It’s Jesus’ birthday not ours

Another Christmas is now upon us, and if you’re like everybody else you have been busy shopping and preparing for a nice family Christmas. This past fall, Diane and I were given a DVD set of the early years of the TV program “Little House On The Prairie.” Recently, as we watched the early episodes it brought back so many memories of watching the show together with my children. I had forgotten how well the program depicted the life and struggles of the early pioneers, and how even though they had none of the modern luxuries we have today, nor the lifestyle, their spirit was much more appreciative. Even at Christmas time when they had little, there words were,“ after all it’s Jesus’ birthday not ours.” They were satisfied with just a warm fire, food, family, health, and the safety of a roof over their heads. As I watched it hit me, just how far I have grown away from appreciating the basic things that God has given me. Oh that we all have that attitude again, and remember that Christmas isn’t about us, it’s about the greatest gift that you and I could ever receive or share; Jesus! After all it’s his birthday not ours !

“Thanks”

In a few weeks we will be celebrating “Thanksgiving” with our families. The true meaning of thanksgiving can be seen by simply looking at the two words that make it up. “Thanks” meaning to be thankful for, and “giving” meaning to be willing to share what we are thankful for. In the OT when the Jew was thankful to God, he would offer back to God the best of his flock, or his increase. So why should it be any different with us. Being thankful is a state of mind that appreciates all that God has given to us. It doesn't look at what it does not have, but rather appreciates all that it does have. As Christians we have been given so much in Christ Jesus. Take our salvation. We didn't earn it, or work for it, all we did was accept it as a gift. It was simply given, therefore why not share what we have been given with others. If we are truly thankful for it we will because it will be our gift back to God out of appreciation. In (Luke 17: 11-19) ten lepers were cleansed from their leprosy by Jesus. Though all 10 were cleansed only one had the true spirit of thanksgiving. He came back to Jesus and desired to follow. Why, because his new life was a gift! I wonder how many of us truly appreciate not only our salvation, but all that this new life has given to us. If you do, offer some of it to others, and be truly thankful !

The Rod Of Power

Again this morning I’d like to challenge us all to Christian service. We have been called to serve, but how many of us have been discouraged do to some fear along the way. In (Ex. 3+4) Moses was called by God to lead the nation Israel out of Egypt, but do to fear he tried to back out four times. Last week we dealt with his first two fears or excuses; 1) unworthiness and 2) un-preparedness. It’s very common to fear God’s service, but unless we submit and go we will never see God’s miracles. This week let’s look at the last two fears or excuses of Moses. 3) uncertainty. No one knows the future, but God did when He told Moses to take his rod or staff with him into Egypt. Symbolically, that rod was Christ. The rod or power of Christ is a promise to each of us, that if we will just go and take Jesus with us people will believe and be saved, but if we fear to go and make excuses, they won’t. 4) Moses felt unable. Moses looked at his inability of speech, made it an excuse, and angered God by it. Be careful not to look at what little you can offer, more than what God can do with your little. When we go in the power of Christ, and with (Word of God) in our hand, it doesn’t matter how we speak as long as we just speak. It’s His power and His Word that convicts the unsaved, not our abilities. So stop looking at what you don’t have, and trust in what you do have; Christ and His Word!

We all have been saved to serve!

This morning I’d like to challenge us as Christians to serve and not be afraid. We all have been saved to serve, but how many of us have quit because of some fear along the way? In (Ex. Chp. 3+4) Moses was called by God to lead the nation Israel out of Egypt, but do to different fears Moses tried to back out four times. Why ? 1) Moses felt unworthy. Now in the service of God this is not necessarily a bad thing, for there is no place in the service of God for high minded people, but this is still a dangerous fear . You see, God wants us to see that Moses wasn't chosen for his worthiness, but rather for God’s purpose. He wants us to see that He can use anyone. God could have done it Himself, but He chose rather to use a man named Moses as an example of a surrendered life. God enjoys taking a sinner and making him useful, or using the weak to bring about miracles. None of us are worthy, but all of us should be willing. 2) Moses felt unprepared. Now I’ll deal with the other two next week, but here I want you to see that even Moses felt unprepared to do such a job. And so will we without God's help. God told Moses “to go” and to trust in Him for the right words to say, but Moses still feared. Listen, fear always causes us to make excuses for what we know God wants us to do, but if our faith is solely in God nothing is impossible. So don't fear, stop making excuses, and trust in God's ability, and not yours!

“And it came to pass.”

There are probably no more important words in the Bible then the words, “And it came to pass.” These words help teach us a lot about God; first of all that he always keeps His word, and secondly that He always has a time limit on whatever He does. Sometimes to us, God seems to take too long, or it may seem like He’s not listening, or that He doesn't care, when in reality He’s just waiting for the right moment to bring His perfect will to pass in our lives. The longer we are saved the more we understand that the silence of God does not mean abandonment, but rather wait. As we study the life of Joseph in the O.T. We see by example how God does bring things to pass, but only after His purpose and His time limit is up. Joseph was not ready at 17 to lead a nation of people, but at 30 he was prepared by many years of trials and much wisdom taught by experience. Some men have attributed the plan of God to an oven where God’s man is prepared over time by the heat of life, but always remember God’s oven has a timer . When we are ready, God will bring His perfect will to pass in our life. So, learn to be more patient with Him, and stop trying to run ahead. God’s will, will come to pass, it’s timed and it has an appointed end. So Wait!

The Building Of A Man For God Part 2

In my series, “The Building Of A Man For God” (A study in the Life of Joseph), it’s interesting to note that God had has a purpose for all that Joseph went through. Sometimes when we are going through a specific trial we question whether or not God really knows what we are really going through, especially when the trial gets worse rather than better? From God’s perspective, Joseph went through exactly what he needed to be God’s leader; rejection, slavery, being falsely accused, and even prison. And so we ask, was all this necessary? In God’s eyes, yes! God never uses anyone until they are ready, and like Joseph we too are being prepared by every trial to be more useable for God. Why? 1) God desires to teach us faith. Because faith is needed to keep going when everything seems to be going wrong. 2) God desires to teach us patience. (Rom.5:3-5) tells us that “tribulation worketh patience.” Listen, waiting on God is a hard thing to learn, and our flesh doesn’t want to wait when in a trial, but God knows that with each trial comes the valuable experience of learning to trust God more. 3) God desires to grow godly character in us. Joseph knew to run from lust, even when it cost him position, power, and finances. God places each of us in situations to test us spiritually on what we believe mentally. Godliness isn’t just knowing God’s Word, but rather it’s faithfully practicing God's Word in every situation and test!

Building Of A Man For God.

I will be preaching a series over the next three weeks on the “Building Of A Man For God.” It will be a series out of the life of Joseph, the son of Jacob. Like Joseph, we too need to be prepared and strengthened by trial before we can be used of God. God must strip us of our pride, selfishness, and personal will, before we can be of any use to Him. We like Joseph might not see the purpose or reasoning behind the trials that God puts us through in life, but we can remain confident in the fact that God has a greater purpose for it all in the end. I am always reminded of (Rom. 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.”   Sometimes we convince ourselves because we are saved, that only good things are supposed to happen to us, but God knows and He wants us all to know that we cannot be strengthened without the spiritual exercise of faith. So God uses everything, our past sins, our present trials and blessings, all of it, to work out His perfect will for our good and His glory.  Like Joseph God has a plan for your life, so stop questioning why and start asking God for the wisdom to use it all for good.

Are you ready?

I trust that you have benefited from this series in (2 Peter), and as I conclude this series it’s encouraging to remind ourselves that although many men follow the way of false teachers and scoffers in our day, there are still those who follow the way of truth. Today, I would like to preach on the subject of the “Rapture of the church.” In (2 Peter 3:4) the Bible tells us that the scoffer will also attack the doctrine of the second coming of Jesus Christ, Saying, "where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” It’s easy to think that we have a lot of time until the 2^nd return of Jesus Christ, but no one really knows for sure. The world doesn't seem too worried, in fact many people are increasingly becoming even more bold in their sin, but does that change the promise of Jesus to come again? In fact it’s even more proof that our time is very short. Remember, God is not on our time schedule, and “The lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness;…But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night;..” There will come a day when the Church of God will be taken home to heaven with those who have died before, and both their bodies and ours will be fashioned like the resurrected body of our Lord Jesus Christ (Phil. 3:21). So be ready, for he will return quickly and without warning. The question is, Are you ready?

Beware of False Teachers Part 2

I’ve been preaching over the past few weeks about false teachers and how their teachings enter our minds, and churches secretly. Today I will be preaching on the “scoffer.” A scoffer is someone who mocks and ridicules the truth found in the Word of God. In other words it’s someone who does not believe the Bible to be inerrant, but rather just another book of facts and proverbs. In (2 Peter 3), Peter exhorts the church to be aware of what the Bible teaches so that our faith will stand not in the wisdom of men but rather in the truth of God. You see the promises of God are not bound by our time schedule but rather God’s Word. Scoffers laugh and mock at the Word of God because it cannot be proved right now, and because God is not someone who can be dissected and figured out scientifically. Peter reminds us that God’s promises have always come true in the past, and there is no reason to doubt that they will come true in the future. Our faith is not based on sight, nor on the here and now, but rather on simply taking God at His Word. A scoffer cannot except this, and so he/she looks to find ways to disprove the Bible even if they have to interpret the way they want. “beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own steadfastness”

Beware of False Teachers

Over the past few weeks I have been preaching out of (2 Peter Chp 2) on the subject of being “beware of” false teachers and their ways. Last week I dealt with the “Plan”“Plight” of those that follow their ways. It’s very important for every person to realize (Rom.2:2) “that thejudgment of God is according to truth.” If we follow truth we will be judged faithful, but if we follow error we will be found as guilty as any other one who chooses error. It doesn't matter if we were deceived, we will be judged for what we choose to believe in this life. of false teachers, but today I will be preaching on the In (2 Pet. 4-6), God reminds us of the angels that followed Satan, that He “spared them not,” nor did he spare the men and women of Noah’s flood , or the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, because they new the way of God, but chose the false way of wickedness to their own damnation. How sad to have known the way of truth, and to suffer eternally for no choosing it. As a Christian you also can be deceived. Oh, you can't lose your salvation, but you can suffer the loss of rewards at the judgment seat of Christ. But just imagine those that think they are saved but are really not, because they follow a person, or religion, or popular way above the way and Word of God. So, Beware, eternity is not something to play with, for God promised that His judgment is sure !

Be careful, your strength is only in the Lord!

Being too comfortable in our Christianity can turn into a big problem if we are not careful. You see, God is in the business of taking away our comfort if it stands between our faithfulness and our walk with Him. In (Isaiah 40), the prophet of God reminded the people of God, that God’s judgment on their backsliding was irreversible, but at the same time that it was forgivable if they would just repent of their sin and turn again back to God. Comfort causes us to stop trusting, to stop “waiting upon” the Lord. When we have all our needs met, sometimes our hearts can turn and trust in the world more then we trust in the God of heaven. So be careful, like Israel we might be asking God to shake up our world too. In (Isaiah 40:31) , The Bible says that, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…,” There is no promise here to those that won’t wait upon Him. The word “wait” means to (bind together with, and to patiently trust in). A person who is waiting on, and trusting in God, has this promise of renewed strength, even if he backslides, repents,and returns to God. Be careful, your strength is only in the Lord!

Everything will be all right, I refuse to worry! Have you ever told yourself these things? Be careful, fear and anxiety will disrupt & destroy your faith when in a trial. (]John 4: 18) says that, "fear hath torment. " Stress, fear, and anxiety will all torment us until we learn to handle our problems Biblically. Unfortunately, all people handle stress differently. Some people cry and lash out, others explode, some stuff themselves with food, others with medication, some workout or run it off, but the godly still go to God's Word. So which one of the above best describes you? Listen, in life circumstances happen, problems occur, people sin, things go wrong, and because of our lack of faith, anxiety can make things worse rather than better. Regardless of the reasons why we worry, God still instructs not to. A good place to turn in the Bible when in trial is (Romans 8:28-29). It's a good place to turn when you desire the Lord's comfort, hope, and inner strength. It starts out with, "Who (or what) shall separate us from the love of Christ? And then it goes to the specifics. Shall tribulation. Or distress (or emotional stress), or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? .. _ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, ... Nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God. Which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." So why worry!

"The merciful man doeth good to his own soul." (Pr. 11:17)

An evangelist once preached an entire week of meetings hoping to convert souls to Jesus Christ. One particular man came out every night, and on the last night, he came forward and desired to be saved. The preacher questioning the man asked him what in the sermon convinced him of his need to be saved. To that the man replied, "Oh, it wasn't just the sermon, it was also the lady in the back row. You see, she stumbled and I helped her up, and then she asked me if I loved Jesus, and said that he meant everything to me. She has been here every night, and every night she has treated me as if I was someone special. And every night she invited me back. I wouldn't have come back if it hadn't been for her. She's different, and she's got something that I want, and she says it's Jesus. " To that the preacher humbly said, "I need more of what she has too. " I wonder if we truly realize how much of an impact our love and compassion plays in the salvation of others? Sometimes we are the only Bibles that people hear or see. So, What type of version are you?