How faithful we were in 2009

As we approach the end of one year and the beginning of another, let’s take a few moments to reflect on how faithful we were in 2009. 1) Church attendance? Were you as faithful to the house of God as you should have been? If not why not take the time right now to repent and promise God that nothing or no one will keep you from being faithful in 2010. 2) Bible reading ? It has been said that, “sin will either keep you from God’s Word, or God’s Word will keep you from sin.” You cannot blame your lack of faith and spiritual weakness on anybody but yourself. Pick up a Bible reading schedule and at least attempt to read through in 2010. 3) Prayer ? Private prayer, Wednesday night prayer meetings, prayer together as a husband and wife, or as a family, all are very important times. (James 4:2-3) “…ye have not, because you ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” In other words no prayer life = no prayers answered, and praying only when you need something for yourself, only causes you to sound selfish to God, so He refuses to answer. 4) Witnessing ? (Rom 10:14)“…and how shall they here without a preacher?” The preacher spoken of here is anyone that is saved. We have all been called to go, but all have not decided to go or preach. No one will ever get saved without hearing the gospel. Who did you witness to in 2009? 5) Giving & Serving ? Both begin by faith in the heart. How did you do in 2009? Did you tithe or tip? Did you promise God to serve and then not serve? 2010 can be a new start if you will “repent and do thy first works.” (Rev. 2:5)

JOY

Just what is it that makes Christmas such a joyful season ? Well, it all depends on who Jesus is to you. There are a lot of people today who would like to take Jesus out of Christmas and just have a holiday, but when you remove the reason for the season all that’s left is a joyless holiday. Christmas could not be Christmas without Jesus, no more than the 4th of July could be a celebration of independence without independence. Christmas is all about JOY. Joyful in that it gives “glory to God in the highest,” because God became a man and dwelt among us. Joyful, also in that he came to bring us “peace” with God if we put our faith and trust in Jesus, and Joy because Jesus came to bring “goodwill” toward all men. 1) J OY must begin with Jesus. The world celebrates a joy that is temporary at best, but if you’re saved you have him living in your heart and you celebrate joy every day. Sure there is joy in the Christmas season, but there is a greater joy in the forgiveness of sins and in a personal relationship with Jesus. Getting saved is the greatest joy you will ever experience. 2) J O Y = in helping Others. The Bible is clear that there is a more full joy when we learn to help others. A full joy, that can only be full as we practice God’s “goodwill” toward others. 3) JO Y that involves You. You might not think that you are important to God’s joy but you are. Jesus came because of you, he died because of you, and it’s you that he wants to save and use as a vessel of goodwill. Though Joy began with Jesus, it continues on through You!

Zacharias

The Christmas story, as found in the gospel, does not begin with the birth of Jesus, but rather with a man named Zacharias. Before the angel Gabriel appeared to the virgin Mary, God sent an angel (possibly Gabriel) to Zacharias the father of John the Baptist, to proclaim to him the birth of his son John. John was born to precede Christ in life, and was sent to Israel to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. 1) John was sent by God on a Mission. His mission was to prepare Israel for Salvation. For 400 years God had not sent a prophet with a new message, but rather Israel was left with an old prophecy that Elijah would precede Christ at his coming. The Bible says that John came as a prophet in the “spirit and power of Elijah.” John’s mission was to preach repentance and to baptize Israel as an outward sign of that repentance, for men could not be saved until Christ died on the cross. 2) John was sent to preach God’s Message. His message was to repent and be prepared for God’s coming salvation. John’s baptism did not save, but it was a preparation, as repentance is today before salvation. 3) John was sent to teach us God’s Method. “Preaching.” “God chose the foolishness of preaching to save the lost.” John preached Christ’s coming, but we preach that Jesus saves. John was the first Christian preacher, baptizer, and disciple maker. God sent a man, and He is still sending men today. Oh, that we would be as faithful to God’s mission as John was.

hold tightly

“Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at anytime we should let them slip.” The above verse warns every believer to listen closely to God’s Word and to be careful not to take it lightly. Like a boat that is not tied to a dock, certain things in our Christian life can slowly drift away if neglected. 1) Bible Reading and Prayer. Christians don’t just stop praying and reading God’s Word by accident. The neglect begins slowly at first. One day we’re too busy, and the next thing we know 3-4 days turn into a week, the week months, and pretty soon we seldom talk to God and almost never pick up a Bible. Godly habits have drifted away. 2) Salvation. Salvation cannot be lost, but it can be neglected to the point that only God can tell sometimes if you’re saved. It can happen in a number of areas, for example when we decide to neglect church and not attend, pretty soon we seldom come, or tithe, or witness, or fellowship with other Christians, to the point that we seldom do anything for God. 3) Service. The Holy Spirit’s gifts are not given for nothing. They are service gifts, given to us to produce growth and maturity in the body of Christ. His gifts are supernatural, and they supernaturally work when used. If we neglect them we will lose God’s best in the church and in our lives. So hold tightly God’s Word, and be careful not to let His things slip.

Thanksgiving

In these dark days of anti-American sentiment, the world may never understand why we celebrate Thanksgiving, but we must . We must never forget to thank God for His mighty hand in the development of this great nation. It is a fact of recorded history that the first Thanksgiving celebration took place in the Plymouth colony during the month of November 1621. Just one year earlier, the Pilgrims landed the Mayflower but experienced much hardship during that first winter. However that next fall, with the help of the native Indians, the pilgrims experienced a great harvest of food. These exiles from Holland and England were accustomed to celebrating a traditional harvest festival back home, so they decided to proclaim a three day celebration of thanksgiving here as well. For three days, fifty five colonists and one hundred Indians gorged themselves with fish and a great number of wild turkeys. This first harvest festival on American soil gave birth to what we now celebrate as Thanksgiving Day. May we be thankful, just as these early pilgrims were thankful in those early years, and demonstrate our thanksgiving by never forgetting the God that so provides for us on a daily basis. “ Oh give thanks unto the Lord,” who continues to shed His grace upon us and this great nation. May we truly be thankful for all that He has done, and for all that He continues to do on a daily basis.

Faith Promise

In order for us to be involved in Faith Promise, we need to see the vision of God, and then respond to it as God wants us to respond. The Apostle Paul, while in Troas on his 2nd missionary journey, received a vision from the Lord to go up to Macedonia and preach the gospel. A Macedonian man pleaded for Paul to come and he responded, and as a result many were saved and a church started. God seldom gives us details when He calls, but he always leads us with a vision. 1) God’s vision and call is personal. When Jesus said to “go ye into all the world,” He called for us to go personally. Personally to our world, and personally to help others reach the world of their vision. 2) God’s vision is purposeful. God’s purpose is always to lead us to people who need to be saved, and grow in the Lord. There are Macedonian men everywhere, pleading for God’s help. 3) God’s vision is pursuable. Meaning that it is do-able. Whatever God calls us to do, or whatever vision He lays on our hearts and minds, He will help us achieve. While in Macedonia, Paul and his company were beaten & jailed for their faith, but God still provided for them. Macedonian men were saved, & the gospel preached, because they responded by faith to God’s vision.

God promised, now will you ?

November is again upon us, and I do believe that God is again asking us to continue giving toward Faith Promise. Some of you might be asking yourself whether or not you can give to Faith Promise this next year, while others of you are contemplating what to give. If you would just glance at the missions board, I do believe that the Holy Spirit would again remind you of the great need of world missions and our continued commitment. So don’t let the flesh win, but rather increase your giving or at least stay the same. Our God is still faithful even when our funds are down. “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.” Don’t let the fear of the unknown dictate your faith. God can supply even during a famine. “Every man according as he hath purposeth in his heart, so let him give…For God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” I wonder how many of us have already been convinced by our fear that we can’t give, when we know full well that God tells us we can. “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food.” God promised, now will you ?

Walking in and after the Holy Spirit

Walking in and after the Holy Spirit takes both faith and commitment, but I wonder how many people today are really “walking in and after the Spirit?” In (Rom. 6:11-13) the Apostle Paul outlines for us 3 keys that will help us walk closer to God. 1) Recognize ourselves dead to sin. In (Chp. 7) Paul relates the old life that we had before Christ, to that of a bad marriage, wherein the husband dies and frees the wife to be married to another. This new marriage is the new relationship we now have in Christ, with in whom we now live. 2) Obey him from the heart . In order to obey Christ properly, the believer must dethrone the old master, and let the new master reign. Like a wife in a new marriage, she must obey the new authority in her life, and forsake the old. She must now learn to practice the will and way of her new husband, obeying him from the heart. 3) Submit and yield yourself to him. There can be no fruit without intimacy. Walking with and after a new husband takes yielding. Just as the new wife must yield her all to the will and way of her new husband, so must we yield all to God’s Spirit. For it’s through intimacy with the Holy Spirit that we too will begin to bear the fruits of righteousness!

As the Bible tells us

As the Bible tells us, when someone gets saved they receive from God His indwelling Holy Spirit. God’s Spirit has been placed within us to comfort us, guide us, and abide with us forever. So a good question would be, “how then does He communicate with us?” Does He talk to us audibly? Well, the answer is both yes and no. Since God is Spirit, His voice does not speak to us as man speaks, but rather he impresses upon our hearts and minds spiritually His voice at different times. 1) He speaks to us through His Word. As we read God’s Word, it’s not uncommon to hear the voice of God instruct us. When we come to church and sit under the preaching and teaching of His Word, the Spirit speaks. Although it’s not as man speaks, it’s heard just as clear. 2) He speaks to us in prayer. Prayer is communication with God. God speaks in a still small voice, and many times He reveals to us His will in ways that although we don’t hear Him audibly, we just know. 3) He speaks as we yield ourselves to Him. His voice can be heard as a command to witness to someone, or to serve, or to give, or to just do. The Spirit desires our obedience, but we grieve (offend) Him when we sin, and we quench Him (put out the fire) by telling Him “No,” when commanded. If we want to here His voice, we must yield ourselves to listen for His voice.

Walk in the Spirit

As I have been studying the subject of walking in the Spirit, I find that in the Word of God, the Holy Spirit systematically lays out for each of us how God expects each of us to walk after salvation. It’s interesting to note that although there are many verses on Christian behavior, there is basically only 10 general commands on how to walk in the Spirit. And even just as interesting is the fact that they are listed in a chronological way through the N.T. As steps to follow. 1) Walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:4). 2) Walk after the Spirit (Rom. 8:1,4). 3) Walk honestly (Rom. 13:3-4). 4) Walk by faith (2 Cor. 5:7). 5) Walk in the Spirit (Gal. 5:16). 6) Walk in good works (Eph. 2:10). 7) Walk worthy (Eph. 4:1) 8) Walk in love (Eph. 5:2) 9) Walk as children of the light (Eph. 5:8). 10) Walk circumspectly (Eph. 5:15). Some additional verses that I didn’t list, but are contained in principle in the above ten would be, (Col. 4:5) walk in wisdom, (2 John 1:6) walk after his commandments, (3rd John 1:6) walk in truth. The Holy Spirit in the above scriptures, has instructed each of us to not only walk after Christ, but to also walk as Christ walked. As we begin to walk in the Spirit the Bible adds additional light as we progress along the way. I wonder how many of us truly understand the manifold wisdom that is available to us as we Walk in the Spirit.

How do we get in the Spirit ?

What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and what does it mean to walk in the Spirit? Both are good questions, but both can be accomplished by simply denying the lusts of our flesh, and yielding ourselves to the full control of the Spirit of God. Somehow as Christians we act like both of these conditions are impossible to achieve, when the Bible clearly states just the opposite. Simply, “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh (Gal. 5:16). 1) How do we get in the Spirit ? By simply getting saved. (Rom. 8:9) says, “But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” 2) Learn to walk in and after the Spirit. This is not a quick process, but it is achievable. If we are in Christ, and Christ is in us, then logically someone must lead. When our flesh leads we bear the fruit of selfishness and sin, but when the Spirit of God leads us we bear the fruit of righteousness and truth, because we are filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. To walk in and after the Holy Spirit the believer must yield total control of his will and ways back to God. Walking after the Spirit takes practice, and we will fail a time or two along the way, but it is definitely possible. So yield, and walk in the Spirit!

“To comfort, guide, and to abide forever.”

I still believe that inside every believer there is the desire to walk with the Lord. I also believe that the reason so many struggle in practicing such a walk, is simply because they just don’t know how! Christianity was never meant to be an up and down walk, where today we’re spiritual and tomorrow we’re not, but rather it was designed to be a consistent daily walk with and in the power of God’s Holy Spirit within. Every believer has the capability to do so, but we first must understand 3 things. 1) We need to know who the Holy Spirit is. The Bible is clear that the Spirit that indwells every believer is God. In fact, He is the Spirit of the Father, and Jesus Christ. 2) We need to know why God placed Him within. Jesus said plainly, “To comfort, guide, and to abide forever.” This is a great comfort, knowing that He will never leave us. It was the Father’s promise to keep us saved, and its His Word, not our obedience that keeps us saved. 3) We need to know what He’s doing within. The Holy Spirit is the agent of salvation. He is the one who washes us clean in the blood of Christ, who indwells us, baptizes us into the body of Christ, comforts, guides us into all truth, and that seals us until the time of our redemption . Seeing that He does so much for us, ought we not to walk in His Spirit, rather than in the spirit of our old flesh?

Jesus is truly the only way, truth, and life !

In (John 14:6) Jesus said, “ I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” These words were spoken by God in the flesh, who performed notable miracles, and who arose from the dead of His own power. No other religion or belief system has anyone like Jesus Christ as it’s proof, and according to Him there is no other way of salvation, or truth, or manner of life, than His. 1) His way is the only way. It’s amazing to me how many people still believe that there are many roads or ways to heaven, when Jesus said there is only one. Some believe in the road of religion, others in the road of doing good works, still others in the road of self-righteousness, even though Jesus said clearly that only His road leads to His Father. 2) His truth is the only truth. Not just because He said so, but because He is so. God’s Word is clear in (John 1) that Jesus is the Word of God, and that He is God & the very personification of the voice of God, for God cannot lie. 3) His life is the only life. The life He is speaking about is not just the great eternal life He offers, but also a life that is now far better than what this world can offer; A life of love, joy, peace, forgiveness, blessings, and answered prayer. My only question is, while settle for less when more is available? Jesus is truly the only way, truth, and life !

Truth is always Right!

In every church’s life the time will come when it will have To make judgments in areas that affect people it loves. God has ordained in his word that the church has the authority to govern in such matters, and that such decisions are sanctioned or “bound” in heaven, if done properly (Matt. 18: 18). That’s why it’s very important that we learn to make judgments based on truth rather than on relationships. In many different passages in the Bible, God is described as “not having respect of persons” in judgment, meaning that God does not allow who people are to interfere with what his just judgment is. And like God, we too must never allow a close relationship with anyone to cloud or sway our thinking away from doing what is right, even if it is painful to all the people involved. Being partial to certain people in matters of judgment is a great sin. That’s why on Judgment day, (Rom.2:2) says that the judgment of man will be “according to truth,” and not according to who they are, or what they did in life. Relationships can cause an awful lot of pressure if we’re not careful to put God first.
In (Ex. 34:5-9) says, “The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty;” Truth is always Right!

Mourning

(Matt. 5:4) “Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted.” As we all know, There are many types of mourning. 1) Mourning of death Regardless of whether or not a person is saved, the loss of losing someone close creates a mourning in the heart of man so terrible that only time can comfort, but thank God that in Christ Jesus we are promised more than just the comfort of time. We are promised a grace that comes to all who know Jesus Christ personally. There is a great blessing and consolation in knowing God’s Word. 2) Mourning over sin. Guilt and shame, both bring a horrible mourning of soul, but in Christ Jesus we are promised the forgiveness of God and a new comfort if we repent and turn from our wicked ways. The saved need not mourn over the sins and failures of the past. 3) Mourning of trials and oppression. God promised the saved a peace that passes all understanding, a present comfort in the time of trial, and a presence that will never leave us nor forsake us. God is our comfort when in trial, and He promises us a joy after mourning, if we trust in Him. “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” 4) Mourning of regret. The unsaved will regret forever not trusting in the living God, but the saved have comfort as they trust in Christ. The blessing of knowing that God forgives and forgets, will overcome all regrets.

" hearer and a doer "

Now that our Revival Week is over, a good question to ask ourselves is; Has anything changed? (Jas 1:25) “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” Hearing the Word of God and doing the Word of God are two separate things all together. Even the unsaved can practice the first, but a wise man will hear God’s Word and continue therein. I have been to many evangelistic meetings over the past 28 years, and there has never been a meeting where God did not convict me of something, and I have also learned over the past 28 years that unless I write down my conviction and determine in my heart to obey it right away, I will soon forget what God spoke to me about. These meetings are to be liberating, in that we are to acknowledge our sin, and let go of all sinful practices once God has revealed them to us, as well as practice what God has commanded. Over the years I have personally made decisions to serve more, come more, be involved more, give more, witness more, love more, etc., but with each decision comes the temptation to temporarily do, rather than permanently commit to God’s bidding. So, to be blessed by God, you must learn to be both a hearer and a doer.

“Be still, and know that I am God.”

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are going to be tested and tried in our faith as to our ability to continue on or quit. A strong faith will not give in to fear and doubt while in the storms of life. (Pr 24:10) “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” In (Mark 4:35-41) Jesus instructed his disciples to enter into a ship with him, and to “pass over” to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Unlike another time when the apostles were alone, this time he was with them asleep in the back of the ship. And as they passed over to the other side, a great wind created a fearful and hazardous storm. Fearing their demise, they awoke the peaceful Christ, and with only the sound of his words he stilled the storm. 1) We need to understand that the PLAN of God was to reach the other side. Allegorically, this story is simply about following the will of God, even if we are hindered along the way. God knows that our journey in life will be full of storms and difficulty, but Jesus is always close at hand. 2) There is PEACE in the fact that Jesus is in control of the storm, and that he is always close at hand. (Ps 46:10) “Be still, and know that I am God.” 3) He has POWER to calm. There is no situation that God cannot change, nor storm that is too powerful for those that have faith in his word. We like the apostles need to be tested and tried, so that we learn to continue on, rather than quit!

Revival Meetings

In just a few weeks we will again be having revival meetings with Mike Pelletier. Please take some flyers with you and use them to invite your family and friends out to the services. Every night of the week will be dedicated to a different group Of people. For example, Monday night will be “Ladies pack–a-pew night,” Tuesday, “Men’s pack-a –pew night,” Wednesday, “Sunday School Night,” Thursday “Family Night,” and Friday, “Prophecy Night.” On “Sunday School Night” each teacher will be responsible to bring out his/her entire class. These different evenings will give you some help with inviting people out. Also every night we will have a special gift for the person or persons that bring out the most people. Please take the opportunity over the next two weeks to pray for the people on the Wednesday night’s prayer list, and start today to invite people to come out as your special guest. I have found over the years that it is a good idea to pick them up if you can, and to even invite them to dinner or over to the he house that day. Also, revival week must begin with us, in that we need to make a firm commitment ourselves to be out to every service possible. So, lets be prepared, prayed up, and personally inviting people to these meetings. You never know who will come, so just ask!

“What is truth?”

Before the execution of Jesus, he was brought before Pilate And examined. Pilate unsure of who he was, asked him Plainly, “are you the king of the Jews.” Jesus responded, “ everyone that is of the truth heareth my voice.” To this Pilate asked, “What is truth?” Unfortunately this is the same question that too many people are asking themselves today. Why? Because they no longer are being taught that there is an absolute truth. Not long ago we were a nation of Bible believers, but today we are a nation of Bible doubters. Most likely this has happened because our pulpits no longer use the Bible, nor do they preach God’s Word as absolute. Those of us that have been saved by the precious blood of Jesus know that He is God and the only way, and we hear and follow his voice over the voice of men or religion. To us Jesus is the only “way, truth, and life.” Pilate didn’t know Jesus at all, and neither do they who doubt the Bible as God’s final and absolute Word. To those who doubt God’s Book, there is no absolute right or wrong. Sin therefore is up to private interpretation, and the way of salvation up to whatever you choose. They therefore are not of the truth, nor do they know anything for sure. So is their absolutely truth today? Absolutely! Whether we choose to believe or not!

Be Faithful To God

I have often asked the Lord why it is that sometimes people give and at other times they don’t, and His answer has always been the same to me; it’s about their faith. True faith does not waver, nor should it be affected by the ups and downs in life. Most people consistently earn around the same amount of money weekly or bi-weekly, so giving 10% of one’s income to the Lord ought to be routine. But why then is the giving of some so inconsistant? I realize that sometimes we may be short of money, or miss a service, but that should never cause someone who is saved to not give. The Bible is clear that we need to make up our minds to give ahead of time . “make up beforehand your bounty,… that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness… Every man according as he hath purposeth in his heart, so let him give, not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." (2 Cor.9:5-7) It’s sin to promise God and not give, or to covet that which belongs to God. Our giving ought to be governed by a faith in God's promises, rather than by our circumstances. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (Ja. 4:17) It's about time we just admit that it's just plain sin to not give, instead of making excuses for not being faithful to God.

The Prodigal's Father

Today I thought that it would be a good idea to look at the father in the “Prodigal Son’s Story” in (Luke 15). Since the prodigal’s father is a reflection of God Himself, there are some godly characteristics of a good father that can be pointed out. 1) F- He was faithful . Faithful not only to his God, but to his family, and to his calling as a dad, and even though his heart was broken by his son, he never lost his faith. 2) A – He was accessible. He was both approachable and compassionate. When his son came to himself and desired to come home, he knew that his father would not turn him away. 3) T- Trustworthy. He was always there for his sons. He was trustworthy in his word, in his providing, in his forgiveness, and in his unconditional love. He never stopped loving his son even though his son rejected him. 4) H – Headship. The mother was never mentioned in this story, because it’s the father’s job to lead the home. He handled the business, the servants, the farming, the problems, and the spirituality. 5) E- Example. Fathers are called by God to lead by example, and to reflect our heavenly Father’s word. 6) R - Responsive. He never failed at responding to his son’s needs. He was always diligent, loving, counseling, forgiving, complimenting, correcting, & blessing: he was involved in his son’s lives. So, the example of the prodigal’s father is an example of true fatherhood in practice.

So be careful to think before you choose to sin !

There is a principle in the Word of God in (Galatians 6:7) that says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” This is an eternal principle that simply states that for every action or choice that we make in life, there is a consequence. If our choices therefore are righteous we will reap righteous consequences, but if our choices are evil, evil consequences. We have seen from our study in the life of King David that even a righteous man after he repents of sin, still has to deal with the consequences of his sin, even though he is forgiven by God. When we choose the path of sin, we need to realize that at the end of the road lies judgment and death. No man, because of the above principle, can practice sin without consequences later. Although King David immediately repented of his sin after being confronted by the prophet of God, he still reaped the consequence of the death of his child and the judgment of God upon his family for years after. Our God is a forgiving God, but his Word will not be mocked. We need to be careful to remind ourselves that repentance does not always mean that God will remove the consequences, and while it is true that a repentant man will find mercy with God, it is also true that God is the one who ultimately decides the duration or the type consequences after we sin. So be careful to think before you choose to sin !

Sin always progresses downward

Since the Garden of Eden, man has had to fight his sin nature to stay right with God. Whether we are the most spiritual person on earth or not, we still need to be careful to fight the temptations of sin. In the story of David and Bathsheba, David fell into sin because he allowed himself to give into it. Sin always starts in the mind and progresses downward into sinful actions. How? 1) David was idle. While his comrades were busy fighting and serving God, David stayed behind. His guard was down and his thoughts free to wander. Unfortunately that’s precisely when temptation strikes. 2) David gave into lust. “…every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust…” Temptation is not sin, but lust is. David allowed himself to dwell in lust long enough for lust to take him captive. 3) Lust then moved David to action. “Then when lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin.” David, no longer satisfied with just a look, gave into the sin of adultery. 4) Adultery then moved David to murder. “Sin when it is finished bringeth forth death.” David killed Bathsheba’s husband, his baby died, and later the judgment of God took the life of some of his children. Sin always progresses downward.

"A mature believer knows"

As believers we need to realize that life is a series of ups and downs, and as believers we are supposed to be able to ride them out without quitting. While others seem to throw in the towel, a mature believer knows how to encourage himself in the Lord. 1) Don’t forsake church, it’s the very place you need to be when discouraged. 2) Stop being so self-centered, learn to be actively involved in helping others. 3) Start rejoicing again in the Lord, stop looking at what is wrong and praise the Lord for what is right. 4) Stop worrying about everything, some people aren’t happy unless they worry all the time. 5) Stop thinking negatively, faith is always positive. God’s promises are always I will, or you can. Let God’s Word and the Lord be your strength, and trust not in the flesh.

Spiritual Integrity

As we continue our series on the life of David, one the greatest characteristics of David was his Spiritual Integrity. Spiritual Integrity comes from a heart that places God above the things of this world, the Word of God above the word of men, the authorities of God above our pride, and a love for God’s people above our self. As we read this story in (1 Samuel), we see that for nearly 17 years David had to hide and run for his life because King Saul was corrupted by his pride, bitterness, jealousy, and a lack of respect for God’s people and His Word. His only thought was to destroy David, not realizing that in David’s heart, there was only respect and love for this King that God had placed in authority. We might ask ourselves, how can two people think so differently? It’s easy when one forgets to put God and His Word first. David did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, because his heart was governed by the integrity of God’s Word, and not by his flesh.

"STAND"

Standing in the face of opposition is not something that comes naturally to us. In fact most Christians would rather run from the battle than endure the conflict, but no victory was ever won by running or ignoring the enemy. John Wesley, a great man of faith once said, “Give me a hundred men who fear nothing but sin, and desire nothing but God, and I will shake the world. I care not if they be clergymen or layman; for such alone will overthrow the kingdom of Satan and build the kingdom of God.” There is a true story of a general, who during one battle of the Civil War refused to run even though a great number of Confederate soldiers under his command began to retreat. Later, these same soldiers who observed the courage and fearlessness of this general stated, “there stood Jackson like a stone wall.” Thereafter, he was called “Stonewall Jackson.” Oh how we need men and women today with such courage, who like King David of old, looked not upon the size of the enemy but rather upon the power of God. (Eph.6:11) says, “be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” Standing always comes before a victory.
Therefore stand in the power of Christ, & claim the victory !

Abide

Nine times in (John 15), Jesus uses the word “abide,” to illustrate to us the importance of remaining in a close fellowship with Him. He stated that he is “the true vine,” and that we who believe in Him are the “branches,” and that we cannot “bear fruit” unless our branch “abides” in the vine. This chapter has been misinterpreted by some to teach that our (our salvation) can be removed by the Father if we bear not fruit, but I thank God that Jesus didn’t teach that here. Here, Jesus is just revealing to us that the Father is pruning our lives to help us bear more fruit. So to abide in Christ, 1) We must first be saved. No salvation, means no connection in the vine of Christ. 2) We must live in His Word and obey His commandments. He said that we are “clean through the word.” The Word of God not only cleanses us in salvation but it keeps us clean in our daily walk with the Lord. Jesus promised us here that if we keep His commandments, and abide in Him and His love, that we will not only bear “much fruit,” but experience answered prayer, and a joy in the Lord that remains. He also said that “ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you.” It’s hard to imagine trading of the friendship of Christ for a friendship with this world. The only reason for not experiencing the above, is by not Abiding in Christ!

“Behaving wisely”

Again, as we study the life of David, we read in (1 Samuel 18) that David had a right relationship with God, because “he behaved himself wisely.” 1) We learned last week that we need to take heed to God’s (every) “word” and “command.” David behaved himself wisely because he took seriously God’s word. But this week, it’s important to see from David’s life that we also need to learn 2) to take heed to what we let into our hearts. As (Pr 4:23) says, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” David had a heart and mind that was full of faith, and courage, and respect for God and the things of God, and his mighty power was a direct result of a heart that just simply desired what God desired. This world is full of doubt, but there was no room in David’s heart for I can’t, or I won’t, or negative thinking. What an example of faith to us today. 3) So take heed that you behave wisely, because like David we too are going to go through hard times, and like David we also need to respond wisely. David never complained about the terrible things that Saul did to him, but rather he just kept obeying God, and serving his Lord. So “Behaving wisely” is just simply wisely obeying God's Word!

“He behaved himself wisely.”

As we study the life of David, we read in (1 Samuel 18) that David had a right relationship with God, because “he behaved himself wisely.” As Christians, God expects us to obey every “word” and “command.” David behaved wisely because God’s word was not optional, in fact in ( 1 Kings 15:5) God says that he “turned not aside from anything that the Lord commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.” We need to remember that God is always specific in His Word, and He expects us to obey every “jot and title,” and not just the parts that we feel comfortable with. God’s Word is specific about salvation being only through Jesus Christ, it is specific about baptism, tithing, holiness, sin, divorce, marriage, church, etc., and so we must be specific also. Be careful not to practice an incomplete obedience when God demands a complete one. So, “behaving ourselves wisely” demands that we not rebel against God’s Word, nor stubbornly choose our will over His. Behaving wisely then is very wise.

Revival

(1Co 3:6) – “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.” Revival week is upon us, and again I do so appreciate all of you that have prayed and invited people to come out. Sometimes we may develop the attitude that praying and inviting people doesn’t work, but then we forget that it’s God that brings the increase, not us. Praying petitions God by faith to act, much like praying for the rain of heaven to germinate a seed, and inviting people is like a farmer faithfully planting his seed in his field. You might say, “well nobody listens, nobody cares, or comes out when I ask them.” Stop right there, and remind yourself how God worked in your heart before you were saved. People are complicated beings, and at times very busy, and so we need to stay focused on the fact that God is at work behind the scenes. Stop telling yourself that praying and inviting doesn’t work. It does, a seed can’t grow unless it’s planted. So plant and pray for increase. I like you get frustrated with the fact that I don’t always see God at work, and so I have to remind myself by faith that He is at work. 1Co 3:7 - So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. So keep laboring, pray, keep inviting, and by faith believe God when he says that He will bring the increase.

“Issues”

As Christians we have been given ears to hear and eyes to see and understand God’s mysteries, but we have also been given a heart that is capable of bearing much fruit for God. Jesus said that from out of the heart comes the “issues of life.” “Issues” meaning the purposes behind what we do, and the why we go the direction we go. For example, if a Christian’s heart is right, then that Christian’s desire will be to please God and to bear much fruit, but if the heart is not after God, it cannot bear fruit at all. In God’s Word, Jesus tells us that there are 4 different types of hearts that hear the Word and yet handle it differently. 1) Hard Heart. Hears the Word, yet refuses to listen to it. You might say well this person is definitely unsaved. Not true. Christians often harden their hearts after hearing God’s Word, and refuse to change and repent. 2) Stony Heart. This heart has no real root of faith, and as a result lives life more with excuses than in Christ’s Word. This heart argues more for why they can still sin, then for why they should stop. 3) Weedy Heart. Is a heart that is cumbered about with too many things. It is so busy in the world that it forgets about the things of God. It’s so involved in the things of this world that it has no time to bear fruit, yet serve. But, 4) A Good heart. Is a heart that does not question God’s Word, but it just obeys God, serves, and bears fruit. Which one is yours?

David vs. Goliath

There is probably not a better story in all the Bible that better portrays the power of faith and courage then the story of David vs. Goliath. As we look at these two attributes we see that faith builds our courage while courage is best demonstrated by faith. Allegorically, Goliath represents the giants that we fear. Humanly speaking, they are the impossible things and situations that we cannot overcome in our own strength, and just like Goliath they will not go away until we stand up to them as David did. David, represents the weakness of our flesh. He was much smaller than Goliath, and unable to beat him in hand to hand combat, but David had something that Goliath didn’t, the power of the Holy Spirit. Goliath had courage, but his courage was in himself. David had courage, but his courage and faith was in the power of the “living God of Israel.” Like David, you and I cannot beat the giants of this world with the weapons of this world, but we are promised that we can through the power of God’s Spirit and courage. Like David we just need to remember that it’s not our ability but rather God’s Spirit that gives us the victory, just as it was God’s Spirit that guided the stone that killed Goliath. So, if you’re going to face your giant, stand in the courage of Christ’s Spirit, and learn to trust in Him for the victory. For “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in this world (1Jn 4: 4).”

Convince people of the truth

One of the three things that I wanted to challenge the church to do in 2009, is to share the gospel more with others. We need to take a hand full of Bible tracks with us wherever we go and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. And when the Spirit leads us, just share with them what Jesus has done in our life or just tell them to read it. We never know what God is doing in the heart and life of others, they might just be ready to get saved. Now as we go, we will be dealing with different beliefs and heart conditions, so we do need to know how to convince people of the truth. (2 Tim. 2:15) Tells us to, “Study to show ourselves approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth,” meaning that we need to study the Bible to know where in the Bible to turn and how to answer people. Do you know how to personally lead someone to Christ? Can you take the Bible and the book of Romans and show someone that they are a sinner and in need of Christ? Can you refute falsehood? Study, for there may be times when you are ashamed of yourself because you don’t know the Bible as you ought, but share your faith anyway!

Regret

One thing that I have learned over the years and that I have tried to teach others, is that you cannot change your past but you can your future. Regret is an awful thing to live with, and unless we determine now to obey the known will of God for today, tomorrow will most assuredly be something we regret. Take salvation for instance, God’s Word tells us that eternity is forever. So why do so many people give so little attention to it now? The Bible tells us in (Luke 16:19-31) that not everybody is going to make it to heaven, that hell is a real place, and that once you’re there, there’s no getting out. According to my Bible, Hell is full of people that regret for all eternity not caring about spiritual things. Who put money and the cares of this world before God. Who when they lived, lived for self and selfish pleasures, not realizing that this life is only a drop in the bucket when it comes to eternity. And, who now suffer forever the torture and agony of Hells fire. Even Christians some how fail to realize that we only have so much time to reach our relatives, our towns, and our world for Christ. Why do we waste so much time on things of no value, when the valuable things like God and souls get so little attention ?

How are you doing on your new year’s promises?

The new year is upon us and the first month of 2009 is almost gone. How are you doing on your new year’s promises? Maybe it is that you promised the Lord that you would read your Bible this year. Are you on track? Maybe you promised to be faithful in attendance, praying, giving your tithe, or Faith Promise, etc. Have you been faithful? If you haven’t, don’t let a slow start keep you from redirecting your heart again toward obedience. Sometimes we get sidetracked, but when we do, remember your promise, confess your failure to the Lord and start again. Our God is a forgiving, and long suffering God, but He does not take lightly our vows. (Ecc. 5:5) “Better is it that thou should not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” So get up and start again!

Now that’s faith!

As we continue our study on the “Obedience of Abraham,” we have learned over the past few weeks that we need faith to back up obedience. (Rom. 10:17) tells us that “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Meaning that, we must fully believe God, before we will fully obey God. Abraham was so convinced in what God promised, that he took the very son that God gave him by promise, and was wiling to kill him in sacrifice just because God asked him to, “believing that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead.” Now that’s faith! It’s easy to obey God when what He asks of us makes sense, but what about when it doesn’t? It didn’t make sense for God to kill Isaac when Abraham waited so long for him to be born, yet Abraham’s faith would have. Oh that we would have such faith, believing so strongly in God’s Word that all He commands of us, we will do. That was the mind set of Abraham, he was fully persuaded, and so must we, if we wish to see the miracles of God!

“Obedience of Abraham”

As we continue our study on the “Obedience of Abraham,” we learn from the story of Isaac’s birth, how easy it is to jump ahead of God, and mess things up when we're impatient. Abraham was 75 yrs. Old when God called him out and promised him a son through Sarah, and he was 100 years old when Isaac (the promised son) was born. Abraham and Sarah had to wait 25 yrs. for God’s promise to come to pass, and so we too must learn to wait or we'll grow impatient with the time schedule of God also. God does not work according to our schedule, nor will he stop us if we decide to jump ahead of His. So beware, God has everything under control even if it looks like He doesn't. Abraham fathered Ishmael from his wife’s handmaiden, because Sarah and Abraham grew impatient, and look at the problems that one act of impatience had on the nation Israel and this world. Impossibilities, years of time, old age, disappointments, hard circumstances, etc., are no match for the miracle working power of God. What He promises, He will bring to pass in His time and in His way. So learn to wait patiently on God and His Word, and you will see them fulfilled every time.

Take An Inventory Of Our Spirituality

As we embark upon another year, it’s always important to take an inventory of our spirituality. Spirituality is not measured by how many times in a week we pray, or by how many chapters a day we read, nor is it measured by how many souls we have one to the Lord. Spirituality is measured by the spiritual fruit in our life, and by our willingness to be controlled by the Holy Spirit. In (1 Cor. 2&3) the Apostle Paul explained to the Corinthian church, that the born again Christian, can be either “carnal” (controlled by the flesh), or ”spiritual,” (controlled by the Holy Spirit). Being carnal is certainly not a badge of honor, and yet that is precisely what many Christians have chosen to be in this life. 1) To be a "carnal Christian," a Christian has to choose to think like the world, because in (2:16) the Apostle Paul says that we should “have the mind of Christ.” My question is, how can somebody be truly saved and live like the world when they know it is definitely wrong? Saved people are the only people in this world that know exactly what is right and wrong, and what is not truth. So they are carnal by choice ! 2) The carnal Christian is also a “babe in Christ,” by choice (3:1). Carnal people choose not to follow God’s Word, nor do they take the time to read it themselves. Therefore their lifestyle and character are immature and they reflect the sinful ways of this world and not the godly character of Christ. But the cure is simple, simply repent of your sin, choose to read and follow God's Word, but also choose to surrender yourself to walk in and with the Holy Spirit.