Faith Promise

November is again upon us, and again I will be asking you to commit to giving to Faith Promise. I’m sure that all of you have been tempted to cut back this year, but if you will just glance at the mission’s board, I believe that the Holy Spirit will again burden your heart to commit another gift to these brave men and women. They are counting on us not to quit but to continue to give. Many churches are cutting back, but let’s not be one of them. Our goal must be to continue on in faith, even though our funds are low. “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 fear dictate your Faith Promise this year. God can supply even during a famine. “…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.” “Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food.” Oh listen, don’t draw back out of fear, but let faith lead you forward to give again at least what you gave last year. So, let faith win, give and trust God for the results!

Start serving now, and don’t stop serving until you stop breathing.

(2Ti :5) “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” The main object lesson of the above verse is not just to do serve the Lord, but to finish our course rightly. The Apostle Paul was instructing Timothy in how to finish and not quit along the way. 1) Watch. This is the same word that the Lord used in the garden of Gethsemane, when he desired the apostles to stay awake and pray. Why? Because “the flesh is weak.” Stay alert, and stay on course. 2) Endure affliction. The word means to “bear up under.” Don’t quit, toughen up, believe God for a miracle, and claim his promises. (Pr 24:10) “If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small.” 3. Work evangelistically. If you want to finish rightly then don’t let anything stop you from sharing Christ. Witness, invite, disciple, & get involved. 4. Make full proof of your ministry. Don’t stop short of all that God wants to do with you & through you. Start serving now, and don’t stop serving until you stop breathing. There are way too many Christians today retired and/or on vacation.

What is our purpose as Christians ?

(Ph. 1:6) “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” What is our purpose as Christians ? God doesn’t just save us, to save us, He saves us to use us, but in order for Him to use us He needs to rebuild us, reshape us, and retrain our thinking. That’s why sometimes things go wrong, or why problems arise that we cannot fix, so God can reveal Himself faithful in every situation. Christian growth takes place through a series of tests, and each test is divinely planned and purposed to conform us more into the image of Christ. Here are just three. 1) The test of “calling.” We have been called to “go into all the world.” Have you passed it? You’ll never pass and see souls saved until you obey God and go. 2) Test of ‘provision.” This test is given when God places us in the place of need. We either pass or fail based on our trust in God’s promises. This test is designed to build faith. 3) Test of suffering. Living saved is identifying with the rejection and suffering of Christ. None of us can pass this test until we die to self and let God perform His good work in us. Therefore Christian, understand that living Christ is a life long test, but fear not God gives it to us with an open book.

What motivates you as a Christian?

What motivates you as a Christian? There needs to be something or we will most certainly quit. The Apostle Paul had two things.

1) Hell itself. - (2Cor. 5:11) “ Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men…” 2) The love that Christ. (2Cor. 5:14) “For the love of Christ constraineth us…” Motivation is the key to Christian success. My two motivations are: 1) The cross. The Lord died for my sin there, in my place, and I owe him my life. 2) The call of God. Not just as a Pastor but as a Christian. We have a call to go, and make disciples. You and I need a cause higher than ourselves to stay motivated. So how can you and I stay motivated? 1) Be appreciative. Only unappreciative and self-centered people take without being thankful. Repent and be truly thankful for all that God has done for you. Don’t let yourself forget. 2)Be approvable. Prove yourself faithful. Live approved by practicing the basics again: Church attendance, Bible reading, Prayer, Witnessing, and living godly. Faithfulness is proved by living God’s standard’s. 3) Be accountable to someone. Change takes obedience and discipline, but sometimes we need the help of another. Find someone else who is faithful and trustworthy, and ask them to hold you accountable. Motivation is the key to success in the Christian life, but it can't start until you learn to have a heart of appreciation.

Forgiveness

As we grow in the Lord, God places us in certain situations, that allows us to make certain choices that reveal to us our true character. One of those situations is in the area of forgiveness. When we get saved we are forgiven for every transgression, but even though God has forgiven us, wrongs that we have committed against others may not be. In the book of Philemon, Onesimus was a run-away slave that later was led to Christ by the Apostle Paul. Although he was now saved he still needed to right his wrongs with his owner, Philemon. Paul sent Onesimus back to Philemon to correct his wrong. Onesimus sought forgiveness, but Philemon was asked to grant it. After we’re saved, we may be asked by God to right past wrongs. It may be that God would have us humbly seek forgiveness, or possibly humbly grant it to another. In both cases it takes a strong character to admit wrong or forgive the wrong of another. To often we sweep under the rug the very things that God wants us to deal with. (Eph 4:32) “ And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” So learn the character trait of forgiveness, and experience the joy that will come from it.

Cast it down and destroy it, before it is too late!

(2Co 10:5) “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God…” In the O.T. whenever God introduced a new King, He always mentioned the words, “ he did right in the eyes of the Lord,” or “he did evil in the eyes of the Lord.” Time and time again, the Lord was displeased with Israel and Judah for not tearing down the high places that were erected by Solomon (because of his ungodly wives), and Jeroboam, Israel’s first king of the northern tribes. The high places were places erected to sacrifice to devils and false gods, and God instructed Israel long before to get rid of them utterly or their children would find them. Only one King (Hezekiah) out of 40 kings of Israel, had the spiritual obedience to destroy them, and as a result God brought a great revival. A few weeks back we had revival meetings and many of us made decisions to change, but the question is have we kept our word. In the above verse, God is instructing us to tear down the high places, and to stop making excuses for why we let them remain. Israel did so, and as a result their children found them, and fell away from the God of heaven. All because they thought it was no big deal to keep them around. Don’t be surprised, if that sin you keep around ends up being the very sin that your children pick up on and worship. Cast it down and destroy it, before it is too late!

Love To Give

How can we as Christians develop a heart that loves to give? I think the answer to this question can easily be answered by simply putting God and His Word first in our life. When we do, our hearts will automatically desire to give as it should. As a Pastor, I always here of Christians being short money, and some even use that as an excuse for why they don’t give as they ought, but the real problem is not their lack of money but rather their lack of faith. If God is not first, fear will do the deciding for you. (2 Cor. 8:12) says, “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.” 10% of nothing is nothing, but 10% of any amount is still something. It’s the heart that determines the amount we give, to whom we give it, and the degree for which God basis His blessings back. (2 Cor. 9:6-7) “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” If we love God and obey His Word, God will honor us. If we are content with what God has provided and not greedy, God will continue to be gracious. If we will just believe and obey the known will of God, God promises to provide for our every need. God cannot respond to fear and doubt, so stop making excuses, put God first, and give from the heart.