you strength? Do you sense his presence? Have you been set free from slavery? Are you wealthy beyond all imagination with a confidence that heaven is your real home and God's is your Father? Then Sing! Praise him. Write your own song. Tell how God has saved you. --------------------- Exodus 15:1-19 NCV Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: “I will sing to the Lord, because he is worthy of great honor. He has thrown the horse and its rider into the sea. The Lord gives me strength and makes me sing; he has saved me. He is my God, and I will praise him. He is the God of my ancestors, and I will honor him. The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. The chariots and soldiers of the king of Egypt he has thrown into the sea. The king’s best officers are drowned in the Red Sea. The deep waters covered them, and they sank to the bottom like a rock. Your right hand, Lord, is amazingly strong. Lord, your right hand broke the enemy to pieces. In your great victory you destroyed those who were against you. Your anger destroyed them, like fire burning straw. Just a blast of your breath, and the waters piled up. The moving water stood like a wall; the deep waters became solid in the middle of the sea. “The enemy bragged, ‘I’ll chase them and catch them. I’ll take all their riches; I’ll take all I want. I’ll pull out my sword, and my hand will destroy them.’ But you blew on them with your breath and covered them with the sea. They sank like lead in the raging water. “Are there any gods like you, Lord ? There are no gods like you. You are wonderfully holy, amazingly powerful, a worker of miracles. You reached out with your right hand, and the earth swallowed our enemies. You keep your loving promise and lead the people you have saved. With your strength you will guide them to your holy place. “The other nations will hear this and tremble with fear; terror will take hold of the Philistines. The leaders of the tribes of Edom will be very frightened; the powerful men of Moab will shake with fear; the people of Canaan will lose all their courage. Terror and horror will fall on them. When they see your strength, they will be as still as a rock. They will be still until your people pass by, Lord. They will be still until the people you have taken as your own pass by. You will lead your people and place them on your very own mountain, the place that you, Lord, made for yourself to live, the temple, Lord, that your hands have made. The Lord will be king forever!” The horses, chariot drivers, and chariots of the king of Egypt went into the sea, and the Lord covered them with water from the sea. But the Israelites walked through the sea on dry land.
Theme: The Word of the Lord: There is a Christ!, Bible text description: [4] But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles
Life is full of choices: What to eat for dinner? Where to go on vacation this year? Who should I marry? What college do I want to go to? What do I want to do with my life?The Scripture is also full of choices: Whom will you serve? Which path will you take? Will you follow the call of the Lord?There is also a choice we must make between life and death, the blessing and the curse. Listen as we learn to choose life.The following is a study on Living Above the Culture.
2006-08-13-1830 Sunday evening service. Gene Shelton is the speaker for this evening.Scripture Ref: Eph 6:10-13Topic: Spiritual ConflictNotes:- We sometimes get overwhelmed in spiritual warfare, but the battle belongs to the Lord- There’s conflict everywhere; between nations, within the nation, government, media, homes, body of Christ- Conflicts in the natural world: uncovering of terrorist plot in U.K.- Conflict in every believer, between the Spirit and the flesh- Plot of terror against us to confuse, scare, intimidate, steal joy, ruin reputation and witness- Not every opportunity is of God: not every door that opens is the right door. It may look and feel good but be the wrong thing- Read, pray, live in the Spirit
These are the days of Elijah declaring the Word of the Lord And these are the days of Your servant, Moses righteousness being restored And though these are days of great trials of famine and darkness and sword Still we are the voice in the desert, crying prepare ye the way of the Lord Behold He comes riding on the clouds, shining like the sun at the trumpet call Lift your voice it's the Year of Jubilee, out of Zion's hill salvation comes These are the days of Ezekiel the dry bones becoming as flesh And these are the days of Your servant, David rebuilding a temple of praise And these are the days of the harvest The fields are as white in Your world And we are the laborers in Your vineyard declaring the Word of the Lord There's no god like Jehovah
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