Saturday, December 29, 2012
Announcement December 30, 2012
Due to possible icy weather conditions, church for December 30, 2012 has been cancelled. There will be NO SERVICES at Sparta Baptist Church tomorrow. Any questions or concerns, please contact us (see contacts at right). Thank you and God Bless!
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Beauty and the Beast
Our message today comes from Revelation 4:6 8
6 And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.
7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Chapter 4 of Revelation comes immediately after the 7 church letters. Chapter 4 is a view into the throneroom of Heaven. If I was to enter Heaven at this very moment, my eyes would take me directly to the throne of God and then to my surroundings but John focuses on the surroundings of the throne in Chapter 4. The 4 beasts are set at stations that round about the throne of God. When we read through this how often do we sit and think about this? These 4 beasts are very important. The 4 beasts are very different. This was written symbolically. What kind of aplication does that have on us?
Let's start with the first beast, the lion. How many people have you heard refer to Jesus as the Lion of the head of Judah? The lion symbolizes strength and regalness. We all know the lion represents the King or head of the jungle. The lion takes direct orders from God almighty. The world tries to cage the lion in us. Do we feel the urgency to wake up everyday ready to act like a lion and treat the day as a lion would or have we become meek and powerless creatures that roll over and allow the world to take over. Just today I had a discussion with someone about our Awana's program starting. I was told that due to school football leagues, their grandchild would be unable to attend Awanas because school football meets on Sunday afternoons. There we go. Case in point. The world has us by the tail. What would change that? You guessed it. Christians acting as lions and not allowing sports functions or school functions walk over God. We need more Christians to stand up and tell these sports leagues that it is uncalled of. What happened to not doing little league sports leagues or any work for that matter on Sundays? Well, I'll tell you. We have fallen into the trap of rolling over and allowing the world to take over. We aren't lions anymore. How many lions are out there in our churches and communities today? God chose one to stand with Him at the throne. Do you desire the heart of a lion?
The second beast is the calf. Understading why God chose a lion is not that hard to see, but a calf?! How many of you have ever prayed to be like a calf? In order to understand why God chose a calf, we have to go back in time. Back before cell phones, televisions and even the tractor. Before the tractor came along, how did the farmer turn the field? The ox and cows were the farmer's tractor in those days. he calf repesents servanthood. Calves were born to create a service to man just as we are born to create a service to God. Calves not only provide service in the field but provided clothing and food. How many of us wake up and pray to God that He make us like the calf. God chose the calf to stand with Him at the throne. Do you desire the heart of the calf?
The third beast has a face like a man. Early in Genesis (chapter 1:27) God creates man. He made both male and female and gave them dominion over everything. Man sits a little higher than anything else God created. With that dominion comes intelligence. He made us different than any other animal on the planet. You wouldn't walk into someone's home and find a donkey sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. Why? Because they lack the same intelligence God gave man. There isn't another creature just like us. Sad thing is, we don't always exercise the right intellect. We have become a world that relies on book wisdom rather than Godly wisdom. We are satisfied with scientific answers for problems rather than Godly answers. We don't study the word or spend enough time in prayer to equip ourselves with Godly wisdom. Therefore we become numb and ignorant when it comes to what God desires us to be. God chose wisdom to stand with Him at the throne. Don't allow your human intelligence to supercede Godly wisdom. Do you desire to have Godly wisdom?
The fourth beast is the flying eagle. The most majestic of all. Eagles are the most fierce of all the birds. They are predators and hunters, giving them absolutely amazing sight. They can spot their prey from miles and miles away. They can be mid-flight and spot a tiny mouse in the middle of a corn field. That is how keen their sense of sight is. We can sit 2 feet away from a book and need our glasses. However; when we first became Christians we had that vision and it was strong. We knew without a doubt that God was calling u to move out of that pew and down the aisle. We were given that vision of what we were to do. God gave us that vision and calling. Eagles have their great vision and act swiftly. How many of us pray for vision of our futures or vision of our churches futures. Do we pray that God give us a vision as to what He desires us to do? God chose the eagle to stand with Him. Do you desire that vision and hunt it out? Do you study your bible and pray enough to seek that vision and plan God has for you and your church? Do you desire vision?
We've talked about the beasts now let's talk about the beauty. The 4 beasts had in common 6 wings each and many eyes. Sounds crazy but the greatest thing about studying Revelation is that you can't study it without having Ezekial and Daniel open as well. We discover that the beasts had human hands under those wings to symbolize the nail scarred hand. Whose hands pull us in under the protection of the wing to keep us safe and steer us away from evil? Jesus. He reaches out to each of us and calls us by name. He then pulls us in to harbor us under His protective wings. The 4 beasts had many eyes all over. Those eyes symbolize God's everknowing power. He knows every feeling you have had or ever will have in your life. He knows every tear you will cry before you do it. He knows every thought you have and everything you do. He knew them before He created you in your mother's womb. He sees the bad things we do, but He also sees the good too. He sees and still loves. He knows and still forgives. That is the beauty in knowing God and experiencing Him. Now it is time to pray for the heart of a lion and stand up for your faith, the heart of a calf and serve God in everyway you can, Godly wisdom that God intended us to have and continue to seek to know more about Him, and the vision of the eagle so that you will make right decisions in your church and life.
7 And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.
8 And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.
Chapter 4 of Revelation comes immediately after the 7 church letters. Chapter 4 is a view into the throneroom of Heaven. If I was to enter Heaven at this very moment, my eyes would take me directly to the throne of God and then to my surroundings but John focuses on the surroundings of the throne in Chapter 4. The 4 beasts are set at stations that round about the throne of God. When we read through this how often do we sit and think about this? These 4 beasts are very important. The 4 beasts are very different. This was written symbolically. What kind of aplication does that have on us?
Let's start with the first beast, the lion. How many people have you heard refer to Jesus as the Lion of the head of Judah? The lion symbolizes strength and regalness. We all know the lion represents the King or head of the jungle. The lion takes direct orders from God almighty. The world tries to cage the lion in us. Do we feel the urgency to wake up everyday ready to act like a lion and treat the day as a lion would or have we become meek and powerless creatures that roll over and allow the world to take over. Just today I had a discussion with someone about our Awana's program starting. I was told that due to school football leagues, their grandchild would be unable to attend Awanas because school football meets on Sunday afternoons. There we go. Case in point. The world has us by the tail. What would change that? You guessed it. Christians acting as lions and not allowing sports functions or school functions walk over God. We need more Christians to stand up and tell these sports leagues that it is uncalled of. What happened to not doing little league sports leagues or any work for that matter on Sundays? Well, I'll tell you. We have fallen into the trap of rolling over and allowing the world to take over. We aren't lions anymore. How many lions are out there in our churches and communities today? God chose one to stand with Him at the throne. Do you desire the heart of a lion?
The second beast is the calf. Understading why God chose a lion is not that hard to see, but a calf?! How many of you have ever prayed to be like a calf? In order to understand why God chose a calf, we have to go back in time. Back before cell phones, televisions and even the tractor. Before the tractor came along, how did the farmer turn the field? The ox and cows were the farmer's tractor in those days. he calf repesents servanthood. Calves were born to create a service to man just as we are born to create a service to God. Calves not only provide service in the field but provided clothing and food. How many of us wake up and pray to God that He make us like the calf. God chose the calf to stand with Him at the throne. Do you desire the heart of the calf?
The third beast has a face like a man. Early in Genesis (chapter 1:27) God creates man. He made both male and female and gave them dominion over everything. Man sits a little higher than anything else God created. With that dominion comes intelligence. He made us different than any other animal on the planet. You wouldn't walk into someone's home and find a donkey sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. Why? Because they lack the same intelligence God gave man. There isn't another creature just like us. Sad thing is, we don't always exercise the right intellect. We have become a world that relies on book wisdom rather than Godly wisdom. We are satisfied with scientific answers for problems rather than Godly answers. We don't study the word or spend enough time in prayer to equip ourselves with Godly wisdom. Therefore we become numb and ignorant when it comes to what God desires us to be. God chose wisdom to stand with Him at the throne. Don't allow your human intelligence to supercede Godly wisdom. Do you desire to have Godly wisdom?
The fourth beast is the flying eagle. The most majestic of all. Eagles are the most fierce of all the birds. They are predators and hunters, giving them absolutely amazing sight. They can spot their prey from miles and miles away. They can be mid-flight and spot a tiny mouse in the middle of a corn field. That is how keen their sense of sight is. We can sit 2 feet away from a book and need our glasses. However; when we first became Christians we had that vision and it was strong. We knew without a doubt that God was calling u to move out of that pew and down the aisle. We were given that vision of what we were to do. God gave us that vision and calling. Eagles have their great vision and act swiftly. How many of us pray for vision of our futures or vision of our churches futures. Do we pray that God give us a vision as to what He desires us to do? God chose the eagle to stand with Him. Do you desire that vision and hunt it out? Do you study your bible and pray enough to seek that vision and plan God has for you and your church? Do you desire vision?
We've talked about the beasts now let's talk about the beauty. The 4 beasts had in common 6 wings each and many eyes. Sounds crazy but the greatest thing about studying Revelation is that you can't study it without having Ezekial and Daniel open as well. We discover that the beasts had human hands under those wings to symbolize the nail scarred hand. Whose hands pull us in under the protection of the wing to keep us safe and steer us away from evil? Jesus. He reaches out to each of us and calls us by name. He then pulls us in to harbor us under His protective wings. The 4 beasts had many eyes all over. Those eyes symbolize God's everknowing power. He knows every feeling you have had or ever will have in your life. He knows every tear you will cry before you do it. He knows every thought you have and everything you do. He knew them before He created you in your mother's womb. He sees the bad things we do, but He also sees the good too. He sees and still loves. He knows and still forgives. That is the beauty in knowing God and experiencing Him. Now it is time to pray for the heart of a lion and stand up for your faith, the heart of a calf and serve God in everyway you can, Godly wisdom that God intended us to have and continue to seek to know more about Him, and the vision of the eagle so that you will make right decisions in your church and life.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
God's Grace
Our message today comes from 2 Corinthians 12:9
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Why is it that everyone is so stingy today with their time, words, thoughts, and prayers? Why is it that we are so caught up in being right all the time that we don't offer grace and forgiveness to those that really need it? Afterall, that is what Christ did for us. He gave so much for us, and if we as Christians are representing His body, why aren't we doing as we are called to do? He gave us grace. Why can't we give grace to others? Have you really experienced God's grace? The best way to experience God's grace is to be the one that gives grace.
Forgiveness is hard to do. To admit guilt or wrongdoing is hard to do. Yet, we are expected to give forgiveness and grace to those around us no matter what we feel for them. In today's selfish world, where Chrisitans are persecuted for thier faith and we see so much filth, grace is hard to give. But it is expected. We forget that we have been there. We weren't born into Christian faith....we had to learn it through God's grace. God has shown us grace when we didn't deserve it and expects us to do the same to those around us no matter what they have done. Matthew 5:13 - 16 says:
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven."
Seasoning the world or spreading God's light on the world is not some higher level of discipleship only a few are called to do. For Jesus, changing the world is essential to true discipleship. We are called to give grace. We have to remember that those who have not found God yet, are in need of the same grace God gave to us. You brighten a dark life when you share God's grace and your faith with others who need it. You are called to forgive others just as Christ forgave you. A changed life can change the world. Like ripples on the water, one person can change the world. Like salt and light, real Christians transform everything they touch.
9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Why is it that everyone is so stingy today with their time, words, thoughts, and prayers? Why is it that we are so caught up in being right all the time that we don't offer grace and forgiveness to those that really need it? Afterall, that is what Christ did for us. He gave so much for us, and if we as Christians are representing His body, why aren't we doing as we are called to do? He gave us grace. Why can't we give grace to others? Have you really experienced God's grace? The best way to experience God's grace is to be the one that gives grace.
Forgiveness is hard to do. To admit guilt or wrongdoing is hard to do. Yet, we are expected to give forgiveness and grace to those around us no matter what we feel for them. In today's selfish world, where Chrisitans are persecuted for thier faith and we see so much filth, grace is hard to give. But it is expected. We forget that we have been there. We weren't born into Christian faith....we had to learn it through God's grace. God has shown us grace when we didn't deserve it and expects us to do the same to those around us no matter what they have done. Matthew 5:13 - 16 says:
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled on by men. You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in Heaven."
Seasoning the world or spreading God's light on the world is not some higher level of discipleship only a few are called to do. For Jesus, changing the world is essential to true discipleship. We are called to give grace. We have to remember that those who have not found God yet, are in need of the same grace God gave to us. You brighten a dark life when you share God's grace and your faith with others who need it. You are called to forgive others just as Christ forgave you. A changed life can change the world. Like ripples on the water, one person can change the world. Like salt and light, real Christians transform everything they touch.
Sunday, June 17, 2012
Where Is The Lamb?
Today we look at Genesis 22:7. A moment all Christians are reminded of what Father's Day is all about.
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
Today's message looks at 3 points....
1.) Where is your spirit?
2.) Where is your heart?
3.) Where is your faith?
To understand the message you have to know what occurred prior to this passage in scripture. Abraham and Sarah wanted a child. Abraham prayed for a child day in and day out. God finally told Abraham that He was going to give Sarah a son. Sarah, being in old age, couldn't believe it but became pregnant with baby Isaac. Abraham loved Isaac as any father would love a son and felt he was a true gift from God. Abraham taught Isaac every fatherly lesson he could....how to love God, worship God, how to take care of the land, home, and family. While Isaac was a boy, God gave Abraham a disturbing message that I am sure weighed heavy on Abraham's heart. He said to Abraham, "Go get your son that I gave to you and sacrifice him back to me."
First of all, only Abraham could do what Abraham did. As a parent, I am not sure I could do as he did. But the lesson in this scripture is clear. Abraham didn't have any outside worldly idols between himself and God. How about you? Let's look back at those 3 points....The first being, "Where is your spirit?"
Where would you say Abraham's spirit was? Imagine telling the family that they (he and Isaac) were going to the alter to worship. The family wasn't allowed to go. Imagine the twist in Abraham's gut as he loaded the donkeys with the wood and rope and his only son, Isaac. Knowing what was going to take place....the dread and pain he felt. It was likely the longest trip. Abraham knew what lay ahead. Isaac didn't. Abraham had to muster up a lot of courage to tell his family they couldn't go and he had to take Isaac....the one child he had prayed for day in and day out.
Abraham's spirit was clearly broken but with God. He was doing as God instructed him to do.
Psalms 51:17 says:
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
There was nothing between Abraham and the Lord that day. We all too often have worldly tings between us and God. Those things keep us from worshiping Him. Abraham had nothing standing in the way of his worshiping the Lord. He did exactly as God commanded him to do.
James 4:6 says:
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Was Abraham humble...yes. Where was his heart? With God. Too often we put I, Me and My in the way of worship. Abraham could have easily said, "No, his is MY son and YOU can't have MY son!" But God owns all of us. No mother nor father could count the hairs on a child's head nor could they count every tear or breathe life into a child's lungs. God does this. Abraham fully understood that Isaac was God's and God had graced Abraham and Sarah with Isaac. Abraham loved Isaac but He loved God more.
Now picture this and let it tug at your heart. Isaac looks at the wood and the fire and asks, "Daddy, where is the lamb?" Like so many times before Isaac had helped his daddy offer sacrifice for God in worship and Isaac realized that something was missing. Imagine Abraham standing there having to look at Isaac and answer that question. It does't take long for Abraham's heart to hurt. Imagine the tears that fell from Abraham's face as he ties Isaac's hands and cries, "Son I don't understand this but I love you. You are the sacrifice." Imagine the pain in his heart as Isaac cries in fear.
Matthew 6:21 says:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Abraham clearly loved God. Look at his offering. Abraham's heart was prepared for worship. He let nothing come between he and God. Now let's look at how this story turns.
Genesis 22:10 - 12 says:
And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
Today's message looks at 3 points....
1.) Where is your spirit?
2.) Where is your heart?
3.) Where is your faith?
To understand the message you have to know what occurred prior to this passage in scripture. Abraham and Sarah wanted a child. Abraham prayed for a child day in and day out. God finally told Abraham that He was going to give Sarah a son. Sarah, being in old age, couldn't believe it but became pregnant with baby Isaac. Abraham loved Isaac as any father would love a son and felt he was a true gift from God. Abraham taught Isaac every fatherly lesson he could....how to love God, worship God, how to take care of the land, home, and family. While Isaac was a boy, God gave Abraham a disturbing message that I am sure weighed heavy on Abraham's heart. He said to Abraham, "Go get your son that I gave to you and sacrifice him back to me."
First of all, only Abraham could do what Abraham did. As a parent, I am not sure I could do as he did. But the lesson in this scripture is clear. Abraham didn't have any outside worldly idols between himself and God. How about you? Let's look back at those 3 points....The first being, "Where is your spirit?"
Where would you say Abraham's spirit was? Imagine telling the family that they (he and Isaac) were going to the alter to worship. The family wasn't allowed to go. Imagine the twist in Abraham's gut as he loaded the donkeys with the wood and rope and his only son, Isaac. Knowing what was going to take place....the dread and pain he felt. It was likely the longest trip. Abraham knew what lay ahead. Isaac didn't. Abraham had to muster up a lot of courage to tell his family they couldn't go and he had to take Isaac....the one child he had prayed for day in and day out.
Abraham's spirit was clearly broken but with God. He was doing as God instructed him to do.
Psalms 51:17 says:
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
There was nothing between Abraham and the Lord that day. We all too often have worldly tings between us and God. Those things keep us from worshiping Him. Abraham had nothing standing in the way of his worshiping the Lord. He did exactly as God commanded him to do.
James 4:6 says:
6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Was Abraham humble...yes. Where was his heart? With God. Too often we put I, Me and My in the way of worship. Abraham could have easily said, "No, his is MY son and YOU can't have MY son!" But God owns all of us. No mother nor father could count the hairs on a child's head nor could they count every tear or breathe life into a child's lungs. God does this. Abraham fully understood that Isaac was God's and God had graced Abraham and Sarah with Isaac. Abraham loved Isaac but He loved God more.
Now picture this and let it tug at your heart. Isaac looks at the wood and the fire and asks, "Daddy, where is the lamb?" Like so many times before Isaac had helped his daddy offer sacrifice for God in worship and Isaac realized that something was missing. Imagine Abraham standing there having to look at Isaac and answer that question. It does't take long for Abraham's heart to hurt. Imagine the tears that fell from Abraham's face as he ties Isaac's hands and cries, "Son I don't understand this but I love you. You are the sacrifice." Imagine the pain in his heart as Isaac cries in fear.
Matthew 6:21 says:
21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Abraham clearly loved God. Look at his offering. Abraham's heart was prepared for worship. He let nothing come between he and God. Now let's look at how this story turns.
Genesis 22:10 - 12 says:
10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Where was Abraham's faith? Completely in God. When was the last time you jumped completely on faith without a safety net under you? This is what Abraham did. He could have taken a sheep or a goat just in case God changed his mind, but he didn't. He completely put his spirit, heart and faith in God's ail scarred hands.
You know, we couldn't imagine having to sacrifice our own child. Would you have the same courage and faith as Abraham had this been you?
This is Father's Day. You DO have a father that did this for you! God did this just for you. He loves you that much that He sent His ONLY son to die on a cross to save YOU. He could've easily said, "No, you can't have MY son." But He didn't. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son to show his obedience and love to God. God was willing and DID sacrifice His only son to show YOU his love for YOU! There is no other Father more deserving of a "thank you" than the almighty one.
11 And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.
12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.
Where was Abraham's faith? Completely in God. When was the last time you jumped completely on faith without a safety net under you? This is what Abraham did. He could have taken a sheep or a goat just in case God changed his mind, but he didn't. He completely put his spirit, heart and faith in God's ail scarred hands.
You know, we couldn't imagine having to sacrifice our own child. Would you have the same courage and faith as Abraham had this been you?
This is Father's Day. You DO have a father that did this for you! God did this just for you. He loves you that much that He sent His ONLY son to die on a cross to save YOU. He could've easily said, "No, you can't have MY son." But He didn't. Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son to show his obedience and love to God. God was willing and DID sacrifice His only son to show YOU his love for YOU! There is no other Father more deserving of a "thank you" than the almighty one.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
MORE
Our message today comes from 1 Chronicles 4:9 - 10.
9 And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Are you like Jabez? Jabez knew that his name brought constant reminders of pain and agony that he brought to his mother as he came into the world. Every time someone said his name he was reminded of the pain he brought to his mother. He likely hated the life he lived day in and day out. Can you imagine how that played on his self esteem daily? Yet, it didn't deter him from calling out to God. Jabez asked the Lord to bless him indeed. We were all born into a particular life. God placed us all in chosen families with particular situations. Some of us have lived a nice cushy life where everything has come up daisies. Others of us have wanted more out of life and have sought out better lives than we had growing up. We all have story but the question is.....are we like Jabez and seeking out the right path?
Have you prayed and asked God to bless you indeed? When men are sad, they seek out the bottle or work it off. When women are sad, chocolate goes a very long way. When Jabez was sad, he sought out God. Think back to when you were little and wanted a particular toy so bad you could taste it. Who did you go to? Did you go to the parent that always said no? No way! You sought out the parent that you knew you could work over and melt in order to get it. Problem is today that we have grown up and we try to take care of things ourselves. Are you seeking the right source to fulfill your needs as Jabez did?
Jabez didn't just sit back and soak up his misery and he didn't just expect God to know he was unhappy. Jabez did exactly as we should.....he sought out God for help and relied on God to fulfill his needs.
Notice what happened at the end of verse 10......"And God granted him what he had requested". Is it because Jabez prayed that prayer and then decided to do something himself without God? Nope. He gave it completely to God. If you refuse to let God take control of any part of your life, your requests will fall upon deaf ears. You must be willing to turn your entire life and work over to God and let Him take charge of your life.
Our scripture tells us, in so many words, that Jabez was unhappy with the life he had. Yet, there was a word used in the scripture that described Jabez. Did you catch it? Jabez was MORE honorable than his brothers. What do you suppose made him honorable?
You have to be willing to give MORE to expect MORE. If you belong to a church, your name is on the roll. Is that good enough for you? When you are gone from this earth, do you want to just be known as a name on a church's roll or do you want to be known for the way you lived for the King? Be like Jabez.....be MORE.
Do MORE....
Be MORE....
Expect MORE....
Know MORE....
Study MORE....
Read MORE....
Pray MORE....
The bible says Jabez was MORE honorable....what will the bible say about you?
10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
Are you like Jabez? Jabez knew that his name brought constant reminders of pain and agony that he brought to his mother as he came into the world. Every time someone said his name he was reminded of the pain he brought to his mother. He likely hated the life he lived day in and day out. Can you imagine how that played on his self esteem daily? Yet, it didn't deter him from calling out to God. Jabez asked the Lord to bless him indeed. We were all born into a particular life. God placed us all in chosen families with particular situations. Some of us have lived a nice cushy life where everything has come up daisies. Others of us have wanted more out of life and have sought out better lives than we had growing up. We all have story but the question is.....are we like Jabez and seeking out the right path?
Have you prayed and asked God to bless you indeed? When men are sad, they seek out the bottle or work it off. When women are sad, chocolate goes a very long way. When Jabez was sad, he sought out God. Think back to when you were little and wanted a particular toy so bad you could taste it. Who did you go to? Did you go to the parent that always said no? No way! You sought out the parent that you knew you could work over and melt in order to get it. Problem is today that we have grown up and we try to take care of things ourselves. Are you seeking the right source to fulfill your needs as Jabez did?
Jabez didn't just sit back and soak up his misery and he didn't just expect God to know he was unhappy. Jabez did exactly as we should.....he sought out God for help and relied on God to fulfill his needs.
Notice what happened at the end of verse 10......"And God granted him what he had requested". Is it because Jabez prayed that prayer and then decided to do something himself without God? Nope. He gave it completely to God. If you refuse to let God take control of any part of your life, your requests will fall upon deaf ears. You must be willing to turn your entire life and work over to God and let Him take charge of your life.
Our scripture tells us, in so many words, that Jabez was unhappy with the life he had. Yet, there was a word used in the scripture that described Jabez. Did you catch it? Jabez was MORE honorable than his brothers. What do you suppose made him honorable?
You have to be willing to give MORE to expect MORE. If you belong to a church, your name is on the roll. Is that good enough for you? When you are gone from this earth, do you want to just be known as a name on a church's roll or do you want to be known for the way you lived for the King? Be like Jabez.....be MORE.
Do MORE....
Be MORE....
Expect MORE....
Know MORE....
Study MORE....
Read MORE....
Pray MORE....
The bible says Jabez was MORE honorable....what will the bible say about you?
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Do You Fear the Lord?
Our message today comes from 2 Chronicles 7:14.
14If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
If I were to ask you what is wrong with the youth in America today, what would you say? If you thought long and hard about it, you would most likely end up saying they fear no one, have no consequences, lack respect in themselves and for authority. And for the most part, you are right. However; it isn't just the youth in America. It is all of us. Yeah, you read it right. ALL of us have become too accepting of the sinful world around us that we fall into the same category as today's youth. Wouldn't you say that God is the ultimate authority? Do you fear Him as you should?
Have you ever been in a situation that you knew was wrong but you did it anyway? You lacked the fear you needed to talk yourself out of that situation didn't you? See, there is no NEW sin in the world today. They are the same sins as biblical times. They just come in different packages now. Yet, we have allowed Satan to talk us out of doing what we KNOW is right. Read that above scripture again. "Humble yourself, pray, seek God's face, and turn from wicked ways.....then I will hear them." This is a matter of respecting God enough to respect yourself and show it through your actions. We should have reverence and respect.
Let's look at Psalms 111:10.
10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
God expects us to fear Him. You know that little pain in your gut when you have done something wrong? You know, we call it guilt? That is a good thing to have. We should be teaching our children that we should have that guilt when we have done wrong. That is what keeps us from doing the act again. Wouldn't you say our world seems to be missing that feeling in the pits of our stomaches? We have become a little too relaxed about things that the guilt we should be feeling is fading. How can we respect God if we feel we can do no wrong? That guilt provides us the necessary knowledge that we don't want the same outcomes again, therefore, we learn our lesson and refuse to perform the act.
Let's look at Hebrews 12:28.
28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
How can we serve God when we don't fear Him? In order to respect God and do as God calls us to do, we must fear Him and the consequences that follow our sinful acts. Do you think we still set moral boundaries for ourselves? Here's some to think about.....sex before marriage, curse words on television, sex on television, fighting/killing/violence in television or video games, and the list could really go on. Were these things acceptable 50 years ago? How about this one......working/cleaning on Sunday? Was it acceptable 50 years ago. This shows where we have gone as a society. But today it seems, we all talk about how bad those things are on Sunday in church, but during the week, it's okay. We forget that we are the temple at all times. Just being a Christian on Sunday isn't what God wants. And if we are doing that then we should be even more fearful of God. Once Christ is in our hearts we are His temple and we must act that way even outside of church. We should have the fear of God everyday of the week. Not just on Sunday. If you can't respect yourself and you act in such a harmful way through the week, you aren't respecting or fearing God. Leveticus 19:30 says:
30Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
His sanctuary is not just a white sacred building with 4 walls. YOU are His sanctuary.
Let's look at 2 Samuel 9:6.
6Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
Why are our jails full of people who can walk out in broad daylight and kill someone without any fear of the consequences to come? Why doesn't it affect people when they are sentenced to life in prison or being placed on death row? Why do women walk around with 6 children by 6 different fathers and act like it is okay? Because there is a lack of respect and reverence for ourselves and for God.
You know, there are those who have totally given up hope. They think their lives are so far gone that it can't be fixed. Some would stay out of chuch simply because they feel they have to do this dramatic overnight change. But we must remind those lost that it is okay to build boundaries one step at a time. In fact, we all need to begin doing that. None of us are immune to sin. In order for our church to get back to the way it should be, we all have to do that. In order for this country to get back to the foundations it was built on, we have to do that. It is one step at a time. We need to turn back the clock for our values. Look at everything that is accepted in today's world. They weren't accepted 50 years ago. We have become way to comfortable with the times changing. And they aren't changing for the better.
Proverbs 10:27 says:
27The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
This can be done. We can rebuild our nation and redirect our nation's attention on the core values it was built on. It can't be done overnight by us. We must have Faith that God will help us but we ourselves must have enough respect and reverence for the Lord in order to have that Faith. We must be willing to live the way God wants each of us to live. If our neighbor sees us skipping out on church to go to a baseball game or to work in the yard, think about the message that is sending to him/her. There's that lack of fear. That wouldn't have been acceptable 50 years ago.....but today it seems okay. But to who? Not God. That is the same as having idols before God. Anything that comes between you and God is an idol. We ourselves, have become too accepting and Satan is using that to destroy our churchs, communities, and nation.
We must make changes to what is okay for us to do. We must lay down new boundaries for ourselves and begin building our community with respectable values and morals, our nation with respectable values and morals, and yes.....our churches to have respectable values and morals. We must fear the Lord. Remember this, to produce seed, you must first plant a seed. It only takes one. Let that one be YOU. Change what is acceptable for you today. Others will see the changes in you and will follow. Do you fear the Lord enough to make that change?
14If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
If I were to ask you what is wrong with the youth in America today, what would you say? If you thought long and hard about it, you would most likely end up saying they fear no one, have no consequences, lack respect in themselves and for authority. And for the most part, you are right. However; it isn't just the youth in America. It is all of us. Yeah, you read it right. ALL of us have become too accepting of the sinful world around us that we fall into the same category as today's youth. Wouldn't you say that God is the ultimate authority? Do you fear Him as you should?
Have you ever been in a situation that you knew was wrong but you did it anyway? You lacked the fear you needed to talk yourself out of that situation didn't you? See, there is no NEW sin in the world today. They are the same sins as biblical times. They just come in different packages now. Yet, we have allowed Satan to talk us out of doing what we KNOW is right. Read that above scripture again. "Humble yourself, pray, seek God's face, and turn from wicked ways.....then I will hear them." This is a matter of respecting God enough to respect yourself and show it through your actions. We should have reverence and respect.
Let's look at Psalms 111:10.
10The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
God expects us to fear Him. You know that little pain in your gut when you have done something wrong? You know, we call it guilt? That is a good thing to have. We should be teaching our children that we should have that guilt when we have done wrong. That is what keeps us from doing the act again. Wouldn't you say our world seems to be missing that feeling in the pits of our stomaches? We have become a little too relaxed about things that the guilt we should be feeling is fading. How can we respect God if we feel we can do no wrong? That guilt provides us the necessary knowledge that we don't want the same outcomes again, therefore, we learn our lesson and refuse to perform the act.
Let's look at Hebrews 12:28.
28Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
How can we serve God when we don't fear Him? In order to respect God and do as God calls us to do, we must fear Him and the consequences that follow our sinful acts. Do you think we still set moral boundaries for ourselves? Here's some to think about.....sex before marriage, curse words on television, sex on television, fighting/killing/violence in television or video games, and the list could really go on. Were these things acceptable 50 years ago? How about this one......working/cleaning on Sunday? Was it acceptable 50 years ago. This shows where we have gone as a society. But today it seems, we all talk about how bad those things are on Sunday in church, but during the week, it's okay. We forget that we are the temple at all times. Just being a Christian on Sunday isn't what God wants. And if we are doing that then we should be even more fearful of God. Once Christ is in our hearts we are His temple and we must act that way even outside of church. We should have the fear of God everyday of the week. Not just on Sunday. If you can't respect yourself and you act in such a harmful way through the week, you aren't respecting or fearing God. Leveticus 19:30 says:
30Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.
His sanctuary is not just a white sacred building with 4 walls. YOU are His sanctuary.
Let's look at 2 Samuel 9:6.
6Now when Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, was come unto David, he fell on his face, and did reverence. And David said, Mephibosheth. And he answered, Behold thy servant!
Why are our jails full of people who can walk out in broad daylight and kill someone without any fear of the consequences to come? Why doesn't it affect people when they are sentenced to life in prison or being placed on death row? Why do women walk around with 6 children by 6 different fathers and act like it is okay? Because there is a lack of respect and reverence for ourselves and for God.
You know, there are those who have totally given up hope. They think their lives are so far gone that it can't be fixed. Some would stay out of chuch simply because they feel they have to do this dramatic overnight change. But we must remind those lost that it is okay to build boundaries one step at a time. In fact, we all need to begin doing that. None of us are immune to sin. In order for our church to get back to the way it should be, we all have to do that. In order for this country to get back to the foundations it was built on, we have to do that. It is one step at a time. We need to turn back the clock for our values. Look at everything that is accepted in today's world. They weren't accepted 50 years ago. We have become way to comfortable with the times changing. And they aren't changing for the better.
Proverbs 10:27 says:
27The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened.
This can be done. We can rebuild our nation and redirect our nation's attention on the core values it was built on. It can't be done overnight by us. We must have Faith that God will help us but we ourselves must have enough respect and reverence for the Lord in order to have that Faith. We must be willing to live the way God wants each of us to live. If our neighbor sees us skipping out on church to go to a baseball game or to work in the yard, think about the message that is sending to him/her. There's that lack of fear. That wouldn't have been acceptable 50 years ago.....but today it seems okay. But to who? Not God. That is the same as having idols before God. Anything that comes between you and God is an idol. We ourselves, have become too accepting and Satan is using that to destroy our churchs, communities, and nation.
We must make changes to what is okay for us to do. We must lay down new boundaries for ourselves and begin building our community with respectable values and morals, our nation with respectable values and morals, and yes.....our churches to have respectable values and morals. We must fear the Lord. Remember this, to produce seed, you must first plant a seed. It only takes one. Let that one be YOU. Change what is acceptable for you today. Others will see the changes in you and will follow. Do you fear the Lord enough to make that change?
Sunday, April 1, 2012
How's Your Real Estate?
Our message today comes a very small book in the Bible. Ever heard of the saying that dynamite comes in small packages? That just about sums up the book of Haggai. Dynamite in a small package. Our scripture comes from Hagai 2:4-9.
4Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:
5According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
6For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
9The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
Not a lot is known about Haggai, but what we do know is that he can be found in the book of Ezra and that within a 10 year period, he brought 4 messages to the house of Israel. To understand the message today, we must look at what was going on historically at that time. At that time, Israel had been ordered to hault erecting the temple. God had told them to stop and work on their own homes. Our message today is on our homes.
We will be diving in and studying 3 different types of "home".
The first is your personal, physical home.
What does your house look like? Its not really what type of home you live in because value means nothing. It is about how you take care of your home and the things God has given you. Why should this matter? Because our daily lives are a mirror reflection of our spiritual lives. God tells us in verse 4 to "work". Did you read over that word without thinking about it. Yeah, it's there. If you fail to take care of your yard or yourself.....it is a reflection of how much you care. If you are a lazy person, most likely you are a lazy Christian. Many a man live in what we would consider, shacks. Does he/she take care of that shack though? Is it clean, taken care of? Or are the weeds grown so high that you can't walk through the yard without brushing them with your elbows? Are there dirty dishes piled high in the sink and on the counter full of last week's meal? It doesn't matter how much your home is valued.....it does matter though how you take care of it. Now, really....why should anyone care about my house but me? I'll tell you why....
The second is your spiritual home.
Our daily lives and how we take care of what we have is a mirror reflection of how we take care of our spiritual lives. If you are dedicated to keeping the things you have in good condition, chances are that your spriritual life is also in good condition. You are more likely to pick up your Bible on more days of the week than just on Sunday. You probably pray for those on the prayer list on a daily basis. It all goes back to DEDICATION. When you dedicated to keeping things nice, you keep them nice in ALL areas of your life, including your spiritual walk with God. We have all heard that everything we own is not really ours. It is like rental property. What happens when you are renting but you don't take good care of the item or home? You end up paying a price for it. There is always some fee or charge for damages. Everything we have in life is God's. We are only renting it. Our entire life as we know it, including our physical body is rental property. We have to take care of it all, our physical and spiritual homes included.
Now, before we jump into the 3rd house, let's look at some more scripture. It says in Haggai 1:9:
9"You look for much but you find little. When you bring it home, I destroy it. Why? asks the Lord. Because you all work hard for your own houses while my house is still in ruins."
The third house is God's house.
Do you honor God with your tithes and offerings? Do you use your spiritual gifts for the glory of God? Are you working as hard to fill the church with believers and take care of the church body and building as you are your personal homes? God wants His people to build His house. He says, "I blessed you with your own house, now it's times to build the house of God." Consider your ways. Are you walking for you and your own pride or are you walking for God? When your spiritual house is in order....then your personal house and God's house will be in place. You have to get yourself right with God first. God tells us in today's scripture to begin building His temple......but you have to remember what happened before this. He had stopped them from building His temple so they could all work on their own homes. It is time for us to clean the cob webs out of the corners and add a fresh coat of paint to our spiritual homes so that we can work the way God calls us to do in His house.
Now is the time to invest in your real estate. Take care of what you have been given physically and spiritually. Use your spiritual gifts to do the work God has called us to do. Study the word. Work on your spiritual property. The property is worth the price. Afterall, it is God's!
4Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts:
5According to the word that I covenanted with you when ye came out of Egypt, so my spirit remaineth among you: fear ye not.
6For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;
7And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts.
8The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts.
9The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts.
Not a lot is known about Haggai, but what we do know is that he can be found in the book of Ezra and that within a 10 year period, he brought 4 messages to the house of Israel. To understand the message today, we must look at what was going on historically at that time. At that time, Israel had been ordered to hault erecting the temple. God had told them to stop and work on their own homes. Our message today is on our homes.
We will be diving in and studying 3 different types of "home".
The first is your personal, physical home.
What does your house look like? Its not really what type of home you live in because value means nothing. It is about how you take care of your home and the things God has given you. Why should this matter? Because our daily lives are a mirror reflection of our spiritual lives. God tells us in verse 4 to "work". Did you read over that word without thinking about it. Yeah, it's there. If you fail to take care of your yard or yourself.....it is a reflection of how much you care. If you are a lazy person, most likely you are a lazy Christian. Many a man live in what we would consider, shacks. Does he/she take care of that shack though? Is it clean, taken care of? Or are the weeds grown so high that you can't walk through the yard without brushing them with your elbows? Are there dirty dishes piled high in the sink and on the counter full of last week's meal? It doesn't matter how much your home is valued.....it does matter though how you take care of it. Now, really....why should anyone care about my house but me? I'll tell you why....
The second is your spiritual home.
Our daily lives and how we take care of what we have is a mirror reflection of how we take care of our spiritual lives. If you are dedicated to keeping the things you have in good condition, chances are that your spriritual life is also in good condition. You are more likely to pick up your Bible on more days of the week than just on Sunday. You probably pray for those on the prayer list on a daily basis. It all goes back to DEDICATION. When you dedicated to keeping things nice, you keep them nice in ALL areas of your life, including your spiritual walk with God. We have all heard that everything we own is not really ours. It is like rental property. What happens when you are renting but you don't take good care of the item or home? You end up paying a price for it. There is always some fee or charge for damages. Everything we have in life is God's. We are only renting it. Our entire life as we know it, including our physical body is rental property. We have to take care of it all, our physical and spiritual homes included.
Now, before we jump into the 3rd house, let's look at some more scripture. It says in Haggai 1:9:
9"You look for much but you find little. When you bring it home, I destroy it. Why? asks the Lord. Because you all work hard for your own houses while my house is still in ruins."
The third house is God's house.
Do you honor God with your tithes and offerings? Do you use your spiritual gifts for the glory of God? Are you working as hard to fill the church with believers and take care of the church body and building as you are your personal homes? God wants His people to build His house. He says, "I blessed you with your own house, now it's times to build the house of God." Consider your ways. Are you walking for you and your own pride or are you walking for God? When your spiritual house is in order....then your personal house and God's house will be in place. You have to get yourself right with God first. God tells us in today's scripture to begin building His temple......but you have to remember what happened before this. He had stopped them from building His temple so they could all work on their own homes. It is time for us to clean the cob webs out of the corners and add a fresh coat of paint to our spiritual homes so that we can work the way God calls us to do in His house.
Now is the time to invest in your real estate. Take care of what you have been given physically and spiritually. Use your spiritual gifts to do the work God has called us to do. Study the word. Work on your spiritual property. The property is worth the price. Afterall, it is God's!
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