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 4, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah
Bible Study – Isaiah
- 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 28, 2021Wednesday Bible Study
Wednesday Bible Study
- 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 21, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #5
Bible Study – Isaiah #5
- 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 14, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #4
Bible Study – Isaiah #4
- 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 7, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #3
Bible Study – Isaiah #3
- 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 30, 2021Bible Study – Isaiah #2
Bible Study – Isaiah #2
