“If My People”

Scripture Text 2 Chronicles 7:11-14

   

 Would you join me in day of prayer for our nation and “Persecuted Christians” this Sunday?     

 We see our nation falling away from God and His laws into the very sins that He says He hates the most which are abortion (the murder of children in the womb) and homosexuality which is a perversion of God’s law. Our government and courts are all full of perversion; corruption and lies. People are turning away from God in record numbers. The churches are declining instead of growing. 2 Chronicles 7:11-14 (NLT) ¹¹ So Solomon finished the Temple of the Lord, as well as the royal palace. He completed everything he had planned to do in the construction of the Temple and the palace. ¹² Then one night the Lord appeared to Solomon and said, “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this Temple as the place for making sacrifices. ¹³ At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. ¹⁴ Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. God encouraged Solomon by the promise that if His judgment should fall on the nation for their sin, they need only turn to the Lord in earnest humility and repentance and they would find forgiveness and restoration. This promise was given because God’s presence among His people Israel is eternal, and at that time was focused particularly on the temple. We Christians are also His covenant people through the eternal covenant of blood we have in Christ Jesus and this promise is also good for the body of Christ. Our bodies are the temple of the living God and He is focused on us.

We must take these words of God’s wisdom seriously that He gave to Solomon telling him what to do when He begins to judge the nation. Today Nov. 6^th is the ‘International Day of Prayer for Persecuted Christians. Christians around the world are facing persecution in unprecedented numbers.

100 million Christians around the globe are currently suffering. They are real, and they are our brothers and sisters in Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:26-27 says that “We are one body. If one member suffers, every member suffers with it; if one member is honored, every member rejoices with it.”

      Because we have freedom of religion in the United States, we can freely and openly worship Jesus Christ. Let us stand in the freedom we have to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. A Nigerian pastor had this to say, “Only guns of love can silence guns of hatred. What better way to love someone than to pray for them?"

During this 2016 International Day of Prayer, join me in praying for the persecuted church. We pray that God will protect believers in persecuted countries. We pray that believers would see Christ in deeper ways. Lastly, we pray that Christ would soften the hearts of their persecutors. Jeremiah 33:3 says “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things which you don’t know.” Since we have this invitation from God, we must as the body of Christ in unity, take time to go before the Lord in prayer for our nation and our persecuted brothers and sisters all over the world. God said in 2 Kings 19:20 “I have heard your prayer.”

 Invitation: If you are reading this and you are not a Christian, you can become one by confessing your sins to Jesus and asking Him to forgive you and save you from the penalty of those sins which is eternity in hell. He will give you a home in Heaven when this life is over. If you have just asked Jesus to save you, go to church as soon as possible and tell the pastor you have received Jesus as your personal Savior and Lord and you want to be baptized in obedience to His command. God bless you in your decision to follow Him.

What God Says and I Agree

I am a new creation in Christ, old things have passed away, and all things have become new.  (2 Cor. 5:17.) It doesn't matter what anyone else says, this is what God says about anyone who knows Jesus Christ as their Savior. What does it mean for a man to become a "new creation"? Very simply, it means just what the Scripture says: the man actually becomes a new creature—his whole being, nature, life, and behavior changes:  When unsaved a man is dead to God, in Christ he becomes a "new creation" alive to God. When unsaved a man has no relationship with God, as a new creature in Christ he is given a relationship with God. And unsaved man is not sure about God, as a new creature in Christ he is absolutely certain about God. As an unsaved man he never fellowshipped and communed with God, as a new creature he fellowships and communes with God all the time. An unsaved man is living in sin and immorality, as a new creature he lives in righteousness and holiness. An unsaved man has to face death, as a new creature he never has to die. An unsaved man is doomed to judgment and eternal separation from God, as a new creature he is destined to live eternally in the presence of God because Jesus has died on the cross as payment for his sins.                                                                                                                            2.  How does a person become a new creation? Note the words of this Scripture: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation." It is being "in Christ" that makes a person a new creature. When a person truly believes in Christ as his Savior, God places and positions him in Christ, in all that Christ is. Christ lived and died and arose, so to be in Christ means that a person lives, dies, and rises to new life in Christ. The person who believes in Jesus Christ is identified with Christ: that is, he is counted and considered to be "in Christ," reckoned and credited as "in Christ." His sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus Christ. The believer's faith actually causes God to identify the believer with Christ...as his sins are already paid for in the death of Christ and he is given the righteousness of Christ. God counts the believer as having been raised in Christ. Therefore, the believer has received the "new life" of Christ. Just as Christ had a new life after His resurrection, even so the believer receives the "new life" of Christ when he believes in Him. From this, it is clearly seen that a person who is "in Christ" is a new creature. This is what is meant by such Scriptural terms as being "born again" and becoming a "new man." However, no better words describe the experience than the words of this verse: "old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17) This is the message of the Christian ministry: a man can start life all over, no matter how corrupt he has become or how far down he has fallen. God longs to make a new creature out of him. When Nicodemus asked Jesus how can a man make it to Heaven: "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).

          Have you been born again by confessing your sins to Jesus and asking Him to forgive you and save your soul from Hell? If not you can do that right now where you are. If you will, you too will become a “new creation” in Christ. All your sins will be forgiven and you will have eternal life.

Why Worry?

Scripture Text Matt. 6:25-33

1. Worrying Accomplishes Absolutely Nothing.

I don't know about you, but I don't have any time to waste these days. And worrying is a waste of very precious time. Worrying won't help you solve a problem or bring about a solution, so why waste your time and energy on it? Matthew 6:27-29 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. (NLT)

2. Worrying is Not Good for You.

Worrying is destructive to us in many ways. It becomes a mental burden that can even cause us to grow physically sick.

Proverbs 12:25 Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. (NLT)

3. Worrying is the Opposite of Trusting God.

The energy that we spend worrying can be put to much better use in prayer. Here's a little formula to remember: Worry replaced by Faith and Prayer equals Trust.

Matthew 6:30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?(NLT) Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)  And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.

Philippians 4:6-7 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. (NLT) We should have a calm God-centered and trusting attitude. A person goes about living and working ever so diligently and calmly, trusting God to take care of all. He does all he can about the necessities of life, both for himself and for others, but he seeks God and His righteousness first.

4. Worrying Puts Your Focus in the Wrong Direction.

When we keep our eyes focused on God, we remember his love for us and we realize we truly have nothing to worry about. God has a wonderful plan for our lives, and part of that plan includes taking care of us. Even in the difficult times, when it seems like God doesn't care, we can put our trust in the Lord and focus on his kingdom. God will take care of our every need.

Matthew 6:25 (NLT) That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life-whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Matt. 4:4 Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Matthew 6:31-33 So don't worry about these things, saying, 'What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?' These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

1 Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (NLT)

Invitation: If you have not been forgiven of your sins against God it might be time to be concerned! Ask Jesus to forgive you and invite Him into your life to take charge of you until you are called home. Then you won’t have to worry because Jesus will take care of all that concerns you.

Words to Live By

Scripture Text 

Mark 5:35-36, 41-42

Intro: No matter what situation you are in or what you are facing now or what you might face in the future, Jesus has some words of truth that you can live by. Jesus’ words will never fail you! Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! (Hebrews 13:8) What He speaks He brings to pass!

I. The problem. Mark 5:35 (NLT) While he was still speaking to her, messengers arrived from the home of Jairus, the leader of the synagogue. They told him, “Your daughter is dead. There’s no use troubling the Teacher now.” Jairus’ daughter had died. Death is final and  seemed it was too late for help. This was a hopeless situation from a human point of view. Maybe you are going through a hopeless situation or circumstance right now or you are facing one in the future. Jairus had faith that Jesus could and would help. Jesus cares about our problems. Hebrews 13:5b (NKJV) ^5b For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."

 When we pray Jesus also hears our cry for help. He cares and is concerned about us.

II. Jesus heard about the problem.  Mark 5:36a (NLT) But Jesus overheard them. Messengers from Jairus’ house came with the word that his daughter was dead and Jesus heard them. Jesus had compassion on Jairus and was going to help him. He has compassion for us. We are told to ask, seek, and knock on heaven’s door for all our needs. Luke 11:9-10 (NLT) ⁹ “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ¹⁰ For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

III. Jesus speaks words of faith. (Mark 5:36b) Only believe.”

 1. “Don’t be afraid.” Jesus knows our first reaction to a problem. Fear and faith can’t exist together. Fear cancels out faith! Fear paralyzes us, drags us down. Fear is all around us each and every day to some degree. How can we overcome fear? Jesus tells us how!

2. “Only Believe.” (v:36)

 a. Jesus says the way to handle our every problem is to believe. Believe means to have confidence in the truth. Jesus is the truth so He only speaks truth. Believe also means to have a conviction that a person will be involved in a given situation. It means to have faith in the reality, honesty, and benevolence of a person. When we bring a problem to Jesus in prayer, we are to have trust and confidence that He has heard us and He will take care of the problem. James 1:6-7 (NLT) ⁶ But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷ Such people should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

IV. Jesus grants the believer’s request.  Mark 5:41-42 (NLT) ⁴¹ Holding her hand, he said to her, “Talitha koum,” which means “Little girl, get up!” ⁴² And the girl, who was twelve years old, immediately stood up and walked around! They were overwhelmed and totally amazed.

 a. Jesus demonstrated His great love and amazing power. He raised Jairus' daughter from the dead whereby Jesus shows us His great power and as the angel told Mary “nothing is impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) When God spoke these words to Mary she meditated upon this simple statement, "With God all things are possible," she believed and was encouraged. In Mark 9:23 Where a father asked Jesus if He could do anything for his demon possessed son Jesus said to him, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes."

 Conclusion: May these words of truth and faith dwell in our hearts from this day forward. When we face problems in this world and we take them to God in prayer, may we be able to remember the words of Jesus in each situation. “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”

Invitation: Have you placed your faith and belief in Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and Lord? If not ask Jesus to forgive and save you right now. “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”

      Invite Him into your life right now and know the love, peace and joy of sins forgiven!

Work Out Your Salvation

Scripture Text Philippians 2:12-13

Introduction:  The passage for today is unique because it brings up the great subject of salvation. Keep in mind that salvation means deliverance from the power and penalty of sin, and that salvation is of God. It is God who has saved and delivered you: "For by grace are ye saved through faith" (Ephesians. 2:8-9). But once you are saved, God says go to work—work out your own salvation and deliverance. Salvation is not stagnant and complacent. A saved person is not to be sitting around doing nothing and letting the chips fall where they may. A saved person is to get up and go to work. He is to do all he can to work out his own salvation.

I.  The Command.  Philippians 2:12 (NKJV)
¹² Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

What does it mean to “work out your own salvation?” The word "work out" means to work on to the finish, to completion, to perfection. It always means to complete the effort and the work begun; to accomplish it perfectly; to bring it to completion. The point is: salvation is the beginning of a new exciting life. Never think you have arrived. Do not be satisfied with a little when you can have much. Go on; grow until salvation is completed in you. It is your own personal salvation you must work out. No friend, no pastor can work it out for you. You alone must do it. The point is clearly stated: once God has saved a person, that person is to get busy obeying God and serving Him. You are to take hold of the new life and salvation God has given you, and work on it until it is completed and finished, that is, until God takes you home and perfects your salvation.

 1. We are to “work out our salvation in “fear and trembling” lest we disappoint the Lord. Jesus has saved us, and He has gone to the ultimate limit in order to do it. He has demonstrated a perfect love for us by taking all our sins upon Himself and bearing our punishment for us. Therefore, when we sin and fail, it cuts His heart to no end. For His sake, to keep from hurting Him, we must work out our salvation, fearing and trembling lest we do break His heart.We are to fear and tremble because we are to face the judgment seat of Christ.

II. The power. Philippians 2:13 (NKJV)  For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. We have the very power of God our Creator working in us!

 a. God gives us the will to work out our salvation. Romans 12:2 (NKJV) And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. God gives us His word to renew our way of thinking. His word changes our selfish will to His way of thinking so we can prove what is His good, acceptable and perfect will is for us.

 b. God gives us the power to do His good pleasure. Ephesians 1:19-20 (NLT) ¹⁹ I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power ²⁰ that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Think about this awesome truth from God’s word. God has given us His tremendous Holy Spirit power to live as Christ lived. The very Spirit of Christ lives in us and empowers us to do God’s will.

III. The result of “working out our salvation.”

 a. Conformed to Christ’s image. Romans 8:29 (NKJV) For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Only when we are in harmony with Jesus will we accomplish what God wants us to do. Only then can we truly love Father God and people like Jesus, care for others like Jesus, pray like Jesus and live like Jesus in all circumstances. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:6 (NKJV) Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.

Invitation: Have you been saved? In other words have you asked Jesus Christ to forgive your sins against God and have you then invited Him into your life to live in you and take charge of your life? If not ask Jesus to save you and give you a home in heaven when this life is over! Romans 10:9 (NLT)  If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. God’s promise to you!

One God, One Lord

Scripture Text 1 Corinthians 8:5-6

Intro: There are many religions coming into our nation on a daily basis. They are busy influencing our society with their false religions. We Christians must begin to stand up and speak up for Jesus as the only way to God through His salvation, and Heaven. John 14:6 (NKJV) ⁶ Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.  A person’s eternal destination depends on their hearing the truth.

I. There are many gods and lords. 1 Corinthians 8:5 (NKJV)  For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords),

   There have been many gods since the Apostle Paul’s day!

 a. There are 19 major world religions which are subdivided into a total of 270 large religious groups, and many smaller ones. There are five major religions. Hindus acknowledge multitudes of gods and goddesses. Buddhists say there is no deity, only enlightenment. New Age followers believe they are God. Muslims believe in a powerful but unknowable God. They do not believe Jesus is deity. It is true that people call out to many gods. There are gods of their own minds and imaginations, ideas, notions, and pleasures. There are gods of wood and stone. There are gods and lords of their own creation.

II. We Christians believe there is one knowable God. 1 Corinthians 8:6a (NKJV) ^6a yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; Deuteronomy 10:17 (NKJV) For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. Deut. 6:4 says “Hear O Israel, the Lord our God is one Lord.”

 a. He is called our Father in the O.T. (Deut. 32:6)  Isaiah 64:8 (NKJV) But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.

 b. He is called Father in the N.T. Romans 8:15-16 (NKJV) ¹⁵ For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." ¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,

   1. All things are from Him. (Gen. 1:1) Romans 11:36 (NKJV)  For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

   2. We were created by Him and exist for Him. (Gen. 1:27) Pastor John Piper, says “The point of being created in the image of God is that human beings are destined to display God. That’s what images do.” We live for fellowship with Him. (1 John 1:3) We live to do everything for God’s glory. (1 Cor. 10:31)

III. There is one Lord, Jesus Christ. (V: 6b) 1 Corinthians 8:6b (NKJV) and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NKJV) ⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

  a. He is “King of kings” and Lord of lords.” (Rev.19:16)

  b. He is God and all things were created through Him. John 1:1-3 (NKJV) ¹ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
² He was in the beginning with God. ³ All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In the beginning Jesus Christ the Son was the Word, the One who had always co-existed with God before the world was created. John was saying that "the Word," Jesus Christ is of the very nature and character of God the Father, but He is not the identical person of God the Father. Jesus was with God, He is a distinct person from God the Father, but He is of the very being, the essence, and (perfection) of God the Father.

  When a man sees Christ, he sees a distinct person, but he sees a person who is of the very substance, character and nature of God in all of His perfect being.

   V:3) All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made. Colossians 1:15(NKJV)  He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

 Jesus Christ is above all things. The word "firstborn" does not mean that Jesus Christ was the first created being of the universe. It means priority, superiority, preeminence, supremacy over all created things. It means that He existed before all creation as the Supreme Being over the universe. All creation is His heritage. Col. 1: ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷ And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.

 c. We are given eternal life through Him. No other religion can personally know God as we Christians do. All roads to God must come through Jesus Christ, the narrow way.  

  John 14:6 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. Acts 4:12 (NKJV) Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

  1 John 5:11-13 (NKJV) ¹¹ And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. ¹³ These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.                                                                                                 Invitation: Do you have the Son in your life? If you do not you don’t have eternal life either! You can have the Son in your life if you confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you, and then invite Him into your life to take charge of you. Then you will personally know the one true God and you will have a home in Heaven when you pass from this earthly life.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Scripture Text 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

INTRO: In John 10:10 Jesus says that Satan our enemy that has one goal. That is to steal, kill, and destroy. His target is all mankind. He will establish strongholds in our lives to destroy us and steal the abundant life that Jesus died to give us. We must be aware of his tactics and fight him with the weapons God has given us.

I. WE ARE IN A WAR  2 Corinthians 10:3b (NKJV) we do not war according to the flesh. On one side we have our weakness, the Fleshly lusts and worldly way of thinking. Paul said that although he and his fellow workers were human, they did not wage spiritual war with human plans and methods. Human wisdom is incapable of victory over spiritual things. Devil is a spiritual being, stronger than you and I. We cannot defeat him in our own strength, that is why so many are struggling and being defeated by the things they face on a daily basis. You cannot defeat Satan by yourself! We must be strengthened with spiritual might that comes from God.

II. THE DEVILS TACTICS (V:3b)2 Corinthians ^3a For though we walk in the flesh, He appeals to our flesh or the old sinful nature. His favorite tricks are to lie, deceive, or tempt to indulge in some sinful habit. He makes situations and circumstances appear overwhelming, hopeless. He loves to use fear. Because where fear is, faith is absent. He likes to terrorize. He uses people to come against us. He uses our pride, anger, envy, and unforgiveness to divide and conquer us. He will discourage you from reading your bible, praying and attending church.

III. THE WEAPONS 2 Corinthians 10:4 (NKJV) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, Our weapons are not carnal. That is, they are not of man's devise, nor are they wielded by human power and reasoning. They do not depend on anything that is in this world. They are Spiritual weapons. They are mighty in God. The Holy Spirit equips Christians for the struggle, providing the weapons they need. God’s mighty weapons are faith in Jesus, and the word of God which is powerful and sharper than a double edged sword. Through the Spirit’s power we live in truth and righteousness.  We have the Spirit’s help when we pray. Romans 8:26-27 (NKJV) ²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. Spiritual weapons can pull down strongholds. Stronghold is referring to fortress on top of a hill overlooking everything below! It is very hard to scale and overcome. Strongholds represent all the difficulties that men or devils can put in our way. Strongholds represent Arguments and high things that exalt themselves against the knowledge of God found in His word. Anything that goes against God’s word must come under Christ’s authority. Satan always questions and perverts God’s word.

IV. THE BATTLEGROUND, Our mind. 2 Corinthians 10:5 (NKJV) casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.  The believer must cast down "every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God": Those false ideas about God, false teaching, false human reasoning’s, human pride and arrogance, self-sufficiency and self-righteousness that are opposed to God’s knowledge. God’s knowledge is His word. Everything that is in opposition to His word we cast down or count as nothing. We must read God’s word and study it to gain His knowledge. We as believers seek to captivate every thought and bring it to the obedience of Christ. A phenomenal statement—every thought controlled and subjected to Christ! How is the control of every thought possible? Only by being surrendered to God and filled with His Spirit! Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV) And do not be drunk with wine, in which is excess; but be filled with the Spirit. This is the spiritual objective of the true Christian believer. God created man for fellowship and communion, therefore, the true believer wars—struggles and fights—to captivate every thought and focus it upon Jesus and His righteousness. We should not hold on to thoughts that do not conform to the life and teachings of Jesus. We must discipline our bodies and seek to walk in unbroken fellowship and communion with God. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 

INVITATION: God in His knowledge says that all have sinned and fallen short of His glory. The wages of that sin is eternal separation from God’s presence. But the gift of God is eternal life. Which do you choose? If you choose life, confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive your sins against Him. Invite Him to come and live in you and give you eternal life. Then you will be able to overcome Satan’s attempt to destroy you and steal your joy.

I Pledge Allegiance

The Great Catching Up

Scripture Text Thessalonians 4:13-18

 A survey by Pew Research done in 2013 asked, do you believe Jesus will return in the next 40 years. 47% answered yes they believe Jesus will return in the next 40 years. 38% said He would not return in the next 40 years! 14% said they didn’t know! How many of you reading this think Jesus will return for His church soon? All the signs Jesus said to watch for are appearing everywhere.  2 Timothy 3:1-5 (NKJV) ¹ But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

 These signs alone are taking place daily on a greater scale than ever before! Prophecies are being fulfilled right before our eyes! Time to get our house in order is now! Jesus warned people many times to be ready so that day will not catch you unaware! The people in Thessalonica were asking Paul what about the people who have died? Will they miss the great catching up? Paul answered that question in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV) ¹³ But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. ¹⁵ For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.
¹⁶ For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.
¹⁷ Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.
¹⁸ Therefore comfort one another with these words.

There is a hymn that sums up what a tremendous day that will be!

     What A Day That Will Be

      There is coming a day,
When no heart aches shall come,
No more clouds in the sky,
No more tears to dim the eye,
All is peace forever more,
On that happy golden shore,
What a day, glorious day that will be.
There'll be no sorrow there,
No more burdens to bear,
No more sickness, no pain,
No more parting over there;
And forever I will be,
With the One who died for me,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

What a day that will be,
When my Jesus I shall see,
And I look upon His face,
The One who saved me by His grace;
When He takes me by the hand,
And leads me through the Promised Land,
What a day, glorious day that will be.

Invitation: Are you ready to meet Jesus if He were to come today? Would you go up with Jesus or be left behind? If you are not sure make sure today! Confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive and save you and you will go up when Jesus returns for His church.

Reflections

Intro: There comes a time in every Christian’s life that we need to stop all our activity, clear our minds and reflect on God. This means we fix our thoughts on Him and carefully consider His place in our lives. There are four areas of reflection we need to make.

I. Look back and thank God. Ephesians 2:1-3 (NKJV) ¹ And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

 a. Remember when you were spiritually dead. The first three verses of this chapter presents how  hopeless we were—trapped in sin, under Satan’s power, unable to save ourselves. We all were once spiritually dead and had no communication with God. We were physically alive, but our sins had rendered us spiritually dead, alienated from God, and headed for hell. Being a sinner we were subject to God’s wrath like all sinners.

 b. Then Remember when God who is rich in mercy and love.  Ephesians 2:4-10 (NKJV) ⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), ⁶ and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. God gave you eternal life when He raised Jesus from the dead. He saved you by His grace and seated you with Christ in the Heavenly realms. He saved you when you believed in Christ as your personal Savior. It was not because of some great thing you had done.

II. Look within and find God.

 a. At the time of our salvation the Holy Spirit of God came into our lives. The Spirit actually lives in our bodies which are the temple of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NLT) ¹⁹ Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, ²⁰ for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

  b. We have received the Holy Spirit of God so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given to us. 1 Corinthians 2:11-12 (NLT) ¹¹ No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. ¹² And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 1 John 2:27 (NLT) You have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ.

III. Look around and serve God. We are to build up and improve the church with our gifts. Romans 12:6-8 (NLT) ⁶ In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. ⁷ If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. ⁸ If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly. Colossians 3:23-24 ²³ Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ²⁴ Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.

IV. Look forward and trust God. We are to live our lives as those who are eagerly looking for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 1:7-9 (NLT) ⁷ Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁸ He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. ⁹ God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Jude 1:24-25 (NLT) ²⁴ Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into his glorious presence without a single fault. ²⁵ All glory to him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are his before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen.

Invitation: Romans 8:16 says ^“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” As you look within yourself, do you find the Spirit of God in you confirming that you belong to Him? If not right now is the time to confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you of those sins against God and save you for Heaven. The bible says in Romans 10:13 ^“For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

Importance of God’s Word

Scripture Texts

Heb. 4:12 

 Psalms 19:7-14

Intro: There are many books in this world you can read but no worldly book will do for you what God’s word can. When the word of God was written it was under the specific guidance and supervision of the Holy Spirit. That same Holy Spirit is still revealing the truth of God’s word to our hearts today.  God’s word shows us the path to take in this world of confusion. There are many voices speaking to us today but only one voice needs to be heard above all the others. God’s word is the necessary standard for all other hearing and the way we live.

I. King David had learned the importance of obeying and living God’s word. Psalms 19:7 (NLT) The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple.

 a. The perfect Law of God can change people. God’s word is constantly changing people. It revives the weary soul, those whose souls need rest from the trials, tests, tribulations of this life. The word’s instructions can be trusted to make one wise.  There are many books filled with knowledge, but only one addresses our spiritual needs. We can fill our minds with knowledge, but only God’s wisdom can tell us how to apply God’s word to everyday living.

II. God’s word gives joy to the heart and gives insight for living. Psalms 19:8 (NLT) The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living.

 a. Insight is an understanding of the motivational forces behind our actions, thoughts, and behavior.  That is, insight brightens our lives and guides us each day. The word’s instructions, commands, and rules for living are all clear and specific instructions from God Himself on how we are to live. It gives us guidance when we don’t know the way to go or what to do. Joy and guidance fill the soul of one who meditates on the word of God and follows His commands.

III. Reverence for the Lord is pure and God’s word is always true. Psalms 19:9 (NLT)
 Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair.

 a. Reverence is here a synonym for fear, for its purpose was to put fear into human hearts. It means to deeply respect God as the One who controls our life. The Law (word of God) is true.... sure, and righteous. It was designed to cause believers to obey God and leads to righteous living. We reverence God because He saved us and adopted us into His family.

IV. God’s word is more desirable than gold and sweeter than honey. Psalms 19:10-11 (NLT)
¹⁰ They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. ¹¹ They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.

 a. God’s words are more precious than gold, the most valuable commodity in the ancient Near East, the rich man who lost his soul. The values of the Word cannot be computed in terms of gold. But it does have this one thing in common with gold: persons must dig for its treasures. Great wealth is hidden in the pages of God’s Book, and man’s best interests are served by searching for them. God’s words are sweeter than honey, the sweetest substance known in the ancient Near East. Nothing is sweeter than reading God’s salvation message and His words of love, mercy, grace, and compassion toward us who belong to Him. God’s word’s give us warnings of the dangers of folly and sin. God’s word protects us from all evil and its terrible consequences. God’s word brings us a great reward. God’s word gives us the path of life that leads to His blessings and favors.

 V. God’s word reveals our sins and faults. (v:12) Psalms 19:12 (NLT) How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.

  a. When we read God’s word is a warning to us. Hebrews 4:12 (NLT) For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. The word of God penetrates through our outer facade and reveals what lies deep inside. The metaphor of the sharpest knife pictures the word of God cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires, revealing what we really are on the inside. Nothing can be hidden from God; neither can we hide from ourselves if we sincerely study the word of God. It reaches deep past our outer life as a knife passes through skin. It penetrates to the soul!

  b.   God’s word tells us how to be cleansed from our secret sins. 1 John 1:9 (NLT) But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Conclusion:  David closed with a prayer. Psalms 19:13-14 (NLT)
¹³ Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. ¹⁴ May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

   a. Contemplation of the holy word of God led David to pray for complete cleansing so that he could live an upright (innocent) and acceptable life before God.

      He prayed for God to keep him from deliberate sins. Those he planned in his heart and then carried out knowing it was wrong. He asked to be free of guilt and to be innocent of great sin.

   b. David prayed that the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart be pleasing unto God his Rock and Redeemer. There is much to gain by reading, studying and living God’s word. How to live the successful and abundant life is found in God’s word.                    
Invitation: The word of God says that we have all sinned and come short of God’s glory. (Rom. 3:23) The bible says the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ. (Rom. 6:23) Have you asked Jesus to forgive and save you from hell and give you the gift of eternal life? If not now would be an excellent time to do so. Are you daily reading and studying God’s word? Are you daily living for God? If not start today and watch your life to change!

Great Faith

Scripture Text 

Mark 6:6

Luke 7:1-10

 Intro: There are only two times in the bible that Jesus marveled at people’s faith. Marvel means to be impressed, amazed, be surprised and stand in wonder of. There are two kinds of faith that makes Jesus marvel. We will look at those two kinds in today’s message. Take note of which kind of faith you have.

I. Jesus marvels at the lack of faith. Mark 6:5-6 (NKJV)
⁵ Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. ⁶ And He marveled because of their unbelief. Then He went about the villages in a circuit, teaching.

 a. Unbelief ties Jesus’ hands so that He can do no mighty work among us. (v:5)

 Unbelief or lack of faith prevents Jesus’ mighty working power in our lives. God works by faith!

  b. "Jesus marveled because of their unbelief!" (v:6) He stood in amazement and shock of their total disbelief. They had His presence, His wisdom, and the testimony of His mighty works. They had His power to help them in all their need, yet they stayed away from His meetings. They would not come to Him. In pride, they refused to trust and believe Him. The situation amazed Jesus. Their unbelief was just incredible, but He had to accept their rejection. He could not force Himself upon them, so He left town and travelled to the villages around Nazareth.

II. Jesus marvels at great faith. Luke 7:1-5 (NKJV)
¹ Now when He concluded all His sayings in the hearing of the people, He entered Capernaum. ² And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear to him, was sick and ready to die. ³ So when he heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to Him, pleading with Him to come and heal his servant. ⁴ And when they came to Jesus, they begged Him earnestly, saying that the one for whom He should do this was deserving, ⁵ "for he loves our nation, and has built us a synagogue."

 a. A Roman centurion had a servant very dear to him who was sick. Note that the centurion built the Jews a synagogue. He diligently sought Jesus. The centurion was a very humble man who sought Jesus through the Jews because he did not feel worthy to approach Jesus.

The centurion was a man of faith. He believed Jesus could meet his need.

b. The centurion illustrated perfectly what great faith is. Luke 7:6-7 (NKJV) ⁶ Then Jesus went with them. And when He was already not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to Him, saying to Him, "Lord, do not trouble Yourself, for I am not worthy that You should enter under my roof. ⁷ Therefore I did not even think myself worthy to come to You. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.

1. Great Faith believes that "God is": that He is sovereign Lord over all. Believing God takes faith. (Hebrews 11:6). All power is subject to Him.

 2. Great Faith believes that "God is a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him." Faith in Jesus words believes He will use His power in behalf of those who diligently seek Him.

The great faith of the Roman centurion believed God had given Jesus supreme authority over every other power and authority that exists. Philippians 2:10 (NKJV) At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth.

Many believers diligently seek the Lord, but the centurion's faith was so much greater than most believers. Why? Because he believed that the Word of Christ was all that was needed. Luke 7:8 (NKJV) ⁸ For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, 'Go,' and he goes; and to another, 'Come,' and he comes; and to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."

Jesus did not have to be present for the need to be met. As a centurion, he was under the Roman government’s authority and he had been given authority over men. All he had to do was issue an order and it was carried out, whether he was present or not. He was a sovereign commander. He was saying, "How much more authority you have, O' Lord. Your authority is supreme. Speak the word only, and my need shall be met."

III. Jesus marveled at the Roman centurion’s faith. Luke 7:9 (NKJV)
⁹ When Jesus heard these things, He marveled at him, and turned around and said to the crowd that followed Him, "I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!"

     The centurion was a gentile whose amazing faith stirred the great power of Jesus. 

What a forceful and powerful lesson on faith for all! Jesus said He had not seen such great faith in all of Israel. Jesus embraced and commended the soldier before others. He embraced and commended him for his faith, not for who he was or for what he had done as a soldier. Jesus didn’t even commend him for building the Jews a synagogue, but for totally believing that Jesus was who He said He was, And that He was in command of every situation, circumstance, power and authority that exists.

IV. The results of great faith. The centurion’s servant was healed right then. Luke 7:10 (NKJV)  And those who were sent, returning to the house, found the servant well who had been sick.

Conclusion: Believing, that is, true faith, is a rare thing. Not many believe with great faith; yet belief in Christ is one of the greatest qualities of human life—a quality ignored, neglected, and in some cases denied. Often Christians limit Jesus’ power from working in their lives by not believing He is able to deal with their particular circumstance.

Invitation:  Have you put total faith in Jesus for your salvation? Have you confessed your sins to Jesus and asked His forgiveness? If not why not now? If you confess your sins to Jesus and ask for His forgiveness, He will forgive you and you will be saved! Where is your faith level on a scale from 1-10? Jesus always wants to do more in our lives if we will allow Him! We either allow Jesus to work in our lives or we limit Him by our faith! 

Effective Prayer

Scripture Text 

Colossians 1:9-14

Intro: The book of James states in James 5:16b (NKJV) “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” For our prayers to be effective and powerful they must be according to God’s will. These verses before us today are God’s will for all of His church.

When we pray according to God’s will, we can expect powerful results.  (1 John 5:14-15)

I. This is a prayer for us to be filled with knowledge of God’s will for our lives. Colossians 1:9 (NKJV) ⁹ For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 

 A. In all wisdom. Wisdom is Knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just    judgment as to the action which is to be taken in a every situation we face in this life. 

     B. In all spiritual understanding. Means skill in dealing with or handling spiritual things!

This knowledge, wisdom and understanding are not for just one particular thing but for all of life. God's will for us involves our very behavior and conduct; it even reaches down into the depth of imagination and thought. Imagine!

Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Cor. 10:5)

God has willed a life for us to live and we need to be filled with the knowledge of that life.

II. This prayer is to be able to walk worthy of the Lord. Colossians 1:10 (NKJV) that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

 a. We are to be pleasing to the Lord in everything. Is it possible for Christians to please God? Apparently so, for Paul prayed exactly that for the Colossian believers!

 Perfection won’t be achieved in this life, yet believers press on toward the goal of God’s high calling for our lives.

 b. We are to be fruitful in every good work. Knowing something and having the ability to do something are very important, but they involve only head knowledge. The critical point is putting what we know into practice. We are to live out the will of God; we are to practice and do the will of God. Knowing the will of God is of no value until we have committed our lives to do it and produce the fruit of righteousness.

 c. We are to constantly be growing in our knowledge of God. The only way to increase our knowledge of God is to read His word daily. We are to pray for spiritual understanding of His word as we read it.

III. This prayer is to be strengthened with all might. Colossians 1:11-12 (NKJV) ¹¹ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; ¹² giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. 

 a. According to God’s glorious power. One can hardly pray a more wonderful prayer. To be made strong with God’s power is to be given incredible strength—it was God’s glorious power that created the universe and that brought Jesus back to life.

 b. It’s the power to be patient and longsuffering. Patience is the ability to stand firm against opposition without giving up; it is often used in describing one’s dealings with difficult people and circumstances. Endurance is the ability to continue toward a goal regardless of the obstacles; it is often used in relation to difficult problems. Both are needed, and both come from the empowerment of God’s glorious strength. God's power gives us a spirit of joyfulness through all the trials and tribulations of life. We have joy knowing we are doing God’s will and pleasing Him.

 c. It’s the power to have Joy. Joy means an inner gladness; a deep seated pleasure. It is a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites a cheerful and rejoicing heart. It is a cheerful heart that leads to cheerful and rejoicing behavior. We can be joyous because God has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. We have to be prepared, that is, qualified and made fit before we can receive the inheritance. Man is not qualified or fit to receive anything from God, especially an inheritance. God has qualified us for the inheritance through our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. What have we inherited? We are heirs of salvation and eternal life. We are heirs of the promises made to Abraham, the promises to inherit the world and to be a citizen of a great nation of people. We are heirs of God’s glory, grace, love, and righteousness. We are heirs of God's very special favor. We are heirs of an immortal and perfected body that shall be given us when Christ returns. We are heirs of God’s kingdom.

IV. We are to thank God we have been delivered. Colossians 1:13-14 (NKJV) ¹³ He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 

 a. From the power of darkness. We have been delivered out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness and evil. We have been bought back from Satan’s control by the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ died for man. He took the penalty of sins and bore the punishment Himself on the cross. (Isaiah 53:5 ) He was able to do this because He was the Perfect and Ideal Man, and as the Ideal Man, He stands for and represent all mankind. He took the keys of death and hell away from Satan. We have been transferred from spiritual darkness into the kingdom of Christ.

      b. Into the kingdom of the Son of His love.

  1. We are to thank God’s Son Jesus that we have redemption through His blood. Our sins have been forgiven. They are not going to be forgiven, they have been forgiven. We have been transferred from the power of darkness into the kingdom of God by Jesus Christ.

We now live for Him we show our gratitude.

    Invitation: Have you been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into God’s kingdom by Jesus Christ? If not now is the perfect time! Confess your sins to Jesus and ask Him to forgive you. Invite Jesus to take charge of your life. If you have been saved, will you pray this prayer for yourself and the church? It is time for us to take prayer seriously! We have not because we ask not. (James 4:2)