Calvary Chapel Palm City

Bob Coy on Coexisting...

2009-08-11T14:43:00.000-04:00

Coexist?? from Craig DeStefano on Vimeo.

Youth Camp

2009-08-10T12:32:00.001-04:00

We had a great week of Camp at Student Life at Palm Beach Atlantic. 7 kids stood up to recieve Christ from our group and we grew closer together while growing closer to God!

The 3 Mistakes Of Herod

2009-07-01T10:17:00.001-04:00

Matthew 14:1-12. 1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him." 3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 4for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her." 5Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.

6On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much 7that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." 9The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10and had John beheaded in the prison. 11His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.

In this passage Herod makes 3 mistakes that ultimately moved him even further from God’s will and blessings. These same 3 mistakes are being made by many today. I hope you will take the time to consider and reflect upon these things, so that you don’t make the same deadly mistakes yourself.

Mistake #1. Herod depended upon popular ideas of right and wrong instead of unchanging Scriptural truth about right and wrong.

Herod had convinced his brother’s wife (Herodias) to divorce Philip and marry him. This liberal view of marriage and divorce was not considered a problem by the majority of people. The culture considered Herod’s actions acceptable. Herod followed those popular ideas of right and wrong in his own life. The Bible teaches that that divorce in such circumstances is wrong. (Matthew 5:31-32.) The Bible teaches that it is forbidden to marry the wife or ex-wife of a living brother. (Leviticus 18:16.) Herod chose to follow the crowd instead of the Bible. This is a serious mistake that is being made by many today in areas like sexuality, abortion, marriage, honesty, revenge, foul language, and so forth.

Mistake #2. Herod was angered by biblical preaching/proclamation instead of being humbled and convicted.

God sent John the Baptist to warn Herod that his actions were immoral despite the approval of the masses. This warning was an act of love, just like a doctor’s warnings about the dangers of smoking. Herod should have responded with humility, confession and repentance, then he would have been forgiven. Instead Herod became angry with the messenger and had him thrown in jail. The Bible specifically tells us that becoming angry at the preaching of God’s Word does not bring about the righteous and blessed life that God desires. (James 1:19-22, especially verse 20.) Today many people are like Herod in that they become angry at any preaching or proclamation that does not agree with what they want to hear. I hope that you will not make the same mistake as Herod.

Mistake #3. Herod allowed his concerns for the opinion of others to dictate his decisions, when he should have been solely concerned about God’s opinion of him.

Herod went through with the execution of John the Baptist even though he knew it was wrong. He did this because of his concern for the approval of others. (Verse 9.) How many people today, including Christians, are more concerned about the opinion of others instead of the approval of God? Rarely will the crowd be in favor of doing the right thing, so every Christian must be prepared to be disliked and unpopular. The applause of Heaven is far more valuable that the applause of man.

Easter

2009-04-15T10:59:00.002-04:00

What do you think was the most significant event in human history?

Unquestionably, the greatest event was the faint sound of a heartbeat in a cold and lifeless body in a tomb, two thousand years ago. The sound of blood rushing through the heart of Jesus of Nazareth was a sound that will thunder throughout eternity, because of its incredible implications.

The fact that God raised someone from the dead is not really significant. He raised the dead a number of times both in the Old and New Testaments. But this resurrection had enormous lawful repercussions. It was evidence that the Judge of the universe had acknowledged that the payment for our sins was acceptable. It was the key that unlocked the door to immortality for humanity.Here's another question for you. What is the most precious substance in the universe? It was unquestionably the blood of Jesus Christ. Nothing else could redeem us from the just curse of God’s Law. When eternal justice called for our blood, and Jesus gave His blood to atone for our crimes. We were not redeemed with silver and gold…but with the precious blood of Christ.Many Jews had been crucified as criminals by the Roman cross. All suffered unspeakable pain. But this Jew's suffering was different because He was the Lamb of God, whose blood did not contain the taint of sin carried by the lineage of Adam. He was truly the Lamb of God.

These are wonderful biblical truths that Christians know and rejoice in. But, this Easter, millions of both Jews and Gentiles will celebrate biblical events that they don’t fully understand. For one or two holy days they will give God thanks for His mercy and for the Passover lamb. Christians celebrate Easter and the resurrection of the Passover Lamb every day of the year.

May you have a happy Easter.

A Christian's To-Do List (Part 2)

2009-04-07T11:01:00.001-04:00

6. Serve the Lord with diligence and enthusiasm.

Read Romans 12:11

In this verse Paul gives us a two-fold description of how we should serve the Lord. First he says, "Never be lacking in zeal." Second he says, "Keep your spiritual fervor." The word "zeal" is the same Greek word translated as "diligence" in Romans 12:8. The word means to give earnest effort. If we were using this word to describe an employee, we would be speaking of the employee who always arrives early, leaves late, and does not slack off throughout the day. If we were using this word to describe an athlete we would be speaking of the football player who never takes a play off, the batter who always goes for the home run ball, or the Olympian who will not be satisfied with anything less than a gold medal.

This intensity or earnestness of effort, this diligence is how we’re always to serve the Lord. This means we’re to give 100% whatever ministry we’re engaged in, whether children’s church, the worship team, helping others, serving, hosting a fellowship, intercessory prayer, senior’s ministry, or helping on a workday, etc... To serve the Lord with diligence means giving 100% in ministry, worship, in meditation on the word of God, in our prayer lives and so forth.

After telling Christian’s to serve the Lord with diligence (zeal), Paul goes on to say, "Keep your spiritual fervor." This refers not so much to what we do (our actions), as it does to our attitude. "Spiritual fervor" is a reference to spiritual enthusiasm. Not only should we give whole hearted efforts in serving the Lord, but we should be excited and enthused about it. The word for "fervor" here is the Greek word for boiling. It was figuratively used to describe a passionate attitude. This is the attitude of enthusiasm we all should have toward the things of the Lord. We should be passionate in our worship, excited about our time in God’s word, and enthused about serving God with our gifts.

Sometimes we may think that we just cannot maintain that level of diligence and enthusiasm, especially enthusiasm since that is an emotion. After all we have no control over our emotions, or so we think. I beg to differ with that conclusion. I think that we can decide to give 100% to Jesus and to be excited in doing so. If we could not do that, the Bible would not tell is to be spiritual fervent.

I believe the Holy Spirit renews our enthusiasm for the things of the Lord when we to decide to be enthusiastic for Jesus and make efforts in that direction. When you think about it, is it really that hard to be excited about worshiping the living God? Is it difficult to be enthused about reading the words of the Creator of everything? Is it hard to be passionate about praying when we understand that we’re praying to a wise, caring, and powerful God? The answer to all these questions "no."

Before I move on to the seventh thing on the Christian’s "To Do" list, I want to point out that our enthusiasm is not mindless or directionless, but is focused on "serving the Lord." I say this because sometimes people in the church get caught up in emotional hype that has little to do with the Lord. They’re excited and fervent because of the emotional atmosphere of a meeting or because of manipulation by the evangelist, speaker, or worship leader pumping up people like at a high-school pep rally. Now let’s move on to the seventh thing on the Christian’s "To Do" list.

7. Trust in and depend on God, especially in difficult times

Christian should be joyful for many reasons. First we’re forgiven of our sins, and that is certainly reason to be joyful. Second we’re continually, blessed by God which is another reason to be joyous. Paul’s concern in Roman 12:12 is that we be joyful in difficult times because of the hope that we have for the future. We must believe what God says about the future being much better than the present; otherwise we will lose our joy and give in to despair. This is why Paul says, "Be joyful in hope."

Through the years we’ve had many ladies become pregnant in the church. I’ve never met one of those ladies who were not joyful despite the pregnancy.How can a woman who has gained 30 lbs., whose back hurts constantly, and who knows of the excruciating pain of labor that lies ahead be joyful? The answer is she knows that the difficulty and the pain will not last forever but rather that the future is bright, i.e. she is "joyful in hope."

It is the same with the Christian. We will undergo difficult times, emotional and physical pain, sickness, persecution, etc. but we know by faith that the future is better so we can be "joyful in hope." When we encounter hard times we need to remember the seventh thing on the Christian’s "To Do" list.

Hope for Those Who Hurt

2009-03-31T10:04:00.003-04:00

Bum Phillips, former coach of the Houston Oilers (now the Tennessee Titans) once made the comment, "There are two types of coaches in the NFL: them that have been fired, and them that are gonna be fired." His statements applies to our topic today as well. There are two types of people in the world. Those who have been hurt, and those who will be hurt. We can’t escape it. Neither can we avoid it. At some time or another, we’ll all get hurt. When you make a commitment to follow Christ, you don’t receive an exemption from getting hurt.

Even though all of us will experience hurts, sometimes very deep hurts, in life, we do not have to lose hope. Jesus offers hope to the hurting. Why is there hope for the hurting? Why can you be encouraged even if you are currently enduring a seemingly hopeless situation?...Because Jesus Notices And Cares for Hurting People.

Read Luke 13:10-13:17

One of the first things I want you to observe in these verses is that Jesus was not indifferent to the hurt, pain and despair this woman was going through. She did not go unnoticed by Jesus. He has an eye for the hurting. He noticed and called to her even though there is no record that she ever approached him. He reached out to her in the midst of her pain because He is aware and concerned with her hurts and all of our hurts.

This was not a typical way to conduct the synagogue service! Jesus response to her was not socially expected or even accepted. Women in that culture were generally thought little of and usually ignored. Why then did Jesus take notice of her and make a point to respond to her need immediately and publicly? Because Jesus notices and cares for hurting people! He has great compassion on those who are burdened, depressed, overwhelmed, and often ignored by people in general.Yes, Jesus cares for all people but those who were hurting always seemed to receive special attention and responses from Him.

In New Testament times women, lepers, prostitutes, tax collectors, and widows were the most oppressed, ignored, hurting, and hopeless of people yet these are the very people to whom Jesus ministered most often and most powerfully.

You do not ever need to think that Jesus is not aware of your situation or unmoved by your tears. Jesus is not indifferent to or willing to ignore your pain. Some people have an erroneous idea that God does not take personal and emotional interest in us petty humans. This just isn’t the truth. Jesus expressed compassion for the hurting on numerous occasions and He is the perfect expression of God the Father. Through His life we know that God cares deeply for hurting people. You may not understand many things that you are going through or why your prayers go unanswered but you can be confident that God notices and cares about your pain.

We have a Lord who notices the hurting and has compassion on the burdened. As His followers we have the responsibility to do the same! We should not be indifferent to the hurting or unresponsive to the sorrowful and troubled. When we gather we should take the time to give attention and sympathy toward those in need. When we pray we should care enough to genuinely pray for those who are hurting, confused, sick or in pain. Hurting people should not be an afterthought in our prayers or our daily lives rather they should be our first priority.

There is a message for us in this text. Jesus is saying, you can have your praise and worship, teachings, and communion but never forget that hurting people matter to God. Make sure you reach out to them. This religious leader basically said to this woman and to the crowd that now is not the time or the place for healing but to comeback at another time. What hypocrisy! She has been this way for eighteen years! You wouldn’t let your animal go without water one day because of religious tradition or scruples why should this "daughter of Abraham", an Israelite, wait another moment? Jesus expects hurting people to be the priority. Jesus cares for the hurting and He insists that we do so also.

Six young men were slated to compete against one another in Seattle, Washington. The event was the hundred-yard dash. The men lined up, waited for the starting gun and took off in a sprint. About halfway down the track the man in front stumbled and fell, skinning his hands and knees. The other five men stopped and helped him up. After they brushed him off they decided to finish the race together, holding hands. None of the judges could tell who won the blue ribbon; none of them could see through their tears. No one in the stands that day would ever forget this demonstration of compassion. As the race ended the crowd stood and cheered for 10 minutes. These young men were competing in the Special Olympics; and they showed that they cared more for a hurting friend than for winning a race.

We are to have the same attitude to those who may be hurting in life. We need to stop and help, not proceed with everyday life in hypocritical indifference.There is hope for you if you are hurting today because God does not forget you and He is not in different to your pain.

Sir Isaac Newton on a Creator

2009-03-23T12:00:00.001-04:00

Sir Isaac Newton said, "Atheism is so senseless and odious to mankind that it never had many professors. Can it be by accident that all birds beasts and men have their right side and left side alike shaped . . . and just two eyes and no more on either side of the face and just two ears on either side the head and a nose with two holes and no more between the eyes and one mouth under the nose . . . These and such like considerations always have and ever will prevail with mankind to believe that there is a Being who made all things and has all things in his power and who is therefore to be feared."

Truth in a "Whatever World"...

2009-03-16T11:19:00.001-04:00

Click Here

Feeling Small in the Face of a Big God

2009-02-16T10:09:00.000-05:00

A Christian’s "To Do" List (Part 1)

2009-01-05T09:24:00.003-05:00

In the early years of our marriage, Amy and I both worked outside the home and often had different days off. On my days off, Amy would often leave a "To Do" list attached to the TV, where she knew I would have to see it. The "To Do" list often contained a variety of things that needed to be done: Mow the lawn, pay bills, go to the bank, etc.. Although the list did not elaborate or give specifics, it was very clear what needed to be done. The only thing that connected the items on the list was that they all needed to be done as a part of my responsibilities within the marriage.

The later half of Romans Chapter 12 is a Christian’s "To Do" list. This is a list of a great variety of things that Christians need to and should be doing. The list contains short exhortations things to do without much elaboration or necessarily any connection with what proceeds or precedes the particular exhortation.

1. Love others sincerely.

"Love must be sincere" as Paul says in the beginning of verse 9. This verse could also be translated as, "Love must be without hypocrisy." In other words, our love for others must be genuine or authentic, not counterfeit or feigned. What is the difference between real love and fake love? Actions! Real or sincere love demonstrates itself by doing, i.e. by actively helping others whereas hypocritical love is characterized by inaction. Hypocritical love is characterized by words, hugs, smiles, and best wishes without actually doing are sacrificing anything for others.

When we’re walking in sincere love it will be evident by the way we live our lives and in the things we do, i.e. in our actions. Those with sincere love: visit the sick and imprisoned and lonely, give to the needy, pray for the hurting, and take time to help others. This love is the real deal. This love is the genuine article. The first thing, the preeminent thing on the Christian’s "To Do" list is to love others sincerely. Now let’s look at the second thing on the Christian’s "To Do" list.

2. Hate what is evil. Paul’s words here about our attitude toward sinful, immoral things are quite strong. We’re literally to "abhor" those things in life that are wicked according to the word of God. We’re to feel and react to them in the same way as we would react to really messy diaper, "I want nothing to do with it and I want it out of my house and life as soon as possible." This is the attitude that we’re to have toward evil. We’re not to endure it, accept it, or live with it, we are to hate it. We are to hate things like: gossip, promiscuity, deceit of any kind, thievery of any kind, jealousy, lust, pride, divisiveness, etc…

My wife hates bugs, especially roaches and spiders. I know that she really abhors bugs and does not just dislike having them in the house. I know she really hate bugs and does not find them just slightly offensive because of how she reacts to them when she sees one. After screaming for me if I’m around, she will take an entire can of bug spray and use it on one bug. She hates bugs and therefore passionately tries her best to be rid of them, even if that means going overboard. Paul is saying that we’re to have the same attitude toward evil in our lives as my wife has toward roaches. There is to be no place or acceptance of it. Do not endure it, ignore it, put up with it, or be lackadaisical about evil in your home, thoughts, entertainment, words, or the attitude of your heart. Do everything you can to be rid of it, even to the point of going overboard.

3. Cling to what is good.

With the same kind of passion we’re to have toward ridding our lives of evil, we’re also to have in holding on tightly to what is good. Recent news reports have been filled with reports of child abductions. This has caused most parents take extra care in watching their children. They are holding their hands in malls, they are personally watching them as they play in the front yard, they are avoiding public parks, and they are securing their homes with extra locks and alarms systems. They are in effect clinging or holding tightly to their children so that they will not be lost. This in a sense is how Paul is telling Christian’s to act toward those things in our lives which are good. Hold on to them tightly. Do everything you can to insure they stay in your lives.

What is meant by the word "good?" The Greek word translated as "good" was used of things that were morally good and of things that are beneficial or useful for productive Christian life. Taking this dual meaning into consideration, Paul is telling us to hold tightly to things that are morally good and are beneficial for growing in the Christian life. Things that are good would include things such as: holy and righteous living, Christian fellowship, church attendance, daily Bible reading, daily prayer, time with God, and dedication to serving God’s purposes.

Even though these things are good, they will not stay in your life unless you make the extra effort to "cling to what is good." How many people have let the things that I just mentioned slip from their lives so that they’re hardly present anymore? The answer is far too many. The third thing on the Christian "To Do" list is to cling to what is good. Now let’s take a look at the fourth thing.

4. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love.

This verse could also be translated, "Love other Christians as part of the family." The main emphasis of this verse seems to be on making sure that we maintain a warm affection for our brothers and sisters in Christ. When a person becomes a Christian, they really become a part of a new family, not just as a child of God, but also as a spiritual sibling of other Christians. This spiritual kinship and the love that accompanies it is mostly manifest in the local congregation. This family love of the church is often so intensive that it even supersedes the love and affection natural families have for one another.

This is why it hurts to see Christians move away after all we’re now losing a part of our family, someone who we love. This is why it is such a joy to see Christians who have been away for an extended time return to the congregation; they are family and we react to their return as we would a family member. This is why we rejoice when a fellow Christian gets a job promotion and this is why we’re saddened when a fellow Christian is hurting. The church is not just the club or group of people but it is a family where people love one another as family.

This affection and love for one another is a wonderful thing but it is a love that can be extinguished. A fire in a fireplace will dwindle if it is not stoked and supplied with fuel. A fire in a fireplace can be extinguished if it is doused with water. The same is true of our brotherly love for one another if we are not careful to maintain that devotion to one another. Our brotherly love will dwindle or be extinguished if we do not do our part. Our part is to make every effort to stay close to one another, to guard against developing a hardness of heart that doesn’t care for other’s concerns, and especially to watch out for those things that could put out the fire of brotherly love. Things like: pride, unwillingness to forgive or overlook offenses, petty disagreements, jealousy, demanding our own way, and responding to minor theological differences as though they were major. We must guard against all these things

5. Honor one another above yourselves.

Whenever my children get a good grade at school they’re anxious to tell me about their accomplishment even though they know their sibling also did something worthy of recognition and honor. They never say, "Guess what Dad, my sister got an "A" on spelling." Rather they say, "Guess what Dad, I got an "A" in math." Their normal behavior is to seek recognition and honor for themselves. This isn’t true only of children; it is also true adults, although we tend to be more subtle in our approach. As Christians though our minds to be to be transformed into a new way of thinking and part of the new way of thinking means seeking the honor of others above ourselves. This is the fifth thing on the Christian’s "To Do" list.

In essence what Paul is saying is that we should consider others more important than ourselves and that we should strive hard to see that other, not ourselves, are recognized for their contributions and that their desires are attended to. I’ve been in churches were just the opposite attitude was prevalent. People were seeking recognition for their own sacrifices, talents, spiritual gifts, or spirituality. We must be very careful about such an attitude developing in our own hearts. We must be always ready to play second fiddle to others.

I want us to take a moment and ask ourselves some questions honestly. "Am I’m more concerned when others are overlooked or when I am overlooked?" "Do I delightfully strive to see that others are recognized for their value to the body of Christ or do I secretly hope that my value is recognized and appreciated?" The only way the church can operate in a way that glorifies God and fulfills his purposes is if we can truly seek the welfare and honor of others above ourselves.

David Platt

2008-12-29T14:47:00.000-05:00

A great preacher you might want to check out...

http://www.brookhills.org/media/page_audio_main.htm

Can God Bless Me?

2008-12-15T11:27:00.005-05:00

Perhaps you have asked yourself the following questions: "Can God bless me when I’m in this terrible situation?", "Can God bless me when I am such a miserable sinner?", and “Can God bless me when I face such strong opposition?" The answer to all these questions is an absolute "yes!" but first you need to understand that God doesn’t bless us because we deserve it but because he is gracious. Some people seem to think that God’s blessings are earned and therefore they try and to obtain his blessings through their own efforts.

Some seek to obtain God’s blessings by traveling on pilgrimages to distant lands and performing religious rituals. Some seek to obtain God’s blessings by repeating a certain prayer. You have probably seen articles in the classified section of the newspaper inferring that if you repeat a certain prayer in a certain way for a certain amount of time you will be blessed by God. Others attempt to possess God’s blessings by sacrificial giving, enduring long hours of prayer, lengthy fasts or living in near perfect obedience. During my early years in the church, it was clearly inferred that the most anointed and blessed people were those who were extremely dedicated and who spent much time on their knees, going without food, and were exceptionally holy. The concern I have with all of these ideas is that they all are man-centered and make the blessings of God dependent on our efforts rather than God’s grace.

God, in his grace, blesses his people despite the situation, despite their sins, and despite opposition.

Being one of God’s people does not exempt you from the problems that the rest of the world faces. This is a principle I often repeat because Christians often grow discouraged when they encounter serious problems, not because the problems themselves are overwhelming but because they expected a mostly trouble-free life. Failure to realize that problems come along with being a Christian often makes the problems all the more difficult. Former Supreme Court justice, Louis Brandeis, once said his frustrated, impatient daughter, "My dear, if you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you."

People often believe in their hearts that God blesses those who deserve it and those who sin don’t deserve it. This and many other passages of Scripture show us that this belief is often wrong. God doesn’t bless us because we deserve it but because of his love, mercy, and grace. Under the law we would be treated as our sins deserve (Leviticus 26:21) but under grace "He does not treat us as our sins deserve. . ." (Psalm 103:10)

It is good to know that even though you and I will fail and fall short, God in his mercy blesses us anyways! In this case God blessed Isaac with material gain, even providing a multitude of corn in a time a famine, and he may bless us with material gain also. We must keep in mind though, that the New Testament emphasizes that our blessings in Christ are primarily spiritual. (Ephesians 1:3) Things like God’s presence, his joy, his peace, guidance, mercy, etc. are given to us despite are many faults. Isn’t God good!

Country singer Paul Overstreet wrote a song about this from a story in Genesis 26, which contains an important lesson for us. In this song Isaac is renamed Ike. Listen to the lyrics:

Ike had a blessing from the Lord of the above,

gave him a beautiful woman to love,a place to live,

some land to farm,

two good legs and two good arms.

The Devil came sneaking around one night,

decided he would do a little evil to Ike.

figured he hit ole Ike where it hurts

so he filled up all Ike’s wells with dirt

Ike went out to get his morning drink,

got a dip full of dirt and his heart did sink

He knew it was the Devil so he said with a grin

God blessed me once, he can do it again

So when the rains don’t fall, and the crops all fail,

and the cow ain’t putting any milk in the pail,

don’t sit around waiting for a check in the mail,

just pick up your shovel and dig another well,

pick up your shovel and dig another well.

You are going to face repeated opposition to God’s blessings in your life. You have a choice when you do, you can sit around and moan about how unfair it all is and how life is ruined for you or you could pick up your shovel and did another well saying, "he blessed me once and he can do it again." Keep digging those wells...

Kid's Church Christmas Event Practice

2008-12-08T09:28:00.003-05:00

Jesus the Healer

2008-11-17T09:55:00.003-05:00

Listen to this weeks message "Jesus the Healer"
Click Here

Christmas Coffee House

2008-11-12T12:37:00.000-05:00

The youth group invites you to join us Friday December 19th at 6:30PM for a time of celebrating Christmas as a church family.

A few members of the church will be sharing Christmas performances and other talents.

We need people to share and also food items for the evening. If you would like to be involved please sign up at the back table in the church or call the office at 772-283-94266

Donations toward the youth’s summer camp will be accepted.

The Prodigal Son (Part 1)

2008-11-10T13:02:00.003-05:00

While putting my 4-year-old daughter to bed one evening, I read her the story of the Prodigal Son. We discussed how the young son had taken his inheritance and left home, living it up until he had nothing left. Finally, when he couldn’t even eat as well as pigs, he went home to his father, who welcomed him. When we finished the story, I asked my daughter what she had learned. After thinking a moment, she quipped, "Never leave home without your credit card!"

I don’t really think that this is the lesson Jesus intends for us to learn from this story. Jesus tells this story to illustrate, among other things, how people can be restored to a right relationship with God. This subject should be of great interest everybody because we all tend to drift or depart from a healthy and joyous relationship with God. This parable certainly applies to those who are not Christians by showing them how to have a right relationship with God. This parable also applies to Christians whose relationship with God is not what it should be. In either case, this story shows us how we can be restored to right relationship with God. This parable serves as an analogy of our Heavenly Father’s relationship with his children. The father in this story represents God, while the two sons represent people. The younger son represents those who have left a right relationship with the Father.

How did this younger son end up so far from the abundance of the father’s home? In other words, why was he so distant from the joy and fulfillment of a right relationship with God? Was he kicked out of the house because he was unwelcome? No. Did he just have a string of bad luck? No. Was he never given a fair chance in life? No. The reason he was missing the blessings of a healthy relationship with his father were his own desires and decisions. Our relationship with God, and the consequences of an unhealthy relationship with God, is the result of our own choices. There are two decisions in particular that brought this man to this appalling condition. First he decided he wanted to be independent of his father. He said to his father, "Give me my share of the estate." He wanted to take control by owning the property. This way he would be able to make his own decisions, independent of his father. The first step toward ruin in our lives is to decide to run our own lives, independent of God. When we make the rules we come to ruin.

The second foolish decision this man made was to seek fulfillment in sin. The Bible tells us that he took everything he had and "squandered his wealth in wild living." He sought to indulge his wildest desires. He went to the wildest parties. He drank the best liquor. He slept with the prettiest women, but in the end it was not fulfilling. How do we know that this lifestyle was not fulfilling? Well, Jesus did not say that he "spent his wealth in wild living" but rather Jesus says he "squandered (wasted) his wealth in wild living (sinful indulgence)." It was a waste because it didn’t deliver what is promised.

When my children see a toy commercial and want to buy that particular toy, I sometimes tell them, "Don’t waste your money." I use the word "waste" because I know that the toy will not be as fun or as fulfilling as the commercial promises. It is the same with sin. Jesus uses the word "squandered" or "wasted" because sin does not deliver the fulfillment that it promises.

There were two decisions that led to this man’s ruin. The first was to live independent of his father. The second was to seek fulfillment in sin. What were the consequences of these two choices? We are told that there was a severe famine and he began to be in desperate need. He ended up taking a job feeding the pigs and even they ate better than him! Now keep in mind that this was a Jewish audience Jesus was speaking to and they would have assumed that the young son was Jewish. A young Jewish boy feeding the pigs of a Gentile man just isn’t kosher! In that culture, this would of been what we call hitting "rock bottom" This was as low and a shameful as a person could go. That is where running from God and running your own life will take you.

The consequences of living independent of God and trying to find fulfillment in sin are appalling. In a sense, you tend to create your own hell. The good news is you do not have to stay in that condition! Just like this man’s relationship with his father was restored, so your relationship with God can be restored. No matter how distant you are from God today, no matter what foolish choices you may have made, you can be restored to a healthy, joyous, and fulfilling relationship with God...tomorrow we will discuess three ways of restoring that relationship...

Making the Right Choice 2008

2008-11-03T10:40:00.003-05:00

Check out this weeks topical message:Making the Right Choice '08

Standing for Marriage Sunday

2008-10-29T10:20:00.004-04:00

Check out this weeks topical message: Standing for Marriage Sunday

Kirk Cameron on O'Reilly

2008-10-20T10:40:00.001-04:00

How to Use Money Wisely (Part 2)

2008-10-15T13:33:00.005-04:00

To use money wisely we must use the money we have to help people.

Jesus is telling us to use money to help people in a similar way as the manager did in the parable. This is what is meant by "using worldly wealth to gain friends." The New Living Translation translates verse 9 as "…Use your worldly resources to benefit others…In this way your generosity stores up a reward in heaven." It might be argued that the manager did not use his own money but the master’s money to help others but that goes back to the first point, we’re always using the master’s money; we have none of our own. Keep in mind the master commended the owner for being shrewd or wise enough to do this.

Why is it wise to use money to help others? The answer is because money is temporary but the reward for helping others is eternal. Jesus makes this point in verse 9 where he says about money, "When it is gone you’ll be welcomed into eternal blessings."

First I want you to note that Jesus emphasizes the temporary nature of money. One day it will be gone, either through our own deaths, economic downturns, or foolish expenditures, so it is wiser to use it in a way in which the benefits are everlasting.

There’s a story about a wealthy Christian who somehow got obsessed with the idea of taking some of his wealth to heaven. Now he knew the Bible clearly teaches that you can’t take it with you. But so obsessed was he with this desire that he just prayed & prayed that God would give him permission to take some of his wealth to heaven with him. Finally, his persistence in prayer paid off. God spoke to him & said, "Okay, enough all ready! You can take one suitcase with you into heaven." Well, the story continues with the man deep in thought, "What do I take? What are the most valuable things that I can put into my suitcase?" Well, he finally decided, & filled his suitcase full. Then one day he died, & when next we see him, he is slowly approaching the pearly gates dragging his suitcase behind him.

St. Peter met him there at the gate & said, "Wait a minute. What do you think you’re doing? You’re not allowed to take anything into heaven." The man answered, "You don’t understand. I have special permission from God Himself to take this suitcase into heaven."

Peter rubbed his beard & said, "Well, that’s very unusual. I can’t imagine God letting you do that. Let me look inside your suitcase & see what’s there." So the man dragged the suitcase over, & Peter opened it to see that it was filled with gold bars & gold bricks & gold ingots. Peter said, "Well, all right. If God said so, I suppose you can take that in if you want. But why in the world did you go to all this trouble just to bring more pavement to heaven.

Money has no value in heaven, so the wisest thing you can do is invest in what will have value in heaven, which is using money to help others.

It’s like when I came back from a mission’s trip to Mexico. I had exchanged some American dollars for Mexican pesos for spending money while there, but I did not use it all and so I brought some of the pesos back to America. Now those pesos are useless here, I cannot even buy a pack of chewing gum with them. That currency is not accepted here but rather must be exchanged into an acceptable currency. It is the same in heaven. All the money we have acquired or spent on ourselves has no value. In heaven the only currency that counts is good deeds done to our others and the only opportunity you have to exchange money for this acceptable currency in heaven is in this life.

1 Tim 6:17-19 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

When I consider this principle, it is difficult to understand the actions and attitudes of some people. Since the terrorist attacks of September 11th several news shows have reported an increase in the sale of big-ticket luxury items. Why would people spend more on self indulgence in these uncertain economic times? Well some research was done and some polls were taken in order to answer this question and what they discovered is that people felt that their lives might end sooner than they expected, so these people reasoned that they had better live it up now. This is a foolish way to think. If you think you’re going to die soon, then the wise thing to do is invest in eternal rewards by using money in such a way that God can bless you for all eternity!

A woman gave her son Billy 2 quarters. One was for his Sunday School offering. The other was for an ice cream cone on the way home from Sunday School. Billy was flipping one quarter in the air and catching it on the way down. This happened 8 times or so when all of a sudden Billy missed catching it. It rolled down the storm sewer and was gone. Billy looked skyward and prayed, "Sorry, God." At some point you will have to make a choice between obeying and serving God with your money or spending it on your wants, if you love money you will in essence say, “Sorry God.”

The people of Jesus' day sought to "justify" or excuse their attitude towards money but Jesus reminds them that God "knows their hearts." He knows your heart also! Not only does God know how you handle money but more importantly he also knows your true motivations. Make sure that in your heart you value and see money in the same respect as God does, which means you see money as a tool to help others and to honor God. Jesus notes that what is highly valued among men, and by this he means the accumulation and use of money for selfish indulgences, is "detestable in God’s sight." I hope you will value what God values. God values faithfulness, helping others, generosity, and sacrifice.

How to Use Money Wisely (Part 1)

2008-10-14T11:58:00.004-04:00

Today I will be sharing with you three principles for using money wisely. Before I get to those particular principles, I want to explain and elaborate on this parable, which has often been perplexing to people. In New Testament times extremely wealthy people would hire managers or stewards to oversee their financial affairs. These managers would keep the books, approve of expenditures, pay employees, and track loans. Today we call such people "financial managers."

In Luke 16:1-15 we are told the story of a man who hired a finance manager. "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.Lk 15:13,30 2 So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer. The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.'
"So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil he replied. The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.' "Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' 'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.' The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."

In this story the manager has been caught "wasting" the owners possessions and so is told that he should get the books in order because he will be fired (vs. 1, 2). The Hebrew word translated as "wasting" is the same Hebrew word used in the story of the Prodigal Son to describe his selfish indulgence when he "squandered his wealth." This lets us know that the manager was not just guilty of making some bad investments, rather he had misappropriated the owners funds to spend it inappropriately on his self. He was in charge of the money but had used it to indulge himself rather than to further his master’s purposes. The manager realizes that he is a real heap of trouble because he will not be able to get another job managing money, he is too old or to weak for manual labor, and too proud to beg. How are his needs be met in the future? He does not ignore this dilemma but prudently considers his future well-being. In the process he comes up with a plan to secure his future needs. He decides to use this last opportunity as the owner’s legal manager to help other s by reducing the debts they owed to the owner so that they will show him a favor when he is in need. As a result of using the owner’s money to help others he rightfully expects that "people will welcome him into their houses." A phrase Jesus repeats in verse 9 in the application of the parable. Most parables have something in the story either shocking or unexpected. In the parable of the Good Samaritan it is shocking that a despised Samaritan would be the one to show love to his neighbor. In the story of the Prodigal Son it is unexpected that the father would lovingly welcome home a rebellious and foolish son. This parable also has a conclusion that is unexpected and bewildering. In verse 8, Jesus says that when the master found out what the dishonest manager had done he "commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly." The thing that confuses people is that a crook would be praised, but if you look carefully at the story it is not the manager’s dishonesty that is commended, rather it is his shrewdness, i.e. his prudency and wisdom in planning for his future well-being.

Some people just cannot accept that Jesus would use such an unscrupulous character to teach a spiritual lesson, but keep in mind that Jesus used the story of an unjust judge and an uncaring friend to teach the disciples about the value of persistent prayer in the parable of the "Friend at Midnight" and the parable of the "Persistent Widow." After telling the parable, Jesus then exhorts his disciples, who are called "people of the Light ", to be just as shrewd or wise in using money for eternal benefits as the "people of the world" are in using money for temporal benefits. This is the main point of the parable. Christians should use the money they have now wisely, in a way that will honor God and benefit themselves

First, to use money wisely we need to recognize that we are managers and not the owners of money.

This mindset or attitude will change our behavior and handling of money. It will result in a more careful and appropriate use of the money that we have received from God. We tend to be wiser and more cautious in using those things that do not belong to us. If I borrow someone else’s car, I tend to drive more carefully and work harder to keep it clean because it does not belong to me and I know that I will be held accountable for how I use it. It is the same with money. When we recognize that money does not belong to us and that will be held accountable for its use, will be less inclined to use it selfishly or carelessly. When we understand that we are managers of God’s money and not owners of money we will not ask ourselves, "How much money can I afford to spend on myself?" But rather "How much money do I dare spend on myself?" Does this mean that a Christian cannot spend any money on himself or herself? No. A manager in New Testament times was entitled to use some of the master’s money to meet his and his family’s needs and to use some for leisurely pursuits, but the manager’s first priority was to furthering the owner’s purposes with the money. If the manager were using the money primarily to indulge his wants then he was not being a good steward and was in danger of judgment as we see in the parable. So we need ask ourselves, "After my family’s basic needs are met, what do I usually do with most of the extra? Is it primarily used for satisfying my own wants? Or is it primarily used for furthering God’s purposes?" Are you acting as if you were the owner of money or are you acting wisely, knowing that you are a manager of God’s money?

To Be Continued...

"4 Thing to Remember in an Economic Crisis"

2008-10-13T09:11:00.003-04:00

Listen to a Topical Message given by Pastor Larry on 4 Things to Remember in a Economic Crisis

Click Here

God You Are Confusing Me

2008-10-06T09:32:00.002-04:00

Elisabeth Elliot, whose first husband, Jim Elliot, was one of the five missionaries killed by the Auca Indians in 1956, and whose second husband died of cancer, tells of visiting a shepherd in the mountains of North Wales. One by one, he would grab the rams by their horns and fling them into a tank of antiseptic. They would struggle to climb out, but the sheep dog would snarl in their faces to force them back in. Just as they were about to climb up the ramp, the shepherd would catch them by the horns with a wooden implement, spin them around, and force them under again, holding them completely under for a few seconds. The sheep didn’t have a clue about what was happening

Mrs. Elliot observes, "I’ve had some experiences in my life that have made me feel very sympathetic to those poor rams--I couldn’t figure out any reason for the treatment I was getting from the Shepherd I trusted. And He didn’t give me a hint of explanation."

She found out something that all of us have learned by experience. The Christian life of faith and obedience to God is not always or even usually easy. There are several reasons for this. For one thing, doubt and unbelief get into our hearts when we wait and wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled, but we fail to see results. We pray consistently and we believe to the best of our abilities but trusting God becomes a real challenge because of the long delays in experiencing the fulfillment of God’s promises.Another reason it is sometimes difficult to maintain a life of faith and obedience is because God often directs our lives in ways that make no sense to us. He may tell us to do things that seem detrimental to our own lives and through His sovereignty he often chooses to guide our lives in mysterious ways. Even though we are often confused and ask "Why?” God rarely decides to explain to us what he is doing or why he is directing us the way he is.

You should trust and obey God because He is faithful to His word, even though He often works in unexpected in unexplainable ways

In other words you should trust and obey God in every type of circumstance even though you may not understand what God is doing or why he is doing it or even when he will fulfill his promises to you.

Sometimes in your faith walk you, like all the saints, are going to experience the same kind of confusing divine postponement as you pray and look for the fulfillment of God promises. It may be a long delay in the salvation of a loved one. It may be your prayer for the healing of your body that goes unanswered despite your faith and obedience. It may be in seeking God’s provision for your needs but seeing no answers on the horizons, or it may be in some other area of your life. There will come a time when God does not work when or how you expect him to. God does not explain himself to us and he does not work on our timetable. Yet you can be sure of this, God’s word is reliable and he will accomplish his promises. It may not be immediately but will be ultimately

There may the long times of confusing delay as you wait on God’s divine intervention in your life, but when he does act he brings joy to your life and praise to himself as we see in these two verses. Think back to when Abraham and Sarah did not wait on God but chose to intervene themselves and help God out by impregnating Hagar. Sarah got what she thought she wanted when Hagar conceived but she experienced sorrow rather than joy, trouble rather than triumph. This is a word of exhortation to all those who may be tempted to grow inpatient and through distrust not wait on God to act. For example in trying to get a lost husband saved you may resort to pressure instead of waiting on God. Or in your need for financial provision or blessing you may resort to human methods. Maybe you desire to grow your ministry and therefore resort to worldly methods. In all these examples you may get what you want and which you never had

Are You Trusting God...Even when it seems He's not working?

Interview with the cast of FIREPROOF the movie

2008-10-02T10:36:00.001-04:00

If God Is Good, Why Is Life So Unfair?" (Part 2)

2008-10-01T11:23:00.005-04:00

A Human Perspective On Life Will Lead To Questioning God’s Goodness Because We will See The Peace of The Wicked

Continuing our discussion from Psalm 73, Asaph is disturbed because from his perspective the wicked due not get their just due. In fact it is often the opposite. The wicked are "free from the burdens that are common to man." Rather that experience the turmoil of family problems, sorrowful times, fears, anxiety and trouble, etc., they experience peace. Of course no one’s life is totally trouble free, but Asaph is using hyperbole to express a point. The point being that from what he can see the wicked often have easier lives than the righteous. As Charles Spurgeon said, "Those who deserve the hottest hell often have the warmest nest." Why is it that the wicked are always "carefree" and at peace? Sometimes we will hear or read a biography of some notoriously wicked person and they don’t talk about how empty their life is, but rather everything we see and everything they say indicates that they live quite contented and peaceful lives. This could be very disconcerting to me as a pastor because I see the hardships that the righteous often go through. Something seems backwards and unfair here. "If God Is Good, Why Is Life So Unfair?" This is the question that comes to mind when we are viewing things from a human perspective. So far we’ve seen two reasons why people doubt God’s goodness

The very people who are often the most prosperous and live the most peaceful lives are also those who are the most prideful and arrogant. They think very highly of themselves and very little of others. They don’t use their position in life to bless others but rather to oppress them. They pridefully "scoff" at those who do their best to obey God. These prideful people even speak against God. Their boasting and scoffing has a powerful impact on others. How can these prideful, ungrateful people be the very ones who are "always carefree and increasing in wealth."

Instead of being struck by lightning or leprosy for their pride and boasting they seem to get away with it. It just seems that those that deserve the worst in life get the best, while those who deserve the best in life experience the worst. How can God be good and fair when the wicked are rewarded and the sinful are successful? If God Is Good, Why Is Life So Unfair? Are you beginning to understand why Asaph almost slipped from trusting in God’s goodness and fairness? Can you understand why people do struggle with doubts? Looking at life only from a human perspective will lead us to wavering in our faith and commitment to God. Life will seem unfair because we will have an incomplete picture, only seeing the prosperity, peace and pride of the wicked. In such a situation we will begin to wonder weather it is even worth it to follow God with our whole hearts. This is the conclusion Asaph was beginning to reach

At the San Diego Padres baseball games, between innings once in a while, they put a little puzzle on the score board. They have the outline of a baseball player and a trivia question; you try to guess who the player is. They start off by filling in one piece of the puzzle, and it’s usually the bill of a ball cap. Nobody can figure out who it is; everybody’s trying to figure out who it is. As the pieces come together people start to talk. An excitement begins to mount. Why? They begin to see a face, and they’re beginning to hone in on who that baseball player is. I’m here to tell you that we usually get one piece of the puzzle. In God’s sovereignty and God’s timing, many of the things that happen to you and many of the things that happen to me make us just shake our heads and say, "I don’t understand. I don’t understand this in my life."

A heavenly perspective leads to faith in God’s goodness and fairness because we will see the ruin of the wicked

Asaph had started this Psalm envying the wicked because they seemed to have it all, but now when he entered the sanctuary of God, when he had a heavenly perspective his envy disappeared. Why? He says it was then that he understood their final destiny. This is a clear reference to the final and eternal judgment. There are many roads to hell for the wicked. Some of the wicked experience hell on earth and hell in eternity, while others may live prosperous peaceful lives here on Earth but still arrive at the same destination. It is the final destination that makes the difference no matter how one may have gotten there. Their final destination shows us that life is fair when all is said and done. As Jesus said "what good will it be for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul" Matthew 16:26. Eternity is what matters!

Are We Looking at the World through Their Eyes or God's?

Fireproof

2008-09-30T10:02:00.001-04:00

"If God Is Good, Why Is Life So Unfair?" (Part 1)

2008-09-29T09:19:00.003-04:00

On April 20th of this year Missionary Veronica ``Roni’’ Bowers, 35, and her 7-month-old daughter, Charity, seated in her lap, were killed by a single bullet when the jet fired on the Cessna plane they were riding in. The Peruvian Air-force had shot at the plane because it mistakenly thought that it was carrying drugs and drug dealers. Bowers’ husband, Jim, 38, and their 6-year-old son, Cory, survived the attack without serious injury. The pilot, missionary Kevin Donaldson, 42, was seriously injured by gunfire to his legs, but was able to crash-land the plane on the Amazon. The Bower’s family had been faithful missionaries to the area for over a dozen years. It is hard to understand why things like this happen especially when you consider that in all likelihood many drug dealers and criminals flew that night without a problem. It makes you wonder: "If God Is Good, Why Is Life So Unfair?"

These two situations and many others like them in our lives can lead to confusion, anger and doubt about God’s Goodness. We can begin to doubt the value of living faithfully for God. We start to ask "Is Life Fair?" When we ask that question were not really asking a philosophical question about the nature of life, but a theological one concerning the nature of God. We are in essence questioning God’s goodness and fairness. We realize that the Bible teaches that God exist, that He is in control, and that He is good. If God is in control and He is good why then is it our experience that life is not fair. It seems that often good things happen to bad people, while bad things happen to good people. "If God Is Good, Why Is Life So Unfair?"

Today we are going to look at Psalm 73 which was written by a Levite named Asaph. Asaph was a spiritual leader in his day, but he was a spiritual leader with doubts and concerns. In this Psalm Asaph tells us that he had the same dilemma and the same questions about the goodness of God, the fairness of life, and the value of serving God that we often face. My hope is that we can gain some valuable insight from his experience so that our faith in God’s goodness and fairness remain strong. In this Psalm we will see some of the typical reasons that people question God’s goodness/fairness, but we will also see the understanding that Asaph gained that led him to declare with confidence that "Surely God is good…"

Asaph states that "Surely God is good to Israel (His people), to those who are pure in heart (righteous, godly)." This hardly sounds like a man who had questions and doubts, but we must keep in mind that this is a final conclusion that Asaph reached after a period of intense wavering in his faith in God’s goodness.

The Psalmist often used this literary device of putting their final conclusions at the beginning of a Psalm. In fact in verse 2 Asaph makes it very clear that he had not always had such a confidence. He like us had his moments of doubt about God’s fairness. In some ways this is reassuring to us when we consider that even the people that God used to write the Bible, who led the worship and who wrote many worship Psalms had times of questioning and confusion.In verse 2 Asaph notes that he had "almost slipped", and that he had "nearly lost his foothold." Speaking figuratively he is saying that had come very, very close to losing His faith in God. He had nearly lost his confidence in God’s goodness and therefore he had come close to completely falling away from God and into rebellion. Questions concerning God’s goodness are not merely academic because they affect our entire relationship with God. When we start to doubt we are walking on a slippery slope. We are but one misstep from slipping away from a right relationship with God.

Two pressing questions are "What had led Asaph to the slippery slope of doubt? " and "What restored his sure confidence in God’s fairness/goodness?" The answer is perspective! Asaph’s understanding changed as his perspective changed

A Human Perspective On Life Will Lead To Questioning God’s Goodness Because We will See The Prosperity of The Wicked

We are often troubled by the seeming unfairness of life because we don’t understand why God would allow the rebellious to do so well in life. This greatly troubled Asaph especially when he considers that the wicked have something good that he does not. He envies them because he, a righteous man, has not experienced the prosperity that the sinful have. They are prosperous while he struggles. This could certainly make one wonder if life is fair and if God is good. Why is it that the single mom who is a Christian has to work two jobs just to pay the rent on a one room efficiency while people like Hugh Heffner live in a mansion with servants? If God Is Good Why Is Life So Unfair? People often question God’s goodness when they se the prosperity of the wicked. This included not only their financial prosperity but their physical prosperity as well. As we see in verse 4 it is often the sinners who experience the best of health, while the saints suffer prolonged infirmities and illnesses. This doesn’t seem fair, yet it is sometimes true. I’ve seen times where the wicked will enjoy a long life and then die peacefully in their sleep while sometimes the faithful Christian dies young and after a great deal of pain and suffering. This is difficult to reconcile with a Good and Sovereign God. In fact it is impossible to reconcile when we view the wicked’s prosperity from a human perspective.

Keep in mind that the human perspective is only part of the picture. We see the full faith restoring picture only when we look at life from a heavenly perspective which Asaph does later...

Does God sometimes seem unfair?

A Critical Spirit

2008-09-25T12:59:00.002-04:00

It happened just a few years ago. The banks in New Jersey had been robbed systematically, one after the other. What made the robber stand out was his politeness. He just gave the tellers a note which said, "Please place your money in this bag. Thank you." The newspapers called him the GENTLEMAN BANDIT. The widespread publicity led to a very unlikely arrest - the suspect was a Catholic priest. His church was appalled but stood beside him, saying they knew he could not be the bandit. They signed petitions, held protest marches and came up with his bail. But the police were certain they had their man. All of the eyewitnesses positively identified him. And the news media dug into his past, to find that in a previous church he had left under a cloud because of financial irregularities in the parish. For a priest he had a pretty expensive lifestyle - his own apartment and a fast car. His church was probably standing up for him because otherwise they looked like dupes. As I watched the story unfold on the news, I was positive this priest had pulled a fast one. He probably had a sociopath personality so he could rob banks and preach the next Sunday without feeling any guilt. No one outside his congregation was standing up for this guy. But then a funny thing happened. The REAL Gentleman Bandit was caught red-handed. As it turned out, he was the spitting image of the priest. It’s just that he WASN’T the priest. The priest was released, his church threw him a big party, and the news media and I felt a little sheepish

This story reminds us of how careful and merciful we all need to be in our judgments. We may be wrong! Even when we are right we can still be wrong in our response. We as a society tend to judge, analyze, and evaluate various things. For instance we can give a movie two thumbs up or two thumbs down. We can evaluate a person’s attractiveness on a scale of one to ten . I of course am a Ten! The concern I have is when we begin to make judgments about people. Are we doing so with a critical spirit or a merciful spirit? What Exactly is a Critical Spirit? A "critical spirit," is an obsessive attitude of criticism and fault-finding, which seeks to tear others down — not the same thing as what is sometimes called "constructive criticism." The only criticism that is ever constructive is that which is expressed in love to "build up," not to tear down — it is always expressed face-to-face, never behind their back. The person with a critical spirit usually dwells on the negative, seeks for flaws rather than good.

This is an attitude we all need to be alert too. Several years ago, as I was reading the Bible one night, the phrase or warning of Jesus to "watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees" really stood out to me. I sensed that the Holy Spirit was trying to show me something about my own life. After several days of prayer and thinking, I began to understand that I had become in many ways like a Pharisee. As I took an honest look and evaluation of my own life I began to see how critical my heart and sometimes my words had become of other people. It seemed that I could find something wrong with every other church and every other pastor or ministry. I would often be critical or harsh toward believers and unbelievers. Subtly and slowly a critical spirit had entered into my heart and my life and God was greatly displeased.Many times the criticism I felt or spoke was based on facts and was accurate. I was right and yet I had never been so wrong in all my life. You can be right and the wrong at the same time if your attitude is not one of mercy, understanding, and love but is rather one of fault finding and finger-pointing. Truth is not the highest virtue, Love is!It is critical that we deal with the critical spirit because it is destructive and harmful to our walk, witness, and our world. It is harmful to our spiritual walk because there is nothing that causes as many problems in our relationship with God as an unforgiving, unloving , and critical attitude toward another person.

A critical spirit is harmful to our witness because the world is watching us and listening to us and they will not believe that we serve of God of mercy and kindness unless we exhibit those traits ourselves. It is harmful to our world and by that I mean our own personal world-that is our families, are churches, and our workplaces. Certainly very few things do as much damage and cause as much dissension within marriages, churches and workplaces as a critical tongue and attitude.

We all need to be careful that an unmerciful, fault finding critical spirit does not reside in us. Our goal at Calvary Chapel is to build up a people who are like Jesus. This means we are to be a people and a church who exude mercy, kindness, and forgiveness to other people especially when they fail. I want us to be the type of church and the type of people to whom people run to and not from when they falter. When people’s weaknesses come to light I want them to know that they can come here and be received with love. I want us to be a church that will not condemn the weaknesses or the failures of others, a church and people who will not shun sinners or point the finger accusingly but neither will we ignore or excuse sin. Rather we will be an understanding, compassionate and merciful people who lend a helping and hopeful hand

Are you Being Critical?

Why Christians Should Obey the Government...(Part 1)

2008-09-17T09:17:00.002-04:00

Today I will be sharing with you some reasons for the Christian to obey the government. Every person has to deal with the government in one way or the other. We each must decide what attitude and response we will have towards government in general, weather local, state, or national, and towards the government’s leaders and government rules (taxes, jury duty, traffic laws, building codes, business laws, criminal and civil laws, etc.) Sometimes we’re inclined to be disrespectful to certain government leaders because we believe that they’re not worthy of respect or because we do not accept the legitimacy of their authority.

Sometimes we’re inclined to disobey or ignore certain laws and rules of government because they seem ludicrous or unfair to us or simply because these particular rules would be very difficult for us to keep. Some people go even further than disobeying or ignoring the government’s laws and actually fight against the government through various means, including terrorism. As Christians though, we’re not free to deal with the government, or its laws and leaders, as we choose. We have a God-given mandate to respond to the governing authorities in a specific way. We are to "submit to the governing authorities." The word "submit" means to recognize the authority of the government and to yield to that authority. In practice it means to obey the person or institution we’re submitting to. It is important understand that one cannot truthfully claim to be adhering to this biblical injunction of submission if they are at the same time actively disobeying the laws or leaders of the land.

Obey the government because it is the right thing to do.

Paul tells us who should obey the governing authority, and why this is the right thing for the Christian to do. First he says that "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities." Everyone means everyone! There is no one who has an exemption from this command.

Some religious people of Paul’s day felt that they were the exception. They felt that, since they were God’s people, they didn’t have to listen to the government. They were saying that they did not have to obey the government because they recognized no authority except God’s. Some so-called "Christian militias" still propose such ideas, but the Bible is clear, everyone is commanded by God to obey the governing authorities. Paul then goes on to explain why it is the right thing to do for Christians to obey the government. He says, "There is no authority except that which God has established."

The attitude of many people both past and present is that some governments and government leaders are evil or illegitimate, so they do not have to be obeyed, and that some laws do not apply because either the laws are stupid and selectively enforced or because the laws were established by atheistic, unbelieving, or evil government’s. The Bible will allow no such excuses or reasoning. According to God’s own word, there is no government that was not established by him. This includes democracies, monarchies, Communist governments, and dictatorships. This means we are to obey the governing authorities whether they are Democratic or Republican, moral or immoral, Christian, Buddhist or Atheists, homosexual or heterosexual, etc... Obeying the government is the right thing to do because these authorities are established by God.

Does this mean that everything various governments do is approved by God? No! Many times the government, which is composed a sinful men, will do the wrong thing. Does this principle mean that we’re to obey the governing authorities if they tell us to do something that God in his word tell us not to do? No, we’re to obey authority, but the highest authority is God. His commands supersede the governments in the same way that national law supersedes state law. In Acts 5:29 Peter refused to obey the Sanhedrin’s command to stop speaking about Jesus. He said "We must obey God rather than men." There are a few other examples of when believers rightfully disobeyed the government, such as when the Israelite midwives refused to kill the male children, or when Daniel refused to pray to King Darius and was thrown in the lions’ den. Having noted that we can sometimes be right in disobeying the government, we should be careful not to use this as an excuse to disobey government leaders and laws that do not directly conflict with the clear word of God. 99% of the time, obeying the government’s laws will not require us to disobey God! This means we should obey the government in matters such as taxes, business and building codes, traffic and criminal laws, gun control, prohibition against publicly led prayer in public schools, etc...

Do you always obey?

Fear...

2008-09-16T09:43:00.002-04:00

A woman in Arkansas was sitting in her car in a parking lot last year when she heard a loud bang and then felt a sharp pain in the back of her head. She was holding her hands behind her head when someone walked by and asked, "Are you OK?" The woman answered, "I’ve been shot in the head, and I’m holding my brains in." Well, it wasn’t her brains. It was dough. A Pillsbury biscuit canister had exploded in the back seat, apparently from the heat, making a loud explosion and shooting the dough into the back of the woman’s head.Sometimes our fears are like that ladies. They are unfounded and irrational but more often our fears are based on rational and well-founded reasons.

Today we will lok at Psalm 27 which deals with the subject of fear and how a focus on God can give as victory over all of our fears weather rational or irrational.

Life can be risky and it is therefore filled with opportunities or reasons to fear or have anxiety. When I use the word fear tonight I mean all levels of fear from general apprehension and worry to dread and terror. Fear starts out when we are very young with fears of things like darkness, monsters, etc. and it continues into our teenage years with fears of things like rejection, humiliation and failure. Adulthood is also filled with possible fears such as fear of disease, death, financial problems, broken relationships, loved ones being hurt, storms, failure, aging, crime, etc. I personally know what it is like to be filled with anxiety.

I began a few years year ago to have some strange symptoms which according to the medical literature and the doctors I was seeing was most likely that was either multiple sclerosis or Lou Gehrig’s disease. Neither one of these options is a very good one and Satan certainly tried to instill fear into my life at this time. I became very apprehensive and concerned about things such as my family, the church, even the opinions of others and how they would view this disease. My anxiety made it difficult to sleep at night, to think straight during the day, and to worship. It was only when I took my mind off of the problems and future I faced and put my focus on the Lord who is my God that my fears disappeared.

We are anxiety-laden society as the sales of many books on dealing anxiety and the sales of calming drugs indicate. Fear is very unpleasant and it is very harmful physically, mentally, and even spiritually for as the Bible tells us in Matthew 13:22, fear or anxiety chokes out the word of God. Fear can be very displeasing and dishonoring God if we do not respond to it with faith in him. As the Bible says we will have anxieties but we are to "cast all of our anxieties on him." We all want solutions to the fear problem. We all want answers to anxiety. We are looking for something to relieve us from our fears, something to reassure us. We’re looking for some source of security that will instill a perfect confidence and peace within our hearts

Some people look for that security in their bank account. Some seek that reassurance in a relationship. Others placed their trust in the government, latest drug, etc. None of these are real solutions because none of them offer total security or absolute reassurance. No amount of money, success, or any position in life can truly give you peace in every situation. So the question becomes, "How can we have victory over fear?" That answer to this important question is given in Psalm 27 which says in effect "Focus on God and your fears will disappear!"

This is the consistent message of the Bible regarding fear. For example when Peter Walked on the water Peter’s fear got the victory only when he lost his focus on Jesus. In Isaiah 26: 3 God has said "I will keep in perfect peace all who trust in me, who thoughts are fixed on me!" We also see the same idea and Philippians 4: 6-7 which says "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. Then the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."There will be times when anxiety and fear will come into our lives it is then that we have a choice to make - we can choose to focus on the problem and be overcome with fear or we can choose to focus on God and are fear will disappea

Pastor Brian Broderson - What We Need

2008-09-03T16:41:00.000-04:00

Building Better Relationships (Part 1)

2008-09-02T09:28:00.003-04:00

There are many stories about people who get into fights and conflicts about crazy things and the terrible results.

In Orlando, a 48-year-old man was shot to death by his wife after a fight over the satellite TV controls.

In California, a man was stabbed to death by his girlfriend because he brought home a McDonalds ham, egg, and cheese bagel instead of the two Egg Mcmuffins that she’d asked for. (Husbands, let that be a lesson to all of you -- get it right!)

In Dallas, a 37-year-old man was beaten to death by his roommate after a fight over the thermostat setting in their house.

In Maryland, a 15-year-old boy has been charged with in the shooting death of a man who was playing reggae music on his car stereo. Apparently, the boy really hates reggae music.

Although these are extreme cases and responses, it can be difficult maintaining positive relationships with others. As Christians we will have times of conflict; sometimes with a neighbor who seems unbearable, sometimes with an employer, customer, or government official who seems overly demanding or unfair, sometimes with a relative, fellow Christian or even another church. The answer to handling these type problems is not revenge, hostility or avoidance of the problem, which is not a real possibility anyways. What does the Bible (our perfect instruction book) tell us about relationships?

The Bible tells us that we are to "Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody." (Romans 12:18) So our need and goal should be to know how to build better relationships.

Be Proactive In Avoiding Future Conflicts

Most people are reactive that is they wait for conflict to manifest itself and intensify before they do anything to try and resolve it. This is better than ignoring the problem or resorting to worldly solutions (hostility, revenge, etc.) but in many cases we can avoid conflict altogether by being proactive. We need to use godly wisdom to see potential conflicts and respond accordingly.

This is true when dealing with neighbors, employers, or anyone else. It is much easier to avoid problems than it is to solve them later. In the same way that it is easier to use sunscreen now that it is to treat skin cancer later.

Deal Honestly With Others

It is amazing how many conflicts are caused or magnified by simple dishonesty. This is a common theme in Genesis, especially in the story of how Jacob’s dishonesty led to conflict Esau and how Laban’s dishonesty led to conflict with Jacob. In Ephesians 4:25 we are told to “put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor...” The context of this Scripture passage deals with unity so it again is showing us how dishonesty spoils positive relationships.

In practice this means being honest but kind about our feelings, situations, likes and dislikes, etc

Are you building Positive Relationships?

Some Pictures from Peru

2008-08-28T09:45:00.003-04:00

Good-O-Meter

2008-08-27T10:30:00.002-04:00

For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God...this video really helps paint a picture of how much we need Jesus...

Ready Or Not - Here I Come (Part 2)

2008-08-26T09:26:00.004-04:00

As a soldier in the Army we were told to always be ready for surprise barracks inspections by the commander. We usually were but one time the commander decided to inspect at 2:00 AM in the morning after we had just completed maneuvers and shifts of fourteen hours a day for two weeks. We were unprepared and it seemed unfair for the commander to inspect at such an inconvenient and unexpected time so some soldiers complained but the commander just said, "You are to always be ready."

This is the same thing that Jesus is communicating to us; always be ready. Jesus may come when it is inconvenient. He may come when there are other things in your life that could consume your attention. He may come when you’re busy with relationship issues, business issues, or money issues. All these things must be taken care of but they must never cause take priority over our spiritual lives and service. We must all be careful to make sure that nothing in this life distract us from being prepared for Jesus return. He expects to find you ready whenever he comes even if it is in "the second or third watch of the night."

Jesus uses another analogy to emphasize one of the reasons we need to always be prepared; He will come suddenly- "like a thief." Thieves do not make announcements about when they will arrive. They do not RSVP. The only way to be prepared is to always be prepared because you can never know when they will show up.

As a former police officer I cannot tell you how many times I’ve responded to a home burglary only to find that the doors were left unlocked or that the alarm had been turned off in the house. When I would ask why the owners of the house did not lock their doors or turn on the alarm they would say things like, "I did not expect a thief to rob my house in the middle of the day!" Or "I thought it would be too cold out for a thief to be prowling around." Thieves come in the day and they come at night. They come in the cold, rain and the heat. Thieves do not come when you expect them to, so always be prepared.

Of course Jesus is no thief but he will come like one. He coming will be unannounced and suddenly he tells us "you must also be ready because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him." Do not wait until later to get ready. This is one time when bad timing can really hurt you!

Jesus seems to especially emphasize the accountability of those in a leadership position. They are referred to as "managers" whose responsibility it is to give the other servants their "food allowance." This may be a reference to leaders faithfully feeding God’s flock with the word of God. If leaders do that faithfully and diligently they will be rewarded

Some people do not see ministry as an opportunity to serve others but rather as an opportunity to "fleece the flock" rather than feed it. They are described as foolish because they do not really expect Jesus to come at any moment and therefore they use their position abusively. They use their leadership position to pad their own bank account and look at others as people to be used and deceived rather than served. Certainly we have our share of such people in leadership positions today. Jesus will come on the day they do not expect and despite their Christian leadership position he will punish them severely. The Bible tells us he will "cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers." This is certainly a reference to being sent to hell, as the parallel passage in the Gospel of Matthew makes clear. The person being referred to here may not have been a true believer at any point in their life; certainly their character is not consistent with the true children of God.

Jesus is giving us a principle that is applicable to all Christians. We will all be held accountable for being ready by being faithful. Those who know the most about the Father’s will, i.e. Christian leaders, but do not do it will be punished more severely than those who are not in the same position or have the same understanding. As it says in James 3:1 "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers come because you know that we who teach we’ll be judged more strictly."

I expect more from my 16 year old than from my nine year old though they both will be punished or disciplined for doing wrong or failing to do right. The sixteen year old will receive a greater punishment based on her knowledge.

As children most of us played the game of “hide and seek” In this game we would say, "Ready or not here I come!” I believe that Jesus is announcing to us today , "Ready or not here he comes! "But this is not a game; it is a serious call for us to be ready and prepared for his return.

Are you ready?

See You Tonight @ 7

2008-08-25T13:45:00.001-04:00

Ready Or Not - Here I Come (Part 1)

2008-08-21T09:03:00.003-04:00

It is a common and wise practice in our society to prepare diligently for the most important or significant events in our lives. For example, we prepare for our wedding day with careful planning and rehearsals. We also prepare for retirement (if we are wise) with careful investments and savings. We prepare for natural disasters with the appropriate responses. These preparations are all prudent and good but it is rather ironic that we can be so careful about being prepared for these important events and not be ready or prepared for the most significant and life impacting event in history. I am, of course, referring to the return of Jesus Christ.

An event that is sometimes referred to in many ways: The Second Coming, The Rapture, The Second Advent, or the Parousia (which means arrival or presence.) Technically these terms do not all apply to the same exact event but I wanted you to be aware of them because people often use all of them to refer to Jesus coming in one fashion or another.

There are 260 chapters in the New Testament, and Christ’s return is mentioned no less than 318 times in those chapters. Statistically, one verse in twenty-five mentions the Lord’s return.

In fact the very last recorded word of Jesus are “I am coming soon!” (Revelation 22:20) It’s clear that Jesus return is a major topic in the Bible and as such should be a major concern for Christians.

This passage refers to the return of Jesus and the need to be prepared for that event. Now some of you are very familiar with what the Bible teaches about the return of Jesus but others may know little or nothing at all so I want to take a couple of minutes and share a little of what the Bible says about the return of Jesus.

It should be noted that all true Christians agree that Jesus will physically return and rein in power, but Christians do differ as to the timing and sequence of events regarding his return. At New life in Christ we hold to and teach the pretribulational and premillennial viewpoints. Do not be too concerned if these terms are unfamiliar to you. They simply mean that we believe the Bible teaches the following sequence of events concerning the Lord’s return. First we believe that the church, that is all true Christians, will be raptured (caught up) to meet the Lord Jesus in the air. Read 1Thessalonians 4: 16,17.

Now all orthodox Christians believe that this will take place but they differ about when it will take place. We believe that it will take place before the tribulation - hence we are pretribulational. The term tribulation usually refers to the last seven years of time, as we know it, when God will pour out judgment upon the whole Earth for their sins. These seven years are described in the Book of Revelation as a time of trouble and tragedy like has never been seen before. During this time a world leader will arise who is known in the Bible as the Antichrist. He will lead many astray so much so that people actually worship him.

At the end of the seven years and tribulations Jesus will return with his church. This is sort of like a stage two of the second coming. The first stage being the rapture of Christians. Jesus will destroy the Antichrist and set up his kingdom on earth to rule for 1000 years. This epoch of time is referred to as a millennium. Now we teach a premillennial viewpoint which means that we believe that Jesus literally comes back before (pre) the 1000 year reign. Some people believe that Jesus does not come back before the thousand year reign and some people believe that the millennium teaching is only figurative.

Any teaching on end time events is known as eschatology. You have just received a very short course in eschatology. I it was more helpful than confusing. I wanted you who may be unfamiliar with the Bible teachings on this subject to have some understanding before we dealt with today’s topic which deals with being prepared for the return of Jesus.

We Need To Always Be Prepared For Jesus Return Because It Will Be Sudden And Significant.

In other words, this is a life impacting, significant event that will happen so suddenly you will not be able to prepare later so you need to get ready now.

Most men laugh at the Ameritrade commercial on television where the lazy husband is reclining on the couch and his wife tells him to do one thing that day - establish an online investment account. He says, "Sure." Then he watches television and goes to sleep. He hears her car pull into the driveway and jumps up and runs to his computer. With a couple of clicks he’s signed up. He rushes back to the couch just as she enters. Her first question is, "Did you set up the account?" His indignant reply is "Of course!" Now maybe you can wait for the last possible second to establish an online account, but you cannot act that way with God.

You cannot wait for the last second and suddenly get your life in order. You will not here Jesus pull into the driveway. His return will be unexpected and sudden. Some people are like this man with their spiritual lives and service for Jesus Christ. They put off getting their lives in order and think that they can get ready or do their part right at the very end.

Jesus says that the proper and prepared servant will be so ready that that the moment the master knocks they can "immediately open the door for him." There was no last minute, mad scramble to get things ready.

In practical application to our lives this means that everything in our lives is always ready for Jesus. There is no sin that we have not repentant of. There is no active service our ministry that we always intended to do but never did. There is no apology we never made and no prayer we never said.

Jesus tells us that we can be prepared if we have the attitude "those servants whose master found them watching." Watching does not mean a literal looking up to the sky but rather it refers to an attitude of constant expectancy. The attitude that says that Jesus may come today so I am not going to leave anything undone and I am not going to have anything in my life that I would regret or be ashamed of if Jesus came today.

Are you prepared for Jesus return? Is everything in your life what it should be? We’ll Jesus be able to say to you "well done my good and faithful servant?"

Pastor Chuck Smith on NBC

2008-08-20T11:44:00.001-04:00

Pastor Chuck talking to NBC about gay marrige and the Christian perspective on it...

Such a Beautiful Day...

2008-08-19T09:14:00.003-04:00

And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, "Peace! Be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, "Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?" And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, "Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"
(Mark 4:39-41)

Defining Discipleship (Part 2)

2008-08-18T09:59:00.003-04:00

There is a commercial that has run on TV recently that has a man sitting in the chair at a tattoo parlor expressing his love to Donna by getting her name tattooed on his arm. Halfway through the procedure he asks how much it will cost - $50.00. He pulls out his cash, and says, “Oh, I only have $41” Cut to the couple on the sidewalk, Donna storming off, with the guy yelling after her, "I’ll get it fixed." Zoom into the tattoo which reads, "I love Don!”

That commercial shows the foolishness of considering the cost of something so irrevocable halfway through. One should consider and make sure one is willing to pay the cost prior to making the commitment. Jesus wants us ask ourselves, "Am I in this for the long haul?" Jesus is asking us, "Are you willing to follow me no matter what happens or what you’re required to give up?" There is only one way to truly follow Jesus!I. To be a disciple of Jesus you must be committed to him above everything else Unlike many people today, including many preachers who are only interested in large crowds, Jesus wasn’t interested in numbers. Large crowds didn’t impress him but what he wanted was totally committed people. Jesus doesn’t want crowds, he wants commitment! The condition of much of the church today indicates that we have many who are just part of the crowd and not true disciples. There are many who have not listened to Jesus and considered the cost.

That total commitment is lacking even though a profession of faith is present. This is why recent polls show little difference between the way the world lives and professed Christians live.For example, recent polls show that those who call themselves Christians are just as likely as non-Christians to have been divorced, bought a lottery ticket, watch MTV or have subscribed to cable television like HBO. Professed Christians are also just as likely to watch PG-13, R, and even X rated movies as non-Christians. Another example that demonstrates a lack of true commitment happened in Washington DC on Palm Sunday this year. The city had scheduled a marathon on Palm Sunday, which greatly interfered with normal traffic. The leaders of various churches were upset and made their feelings known in local papers. Many churches reported attendance down 50-70 % on that day. Why, was it not possible to get to church on that day? No, but the race did delay traffic about 15-30 minutes and many regular church attendees were by their own admission unwilling to take the extra time and fight the traffic to get to church. Such an attitude doesn’t seem fitting for true disciples who are supposed to be willing to give their lives to follow Jesus.

These kinds of things, moral compromise and half-hearted commitment, would not be happening if people really understood what was required of disciples and they had considered the cost as Jesus instructed.

Jesus makes clear the cost of following him. He says the disciple must be willing "to give up everything." Everything is a fairly inclusive word! Everything means everything! Everything means your cushy job, favorite hobby, most prized possessions, free time, money, goals and dreams, and more. Now we may not literally "give up everything" but Jesus is referring to an attitude of the heart in which these things don’t have priority over obeying Jesus in our lives. The Greek word translated as "give up" can also be translated as "say goodbye or renounce." In other words, Jesus says that we must be willing to renounce or forsake anything when it interferes with following him faithfully and completely.

Leadership magazine once ran a cartoon that showed a church building with a billboard in front that said: “The LITE CHURCH: 24% fewer commitments, home of the 7.5% tithe, 15 minute sermons, 45 minute worship service; we have only 8 commandments—your choice. We use just 3 spiritual laws and have an 800 year millennium. Everything you’ve wanted in a church … and less!”

This cartoon may present what people are looking for in a church but to follow Jesus one must be totally committed. I want you to understand what a Christian is as Jesus defined it. The question we need ask ourselves is not "Am I able to follow Jesus completely?" But rather "Am I willing to follow Jesus completely?" We are all human and sometimes we will fail in our commitment but the thing Jesus is confronting here is not our ability but our willingness to follow him with our whole hearts. For those of you who are not Christians you need to understand what following Jesus really means before you make that commitment. For the majority of you in here who are already Christians let this lesson be a reminder of what being a Christian and a disciple truly entails.

Pictures From Youth Group- Back to School Party

2008-08-13T10:07:00.006-04:00

Tuesday- From Peru

2008-08-12T12:29:00.001-04:00

We had an incredible day yesterday. At first it looked like all doors were being closed to us. The school wouldn't let us in and no one came to the park because of the weather & a public function. But - God had an even greater plan than ours.
We decided to do one on one evangelism in the town. Groups of people were outside so we shared - about 12 were saved.
Then we went again to the school. This time the highest official was there & we received permission to come 2 times for Tuesday. This same official had said no to the previous team.
God then used some unusual circumstances to bring the whole town out & we distributed 1000 tracts & shared the gospel with 100's.
One of the most exciting things that happened is that a door was opened for us to perform the drama & presentations to the military squadron who are here keeping the peace. We will do this on Wed. @ 3:00pm (4:00pm est). Please pray!
We see God's hand on all we do & are confident that what He has planned will occur.

The Team

Defining Discipleship (Part 1)

2008-08-12T09:29:00.004-04:00

The following are actual responses from comment cards given to the staff members at Bridger Wilderness Area in 1996:

Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill. Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the areas of these pests. Please pave the trails…Chair lifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them. The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake. Please eradicate these annoying animals. A small deer came into my camp and stole my jar of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed? Please call… Escalators would help on steep uphill sections. A MacDonald’s would be nice at the trailhead. Too many rocks in the mountains.

Citation: Mike Neifert, Light and Life (February 1997), p. 27

These comments and complaints indicate that the people who made them do not really understand what it means to stay in a "wilderness area." They were looking for something convenient and comfortable, but not truly a wilderness experience. In a similar way, many people today do not understand what it means to be a genuine Christian. There are multitudes that often follow Jesus or claim to be a Christian but they do so on their terms and not his. They do not truly comprehend the biblical definition of discipleship.

Because of this ignorance there are many who consider themselves to be followers of Jesus who are not, even though in many ways they do look like followers of Jesus. They go to church, have a profession of faith, read their Bibles, pray, even give in the offering, but they are not the real deal or at least are not living and thinking like the real deal. Jesus confronts this problem in our text today. He makes very, very clear what it means to be a Christian, and therefore there is no reason for anybody to be ignorant or self deceived.

A disciple is a true follower of Jesus Christ. In other words, what we would call a "Christian." If you are a Christian, you are a disciple; if you are not a disciple as Jesus defines it then you are not a Christian. These two terms (Disciple and Christian) mean the same thing in the same way that I mean that the same thing when I speak of my "spouse" or my "wife."

In fact the term "disciples" occurs 269 times in the New Testament, while the term "Christian" only occurs three times. In the Book of Acts we’re told that "The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch (Acts 11:26)." This makes clear that the terms are interchangeable. I wanted this to be clear because I believe it greatly clarifies the seriousness of what Jesus was saying. For instance, Jesus words in verse 27, "Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple" could also be phrased as "Anybody who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be a Christian." That phrasing somehow gets our attention more and clarifies the seriousness of the issue or subject Jesus is teaching about.

To be a disciple of Jesus you must be committed to him above everything else

In our hearts Jesus must come before our loved ones, self-interest, possessions, careers, hobbies, goals in life, and even our very lives. In practice this commitment to Jesus will be tested and sometimes, in a moment of weakness, Jesus will not come first in our choices, but genuine disciples have made a sincere commitment in their hearts and will not continue to put other things before Jesus.

Jesus says that this commitment level applies to "anyone who comes to me. . ." In other words, Jesus is not speaking exclusively to a special group of Christians such as apostles, evangelists, missionaries, pastors, or even mature believers. He is saying that this principle applies to everyone who would be one of his followers.

Jesus goes on to say, "Anyone who comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters,-yes, even his own life cannot be my disciple." Now the word "hate" here is not meant to be taken literally but is rather used figuratively to express a point. It is hyperbole or exaggeration similar to what we use when we say, "That man was as big as a house. . ." In Jewish culture the word "hate" was used to express lesser love, so Jesus is saying that we must love him much more that we love our closest family relationships or even our own lives. We must love him more than our hobbies, more than our goals in life, more than our careers, and more that our self interest.

Jesus is not speaking of our emotional feelings toward him or our families but rather he is speaking of our level of commitment. He is saying that our commitment to obey and following him must be greater than any other commitment in our lives. In other words, Jesus must be first in our priorities and loyalties. Is this true in your life?

For instance, if following Jesus obediently results in problems or interferes with your closest relationships, will you still follow him? This is no mere hypothetical situation. In other countries following Jesus can sometimes mean being kicked out of the family, losing your children, etc. In our own country, many relationships have encountered problems because one spouse was a committed Christian and the other was not. In such cases Jesus wants us to know up front what it means to be a disciple. He must come before even your closest relationships.

Now some of you may think that this requirement of total commitment to be a follower of Jesus is contradictory to scriptural truth that salvation is a free gift of God. An illustration may help to clarify this issue

Suppose I had a desire to climb Mount Everest. (I don’t have such a desire and I think that those who do are lacking in common sense.) But suppose that I did desire to climb Everest. But it costs about $70,000 to do it and I don’t have that kind of money. Suppose a wealthy businessman heard of my desire and offered to pay for the entire expedition. He would buy all the expensive clothing and gear; he would pay for my transportation, the guides, and the training. It’s totally free for me. But if I accept his free offer, I have just committed myself to months of difficult training and arduous effort. It could even cost me my very life, because many good climbers die trying to climb Mount Everest. It is free and yet very costly.

Are you a Disciple?

Monday- From Peru

2008-08-11T15:26:00.005-04:00

We had a great experience on Sunday as we worshiped with & ministered to the churchof San Andrez PiscoThe community is still a disaster area with many destroyed buildings & piles ofdebris. The church has orphans & widows. They are a tired & discouraged people.

Ourhostel is across the street from the beach. It has been fun watching the fishermango out in their boats. Today we are going to a school in the morning and then to a park in the afternoon.We have had several challenges. We found out the bus lines were partially closeddown. At first it looked like our path was temp. Blocked; but God opened the door &we arrived in Pisco as planned.

Then while on the bus, Chris' backpack was stolen which contained his passport. Heand an interpreter took the bus back to Lima @ 3:00am today. 10:00am this morning hewas able to get his passport replaced and will be with us again this afternoon.(Praise the Lord!)

Please pray for the church and pastor Marco as the community is opposing them. Praythat our visit is an encouragement. Pray for the continued health of the team.

Thank you-God is good.

The Team

Update from Peru

2008-08-09T22:31:00.004-04:00

Flight out of Miami was delayed slightly, but we arrived in Lima safe and sound. Spent some time at the Bible college and even had some time to go to the Pacific Ocean. Now we are on a four hour bus ride to Pisco Everybody is happy and doing well...!

When God Seems Unfair Remember This...(Part 2)

2008-08-07T09:03:00.004-04:00

God is not arbitrary in his decisions or actions

“What if God, although willing to demonstrate his wrath and make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?” God was willing to punish those who rejected him but decided instead to be patient. This means that God was patient with the people of Israel even though they only deserved destruction. This is important because it shows us that God’s actions and decisions are not capricious or arbitrary but are rather governed by mercy and grace.

God always acts with a good purpose even if it is unknown to us. God had been very patient with Israel in the past and has now removed them from their prestigious spiritual position and he has done both of these things with a good reason.

These vessels, which represent either the nation of Israel as a whole or individual people - it is not clear which, were “prepared for destruction.” The word “prepared” makes it sound like God simply chooses and arbitrarily prepares some people for eternal destruction. This is not the case. The Greek word for “prepared” can also be translated as “suitable” or “fitting” and the word is in the passive rather than the active voice, which indicates that it is something they did to themselves rather than God did to them. Here’s the point, God has been very patient with those who were only suitable for destruction because of their own choices and actions. God’s choices were based on their choices.

God is not unfair! God is not capricious! God is not arbitrary in his decisions! In fact God has been very merciful and patient to those who do not deserve mercy. Every decision he has made has been governed by his mercy and grace. Why has God been so patient in withholding judgment? One reason is given in Romans 2:4 which says that God is patient in order to lead people to repentance. Romans 9:23 gives us a second reason why God has been so patient with rebellious Israel.

Paul says God did this to “make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy. . .” The “riches of his glory” refer to the greatness of his grace and mercy. In other words, we look at Israel with all of her rebellion and see that God must indeed be “rich in mercy.” The history of Israel that we have in the Old Testament glorifies God and encourages us because he has been so patient with those who been so rebellious. Some people misunderstand God’s patience as being unwillingness to judge or as lacking in goodness when actually just the opposite is true.

Contemporary Christian singer Chris Rice has a song that speaks to this issue. The song is entitled “Am I Naive?” Some of the lyrics to the song are:

I hear that a God who is good Would never let the evil run so long But I say it’s because you’re good You’re giving us more time Because I believe you love to show us mercy But when will you step into our sky blue And say that’s quite enough, and your time is up.

Chris Rice is saying the same thing as Paul was saying. God has not poured out judgment not because he is unwilling but because he is merciful, but the day will come when God will judge. In either case, whether God pours out judgment or shows patience and mercy, it is not an arbitrary decision. He does so for a good reason.

Christians are referred to as “objects of mercy” and indeed we are, but we are not “objects of mercy” because of God’s arbitrary choice. God chose us for a reason, albeit not a meritorious reason, but for a reason nonetheless. God did not show us mercy because we deserve it, worked for it, or were born of a certain nationality or ethnic group, but rather we are now objects of his mercy because of trusting in Christ and his righteousness.

Every one of us will encounter times when God seems unfair. We will all run into tricky theological questions and actions that seem to call God’s fairness into question.

Will you trust Him?

When God Seems Unfair Remember This...(Part 1)

2008-08-06T09:36:00.004-04:00

Romans 9:18-29

As a father of four children, I sometimes have to make decisions that affect their lives. Decisions such as: friendships, dating, bedtime, entertainment choices, allowances, etc... Very often these decisions seem unfair to one or more of the children. In rare cases they will grow angry and demand that I, the father, explain myself. In those situations, the first thing I do is make very clear that because I am the parent and they are the child, I do not have to explain or justify any of my decisions or actions to them. This does not mean that their criticism of me being unfair is valid. It does not mean that I do not have good reasons for the decisions and actions I take. It just means that I don’t have to answer to the demands of a child.

In Romans Paul explains how God chooses to show some people mercy, while at the same time hardening the hearts of others, in particular the people of Israel. Their reaction was similar to my children’s in the aforementioned illustration. They accused God of being unfair and demanded that he explain himself. In response to this, Paul writes these verses. In them we learn two things we all need to know when God works in ways that seem unfair to us.

God is not answerable about his decisions or actions.

The first thing we all need to understand is that God does not owe us an account of why he does what he does, whether in his dealings with Israel and the Gentiles or any other matter. God is not answerable to us about his decisions or actions, yet an accusation against God and the demand for explanation from God is exactly what some people were seeking.

“Why does God still blame us? For who resist his will?” In other words these people are saying, “God hardened our hearts to reject the Gospel and no one can resist his power so what right does he have to hold us accountable for rejecting the Gospel?” Clearly implied in these questions is an accusation that God is unjust and unfair and that he should explain himself.

Keep in mind that this question is not asked with a humble attitude, but with a “talking back to God” attitude as verse 20 states. God is not opposed to us seeking genuine answers to perplexing questions, provided we do so with humility, submissiveness, and an acknowledgement of his right to decline to answer. This is why many Old Testament prophets could sincerely ask God tough questions and not be rebuked while at the same time Job was rebuked by God for demanding an account from God. When we don’t understand God’s ways we need to remember that. . .

Paul asks an important and enlightening question, “Who are you, O man, to talk back to God?” In other words, what right have you to question God or demand explanations from him? You’re just a man and he is God. Could you imagine in the Army a soldier with the rank of private going to the commanding General and accusing him of being unfair for rescinding his unit’s pass privileges and then demanding that he explain himself. The General’s response would be “Who are you O private to talk back to a General?”

God is God and we are not, therefore we have no right to accuse God or question God. Remember your position and God’s position. He is the highest general and we are the lowest private. He is the Father and we are the children, or as Paul explains in verse 21, he is the Creator and we are the creation.
In verse 21 Paul uses the analogy of God as a potter and people as the clay to make the point that we are not in a position to question God. The analogy should not be taken too far since humans are not entirely like clay. We have the ability to make choices, to resist God’s will, and even to talk back to God unlike clay. In other words, we shouldn’t think that every aspect of our lives, including our eternal destiny, is determined by God alone. That would be taking the analogy way too far and beyond the scope of what Paul intended. One thing that will become clear in chapters 10 and 11 is that God’s choices concerning our lives are determined by our choices concerning God.

The imagery of the potter and the clay is also used in Jeremiah Chapter 18 in which God said he was like a potter preparing Israel, the clay, for judgment, but then he call Israel to repent so that he can mold them differently and do good to them. (Jeremiah 18:1-11) This passage and other Scripture verses make clear that God has given us limited free will. Our choices affect God’s choices by his own design.

Does this mean that God doesn’t have good reasons for his decisions and actions? No! Paul never said that, he only said that people had no right to demand that God defend or explain his actions. As a parent I may tell my children that they have no right to question me but that in no way indicates that I don’t have good reasons for doing what I do. Of course I have good reasons for the choices I make and so does God....

Is God in control of you?

How to Maintain Spiritual Purity (Part 2)

2008-08-05T09:08:00.003-04:00

Spiritual impurity should not be responded to with apathy or fanaticism.

There is a stark contrast between the way Jacob responded to spiritual impurity and the way Jacob’s sons responded. Jacob we’re told "kept quiet." He was apathetic about this great sin. It is probably not the he did not care at all, but rather that he did not want to deal with the problems that would come by dealing with Dinah’s defilement. He apparently was willing to overlook this terrible sin and corruption. His lack of action reminds me of how so many Christians respond to spiritual impurity (immorality, false doctrines) in the church today. When many become aware of other Christians, including leaders, engaging in sinful behavior (adultery, greed, lying, etc.) or teaching false doctrines such a New Age teachings , they simply keep their mouths shut. It is the easy thing to do, but it is not the right thing to do. It conveys the message that moral and doctrinal impurities are unimportant.

Jacob’s sons are anything but apathetic. They are rightfully angry. They recognize that they are a distinct people and therefore spiritual purity must be maintained. They are Israel and they are filled with fury because "Shechem had done a disgraceful thing in Israel." At this point their reaction is appropriate, but we will soon see that they cross the line in their response to Shechem sin. First though, Hamor (Shechem’s Father) wants to make a deal with Israel and get them to accept this moral impurity and compromise peacefully.

Hamor offers the people of Israel the same proposition the world offers Christians. He basically says, "Relax your standards of purity, don’t be too upset, and I will make it worthwhile. You can have peace, prosperity, and property, etc. but only if you don’t insist on doing the right thing." Christians we need to keep in mind that we’re called to be a distinct and holy People and Satan is always looking for opportunities to entice us to compromise on God’s holy standards, which leads to spiritual impurity. Satan will promise us the world if we only give in a little. It should be noted that everything that Hamor promises to the Israelites, just like everything this world and Satan promise to us, is a lie. (Genesis 34:23)

The Christian today faces the same danger that the nation of Israel faced long ago. We face the danger of not maintaining our distinctiveness and blending in with the world by basically believing and behaving the same as they do. This is why we need to remember how to maintain spiritual purity.

Sometimes the same type of fanaticism has been seen in Christians. History is replete with those who have crossed the line in seeking moral and doctrinal purity. We have had the Catholic and Protestant Inquisitions, the Salem witch trials, protesting at funerals for homosexuals who died of AIDS, blowing up abortion clinics, and murdering abortionist. These are extreme examples of the type of fanaticism that is an unacceptable response to spiritual impurity. It is good to be zealous, but we must be careful not to go too far.

As Christians we’re called to maintain spiritual purity and respond appropriately to spiritual impurity.

Are you?

How to Maintain Spiritual Purity (Part 1)

2008-08-04T10:18:00.002-04:00

God’s people are clearly called to be a distinct, separate people. Christians are to maintain a clear identity as a separate people, both in what they believe, and in how they behave. As 1 Peter 2:9 says, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a people belonging to God, the you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light." The same calling to be a distinct and separate people was also given to the nation of Israel. As the Bible says to both the Christian and Israel, "Be Holy (separate) because I am Holy." (1 Peter 1:16, Leviticus 19:2)

In keeping with this biblical injunction to be a distinct and separate people who maintain spiritual purity, God also gives us several warnings in the Bible about spiritual impurity, which could also be called spiritual corruption or spiritual defilement. For instance Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world. . ." In 2 Corinthians 6:14-16, Paul reminds believers that righteousness and wickedness have nothing in common, and therefore there should be no spiritual corruption or defilement in the Believer’s life. In verse 17 of that same chapter he then quotes an Old Testament scripture which instructs God’s people to "Come out from them and be separate. . ." Two verses later in 2 Corinthians 7:1 Paul says, ". . . Let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit. .

Spiritual purity can only be maintained by being fully obedient and alert.

When I use the term "spiritual purity", I’m speaking of people’s behavior and beliefs. Spiritual purity is when our beliefs and our behavior are consistent with those which are presented as acceptable in the Bible. To maintain that standard of morality, separation and purity of doctrine, we must be fully obedient to God and alert to the dangers of worldly contamination. With that said let us look at this passage verse by verse.

Consider the story of Jacob. Jacob had vowed to return to Bethel and had been instructed to do that by God. Instead of doing that, he lingered near the city of Shechem, which is one day’s journey from Bethel. He did not just stay there overnight or stop to replenish his provisions. He actually purchased land there “within sight of the city.” In some ways this story is similar to that of Lot in Sodom. Both Lot and Jacob settled or lingered where they should not have been and they both brought harm to their families as a result.

Jacob was not fully obedient and that led to Dinah’s defilement. He did part of what he was supposed to do, but not all. He even acknowledged Yahweh as his God for the first time. He worshipped him there (Genesis 33:20) but did not fully obey God. Just because Jacob built an altar and did spiritual things did not mean he was where he was supposed to be. Just because a Christian acknowledges Jesus or does spiritual things (Church, Prayer, Tithing, etc) does not mean they are where they are supposed to be either. In some ways, Jacob was doing what many Christians do today. They obey God partially, acknowledge and worship him, but don’t do everything God has said; they don’t go all the way. They try to hold on to some of the sins or the ways of the world, but that ultimately leads to corruption.

If Jacob had fully obeyed God and had been where he was supposed to be, he would never have been in a place where Israel could be defiled. When Christians don’t fully obey God in matters such as attending church, spending time in the Word, are ridding your home and lives of evil (worldly entertainment, video games, unethical business practices, etc.), they also will be in danger of being more and more corrupted by this world.

We must be fully obedient and alert to the various temptations that could lead to spiritual corruption for us or our families. We have a responsibility; we can’t just let the kids make their own decisions. We must keep in mind that our choices affect many others.

How well do you maintain spiritual purity?

Pastor Larry on Todd Bentley

2008-07-31T09:38:00.001-04:00

More video available from Pastor Larry on the subject on youtube.com

Incentives to Keep Praying (Part 3)

2008-07-30T09:07:00.004-04:00

Keep on praying because you’re special to God.

My daughters are much more likely to keep on asking me to take them to McDonald’s than they would an acquaintance or even a friend. Why? They know that they have a special relationship with me, which will make any more inclined to hear and answer their persistent request, than an acquaintance or friend would. That is what encourages them to keep asking. It is the same with you and me. When we realize how special we are to God, how much he loves and cares for us, then we are motivated to keep on praying.

Jesus specifically refers to us as "his chosen ones." In other words, you are special to a caring God, so you can expect an answer to your persistent prayers, even more so than the widow in the parable did. If it worked for her, then it is much more likely to work for you. This is an incentive or motivation to keep on praying. God does care and can be expected to respond to our prayers, because of who he is and because of who we are by his grace.

When you understand this, it will change your whole prayer life. I keep on praying because I expect God to listen and respond to my request. I don’t expect him to listen and respond because I have great faith. I don’t expect him to listen and respond because I have fasted or prayed for many hours. I don’t expect to be heard because I’ve been exceptionally righteous or religious. I expect God to hear and respond because he is a wonderful, caring God who loves me and sees me a special. I, like all Christians, am one of his chosen ones, so I just keep on praying.

The Lord will not ignore his children who "cry out to him day and night." He may delay answering our prayers for a time, but he will not "keep putting us off."

In the paparble I shared in our first article, it should be noted that the widow’s request in the parable was for what was right, and that God will not honor our request if they come from wrong motives, no matter how much we may persevere or belief.

James 4:3 says, "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." Wrong motives would include asking for things out of pride, greed, lust, or to satisfy fleshly pleasures. Jesus says in verse 8 that God will see that his people’s prayers are answered "quickly." "Quickly" could also be translated as "suddenly." This expression or word could mean that God will not delay too long in meeting his people’s request or it could refer to the answer coming very suddenly, instead of gradually.

If Jesus were to come this week, would he find faith in your life? Would he find you persevering in prayer? Or would he find that you had quit praying because you do not really believe? I hope that he would find us persisting in believing prayer. We certainly have every incentive to keep on praying.

Incentives to Keep Praying (Part 2)

2008-07-29T11:02:00.005-04:00

Keep on praying because perseverance in prayer is essential for success.

Suppose a man was changing a stage light, which is about 50 feet above the stage. Suppose somehow the ladder he was on fell but he managed to grab hold of the light fixture and not fall. Would I need to give a motivational speech to him on why he should persevere and hold on? Of course not! He is going to hold on and not give up because he recognizes that perseverance is essential to success. He has all the motivation he needs to persevere, to keep holding on.

In the same way, we need to keep on praying because we know that it is essential for success. By success, I meant success in accomplishing God’s purposes. We need to understand that we have no other options, no hope, no other recourse but to keep praying, no matter how long it takes to get an answer.

The woman in the story I shared yesterday with you was a widow, without money to bribe the judge, without a husband to speak up for her, and without influence to pressure the judge to do what is right. In essence, she was in a helpless situation, without any other source or recourse. Her only option was to keep asking the judge to help her; persevering was essential for success! She had no other alternatives.

Now the window in the story represents God’s people. We need to realize that we must, not should, but must persevere in prayer because we have no other source of hope or help. I do not think we will really pray and especially keep on praying until we come to the place of complete desperation and have no other plan or recourse. We need to get to a place like the patriarch Jacob did, when he wrestled with God. When his hip was dislocated, he had no leg to stand on, no strength of his own, all his self-reliance was gone. It was then that he held on and wouldn’t let go of God until he got the blessing. In his weakness he knew that perseverance was essential.

We also need to get to the place where we realize that we have no strength of our own, that no plan that we have will succeed, that God must come through. This will motivate us to keep praying, because we will understand that God answering our prayers is our only hope

...to be continued...

Incentives to Keep Praying (Part 1)

2008-07-28T10:01:00.007-04:00

Luke 18:1-8 - Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. he said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, 'Grant me justice against my adversary.' "For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about men, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won't eventually wear me out with her coming!' " And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

There's a magazine cartoon that shows a little fellow kneeling beside his bed for his bedtime prayer. He says with some measure of disgust, "Dear God, Uncle Jim still doesn't have a job; Sis still doesn't have a date for the social; Grandma is still feeling sick - and I'm tired of praying for this family and not getting results."

Probably all of us have felt this way, at one time or another, in regard to our prayers. Each one of us has probably felt like quitting. Each one of us has probably felt like giving up on seeing answers to our prayers. Probably more than a few of us have actually stopped praying, maybe not altogether, but we have quit praying for certain things. Things that God had laid on our heart! Things that are important and not trivial. Things like seeing a loved one saved or return to Christ. Things like having a marriage restored ministry successful, sickness or infirmity healed, or an urgent need met. We quit praying because of discouragement and doubt. We quit praying because we sometimes wonder if it does pay to pray. Even though we would never voice such thoughts, the idea does sometimes come into our minds.

Jesus knew that his disciples would be tempted to quit praying. Jesus had just talked to his disciples about his return and the coming Kingdom of God. He told them that his coming, and the establishment of Kingdom of God with it, might be delayed and that during this time they would long for his return. Things would not be as good as they longed for them to be.

Keep on praying because sometimes the answer to prayer will be delayed.

In other words, we should not stop praying just because we don't see results quickly. In verse 1 we are told that Jesus gave this parable to show his disciples that they "should always pray and not give up." There would be no need for such a teaching if most prayers were answered quickly!

This knowledge motivates us because we're now not going to be discouraged when the answer does not come quickly; we will recognize that the delay is what Jesus told us to expect. Do not make the mistake of equating a delay in the answer to your prayers as a denial to answer your prayers. You can pray for something that is within the will of God and still not see a quick or easy answer.

Perhaps you have stopped praying fervently for something important also? Perhaps you have grown discouraged or convinced that your prayers will not be answered? Perhaps you have thought, like I did, that maybe your request was not in God's will after all and you therefore accepted the status quo? If so, I hope you will do like I did and get back on your knees and keep praying.

...to be continued...

Who is Jesus?

2008-07-23T10:06:00.005-04:00

A guy I met recently had a problem. His identity had been stolen. He had been at one of those cart/kiosks at the mall to buy a cell phone and unbeknownst to him the clerk who sold him the cell phone had secretly taken down his credit card number. A few days later my friend found that over $600 dollars had been taken from his account. The crooked sales person had stolen my friends identity!

According to 2 studies done in July 2003 (Gartner Research and Harris Interactive), approximately 7 million people became victims of identity theft in the prior 12 months. That equals 19,178 per day, 799 per hour, 13.3 per minute. It is a rampant evil in this country.

Identity is such a important thing in our culture, who you are is one of the only things that counts. For your identity to be questioned, for someone to reject you for who you say you are and come up with their own opinions would be hurtful and outrageous.

Can you imagine if a you went to a doctor to perform surgery on you and you found out halfway through the procedure that he wasn’t a doctor at all but had gone to school to be a lawyer and upon graduating decided to practice medicine, without any training. You would be outraged because you had put all of your faith in what that doctor claimed about his identity.

I think the same thing happens with Jesus. It is possible for men to have good thoughts of Christ, and yet not right ones, a high opinion of him, and yet not high enough. Jesus means so many things to so many people. I hear people say all the time well I believe in Jesus, I just don’t think he was the Son of God

Matthew 16:15-17 "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven."

You can speak of Jesus as prophet, holy man, teacher, or spiritual leader, and few will object. But speak of Him as Son of God, divine, of the same nature as the Father, and people will line up to express their disapproval

It's sad that people, the media, schloars...etc portray Jesus as just a regluar person after He told us so plainly who He was. Jesus has been a victim of identity theft. His credibility has been dragged through the mud by our culture. But we know who he is, he’s told us, and we can put our hope in Him.