During these crazy days, it is easy to get lost as to your real purpose in this world.
We are seeing Covid increasing at rapid levels once again and many hospitals are filling up
In fact, one of my High School classmates, Bubba Wood, needs your urgent prayers today
He is in ICU waiting for a respirator, which he desperately needs
When people are scared of death, they are usually more receptive to the Gospel
Therefore, we need to be ready to show people the truth of the Gospel
How can we make sure we are ready to share?
Be approved as a workman for Christ
However, there is a trap that we need to avoid
If we are lucky, we might make a difference or we might be remembered for a few years
Think about this, if we are good workmen for God, the outcome is the population of heaven will grow.
There will be people that change their final destination from Hell to Heaven because we worked for God
Are you a workman for God today?
Do you know Him in the first place?
Do you want to?
- Aug 8, 2021Workmen For God
Workmen For God
During these crazy days, it is easy to get lost as to your real purpose in this world.
We are seeing Covid increasing at rapid levels once again and many hospitals are filling up
In fact, one of my High School classmates, Bubba Wood, needs your urgent prayers today
He is in ICU waiting for a respirator, which he desperately needs
When people are scared of death, they are usually more receptive to the Gospel
Therefore, we need to be ready to show people the truth of the Gospel
How can we make sure we are ready to share?
Look with me to 2 Timothy 2:15 NASBKJV says: "Study to shew thyself approved"Be approved as a workman for Christ
How are we workmen for God? Look back to vs 10-14I want us to break down each of these versesNow think about all these things in the context of being workmen for ChristHowever, there is a trap that we need to avoid
We spend years serving our earthly bosses in jobs, trying to do our very bestIf we are lucky, we might make a difference or we might be remembered for a few years
Think about this, if we are good workmen for God, the outcome is the population of heaven will grow.
There will be people that change their final destination from Hell to Heaven because we worked for God
Are you a workman for God today?
Do you know Him in the first place?
Do you want to?
- Aug 1, 2021When It All Goes Wrong
When It All Goes Wrong
Have you ever had those days, weeks, months even years when everything went wrong?
It seems that no matter how hard you try, none of your plans work like you planned!
Alexander called this a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!
Our week seemed to fall perfectly into that category
It is easy to fall into a state of depression or "woe-is-me" attitude
These things are really happening and some of them can be really bad
So how do we, as believers, handle these kinds of days or more?
After about the 5th thing in a row had gone wrong for us this trip, I began to get down
Suddenly God placed in my heart a song and some of the lyrics are:
"Hey, Hey it’s a good day, even if things aren’t going my way, Jesus is alive and I am saved; so hey, hey it’s a good day!"
That song reminded me of scripture and I want to share that with you today
This whole chapter, Jesus is telling His disciples of His going away and coming againHe is telling them about the Holy Spirit who will come, and He is preparing them for hard times.
"In Me you will have peace but in this world you will have tribulation", Jesus said.
We have such amazing blessings in this world that when trouble comes we are shocked
The reality is that Jesus plainly told us that we will have trouble in this world
In the midst of all the things that went wrong this week, God said, "count your blessings!"
I began to look at that, instead of the trouble and, you know what, we had a lot of blessings
We were blessed with safe travel, we saw loving family, and hey, during this oppressive heat wave, we had AC!
There were way more blessings than trouble, and I remembered the other part of this verse
Jesus said “take courage, I have overcome the world”
Now when we put this whole verse together;We see that Jesus is telling us; it will get bad but my children I will take care of youWe can focus on the negatives, and we will fall into dark places
Or, we can take courage knowing that no matter how bad it gets, Jesus has overcome the world.
You know, after God reminded me of this, things still went wrong
Grasping this scripture didn’t make things suddenly all go right
What it did do, was help me stand back, take a clear look, trust God, and carry on
When you begin to look for the blessings in the trouble, it is amazing how God gives you peace.
The question however is this, do you know the God that has overcome the world?
Because, if you do not know Him, you will have no peace.
- Jul 25, 2021To Live By Faith
To Live By Faith
"38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
39 But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.
11 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
2 For by it the elders obtained a good report.
3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
4 By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.
5 By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
- Jul 18, 2021The Most Beautiful Bridge
The Most Beautiful Bridge
Bridges are built for the purpose of closing a divide. They are built over any gap, water or land that needs to be closed.
Some bridges are not pretty to look at, but they do their job.
Other bridges are built with grand architecture that makes you just want to stare at them; they are so beautiful.These bridges are all amazing, both in engineering and in beauty The purpose of all these bridges is the same as for any bridge. It’s purpose is to close a gap. Some gaps are very large some, not so large, but they are all impassible without a bridge
You see, there is a great gap between God and man; and that gap was created by sinIt is a man-made gap that is so huge, no engineering will ever be able to close that gap.I want to be clear. In the beginning, God was with man and there was no gap,until man committed their first sin. At that point, there became a separation that man couldn’t close"Well, I guess that means I have no hope. If no man can bridge that gap, then certainly I am without hope."There is one mediator between God and man, and He is the Hope that we can have. He is the bridge for the Gap we can’t close. John 3:16 says “for God so loved the world that He sent His only Son”This is Jesus! Jesus paid the price we were unable to pay on the cross at calvary, therefore, bridging the unbridgeable gap!This is the Most Beautiful bridge, because it leads to LIFE! There is one thing, however; Have you ever heard of a toll bridge? In order to cross it, you must pay a price. Jesus has paid your toll to cross this bridge. You just have to accept the gift, and you will be allowed to cross Jesus shed His life blood on the cross in order to bridge the gap for you Will you accept this gift and cross over that bridge to reconciliation with God today? This is the only way the separation between God and man can be closed. Are you ready?
- Jul 11, 2021Faith and Forgiveness
Faith and ForgivenessDoes anyone struggle with forgiveness?
I believe that, as human beings, this is something we all struggle with.
No one wants to be treated in a way they feel is wrong.
Many arguments stem from simple misunderstandings or miscommunications
The result however, is not simple at all.
When we have a hard time with forgiveness, sometimes, we hold on to that unforgiveness for a lifetime.
Unforgiveness in our lives can have a very negative effect on our prayer life.
In our text this morning, Jesus is telling his disciples that prayer is powerful, if you have faith.
In fact, He says, when you pray, believe that it is already been given and it will be.
If we look at these two verses together, we see that unforgiveness will truly block our prayers
In order to have true faith, we have to believe that God can conquer all things
A word spoken to a fig tree caused it to wither, and Jesus says you can cause mountains to be cast into the sea
These things seem impossible, but we know that Jesus said they are possible through faith
If we can trust that He is able to do these things, don’t you think He is able to help us overcome unforgiveness?
Faith!
Faith!
Faith!True faith means giving everything to God
We give Him our fears, our hurts, our joys, our struggles, and yes, we can give Him our unforgiveness
This passage is showing us that, if we are to pray effectively, we have to forgive first
Matthew 5 says leave your sacrifice at the altar go and be reconciled and then return to offer it
In other words, forgiveness has to happen before God will even accept our offerings
In our world today, there is much unforgiveness. Certainly this is one of the reasons for so much discord.
We ask believers to pray without ceasing about our Nation, but we also need to forgive without ceasing
In our individual lives, as well as the lives of our Nation, we must rid ourselves of the hate through forgiveness.
Today I’m asking you to examine your heart. If you find there is unforgiveness there, please ask God to help you forgive today
Perhaps you don’t understand how that can be because you’ve never asked for forgiveness from your own sin
God is offering full forgiveness today, but you have to repent of the sin in your life and ask Him to forgive you
He stands with open arms waiting for you today.
- Jul 4, 2021Under God
Under God
Today, as we celebrate Independence Day, I want to reflect on true IndependencePeople have longed to be independent since the beginning of time
The problem is, what do we want to be independent from?
Today, much of our nation truly wants to be independent from our creator, God
They seek an independence that allows them to have freedom
They think that God represents oppression
The truth is, mankind can never be independent from God
John 15:5 says, "apart from me you can do nothing"
See, to be out from under God places you squarely under satan
You see, those who are not under God, add sin to sin with their rebellion
Those who execute a plan not under God cause more pain and suffering from sinWhat you take safety in, that is not God, will be your shame
"We are endowed by our creator", says the Declaration of Independence
Our creator is clearly a reference to God, the creator of all
Our founding fathers recognized that it is our creator that gives us everything
To seek independence from God is like saying I want to be free from breathing
As an Independent nation, we are independent from other nations
The reason we can be independent from other nations is our dependence on God
President Eisenhower recognized that, and pushed to add that language in our pledge
In fact, if we are not Under God, then we are against God
Matt 12:30 says “He who is not with Me is against Me; and
He who does not gather with Me scatters"
Your life, just like our Nation, must be under God
God, our creator, has a purpose for you, but you have to be under Him to find it
How blessed are all those who long for Him
A true celebration of Independence from foreign powers
Is actually a celebration of dependence on our perfect God
Will you choose, today, to be Under God or against God?
He gives that choice to ALL
- Jun 27, 2021A Time Like This
A Time Like This
The Jews were under constant persecution
They were still allowed to come and go and do business, but they were hated
Mordecai knew that one day all this would boil over
When his niece, Esther, was taken as a possible choice for Queen, he had hope
Not hope that she would be royalty, but that God would use her to help her people
2021 in the United States
God’s people are under constant persecution
We are still allowed to meet together and come and go, but we are hated
Those in power, as well as those who influence those in power, hate Christianity
Those against Christianity claim we should love everyone
Isn’t that exactly what Christians have quoted forever? Love conquers all!
The difference is the love we speak of is God’s love
Those who hate Christianity say love everyone except those of God
Mordecai was hated, and the King was tricked into calling for destruction of Jews
Esther was called upon to intercede with the King, but she was afraid
Mordecai reminded her that she too was a Jew
Perhaps the reason God had allowed her to become Queen was for this time
Christians around the Nation and the world are being complacent
Those who are not directly affected by the evil being called good just ignore it
If you are a child of God, the world hates you too
One day you will be greatly affected by this hatred of Christians
Esther asked her people to pray for her and, in that strength, she faced her fear
Today, in this country, we need to lift up one another in prayer
We especially need to pray for all those in positions of influence to be strengthend
Perhaps God has placed them in the position for a time like this
We need to consider how can we face our fears and stand up against this evil
God has given us the power to defeat evil but we have to face it
The power we have is the love of God
We face the evil by sharing the good and perfect love of Christ with ALL
Perhaps any situation you may be in, is the one you were put in for a time like this
We need to understand like Esther, that God uses all of us
Not to place us above others but to use us to reach others
Will you commit to pray for all believers to be used for God’s good
Will you conquer your fears and allow yourself to be used for God?
- Jun 20, 2021The Prodigal’s Father
The Prodigal’s Father
This passage is usually used to focus on the Prodigal son
Today I want to look at the Prodigal’s Father
As Fathers, we have an awesome responsibility to raise our children
To raise them in the admonition of the Lord
The problem is they grow and develop their own ideas, and become their own person
Sometimes, it seems that all your teaching falls on deaf ears as they stray away
In this passage we see a Father, who in trying to teach his son rightly, was wise
He was wise enough to let his son make his own mistakes and learn from them
Still you must wonder how hurt was the father by the son’s actions
Every time I read this story, I think of how far away from the Father I once was
My heavenly Father showed me love and kindness and I ran away from Him
Perhaps today you are thinking the same thing
I wonder how God feels when his children turn their backs on Him
All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God
Believers, too, still fall short and sometimes walk away from the Father
Look at vs 20While he was still a long way off
We get that, while the father let the son leave, he was looking for his return daily
The father was wise enough to know that his son would learn from his mistakes
That when he realized he needed his father he would return
Sometimes, I wish that God would have designed us to only follow Him
No free will, but only able to do the right things
Then I realize, if we had no free will to choose, we would be like robots
I believe that God the Father is standing looking daily for those who have strayed
That, even though we turned our backs on Him, He will never turn His back on us
God loves us so much that He gave Jesus, His only son, as the perfect sacrifice
We had to have that sacrifice in order to be saved
While we were busy walking away, He was busy making a way for us to return
Perhaps you have turned on the live stream today because you were searching
Maybe you came in this building today as a last resort
I want you to know today, the Father is still waiting to receive you home with open arms
No matter how far away you have gone or how many bad things you have done
Jesus has made a way home to the Father for you
Will you come home today?
- Jun 13, 2021Wisdom and Folly
Wisdom and FollyA wise woman builds her house
We aren’t talking about a physical house here
What this is talking about is building her life
Our lives are built every day by the decisions we make
If we build wisely, our lives will be good and pleasing in God’s sight
If we are foolish, we end up tearing down
This whole passage is talking about building up for the sake of the body of Christ
The foolish tears it down with her own hands
You see, we have choices to make and they include building up or tearing down
In our world today, everywhere you look there is destruction in the name of prosperity
The family unit is being destroyed so individual pleasure can strive
Instead of teaching people that God’s love includes rebuke
Destruction is happening by accepting sin as normal
Instead of reaching out to people as believers, we are building walls of selfishness
The truly foolish thing is, this house is being torn down by our own hands
Believers, I am saying that our tearing down is why the world is distant from God
Instead of building up in God’s love, we became legalists
Instead of trying to edify we have been busy building a chasm
Am I saying we should be ok with the sinful world?
May it never be!!
We should build up by showing God’s love to a sinful worldYes, God’s love does include rebuke but love comes firstFear of the Lord is what we have forgotten
Instead, we practice deceit by acting one way on Sunday and different after
We tear down others by putting ourselves above them
This isn’t Godly rebuke through His love. This is worshipping self!
You can’t walk upright while tearing down someone else to build up yourself
If tearing down others is what you need to be built up, you aren’t walking in God’s love
If we spent our time building through God’s love…..
How much better could our world be here?
The wise woman and man builds
Today, are you full of wisdom or folly?
If you know God as Savior, are you trusting Him as you live?
Do you really know Him as Savior or perhaps you just know about Him?
It’s time to make wise choices, starting with giving your life to Him.
- Jun 6, 2021Old Things
Old Things
What a title for a sermon right?
Old ThingsFirst of all, I’m not talking about people!
Secondly, I’m talking about good, old things
Does anyone have a favorite couch, hat, shoes, even clothes?
Sometimes you get that piece of furniture or article of clothing, and they are just perfect.
However, time goes by, and although it just keeps being your favorite, it has worn and is beginning to look terrible.
To you, it is still awesome, but to everyone else, it doesn’t look good and should probably be tossed.Relationships, especially Marriage relationships, are similar to this.In the beginning, your spouse is your favorite thing to pour into. You do everything together.
Time goes by, kids, jobs, finances and on and on, begins to change the way you act with each other.
You still love your spouse, but what anyone else would see doesn’t truly show it.
In fact, even your spouse may begin to wonder if that is true.
It seems that while this thing or this relationship may still be important to you, it isn’t as important as it was.
Turn with me to Revelation 2:1-7 NASBYou have lost your first Love!
The church at Ephesus was still doing many good things, but to God, it wasn’t sincere
Just like the church at Ephesus, today’s churches can seem cold
I don’t mean the buildings, but the people that are the church
Today, often times, the church is super busy
The things that we are doing are wonderful things, and we work hard at them
If anything, sometimes we could be accused of having too much going on
What does that mean?
That, out of all these things you are doing, you have forgotten who you were doing them for
Perhaps, you are so busy that you are no longer actually worshipping
The acts have become greater than loving the Lord
These things we spend so much time doing become cold without loving God first
I have this against you
No one wants to hear God say that to them
If He stood in front of you today, would that phrase fit?
The Pharisees strived to do all the stuff, but they didn’t have that love.
Have you lost your first love of God today?
Have you ever truly had love for God, or is it something else?
It is time for that love to be re-kindled today!
- May 30, 2021In Memoriam
In Memoriam
Memorial DayThe idea of making a memorial to remember something goes all the way back to Genesis
Genesis 28:18-22 NASB
Jacob’s MemorialExodus 39:6-7 NASB
Memorial to the sons of IsraelNumbers 10:10 NASB
I AM your GodJoshua 4:4-7 NASB
Memorial stonesWe see that memorials are an important part of shaping our lives
Unfortunately, sometimes a memorial's real meanings are swept away
Memorial Day has become known as the start of summer
BBQs and beach days have replaced decorating graves and remembering heroes
The biggest reason is, we as a people haven’t passed the memorial on to our children
The stones on the bank of the Jordan were to be used to tell the story to generations
Throughout biblical history we are told to remember and pass it to our children
Nehemiah, in the rebuilding of the temple, had the law read to all the people
This act brought about repentance and renewed love of God
I believe that the true meaning of Memorial day should renew patriotism
As believers we must keep in memoriam our God and our Savior Jesus
We must teach this to every generation and that is something we haven’t done well
The greatest need our country has right now is to remember Jesus
1 Cor 11:23-26 NASB
Body and bloodThere is one symbol that we still see everywhere that needs to be remembered
John 19:16-19 NASB
The cross of JesusLike Memorial day, for many, this has lost it’s original meaning
It’s just a decoration many people wear, some not knowing it’s true meaning
This symbol should daily break our hearts and bring us to live for Him
He gave
ALL
for
ALLTomorrow is Memorial Day, and I pray you spend time remembering the fallen
However, I pray that every day you remember what Jesus did for you
If you know Him, tell others what He did for you!
If you have never known Him, today could be your day to do that.
“Do this in remembrance of Me”
- May 23, 2021Be Imitators of God
Be Imitators of God
Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
In today’s world, people are always trying to imitate others
Get your hair cut like your favorite star
Wear the same type of clothes as your favorite singer
Some people even wear costumes to look exactly like someone else
Eph 5:1 says be imitators of GOD
Out of everything you could imitate, God is the perfect subject
How can I imitate God?
Ephesians gives you instructions of how to imitate GodFirst, walk in Love, just as Christ loved YOUWe know how He loved us, so do that
Then, there is a list of things to avoid in order to imitate God
Immorality
Impurity
GreedThese are things that a Holy God is not capable of
They seem like no brainers, that we should stay away from these things
However, the world embraces these, and so, we tend to let them in too
We write off immorality and impurity as a new normal
Greed is not really greed, we just need to have enough
Be Imitators of GodWords do matter and our words can cause someone to turn away from God
"I didn’t mean anything by it! I wasn’t trying to be hurtful."
We all try to walk a line of saying things but not saying things
I've even had someone once ask me if cursing was ok as long as it wasn’t at someone
Their reasoning was it was just words and not inended to be ugly
If we are truly trying to imitate God, we need to stay away from these things
No one has ever felt bad about being nice or saying kind things
I don’t wish I could take back compliments or loving words
I am not afraid someone will find out I acted righteously
So, this doesn’t mean someone who made a mistake and was sorry for itThis means someone who lives this way with no regret
Every time we act that way, we are closer to becoming that way
Instead, be imitators of God and the same applies
Every time we act that way, we are closer to becoming that way
The only way to imitate God is to know Him
Do you know Him today?
- May 16, 2021The Hiding Place
The Hiding Place
- May 16, 2021Stagnant Ponds
Stagnant Ponds
"You are moving like Pond Water!"That is what my drill Sergeant used to say
Pond water doesn’t move and because of that it is full of all sorts of nasty
It is when ponds are stirred that makes them teem with life
Hang out on verse 3 with me a momentEverything pertaining to life and Godliness
Who called us by His own Glory and excellence
All of these things boil down to Love, the Love of ChristThis we need to understand is spiritual growth:If we are not growing, we are stagnant
Stagnant water begins clean and clear,
Due to lack of movement, it turns green and stinky
This is what happens to believers who are not growing
He who lacks these qualities is blind
We sit stagnant and become blind to our stinky condition
If these qualities are increasing, we are growing
If we are growing, it means we are full of life and bring life to others
You will never stumble!
The reality is, we should all stand ready to remind each otherAre you all stagnant and stinky?
Are you ready to be full of life in Christ?
- May 9, 2021A Mother’s Faith
A Mother’s Faith
Mothers are amazing and they are the great teachers of lifeI want to share with you this morning a few things that mother’s teach us
That list is funny, but it’s true!
Every year at this time, I try to think of a Biblical mother that we can learn from
This year I want to learn from Naomi
This is a lot of tragedy for one woman to endureRemember, during this time, women didn’t have any rights on their own
Now, without any males left to take care of her, she decided to return to Bethlehem
So, look what happened with her daughters-in-law
Naomi must have shown faith for Ruth to want to serve her GodMother’s lives are not always easy and sometimes children learn from the struggle
Reality check.
Even mother’s struggle with their faithNaomi means “Pleasant”Mara means “Bitter”
Even so, she strived to take care of her daughter-in-law
In chapter 2, Naomi’s hope was restored as God provided Boaz to take care of them
Naomi taught Ruth how to trust God and He provided a redeemer in Boaz
The story of Naomi and Ruth is unconventional, but, often times, so is life
Naomi’s faith wasn’t perfect and a Mother’s faith isn’t either
Moms today, if you have ever struggled thinking you aren’t good enough;
Understand that all of us struggle with that because we live in a fallen world
But God made you a mom for a reason and He is always there for you
God knows exactly what He is doing so trust Him
A mother that follows God will be the mother that she is supposed to beThis goes for Grandmothers, Great-Grandmothers, Step-mothers
And yes even Mothers-in-law
In fact, it applies to all people; if we follow God, we will be exactly right
So are you following God today?
Do you want to? - May 2, 2021Salvation
Salvation"And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved."
What does the word Salvation mean?
Salvation is necessary!
Vs 12 says we “must be saved”
Because we are lost, John 3:16 NASB
Because we can’t save ourselves.
God provided salvation for us. Why else would He do that except we must be saved
Salvation in the here and now
Salvation can’t happen after death. It has to happen in the here and now
There is only one way under heaven for salvation
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.Prior to vs 12 we see that the name being talked about here is Jesus
The incredible thing is that salvation is offered to ALL!
for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."Salvation is a gift
You can’t buy it
You can’t earn it
You don’t deserve it
It is a perfect gift that God has offered you through Jesus Christ
He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,Now the question is, will you accept the gift?
A gift, no matter how amazing, is no good unless it is received.
God has offered to ALL the ultimate gift of Salvation
Will you simply accept it and be saved?
- Apr 25, 2021Start Right Here
Start Right Here"If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."If God’s people have turned away and things are bad because of that, vs 14
So many people want to blame the problems in this world on everyone but self. We say we want to see peace and unity but do nothing to see it happen. In verse 14, the Lord told Solomon exactly what had to happen. I want to say today that, if we want to see our land healed, it has to start right here. It has to start in the hearts of the people who are called by His name. So how do we do that?
If My People…
Who are called by My Name…
Will humble themselves…
And Pray…
And seek My face…
And turn from their wicked ways…
Then…
I will hear from heaven…
And forgive their sin…
And heal their land…
It starts right here in the hearts of His people. He will never leave us, even when we have failed Him. It is past time for us to realize that, in order for the world to change, the church has to return to God! It starts right here in the heart of His people. It starts right here in His church. Are you ready to begin?
- Apr 18, 2021The Best, Kind
The Best, Kind
We live in a world where everyone wants to tell you how to liveMany people are frozen by the volume of decisions
The latest social media challenge seems great, even though people are dying from it
What is a person to do?
The wisest person that every lived has something to tell us
Solomon was the wisest man to live, and he said listen to counsel and accept disciplineHe goes on to say, the counsel of the Lord will stand
That counsel of the Lord says Kindness is desirable in a personThink about how many of our social problems today could be solved with kindness
Kindness shows love not hate
I saw on Bro. Kevin Wade’s truck the following statement:
Be Kind to every Kind
Kindness diffuses so many situations where people are primed to respond with hate
The world has primed us all to stand our ground and back down from no one
People have grabbed onto this so hard that they will fight over anything
People look for some ulterior motive in everything, even when it doesn’t exist
The remedy for that is kindness. It is so easy to be kind.
I’ve seen people, as I approach them, with this scowl on their face
I smile real big and say Hi! How are you today?
Even with a mask on, people see the smile and hear the kindness, and they smile
Kindness comes easily out of joy in your heart
Joy in your heart comes from a fear of the Lord or a relationship with Him
See how wonderful God is, and this relationship fills us with joy!The best thing is kindness!
But kindness, true kindness, comes out of a relationship with our Savior
Do you have that relationship that fills you with joy and allows kindness to overflow?
Do you want to?
- Apr 11, 2021What Now?
What Now?Can you imagine the emotional roller coaster the Apostles were on?
They had been with Jesus when He made His triumphant entry into Jerusalem
They celebrated the Passover with Him and He told them He was going to die
They saw the arrest and they saw Him crucified
Then something incredible, He arose from the grave!
Now, in today’s passage, He was about to leave them again
As I thought about this journey, it reminded me of something
LIFE!
We are all on a journey that has unpredictable twists and turns
Jesus is always steady
Jesus told His disciples all of this would happen before it occurred
So what about after the resurrection?
What did He share with the disciples and is it relevant to us today?
I want us to see three things Jesus talked to His disciples about and it is for us too:
First, Jesus talked with His disciples about the end times.
Vs 6-7“It is not for you to know” Jesus said. So we need to be prepared for wheneverThe Father knows the time but our job is to live every day as if it is our last
If you were told your time was ending tomorrow, what regrets would you have?
Did you use your time to further the Kingdom of God?
Secondly, Jesus told the disciples about the Holy Spirit
Vs 4-5So how do you live every day as if it were your last?Through the
Holy SpiritIf we trust the Holy Spirit to guide us and follow, we can live every day for God
People tend to shut out the prompting of the Spirit instead of listening
In fact, if we simply listen to the Holy Spirit, we receive that Power that we talked about
We need that power to follow through with the last thing Jesus told the disciples
Lastly, Jesus gave the disciples and us our instructions until His return
Vs 8We are to go out into the world and build the Kingdom by reaching peopleWe’ve been given the power through the Holy Spirit
So when the end time comes, have you done all you could?
When Jesus ascended into heaven, He charged His believers with the mission
Let’s be an Acts 1:8 church, taking the gospel everywhere
Today you need one thing to be able to do that.
A relationship with Jesus. Do you know Him today?
- Apr 4, 2021Power
Power
He is not here, He is Risen!
We have been focusing on the Resurrection for a while now
Why focus on the Resurrection?
The Resurrection is the reason we have hope! Because, without it, Jesus is still dead
The Power of the resurrection is the greatest power
As people, we know that, sometimes, we are powerless
BUT…
The power over the grave is also for those who believe and accept JesusIf we are believers in Christ, we become children of God and we, too, have the power!
Everyone can know God through His power
His power is clearly seen in all creation. Do you see it?The very power of God is the cross, and it is the power to save all who will come.This world has no power like the power of God
God so loved the world that He gave Jesus to save us!!
Jesus died on that cross to pay the debt for our sins
Through the power of God, Jesus walked out of that grave 3 days later
He now sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf
He stands with arms open wide offering you the same power to overcome the grave
Are you ready to stop being powerless and receive His power?
You can receive the power of the Holy Spirit today!Today is the day to receive the power of GodLet’s all LIVE OUT the Power of almighty GOD!Do YOU have the power? You can receive it today!
