I simply love messages like today's! I love a good mind challenge where you have to make connections in order to understand things better. Today's message did just that! It is amazing how God's word that was written long ago has a tremendous meaning even in today's world where so much has changed.
Today Bro. Edd Deaton made connections between a very popular story of Moses and the parting of the Red Sea to Revelations. Our main message comes from Revelations 15:2 - 3, but we will be diving into Exodus 15 some as well (since that is where we find the recount of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt).
Revelations 15:2 - 3 says:
2And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
3And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.
You know, there will come a day when the devil will copy God and try to fool you. The only way to prepare yourself and keep yourself from falling into his trap is to read and study your Bible. We will be comparing ourselves (Christians) to the Israelites. We all know the story of Moses and how he led the Israelites out of Egypt from Pharoah's grip and led them through prayer to the Red Sea, where God parted the waters and the Israelites crossed one by one to safety and freedom. It is a story we have grown up with in church. Anyone who went to Sunday School as a child has heard this story. Amazingly it connects to us today. For those that have never heard it.....Israelites were under a strong bondage of the Pharoah. They slaved for him and his followers. They were mistreated and overworked. Now, how are you connected to the Israelites??? Israel was a slave to bondage and you are a slave and in bondage until you accept the Lord into your heart. We know that God pulled His people out of Egypt and bondage just like He pulls you out of bondage when you accept Him. You become protected.
Satan can chase you down and threaten you, just like the Pharoah chased the Israelites and tried to capture them, but He can't have you once you belong to God. God parted the troubled waters for the Israelites just like He parts the waters for you. Satan can not touch you. You are a child of God. God that provides everything you need. God that wraps His arms around you and shelters you from all storms. God that shows light at the end of a dark tunnel. God who gives answers when answers seem to be lost. It is easy to forget just how powerful our God is in this busy busy world we live in. Sometimes, even the best Christians need to be reminded to let God be God. We sometimes only see tall mountains and huge roadblocks Satan sets in our paths and we forget to look up. We act as the Israelites did. We begin to panic and fret and complain. We sometimes forget to just let God part those troubled waters. Actually, all too often, we try to part the waters ourselves and get frustrated when we can't do it. And God allows us to do so, because He knows eventually we will drag our stubborn selves to Him and ask for help and forgiveness.
Imagine this scenario: You are running for your life. You are trusting this man named Moses. The Pharoah and his army is close behind you. They are so close you can hear their yells and almost smell their anger. What do you do? You cry out for help and mercy. Now compare this to your life today....what do you do when troubles are on your tail? You cry out for help. Moses heard them and HE prayed for them. The Israelites depended on Moses to pray for help instead of praying themselves. This happens today too. When troubles come knocking on our doorstep, what do we do? We call our deacons, pastors, and church to pray. We all have God's number. It is simply P-R-A-Y-E-R. We have just as much access to God as our deacons, pastors, and church family does. Prayer builds faith. You must talk with God and trust God in order to have that Faith that He will part those troubled waters for you.
Why hasn't God destroyed the Earth yet? We are definately living in a very corrupt world. Maybe, God is parting the waters for His churches right now. God is holding back those waves so our churches can make safe passage through. Remember what happened the very second the last Israelite made it safely across? The Pharoah and his army had begun to cross but the sea engulfed them and they all drowned. God allowed the waves to wash over the evil. The Pharoah and his chariots were caught in the water. When the last church crosses through, God will allow the parted waters to engulf and rage over the earth.
Now, I know what you are thinking. "Wait a minute, I know that the earth will never again be destroyed by flood. I remember hearing that in church." But hold up.....did you read the scripture for the message? Did you read enough into it? Let's backtrack for a minute. Here it is again (and this is so good it will give you goosebumps)....
2And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.
"A sea of glass mingled with fire"....you are right...he won't destroy it again by flood but by fire. The fire will engulf this sinful earth just as the sea engulfed the evil that followed the Israelites.
Now the question is this: You may be crossing this parted sea right now. Look around you. Are you parting it alone. Have you grabbed as many people to go with you? Are you helping others across. Some people on this earth have no clue where the sea is. Are you leading them there? Are you showing them how to get there? How many will you leave behind to be engulfed by the waves of fire that will destroy this earth? It is our job to be like Moses. To pray and lead people to the water. We may get across but in the end, God will ask you who you brought with you. You will have to answer for your actions and decisions.
One final point: EVERY Israelite made it safely across. Not just a couple, not a few....ALL. There will be NO CHRISTIAN left behind.
Exodus 14:30 says: 30Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians; and Israel saw the Egyptians dead upon the sea shore.
When the fires rage, there won't be a SINGLE UNSAVED man get across or through, but EVERY SAVED man will make it. Now is the time to invest in your future. There is no foreclosure on you. God owns you flatout. You are worth it to Him. Make it worth it to you!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Super Soul Suday!!!!
Today, as all of you know, is the celebration of the Super Bowl. Watching the Super Bowl is exciting for all. It could be a good day to be a witness to someone or be a good Christian role model. However; we all know people who take this game very, very seriously. Some even put money it. This message today is a fitting one. Our message today comes from Isaiah 45:22.
22Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
The message is a simple one to understand and it doesn't take a philosopher to disect it and read anything into it. It is easy and simple to understand but it is a difficult one to follow. It is about idols.
No, not the little carved men from other countries. The idols we are talking about today are the ones we hate to admit we have.
God has been teaching man this lesson since the beginning of time. God has always taught and continues to teach today, "Look unto me and be saved." If our church was a house for saints we wouldn't go to church. If you are waiting for the perfect time to go to church, if you are waiting to clean up your act first, you will never go. The point is we are all sinners. We all have issues within our own lives and demons we are all dealing with. We all have our idols (though we hate to admit that we consider them idols). As I said, idols don't have to be those little green men made of jade or hand carved pieces of wood. Idols come in all forms. Your idol may be a fixation on a sport, or an infatuation with your job, or howabout your appearance? Idols could also be in name brands, sports cars, a hobby, a habit, anything that you put above God. Idols are built from ego and pride. We are all guilty of that.
Let's look at some of the instances where God taught lessons against having idols. Look at the Pharoah. He thought of himself as a God or an idol. In 1 Samuel 5:1 we read about the Philistines who worshipped a fish god. They failed to see that God was the one that provided them with their riches from the sea and they gave credit to the fish god. God tried showing the Philistines that there should be no other Gods or idols before Him. God knocked over that erected idol they built of their fish god 2 times. The third time they picked it up and made sacrifices to it, God turned it to dust. God says, "There shalt be no other idols before me."
God will not allow you to continue to follow idols. This teaching is not new to God. Only our idols have changed. How many times do you think God has tried getting you to stop worshipping your own idols. Think of the events in your life where maybe God was trying to talk to you or get your attention. There are others from the Bible that God had to put in their place. The list is long but to name a few: Naaman, Jonah, Nebuchadnezzar, the Philistines and list goes on.
Look at our country. Do you think our country has the same morals and values as we did 100 years ago? Knowledge and Power have become our idols. We have so many things at our fingertips. Information is all around us. We live in a high tech world. We live in a society with everything offerd to us and it is readily available.
Anyone wonder why our country is in the mess it is in? God is knocking down our idols. We spend too much time looking to the wrong places for guidance. How many times did God knock down that fish god idol before turning it to dust? God is knocking down our idols. God tells us to look upon Him for salvation. But our nation and people in our nation are looking in other spots for excitement, peace, and happiness. Here are a few we tend to look to for those things: Our Presidents, Senetors, Democrats, Republicans, Facebook, Actors and Actresses, Music stars, Television, the News, the Superbowl or other Sports, Hot Cars, Those Shoes and Purses you have in your closet. Some even look up to the Preacher and view them as idols. Where are you hiding your idols? It is time to stop looking up to anyone or anything other than God Himself.
The scripture says, "Look unto me for salvation!" Take your eyes off yourself and your idols and turn your eyes on Jesus. Instead of celebrating the Super Bowl, let's celebrate something worth celebrating.....making your life a Super Soul!!! Accept God as your Savior and look only to Him for happiness and salvation in your life. Only God being on your team allows you the chance at winning this game called LIFE!
22Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.
The message is a simple one to understand and it doesn't take a philosopher to disect it and read anything into it. It is easy and simple to understand but it is a difficult one to follow. It is about idols.
No, not the little carved men from other countries. The idols we are talking about today are the ones we hate to admit we have.
God has been teaching man this lesson since the beginning of time. God has always taught and continues to teach today, "Look unto me and be saved." If our church was a house for saints we wouldn't go to church. If you are waiting for the perfect time to go to church, if you are waiting to clean up your act first, you will never go. The point is we are all sinners. We all have issues within our own lives and demons we are all dealing with. We all have our idols (though we hate to admit that we consider them idols). As I said, idols don't have to be those little green men made of jade or hand carved pieces of wood. Idols come in all forms. Your idol may be a fixation on a sport, or an infatuation with your job, or howabout your appearance? Idols could also be in name brands, sports cars, a hobby, a habit, anything that you put above God. Idols are built from ego and pride. We are all guilty of that.
Let's look at some of the instances where God taught lessons against having idols. Look at the Pharoah. He thought of himself as a God or an idol. In 1 Samuel 5:1 we read about the Philistines who worshipped a fish god. They failed to see that God was the one that provided them with their riches from the sea and they gave credit to the fish god. God tried showing the Philistines that there should be no other Gods or idols before Him. God knocked over that erected idol they built of their fish god 2 times. The third time they picked it up and made sacrifices to it, God turned it to dust. God says, "There shalt be no other idols before me."
God will not allow you to continue to follow idols. This teaching is not new to God. Only our idols have changed. How many times do you think God has tried getting you to stop worshipping your own idols. Think of the events in your life where maybe God was trying to talk to you or get your attention. There are others from the Bible that God had to put in their place. The list is long but to name a few: Naaman, Jonah, Nebuchadnezzar, the Philistines and list goes on.
Look at our country. Do you think our country has the same morals and values as we did 100 years ago? Knowledge and Power have become our idols. We have so many things at our fingertips. Information is all around us. We live in a high tech world. We live in a society with everything offerd to us and it is readily available.
Anyone wonder why our country is in the mess it is in? God is knocking down our idols. We spend too much time looking to the wrong places for guidance. How many times did God knock down that fish god idol before turning it to dust? God is knocking down our idols. God tells us to look upon Him for salvation. But our nation and people in our nation are looking in other spots for excitement, peace, and happiness. Here are a few we tend to look to for those things: Our Presidents, Senetors, Democrats, Republicans, Facebook, Actors and Actresses, Music stars, Television, the News, the Superbowl or other Sports, Hot Cars, Those Shoes and Purses you have in your closet. Some even look up to the Preacher and view them as idols. Where are you hiding your idols? It is time to stop looking up to anyone or anything other than God Himself.
The scripture says, "Look unto me for salvation!" Take your eyes off yourself and your idols and turn your eyes on Jesus. Instead of celebrating the Super Bowl, let's celebrate something worth celebrating.....making your life a Super Soul!!! Accept God as your Savior and look only to Him for happiness and salvation in your life. Only God being on your team allows you the chance at winning this game called LIFE!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
What Do I Do?
Our message comes from Genesis 37: 23 - 24
23And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
24And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
How many times have you found yourself in a place where you didn't know what to do or which way to turn? There is an old sayin, "You gotta take the lesser of the two evils." There needs to be a clear understanding of something that will help us from this day forward. THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING IS GOD! Everything is in His control. There is absolutely nothing that happens in life that God doesn't already know about. In our heads we know all our options but we have no clue which way to go. When forced to choose which path to take, do you look for God? Anytime somthing bad happens you should look for God in it. We find ourselves looking at God ad sometimes even blaming God when we are forced through life's trials. Whether you are like Joseph catapaulted into the situation or if you are more like Saul and Go is pressing you, we always end up questioning God. "Oh, God why is this happening to me?" "Why me?" "What did I do to deserve this?" Instead of asking "Why, why, why?" We should be asking, "God what are you trying to teach me?" Godhas always been, stil is, and always will be in cntrol. The problem is....we don't let Him. We want to control everything ourselves. If God wants your attention, He's going to get it.
You think things are running smoothly. You are living your life the way you want it. You realize you aren't spending as much time going to church, Sunday school, praying, or worshiping with others, but that's not so bad. It couldn't be bad...look at all the good things happening in your life. But uh, oh! Something goes wrong. Things begin to unravel. Where is this coming from? What did I do to deserve this? Why me?
Back up! God wanted your attention so He got it. We each have an important role to play on this Earth. We each have jobs to do and shoes to fill in the church and ou communities. God chose us each to serve in those jobs and if we aren't doing it then He will get our attention. I can't do your job and you can't do mine. It's like a puzzle. We each are a piece that completes the whole picture. Without one piece, the picture is incomplete and unappealing. But when all the pieces are put into place, the picture draws you in. It is complete.
Instead of asking God, "Why you are being punished", ask Him to show you what He is trying to teach you. We often get too hung up on being selfish people that we are missing God's message and lesson. God says, "Be still and know that I am God." He wants us to be still. When we are in question about life are we being still and allowing God to teach us or are we trying to control everything ourselves. You might as well give up on controling the situation yourself. It won't work. He won't allow it.
When you fail, it isn't God punishing you.....He is polishing you. You are like a diamond. God polishes you up. You can't be a perfectly shaped and polished diamond without a little chiseling and rough buffing! We have to let God polish and shape us. The more difficult we are, the harder he buffs! Like I said, He WILL get your attention. If we continue to turn our heads and ignore Godin our trials and admit we are justbeing polished, then we will never shine. We must be still and let God take control or we will never see God in the trials. Look for God in everything whether it be good or bad. I promise you, He IS there and IS in CONTROL! LET GO!
23And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
24And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it.
How many times have you found yourself in a place where you didn't know what to do or which way to turn? There is an old sayin, "You gotta take the lesser of the two evils." There needs to be a clear understanding of something that will help us from this day forward. THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING IS GOD! Everything is in His control. There is absolutely nothing that happens in life that God doesn't already know about. In our heads we know all our options but we have no clue which way to go. When forced to choose which path to take, do you look for God? Anytime somthing bad happens you should look for God in it. We find ourselves looking at God ad sometimes even blaming God when we are forced through life's trials. Whether you are like Joseph catapaulted into the situation or if you are more like Saul and Go is pressing you, we always end up questioning God. "Oh, God why is this happening to me?" "Why me?" "What did I do to deserve this?" Instead of asking "Why, why, why?" We should be asking, "God what are you trying to teach me?" Godhas always been, stil is, and always will be in cntrol. The problem is....we don't let Him. We want to control everything ourselves. If God wants your attention, He's going to get it.
You think things are running smoothly. You are living your life the way you want it. You realize you aren't spending as much time going to church, Sunday school, praying, or worshiping with others, but that's not so bad. It couldn't be bad...look at all the good things happening in your life. But uh, oh! Something goes wrong. Things begin to unravel. Where is this coming from? What did I do to deserve this? Why me?
Back up! God wanted your attention so He got it. We each have an important role to play on this Earth. We each have jobs to do and shoes to fill in the church and ou communities. God chose us each to serve in those jobs and if we aren't doing it then He will get our attention. I can't do your job and you can't do mine. It's like a puzzle. We each are a piece that completes the whole picture. Without one piece, the picture is incomplete and unappealing. But when all the pieces are put into place, the picture draws you in. It is complete.
Instead of asking God, "Why you are being punished", ask Him to show you what He is trying to teach you. We often get too hung up on being selfish people that we are missing God's message and lesson. God says, "Be still and know that I am God." He wants us to be still. When we are in question about life are we being still and allowing God to teach us or are we trying to control everything ourselves. You might as well give up on controling the situation yourself. It won't work. He won't allow it.
When you fail, it isn't God punishing you.....He is polishing you. You are like a diamond. God polishes you up. You can't be a perfectly shaped and polished diamond without a little chiseling and rough buffing! We have to let God polish and shape us. The more difficult we are, the harder he buffs! Like I said, He WILL get your attention. If we continue to turn our heads and ignore Godin our trials and admit we are justbeing polished, then we will never shine. We must be still and let God take control or we will never see God in the trials. Look for God in everything whether it be good or bad. I promise you, He IS there and IS in CONTROL! LET GO!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Thoughtful Gifts from Three Wise Men
Before I begin with today's post let me apologize for being away so long. My life has been extremely busy lately. I usually update the posts on Sunday afternoons but my time has been shortened on Sunday afternoons due to the busy season. But, here I am and here we are. Christmas is upon us. The REAL REASON FOR THIS SEASON.
Sunday's sermon was a wonderful eye-opening history lesson into the Christmas story. You have read in recent posts that our pastor, Edd Deaton, encourages us to read every word in our Bible spiritually. We sometimes get so caught up in just reading the words that we overlook very important and purposeful meaning within the deep corridors of those chosen words. The Christmas story shared in Matthew 2 should not be read by just skimming the surface. There is within, some very deep and purposeful meaning behind the events of that night. Let's dive in!
We all know that 3 wise men followed the star to Bethlehem and brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But do we really know what this part of the story really means? There is some rich detail here that we must dive deeper into understanding so that we can completely understand the events of this Holy Night. These wise men didn't have a map. There were no land marks. There were no street signs. They traveled many, many, many miles by foot only following a star. Now, people I can't even get uptown without my GPS directing me along the way. These wise men only had a star to follow. I can't imagine their thoughts along the way. It makes me wonder if any of them ever questioned, "Are we going the right way? Did we make a bad turn? Should I turn around? Did I miss the turn off? Did we follow the wrong star?" They never doubted themselves. They arrived at the very stable and manger where Jesus lay all by following a star. I find that event alone truly remarkable. I couldn't have done it. Jesus would have been 10 years old by the time I had found him.
Many know the gifts they brought but many have no clue as to what they are, and many, many more have no clue as to the deep meaning behind each chosen gift. Out of the three, I would say gold is the most recognizable. We all know what gold is. It is a rustfree metal. It never evaporates no matter how long you boil it. In fact, the longer you boil it, the more pure and worthy it becomes. Kind of like us. We are God's gold. Sometimes we face the fire where we are molded and shapened. But the more we go through the stronger we become and the stronger our faith becomes. We are worth more and made more pure with every trial we go through. We never become a rusty piece of junk to God. We are more precious than anything else He created. See some symbolism? We are only beginning!
The second gift, frankincense.....anyone know what that is? Frankincense is a milky white resin extracted from species of the genus Boswellia. It is extremely fragrant and is used to make incense. Anyone who has ever burned incense knows that the smoke rises. Symbolically where do your prayers go? They rise to the Heavens. What color do you think of when you hear the word pure? White! You have heard it, "He washes you white as snow." The frankincense symbolizes your forgiveness. The Boswellia tree also has sparse bunches of paired leaves. A pair. You and God. When your eyes are focused on God alone and all else is aside, that is when you are truly washed white as snow. When it is just you and He, and you lift up the prayer asking God into your heart, you become as pure and white as snow. He makes you a new person. You have a clean slate. All is forgiven like freshly fallen snow, untarnished and pure.
The third gift, myrrh....I am guessing you also don't know what it is. Myrrh is a reddish resin that comes from species of the tree genus Commiphora. The tree can be found in the shallow, rocky soils of Ethiopia, Kenya, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Somalia. It boasts spiny branches with sparse leaves that grow in groups of three, and can reach a height of 9 feet (3 meters). Where does this tree grow? On the rock! Where did God have his church built? On the rock. Also if you noticed the leaves grow in groups of three. What else comes in threes? Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Something else about myrrh....it is drawn by cutting a huge slit in the trunk of the tree and after the trunk is slit with a deep cut, the myrrh begins to ooze out first yellow in tint. It begins to change color to a deep red as the air sets upon it. As it oozes out, it does so in tear drop shaped droplets. The symbolizm is not accidental. Before blood fell to the ground the day our Savior was placed on that cross, a huge cut was made in his side. He shed tears for us as His blood fell. The third gift is a reminder of His gift for you. He died for you. He bled for you. He shed tears for you.
And yet, we make rare appearances to his Birthday party! We make excuses for why we can't go. On that night, 3 wise men gave Jesus gifts. It is our turn now. The only gift He wants is to have YOU! It is not accidental that you are reading this. He knew you would. There is a reason. This Christmas take time to reflect upon the REAL meaning behind the events that took place that night. Read every word spiritually. Dive in deep to the hidden meaning behind every chosen event. You might actually receive a gift yourself! Merry Christmas!
Sunday's sermon was a wonderful eye-opening history lesson into the Christmas story. You have read in recent posts that our pastor, Edd Deaton, encourages us to read every word in our Bible spiritually. We sometimes get so caught up in just reading the words that we overlook very important and purposeful meaning within the deep corridors of those chosen words. The Christmas story shared in Matthew 2 should not be read by just skimming the surface. There is within, some very deep and purposeful meaning behind the events of that night. Let's dive in!
We all know that 3 wise men followed the star to Bethlehem and brought with them gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. But do we really know what this part of the story really means? There is some rich detail here that we must dive deeper into understanding so that we can completely understand the events of this Holy Night. These wise men didn't have a map. There were no land marks. There were no street signs. They traveled many, many, many miles by foot only following a star. Now, people I can't even get uptown without my GPS directing me along the way. These wise men only had a star to follow. I can't imagine their thoughts along the way. It makes me wonder if any of them ever questioned, "Are we going the right way? Did we make a bad turn? Should I turn around? Did I miss the turn off? Did we follow the wrong star?" They never doubted themselves. They arrived at the very stable and manger where Jesus lay all by following a star. I find that event alone truly remarkable. I couldn't have done it. Jesus would have been 10 years old by the time I had found him.
Many know the gifts they brought but many have no clue as to what they are, and many, many more have no clue as to the deep meaning behind each chosen gift. Out of the three, I would say gold is the most recognizable. We all know what gold is. It is a rustfree metal. It never evaporates no matter how long you boil it. In fact, the longer you boil it, the more pure and worthy it becomes. Kind of like us. We are God's gold. Sometimes we face the fire where we are molded and shapened. But the more we go through the stronger we become and the stronger our faith becomes. We are worth more and made more pure with every trial we go through. We never become a rusty piece of junk to God. We are more precious than anything else He created. See some symbolism? We are only beginning!
The second gift, frankincense.....anyone know what that is? Frankincense is a milky white resin extracted from species of the genus Boswellia. It is extremely fragrant and is used to make incense. Anyone who has ever burned incense knows that the smoke rises. Symbolically where do your prayers go? They rise to the Heavens. What color do you think of when you hear the word pure? White! You have heard it, "He washes you white as snow." The frankincense symbolizes your forgiveness. The Boswellia tree also has sparse bunches of paired leaves. A pair. You and God. When your eyes are focused on God alone and all else is aside, that is when you are truly washed white as snow. When it is just you and He, and you lift up the prayer asking God into your heart, you become as pure and white as snow. He makes you a new person. You have a clean slate. All is forgiven like freshly fallen snow, untarnished and pure.
The third gift, myrrh....I am guessing you also don't know what it is. Myrrh is a reddish resin that comes from species of the tree genus Commiphora. The tree can be found in the shallow, rocky soils of Ethiopia, Kenya, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Somalia. It boasts spiny branches with sparse leaves that grow in groups of three, and can reach a height of 9 feet (3 meters). Where does this tree grow? On the rock! Where did God have his church built? On the rock. Also if you noticed the leaves grow in groups of three. What else comes in threes? Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Something else about myrrh....it is drawn by cutting a huge slit in the trunk of the tree and after the trunk is slit with a deep cut, the myrrh begins to ooze out first yellow in tint. It begins to change color to a deep red as the air sets upon it. As it oozes out, it does so in tear drop shaped droplets. The symbolizm is not accidental. Before blood fell to the ground the day our Savior was placed on that cross, a huge cut was made in his side. He shed tears for us as His blood fell. The third gift is a reminder of His gift for you. He died for you. He bled for you. He shed tears for you.
And yet, we make rare appearances to his Birthday party! We make excuses for why we can't go. On that night, 3 wise men gave Jesus gifts. It is our turn now. The only gift He wants is to have YOU! It is not accidental that you are reading this. He knew you would. There is a reason. This Christmas take time to reflect upon the REAL meaning behind the events that took place that night. Read every word spiritually. Dive in deep to the hidden meaning behind every chosen event. You might actually receive a gift yourself! Merry Christmas!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
A Window of Hope
Our message comes from Genesis 6:15 - 16. We all know the stories and facts presented in Genesis from Adam and Eve to Noah's Ark. Most people know them so well that they just quickly skim the passages and overlook very important and purposefull text. How many times d you think you would find Jesus in the old testament? Physically you don't read His name anywhere till you get to the new testament. BUT...
He is there as much in Genesis as he is in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John! We often ovelook and read over too quickly the sotry of Noah. Godtld Noah, "There is nothing but wicked on this Eart of mine. I want you to build an ark to protect you and the your family and 2 of all the animals I created." We know this. We heard this story a thousand times growing up....but did we ever really look at the boat? The Bible takes time to mention Noah putting a window in the boat. On this enormous boat, he put only 1 teeny tiny window and guess where it was placed???? Above their heads!! Would you have only put 1 window in that enormous boat? But the meaning behind this particular scripture goes deeper than just a simple window.
Think about it, sadness always looks down. Lost always looks around. But hope always looks up. Where was that window again??? How many times do we stop and examine what we are reading or the purpose of the chosen text. How many times do we honestly look up when the storms of life are raining down? When storms roll in we aren't interested in loking at the sights. God knew this and that is why Noah's instructions were to only put 1 window and it was up, not to the side, and not down. When God destroyed the world the first time, He showed Noah and us that the only one way to look is up. When your eyes of your head, life, and spirituality fail to look up you are doomed. There is no way to succeed and make it i life's storms if you don't look up out that window of hope.
That window was there to remind the people on that boat not to lose hope and to keep looking up. This window wasn't much of a window either. It was very, very small. You've heard the statement, "With any inkling of hope." Isn't that a very small amount of hope? That is all it takes. If you look in Matthew 7, you will find a parallel verse for this particular passage in Genesis. "Straight is the way and narrow is the gate." Think about this small and narrow window. Through that small and narrow window they see God. That window is a symbol we are to use as a promise storms end only when we look up and follow our eyes through the narrow opening and find Jesus there. When looking for Jesus in the old testament you have to pay attention to the details. He is there. This little window proves this. Irony of Jesus in the Ark is that the Ark had to go through the storm. We are the ark. Just as Noah faced the storm for 40 days and 40 nights, we will also face storms. Unless you have God to seal you in and protect you and have Faith that He will do so, you are doomed. Like the ark sealed up, you should be sealed by the blood of Jesus. Storms will continue to rage around you but is Jesus in place to open your window of hope?
He is there as much in Genesis as he is in Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John! We often ovelook and read over too quickly the sotry of Noah. Godtld Noah, "There is nothing but wicked on this Eart of mine. I want you to build an ark to protect you and the your family and 2 of all the animals I created." We know this. We heard this story a thousand times growing up....but did we ever really look at the boat? The Bible takes time to mention Noah putting a window in the boat. On this enormous boat, he put only 1 teeny tiny window and guess where it was placed???? Above their heads!! Would you have only put 1 window in that enormous boat? But the meaning behind this particular scripture goes deeper than just a simple window.
Think about it, sadness always looks down. Lost always looks around. But hope always looks up. Where was that window again??? How many times do we stop and examine what we are reading or the purpose of the chosen text. How many times do we honestly look up when the storms of life are raining down? When storms roll in we aren't interested in loking at the sights. God knew this and that is why Noah's instructions were to only put 1 window and it was up, not to the side, and not down. When God destroyed the world the first time, He showed Noah and us that the only one way to look is up. When your eyes of your head, life, and spirituality fail to look up you are doomed. There is no way to succeed and make it i life's storms if you don't look up out that window of hope.
That window was there to remind the people on that boat not to lose hope and to keep looking up. This window wasn't much of a window either. It was very, very small. You've heard the statement, "With any inkling of hope." Isn't that a very small amount of hope? That is all it takes. If you look in Matthew 7, you will find a parallel verse for this particular passage in Genesis. "Straight is the way and narrow is the gate." Think about this small and narrow window. Through that small and narrow window they see God. That window is a symbol we are to use as a promise storms end only when we look up and follow our eyes through the narrow opening and find Jesus there. When looking for Jesus in the old testament you have to pay attention to the details. He is there. This little window proves this. Irony of Jesus in the Ark is that the Ark had to go through the storm. We are the ark. Just as Noah faced the storm for 40 days and 40 nights, we will also face storms. Unless you have God to seal you in and protect you and have Faith that He will do so, you are doomed. Like the ark sealed up, you should be sealed by the blood of Jesus. Storms will continue to rage around you but is Jesus in place to open your window of hope?
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Are You An Accomodating Host?
Today's message comes from 1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20
This is written by Paul. Paul is telling the church that the 3rd part of the Holy Trinity lies within you. This verse is often used when people are typically choosing to do things they shouldn't such as smoking, drinking, drugs, etc...
1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20 says:
19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
If the Holy Ghost truly dwells in your heart, are you being a very accomodaing host? You are supposed to light up a room when you walk in - people should say you are obviously living with God in you. It should be radiating out of us. People know a church is a place of worship upon seeing the building. Do people see you as a temple? Are they able to see God in you by first glance?
Do you live like God would want you to live? When you rent an apartment or a house, you always want to take care of it so that you don't have to pay that extra fine at the end of your stay. Technically we are renting our bodies for a while on Earth. God owns us so we are to take extra good care of our rental property for it isn't ours to mess with. Maybe you are an overeater, a person whose language leaves less to be desirable, or maybe you are a heavy drinker. Whatever the problem may be, we all have them. We can all certainly admit we are not the most accomodating host or renters for that matter.
The second part of the scripture says that you were bought with a huge price. God sacrificed a lot to buy you. Think about this: When you buy something, don't you value it and want to show it off? God views you as his. God is so proud of each and everyone of us even though we make mistakes, he is still proud of us. Just like you are proud to show off your new clothes or your new car or even your new lawnmower. That is how proud God is to have you.
Everyone wants to be a part of something. In John 15:16 we learn that we are a part of something. God is telling us that we didn't choose Him but He chose us. God loves you more than anyone else could ever possibly love you.
Sadly, most of us devalue our purchase price everyday. Pray, choose your words wisely, have patience, love your neighbor, read the Bible, take care of your rental property.......it isn't yours to begin with!
This is written by Paul. Paul is telling the church that the 3rd part of the Holy Trinity lies within you. This verse is often used when people are typically choosing to do things they shouldn't such as smoking, drinking, drugs, etc...
1 Corinthians 6:19 - 20 says:
19What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.
If the Holy Ghost truly dwells in your heart, are you being a very accomodaing host? You are supposed to light up a room when you walk in - people should say you are obviously living with God in you. It should be radiating out of us. People know a church is a place of worship upon seeing the building. Do people see you as a temple? Are they able to see God in you by first glance?
Do you live like God would want you to live? When you rent an apartment or a house, you always want to take care of it so that you don't have to pay that extra fine at the end of your stay. Technically we are renting our bodies for a while on Earth. God owns us so we are to take extra good care of our rental property for it isn't ours to mess with. Maybe you are an overeater, a person whose language leaves less to be desirable, or maybe you are a heavy drinker. Whatever the problem may be, we all have them. We can all certainly admit we are not the most accomodating host or renters for that matter.
The second part of the scripture says that you were bought with a huge price. God sacrificed a lot to buy you. Think about this: When you buy something, don't you value it and want to show it off? God views you as his. God is so proud of each and everyone of us even though we make mistakes, he is still proud of us. Just like you are proud to show off your new clothes or your new car or even your new lawnmower. That is how proud God is to have you.
Everyone wants to be a part of something. In John 15:16 we learn that we are a part of something. God is telling us that we didn't choose Him but He chose us. God loves you more than anyone else could ever possibly love you.
Sadly, most of us devalue our purchase price everyday. Pray, choose your words wisely, have patience, love your neighbor, read the Bible, take care of your rental property.......it isn't yours to begin with!
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Launch Out into the Deep
Our message this week came from Luke 5:4-10
4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
As Christians, it is very important that we examine this set of scriptures. Just reading the above scriptures, it sounds like a story of an amazing fishing trip but it is much more than that. This is a lesson for our daily lives as Christians. Something happened here that we all need to look at. We are given so much in these scriptures. We are given instructions and actions, a reward, and a conviction all within these verses.
The first is: To launch out into the deep and get ready for your catch.
If we are going to do what God expects of us, we can't stay in the shallow end of the pool and expect to catch fish. God tells us to launch out into the deep. We go to church and ask people to go to church with us but how many of us are really launching out in the deep? We ask those that we know and rarely even make eye contact with strangers. All too often we are trying to catch fish in the shallow, comfortable end of the pool. We can't win people to Christ by playing it safe. We have to be willing to start conversation and get out of the comfort zone if we are going to truly do what God expects us to do. I think about a mission trip I went on my junior year in college. I attended a trip called Beach Reach where college students traveled to Panama City Beach, Florida the week of spring break to witness to kids our own age. Do you know how hard it is to witness to people your own age? We were stepping out into the least expected place a Christian would ever think about being. We walked around in bar parking lots handing out cards inviting these teens to come to our free pancake breakfast where we planned on feeding them and witnessing to them. We offered free van rides from bar to bar but while they were in our van we would witness to them. We walked the beach handing out our cards to teens and witnessing to them right there on the beach. It was scary but rewarding. Talk about launching out into the deep. You wouldn't expect to see a bunch of Christians walking around a bar parking lot, but we did all to get God's word out. This is the type of witnessing we are to be doing. Many times Christians avoid going to places Christians shouldn't be, but really if we are to do what God tells us, we shouldn't be avoiding those places but going there with the intent to win those people to Christ. Witness to the lady checking you out at the grocery store, witness to the person trying to sell you a new cell phone in the mall, instead of just inviting your next door neighbor (though you should do that too.) We are to witness to everyone we meet whether we are comfortable or not. Jesus tells us to launch out into the deep. This is an instruction.
The second is: to be ready "AT HIS WORD"
Whether we are catching anything or not, we ar to act on God's word and not become discouraged. The scriptures tell us that Simon spoke of toiling all through the night and still not catching anything. In our case, we may be trying to catch fish but sadly without our nets cast. Often times, we think we know exactly what we are doing and don't want to be told what to do, but are we acting on God's will or are we conforming Him to ours? Our pride often gets in the way of our ability to witness to others. If we would just do what God is telling us to do and rely on His word through prayer and faith, we would catch a lot more fish. As soon as Simon Peter casts that net as God tells him to, he begins to catch so many fish they need more boats. Wouldn't it be amazing to have so many new believers in Christ that we need to build more churches to accomodate them? Or make bigger Sunday School rooms to accomodate all the kids? Are we acting on God's will? When Simon Peter acted on God's word he needed help with all those fish! Until we start yelling for help.....we really aren't fishing!
Third: Look at what happened though....when everyone saw what was happening they were amazed! From that day on they all went out to the deep to fish. Think about it.....it only took that happening one time and then it caught on with everyone else. It only takes one spark to get a fire going. It only takes one to make a difference. It is like planting one kernal of corn.....you end up with two ears full of more kernals to plant. We are to plant and sow seeds so that those people also plant and sow seeds. A Christian walk is to be like a ripple that spreads out and makes more ripples. You witness to one person in the deep unexpected location and they will do the same. One person turns to two, then four, then eight. And then God smiles.
It's time to launch out into the deep and do some fishin!
4Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.
5And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.
6And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.
7And they beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship, that they should come and help them. And they came, and filled both the ships, so that they began to sink.
8When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
9For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the draught of the fishes which they had taken:
10And so was also James, and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
As Christians, it is very important that we examine this set of scriptures. Just reading the above scriptures, it sounds like a story of an amazing fishing trip but it is much more than that. This is a lesson for our daily lives as Christians. Something happened here that we all need to look at. We are given so much in these scriptures. We are given instructions and actions, a reward, and a conviction all within these verses.
The first is: To launch out into the deep and get ready for your catch.
If we are going to do what God expects of us, we can't stay in the shallow end of the pool and expect to catch fish. God tells us to launch out into the deep. We go to church and ask people to go to church with us but how many of us are really launching out in the deep? We ask those that we know and rarely even make eye contact with strangers. All too often we are trying to catch fish in the shallow, comfortable end of the pool. We can't win people to Christ by playing it safe. We have to be willing to start conversation and get out of the comfort zone if we are going to truly do what God expects us to do. I think about a mission trip I went on my junior year in college. I attended a trip called Beach Reach where college students traveled to Panama City Beach, Florida the week of spring break to witness to kids our own age. Do you know how hard it is to witness to people your own age? We were stepping out into the least expected place a Christian would ever think about being. We walked around in bar parking lots handing out cards inviting these teens to come to our free pancake breakfast where we planned on feeding them and witnessing to them. We offered free van rides from bar to bar but while they were in our van we would witness to them. We walked the beach handing out our cards to teens and witnessing to them right there on the beach. It was scary but rewarding. Talk about launching out into the deep. You wouldn't expect to see a bunch of Christians walking around a bar parking lot, but we did all to get God's word out. This is the type of witnessing we are to be doing. Many times Christians avoid going to places Christians shouldn't be, but really if we are to do what God tells us, we shouldn't be avoiding those places but going there with the intent to win those people to Christ. Witness to the lady checking you out at the grocery store, witness to the person trying to sell you a new cell phone in the mall, instead of just inviting your next door neighbor (though you should do that too.) We are to witness to everyone we meet whether we are comfortable or not. Jesus tells us to launch out into the deep. This is an instruction.
The second is: to be ready "AT HIS WORD"
Whether we are catching anything or not, we ar to act on God's word and not become discouraged. The scriptures tell us that Simon spoke of toiling all through the night and still not catching anything. In our case, we may be trying to catch fish but sadly without our nets cast. Often times, we think we know exactly what we are doing and don't want to be told what to do, but are we acting on God's will or are we conforming Him to ours? Our pride often gets in the way of our ability to witness to others. If we would just do what God is telling us to do and rely on His word through prayer and faith, we would catch a lot more fish. As soon as Simon Peter casts that net as God tells him to, he begins to catch so many fish they need more boats. Wouldn't it be amazing to have so many new believers in Christ that we need to build more churches to accomodate them? Or make bigger Sunday School rooms to accomodate all the kids? Are we acting on God's will? When Simon Peter acted on God's word he needed help with all those fish! Until we start yelling for help.....we really aren't fishing!
Third: Look at what happened though....when everyone saw what was happening they were amazed! From that day on they all went out to the deep to fish. Think about it.....it only took that happening one time and then it caught on with everyone else. It only takes one spark to get a fire going. It only takes one to make a difference. It is like planting one kernal of corn.....you end up with two ears full of more kernals to plant. We are to plant and sow seeds so that those people also plant and sow seeds. A Christian walk is to be like a ripple that spreads out and makes more ripples. You witness to one person in the deep unexpected location and they will do the same. One person turns to two, then four, then eight. And then God smiles.
It's time to launch out into the deep and do some fishin!
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