- 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
- 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 16, 2021Book Of Isaiah 1
Book Of Isaiah 1
- 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!
- Jun 2, 2021Book of Revelation Study 34
- 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”
