Power and Responsibility

Scripture Reading: Ephesians 4:1-5

Power and responsibility go hand in hand. One without the other can be devastating. Many people let it go to their heads. There is scriptural guidance. When a leader stops using scripture to guide their decisions the flesh takes over and one develops clouded vision. These problems are wherever power and authority are at your job, your marriage, your household, club, church, etc. What does God have to tell us about power?

Your Marriage:

Genesis 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.”

Man has “Power” over everything on earth. With that power comes Responsibility. How does that effect our marriage? Men, we need to be good Godly examples for our wives, every day. We are going to be held accountable to God.

Have you ever been so involved in something that you neglected your wife and family? Many times we get this “religious mentality”, Gods work is first. Yes, God's work is first but God’s work starts at home. Part of Gods work is being the leader of your house. A good husband and father spends quality time with his wife and children.

We need to go to scripture in our daily lives, to learn how to be good “leaders” and “husbands”. Just because you think it sounds right doesn't mean it is. Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.”

Your Job:

Are you in a supervisory role? Are you using scripture in making life changing decisions? Can you hire and fire people? Discipline subordinates? This is a huge responsibility. You must be Responsible in making your decisions.

You are given POWER and expected to be RESPONSIBLE. There are monthly reports that must be filed. There are accounts that must be organized and dealt with. Tons of legalities that, if overlooked, could start a snowball of legal problems. How do you handle this truck load of responsibility? Recognize the power of the enemy.

Power and The Enemy:

Lucifer was given a lot power in Heaven. He allowed that power to bring pride to his heart. He wanted to be like God. He tried to take over. What was the result?

Isaiah 14:12 “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!” He was cast out of the kingdom of heaven.

Be certain of this. If you have a position of power Satan will try to attack you with a spirit of pride

Satan will use power to disrupt people in the position of authority. Power and Pride are a dangerous mix. It causes dissension, divorce, rebellion, and more. The flesh takes over and it is a victory for Satan. How then can a person in a position of power keep from being prideful?

Accountability:

They must use their “power” of leadership publicly. If a leader makes a decision in private without any one to “protect” them by questioning their motives, it is easy for them to be seduced and become a Dictator instead of a Godly leader.

A good leader surrounds themselves with Godly council. People who will keep them accountable in a Godly manner. Not a “Fleshly” manner.

Proverbs 11:14 “For lack of guidance a nation falls, but many advisers make victory sure.” (NIV)

“Where no counsel [is], the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellors [there is] safety.” (KJV)

Pastor, evangelist, supervisor, officer, husband, ect. Your best quality should be a “teachable spirit”. You should know you are human and you could make bad decisions that could effect peoples lives forever. Surround yourself with Godly men and women, not “YES” men, people who go along with everything you say and do because they don't have the guts to tell you, they don't agree.

If you are making decisions with peoples lives based on hear say or gossip, you need to repent! A good Christian and leader gathers facts, talks to all involved, seeks Godly advice, then acts in a Godly manner in handling the situation.

We need to hold our leaders accountable by protecting them. Covering them with prayer, Godly council, love, compassion, and lift them up not tear them down. Scripture has outlined the process for holding God’s children accountable.

Matthew 18:15-18 "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.”

This is the Word of God. Not mine. This is how we are to handle one another. We are not to go behind each others backs and plot demise. We alone are not judge, jury and executioner. James 4:17 “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.” God is telling us if we don't handle it scriptural we are sinning.

In closing, many of us have suffered from a “prideful spirit”. How did you handle it? Did you act out in the flesh or did you handle it scripturally? Proverbs 9:8-9 “Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.” Are you being influenced by a “spirit of pride”? Let me leave you with this last piece of scripture: 1Corinthians 11:31 “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment.” With Power comes Responsibility and we are protected from Pride by Accountability. I would like to thank Eddie (BigUn) for the inspiration and outline of this sermon. Thank you brother you hit the nail on the head.

May God Bless everyone this week and may you all have a Merry Christmas.

Jesus Arrives

Tonight's Scripture Reading: Matthew 1:18-23

Last week we explored the origins of Christmas and what it has become today. This week we look at the special gift we received in Jesus. Christmas celebrates the unique birth of Jesus, Immanuel, meaning “God with us.” Tonight we look into scripture for the real Christmas story.

Who was Jesus’ Father?:

Jesus was unlike any baby ever born. He was born of a virgin. Who is the true Father of Jesus? The Bible explains that at Jesus’ birth Gabriel, an angel of God, told the virgin Mary:

“‘Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!’ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. And the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.’

“And Mary said to the angel, ‘How will this be, since I am a virgin?’ And the angel answered her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God’” (Luke 1:26-35)

Jesus existed eternally in the Godhead (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit), yet God the Father sent the Son to earth to become the perfect God-Man. Jesus is fully God and fully human in one Person:

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Colossians 2:9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,

1 John 4:2-3 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

When Jesus was 12, He recognized God was His true Father. One day, Mary and Joseph couldn’t find Jesus anywhere. They found Him in the Temple, He was amazing the teachers with His wisdom of the Scriptures. When Mary scolded Jesus for causing them to worry, He replied:

"Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" (Luke 2:49)

Jesus knew that God was his true father. The most commonly known scripture reflecting that God is Jesus’ father is John 3:16-18 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God”

Where Was Jesus Born?:

Micah 5:2 “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days” 500 years before His birth.

God promised to send the Messiah to the village of Bethlehem. Joseph and Mary, lived in Nazareth. Luke 2:1-20 shows how this prophecy was fulfilled.

Why didn’t God send the promised King into a royal family? His parents were peasants. His birth town insignificant. His bed a manger. God was pleased to give His Son to the humble who recognized their need for a Savior. Do you recognize your need for a Savior?

Why Was Jesus Born?:

Matthew 1:21 “She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

Ever since Adam and Eve sin has reigned, bringing hardship and death. Sin separates us from God. Even when God was punishing Adam and Eve, He promised to send a Savior to save believing sinners.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Jesus was prophesied hundreds of times throughout history. Reading the prophecies, many people expected Him. Some of the first to discover the Messiah after His birth were not from Israel. They were from the East (probably Persians from what is now Iran):

Read Matthew 2:1-23

Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of the prophecies. Jesus is the promised Savior. He came to save us from sin, all who trust in Him. The true meaning of Christmas. A day to remember the humble, innocent, life of our Lord and Savior. Gods’ entry into the world as an infant. The final sacrifice for our sins. Our gift of eternal life. A day to give thanks to God for the most precious gift ever given. This Christmas morning take time to reflect on the precious gift God has given us and give Him thanks.

A Look At Christmas

Scripture Reading: Romans 14:5-8 & 16-19

When was Jesus born? Why do we celebrate His birth? Is there scriptural evidence of the time of His birth? Why do we give gift’s? Why do we put up a tree and adorn it with lights and ornaments? Why do we gather with family to eat and drink? Where in scripture does it tell us about Christmas? Many of the answers may shock you. For these answers we need to know our history. Lets take a close look into the origins of Christmas.

When Was Jesus Born?:

Most believe December 25th the year 1 C.E. The New Testament gives no date or year for Jesus’ birth. The earliest gospel (Mark) written about 65 CE begins with the baptism of an adult Jesus. This suggests that the earliest Christians lacked interest in or knowledge of Jesus’ birth date.

The year of Jesus birth was determined by Dionysius Exiguus, a Scythian monk, “abbot of a Roman monastery.” Here’s how ...

a. In the Roman, pre-Christian era, years were counted from ab urbe condita (“the founding of the City” [Rome]).  Thus 1 AUC signifies the year Rome was founded, 5 AUC signifies the 5th year of Rome’s reign, etc.

b. Dionysius knew that the Roman emperor Augustus reigned 43 years, and was followed by the emperor Tiberius.

c. Luke 3:1,23 indicates that when Jesus turned 30 years old, it was the 15th year of Tiberius reign.

d. If Jesus was 30 years old in Tiberius’ reign, then he lived 15 years under Augustus (placing Jesus birth in Augustus’ 28th year of reign).

e. Augustus took power in 727 AUC.  Therefore, Dionysius put Jesus birth in 754 AUC.

f. However, Luke 1:5 places Jesus’ birth in the days of Herod, and Herod died in 750 AUC, four years before the year in which Dionysius places Jesus birth.

We are not certain of the exact day or year Jesus was born (4 year discrepancy). The DePascha Computus, an anonymous document believed to have been written in North Africa around 243 CE, placed Jesus birth on March 28.  Clement, a bishop of Alexandria (d. ca. 215 CE), thought Jesus was born on November 18.  Based on historical records, Fitzmyer guesses that Jesus birth occurred on September 11, 3 BCE.

Why December 25th.?:

Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. Courts were closed. No one could be punished during the celebration. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule”. An innocent victim forced to indulge in the festivities (drinking, sexual misconduct, etc.). On December 25th the “Lord of Misrule” was executed brutally.

In the 4th century CE, Christianity adopted the Saturnalia festival, hoping to take the pagan masses in with it. Many Pagans converted to Christianity by the promise they could continue to celebrate the Saturnalia as Christians. There was nothing Christian about Saturnalia. Christian leaders named Saturnalia’s last day, December 25th, to be Jesus’ birthday.

Church leaders had little success refining the practices of Saturnalia. In return for ensuring massive observance of the anniversary of the Savior’s birth, the Church agreed to allow the holiday to be celebrated the way it had always been. The earliest Christmas holidays were celebrated by drinking, sexual indulgence, singing naked in the streets, etc. Because of its known pagan origin, Christmas was banned by the Puritans and its observance was illegal in Massachusetts between 1659 and 1681.

Origins Of Christmas Traditions:

1.) Christmas Tree: Worshipers of the Asheira cult and its offshoots were recruited by the Church by allowing “Christmas Trees”. Pagans had long worshiped trees in the forest, and brought them into their homes and decorated them, so this ritual was adopted. Note what scripture has to say about this: Jeremiah 10:3-4 “For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter.”

2.) Mistletoe: Norse mythology recounts how the god Balder was killed using a mistletoe arrow by his rival god Hoder while fighting for the female Nanna. Druid rituals use mistletoe to poison their human sacrificial victim. The custom of “kissing under the mistletoe” is a later combination of the sexual license of Saturnalia with the Druidic sacrificial cult.

3.) Christmas Presents: In pre-Christian Rome, the emperors forced their most despised citizens to bring offerings and gifts during the Saturnalia (in December) and Kalends (in January).  Later, this ritual expanded to include gift-giving among the general populace. The Catholic Church gave this custom a Christian flare by re-rooting it in the gift-giving of Saint Nicholas.

4.) Santa Claus: Nicholas was born in Parara, Turkey in 270 CE and later became Bishop of Myra.  He died in 345 CE. He was named a saint in the 19th century. In 1087, a group of sailors who idolized Nicholas moved his bones from Turkey to a sanctuary in Bari, Italy.
There Nicholas took the place of a deity called The Grandmother, or Pasqua Epiphania, who used to fill children's stockings with her gifts. Members of this group gave each other gifts during a pageant they conducted annually on the anniversary of Nicholas’ death, December 6.
The Nicholas cult spread north until it was adopted by German and Celtic pagans. These groups worshiped a pantheon led by Woden. Their chief god and the father of Thor, Balder, and Tiw. Woden had a long, white beard and rode a horse through the heavens one evening each Autumn.
When Nicholas merged with Woden, he shed his Mediterranean appearance, grew a beard, mounted a flying horse, rescheduled his flight for December, and donned heavy winter clothing. To gain pagan converts in Northern Europe, the Catholic Church adopted the Nicholas cult and taught that he distribute gifts on December 25th instead of December 6th.
In 1809, Washington Irving wrote a satire of Dutch culture entitled Knickerbocker History.  The satire refers several times to the white bearded, flying-horse riding Saint Nicholas using his Dutch name, Santa Claus. Dr. Clement Moore in 1822 published a poem based on the character Santa Claus: “Twas the night before Christmas”. Moore portrayed a Santa with eight reindeer who descended through chimneys. From 1862 through 1886, based on Moore’s poem, Nast drew more than 2,200 cartoon images of Santa for Harper’s Weekly. Before Nast, Saint Nicholas had been pictured as everything from a stern looking bishop to a gnome-like figure in a loose long coat. Nast also gave Santa a home at the North Pole, his workshop filled with elves, and his list of the good and bad children of the world. 
All Santa was missing was his red outfit. In 1931, the Coca Cola Corporation contracted Swedish artist Haddon Sundblom to create a coke-drinking Santa. He modeled his Santa on his friend Lou Prentice, chosen for his cheerful, chubby face.  The corporation insisted that Santa’s fur-trimmed suit be bright, Coca Cola red.  And Santa was born, a blend of Christian crusader, pagan god, and commercial idol.

The true origin of Christmas is filled with controversy and compromise. Research will reveal a number of disturbing roots. The Christmas we celebrate today suggests the willingness of Christians to absorb the world's customs and traditions. We forget its simple roots in the historical reality of Jesus Christ.

Christmas should be nothing more than a simple, yet wonderful reminder of Christ's humble beginning as a human child in this world. His birth merely set the stage for the power, glory, and salvation that would be revealed in His life, death, and resurrection.

Whether it's December 25th, sometime in late September, or any other day of the year, we should use each and every opportunity to reflect on Jesus Christ and His message of hope for all of us.

In closing I would like to leave you with a piece of God's Word.:
1 Corinthians 10:31-33 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God-even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

Tribulation and The Great Tribulation

SCRIPTURE READING: Daniel 9:24-27

The tribulation, a seven-year period of time when God will finish His discipline of Israel and finalize His judgment of the unbelieving world. The church will be removed from the earth in an event known as the rapture. The church is saved from the wrath to come (1 Thessalonians 5:9)
Throughout Scripture, the tribulation is referred to by other names:
1) the Day of the Lord (Isaiah 2:12; 13:6-9; Joel 1:15; 2:1-31; 3:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:2)
2) trouble or tribulation (Deuteronomy 4:30; Zephaniah 1:1)
3) the great tribulation, which refers to the more intense second half of the seven-year period (Matthew 24:21)
4) time or day of trouble (Daniel 12:1; Zephaniah 1:15)
5) time of Jacob's trouble (Jeremiah 30:7)

Let’s look into scripture and see what it has to tell us about the tribulation.

Back To Daniel:

Understanding Daniel 9:24-27 is necessary in order to understand the purpose and time of the tribulation. It speaks of 70 weeks that have been declared against “your people.”, the Jews, the nation of Israel.
Daniel 9:24 speaks of a period of time that God has given “to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.”
God declares that “seventy sevens” will fulfill all these things. 70 sevens of years (490 years). This is confirmed by verses 25 and 26. Daniel is told that the Messiah will be cut off after “seven sevens and sixty-two sevens” (69 total), beginning with the decree to rebuild Jerusalem. In other words, 69 sevens of years (483 years) after the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, the Messiah will be cut off.
Biblical historians confirm that 483 years passed from the time of the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the time when Jesus was crucified. Most Christian scholars, regardless of their view of eschatology (future things/events), have the above understanding of Daniel's 70 sevens.

Since 483 years had passed from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem to the crucifixion of Jesus one seven-year period needs to be fulfilled Daniel 9:24: “to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.” This final seven-year period is known as the tribulation period, it is a time when God finishes judging Israel for its sin.

Daniel 9:27 “He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”. The person who this verse speaks is the person Jesus calls the “abomination that causes desolation” (Matthew 24:15), “the beast” in Revelation 13.
Daniel 9:27 says that the beast will make a covenant for seven years, but in the middle of this week (3 1/2 years into the tribulation), he will break the covenant, putting a stop to sacrifice.

Revelation 13 explains that the beast will place an image of himself in the temple and require the world to worship him.
Revelation 13:5 says that this will go on for 42 months, which is 3 1/2 years. Since Daniel 9:27 says that this will happen in the middle of the week, and Revelation 13:5 says that the beast will do this for a period of 42 months, it is easy to see that the total length of time is 84 months or seven years.
Daniel 7:25 where the “time, times, and half a time” (time=1 year; times=2 years; half a time=1/2 year; total of 3 1/2 years) also refers to “great tribulation,” the last half of the seven-year tribulation period when the beast will be in power.
Revelation 11:2-3 speaks of 1260 days and 42 months. Daniel 12:11-12 speaks of 1290 days and 1335 days. These days have a reference to the midpoint of the tribulation. The additional days in Daniel 12 may include the time at the end for the judgment of the nations (Matthew 25:31-46) and time for the setting up of Christ's millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:4-6)

Tribulation, Great Tribulation, day’s, weeks, years. What does it all mean? It’s what this world has coming. Destruction, such as the world has never seen. Is Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior? Are you certain you are going to spend eternity with Him? As I have said the past three weeks, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and what we have learned will strengthen us. I pray that by covering the topic of the Rapture and the Tribulation that you are better informed as to what scripture has to say about the subject's. May God Bless everyone. The Christmas season is upon us and the next several sermons may be an eye opener for many of you.

Going, Going, Gone. Three Theories About The Rapture Part 3

Scripture Reading: John 14:1-3

Our final look at our last theory Postribulationism. Let’s refresh our memories almost every Christian agrees with:
1) There is coming a time of great tribulation such as the world has never seen
2) After the tribulation, Christ will return to establish His kingdom on earth
3) There will be a rapture from mortality to immortality for believers (John 14:1-3, 1 Corinthians 15:51-52, and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)
The only question is the timing of the rapture: when will it occur in relation to the tribulation and the second coming?

Postrbibulationism:

Posttribulationism teaches that the rapture occurs at the end, or near the end, of the tribulation. At that time, the church will meet Christ in the air and then return to earth for the commencement of Christ’s Kingdom on earth. In other words, the rapture and Christ’s second coming (to set up His Kingdom) happen almost simultaneously. According to this view, the church goes through the entire seven-year tribulation. Roman Catholicism, Greek Orthodoxy, and many Protestant denominations teach a posttribulational view.

Scriptural Strengths:

When Jesus speaks of the end times He says He will return after a “great tribulation” (Matthew 24:21, 29) 21 “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”
Notice the difference in the NIV and KJV versions. The word Great tribulation is absent from the NIV.

The book of Revelation mentions only one coming of the Lord. That occurs after the tribulation (Revelation 19-20) Passages such as Revelation 13:7 “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.”

and Revelation 20:9 “They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” These verses give support to posttribulationism in that there will obviously be saints in the tribulation.

To the posttribulationist the resurrection of the dead in Revelation 20:5 “(The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection.” … is called “the first resurrection.” They believe that since this “first” resurrection takes place after the tribulation, the resurrection associated with the rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 “For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.” cannot occur until then.

Historically, God’s people have experienced times of intense persecution and trial. Therefore, Postribulationist's say, it should not be surprising that the church also experiences the great tribulation of the end times.

In relation to this, the posttribulational view distinguishes “Satan’s wrath” (or “man’s wrath”) from “God’s wrath” in the book of Revelation.
1) Satan’s wrath is directed against the saints, and God allows it as a means of purifying His faithful.
2) God’s wrath is poured out on the Antichrist and his godless kingdom, and God will protect His people from that punishment.

Weaknesses:

The clear teaching that those who are in Christ are not under condemnation and will never experience the wrath of God (Romans 8:1) “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”
While some judgments during the tribulation specifically target the unsaved, many other judgments, such as the earthquakes, falling stars, and famines, will affect the saved and unsaved equally. Thus, if believers go through the tribulation, they will experience the wrath of God, in contradiction of Romans 8:1.

It must, to some extent, allegorize the tribulation. Many posttribulationists teach that we are living in the tribulation now; in fact, some say the tribulation began immediately after Pentecost in Acts 2. Such teaching ignores the singular nature of the tribulation as presented in Scripture (Matthew 24:21) “For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again.” i.e., that it will be a time of distress unparalleled in the history of the world.

Another difficulty is in explaining the absence of the word “church” in all biblical passages related to the tribulation. Even in Revelation 4–21, the word "church" never appears. Posttribulationists assume that the word “saints” in Revelation 4–21 means the church, although a different Greek word is used.

In closing, a final weakness of the posttribulational view is shared by the other two theories:
1) The Bible does not give an explicit time line concerning future events
2) Scripture does not expressly teach one view over another

Three theories. All having scriptural evidence. All having scriptural disproof. Who is correct? Does it matter? Remember, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and continue to keep that personal relationship with Him. This series was put together to give you all three theories not to convince you of any particular view. We know for certain that Jesus is returning so let us concentrate on expanding the Kingdom of Heaven by spreading His good news.

Going, Going, Gone. Three Theories About The Rapture Part 2

SCRIPTURE READING: 1 Corinthians 15:50-54

Almost all Christians agree on three things: 1) there will be a future time of tribulation, something the world has never seen 2) the second coming of Jesus Chris 3) a transition from mortality to immortality for believers, “the rapture” (John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17) When does the rapture occur in relation to the tribulation and the second coming? Three main theories concerning the timing of the rapture are pretribulationism (occur before the tribulation begins), midtribulationism (occur at the midpoint of the tribulation), and posttribulationism (occur at the end of the tribulation). This week we will look into midtribulationism.

Midtribulationism:

The rapture occurs at the midpoint of the tribulation. At that time, the seventh trumpet sounds (Revelation 11:15) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." The church will meet Christ in the air, and then the bowl judgments are poured upon the earth (Revelation Chapters15 & 16) A time known as the Great Tribulation. Here the rapture and Christ’s second coming (to set up His kingdom) are separated by a period of three-and-a-half years. According to this view, the church goes through the first half of the tribulation but is spared the worst of the tribulation which occurs in the last three-and-a-half years.

Scriptural Support:

Chronologically given support in (2 Thessalonians 2:1-3) Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us, saying that the day of the Lord has already come. Don't let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

The order of events are as follows:
1) apostasy (abandonment of one's religious faith)
2) the revelation of the Antichrist
3) the Day of Christ.

The midtribulational view teaches that the Antichrist will not be decisively revealed until “the abomination which makes desolate” (Matthew 24:15) So when you see standing in the holy place 'the abomination that causes desolation,' spoken of through the prophet Daniel-let the reader understand. This occurs at the midpoint of the tribulation. (Daniel 9:27) He will confirm a covenant with many for one 'seven.' In the middle of the 'seven' he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him

Also, midtribulationists interpret “the Day of Christ” as the rapture; therefore, the church will not be caught up to heaven until after the Antichrist is revealed.

Another teaching is that the trumpet of (1 Corinthians 15:52) in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed Is the same trumpet mentioned in (Revelation 11:15) The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said: "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ever and ever." The trumpet of Revelation 11 is the final in a series of trumpets; therefore, it makes sense that it would be “the last trumpet” of 1 Corinthians 15.

Scriptural Disproof:

The above logic fails, in view of the trumpets’ objectives. The trumpet that sounds at the rapture is “the trumpet call of God” (1 Thessalonians 4:16) For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

The one in Revelation 11 is a warning of judgment (one trumpet is a call of grace to God’s people, the other is a proclamation of doom on the wicked).

The seventh trumpet in Revelation is not the “last” trumpet chronologically (Matthew 24:31) And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other a later trumpet which sounds at the beginning of Christ’s kingdom.

1Thessalonians 5:9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. The church has not been appointed “to suffer wrath but to receive salvation.” This would seem to indicate that believers will not experience the tribulation. However, midtribulationism interprets “wrath” as only referring to the second half of the tribulation (specifically, the bowl judgments). Limiting the word in such a way seems unwarranted. Surely the terrible judgments contained in the seals and trumpets (famine, poisoned rivers, a darkened moon, bloodshed, earthquakes, and torment) could also be considered the wrath of God.

Midtribulationism places the rapture in Revelation 11, prior to the start of “the great tribulation.”. There are two problems with this placement in the chronology of Revelation:

1) the only occurrence of the term “great tribulation” in the entire book is Revelation 7:14

2) the only reference to a “great day of wrath” is in Revelation 6:17

Both of these references come too early for a midtribulational rapture.

Same as last week, the final weakness of the midtribulational view is shared by the other two theories: 1) The Bible does not give an explicit time line concerning future events. 2) Scripture does not expressly teach one view over another.

We have diversity of opinion concerning the end times and some variety on how the related prophecies should be harmonized. Remember keep your eyes fixed on Jesus and the Rapture will not be as important. We don't know when Jesus is returning but we do know that He is. Next week we will look at the final theory till then may you and yours be Blessed...

Going, Going, Gone. Three Theories About The Rapture PART 1

Tonight's Scripture Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

“Rapture” is not mentioned by name in the Bible but the concept is clearly taught in Scripture. The event when God removes all believers from the earth to make way for His righteous judgment to be poured out on the earth during the tribulation period.

Described primarily in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-54. God will resurrect all believers who have died, give them glorified bodies, and take them from the earth, along with the believers who are still alive, they also will be given glorified bodies. “For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17)

The rapture will be instantaneous in nature, and we will receive glorified bodies at that time. “Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed—in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

There are three theories about when the rapture will take place. Pretribulationism, Midtribulationism, and Posttribulationism. All supported by scripture, all rebutted by scripture. We will examine all in this series. The important issue is Jesus. Keep your eyes focused on Him and it wont make a difference when the rapture takes place.

The rapture is the glorious event we should all be longing for. We will finally be free from sin, in God's presence forever. There is far too much debate over the meaning and scope of the rapture. This is not God’s intent. God wants us to “encourage each other with these words” The words of tonight’s scripture reading. (1 Thessalonians 4:18) “Therefore encourage each other with these words.”



PRETRIBULATIONISM:

Pretribulationism teaches that the rapture occurs before the tribulation starts. The church will meet Christ in the air, sometime after that the antichrist is revealed, then the tribulation begins. In other words, the rapture and Christ’s second coming (to set up His kingdom) are separated by at least seven years. According to this view, the church does not experience any of the tribulation.

Scripturally, the pretribulational view has much to support it.
1.) the church is not appointed to wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 & 5:9)
2.) believers will not be overtaken by the Day of the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:1-9)
3.) The church of Philadelphia was promised to be kept from “the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world” (Revelation 3:10)

Note: The promise is not preservation through the trial but deliverance from the hour, i.e., from the time period of the trial.

Pretribulationism also finds support in what is not found in Scripture. The word “church” appears nineteen times in the first three chapters of Revelation. The word is not used again until chapter 22. In entire description of the tribulation in Revelation, the word church is noticeably absent. In fact, the Bible never uses the word "church" in a passage relating to the tribulation.

Pretribulationism is the only theory which clearly maintains the distinction between Israel and the church and God’s separate plans for each. (Daniel 9:24) "Seventy 'sevens' are decreed for your people and your holy city to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy.. A decreed upon Daniel’s people (the Jews) and Daniel’s holy city (Jerusalem). This prophecy makes it plain that the seventieth week (the tribulation) is a time of purging and restoration for Israel and Jerusalem, not for the church.

Pretribulationism has historical support. John 21:22-23 Jesus answered, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me." Because of this, the rumor spread among the brothers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, "If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?" It would seem that the early church viewed Christ’s return as imminent. The rumor would not have persisted that Jesus would return within John’s lifetime. Imminence is incompatible with the other two rapture theories. A key argument of pretribulationism.

The pretribulational view seems to be the most in keeping with God’s character. Biblical examples of God’s salvation include Noah, Lot, and Rahab, who was delivered from Jericho.
(2 Peter 2:6-9) “if he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard) if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.”

One perceived weakness of pretribulationism is its relatively recent development as a church doctrine, not having been formulated in detail until the early 1800s. Another weakness is that pretribulationism splits the return of Jesus Christ into two “phases”, the rapture and the second coming, the Bible does not clearly indicate any such phases.

Another weakness is the fact that there will obviously be saints in the tribulation (Revelation 13:7, 20:9) 13:7 “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.” 20:9 “ They marched across the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of God's people, the city he loves. But fire came down from heaven and devoured them.” Pretribulationists answer this by distinguishing the saints of the Old Testament and the saints of the tribulation from the church of the New Testament. Believers alive at the rapture will be removed before the tribulation but there will be those who will come to Christ during the tribulation.

A final weakness of the pretribulational view is shared by the other two theories: 1.) the Bible does not give an explicit time line concerning future events. 2.) Scripture does not expressly teach one view over another. That is why we have diversity of opinion concerning the end times and some variety on how the related prophecies should be harmonized.

Next week we will look at Midtribulationism. Remember, keep your eyes focused on Jesus and it will not make a difference when He returns. These are theories and are good for conversation. Don't allow yourself to be so fixated on the subject that you loose your focus. Till next week may God Bless you and yours.

Trick Or Treat For My Children?

Scripture Reading: Romans 14

Should Christians celebrate Halloween? Some Christians celebrate Halloween simply by dressing up in a costume and having fun, seeing it as innocent and harmless. Other Christians are equally convinced that Halloween is a satanic holiday established to worship evil spirits and promote darkness and wickedness. Who is right? Is it possible for Christians to celebrate Halloween without compromising their faith?

Origins Of Halloween:

Halloween, although commercialized, has almost completely pagan origins. Traditionally, it was known as All Hallows’ Eve, when the dead were remembered. Over time, it became cultural. For Americans, it has become extremely commercialized. As innocent as it may seem, it is not something to be taken lightly. Christians tend to have various ways to celebrate or not to celebrate Halloween. Some, have an “alternative” Harvest Party, for others, it is staying away from the ghosts, witches, goblins, and wearing innocent costumes. Some choose not to do anything and hide at home. With our freedom as Christians, we are at liberty to decide how we celebrate and what to do.

What Does Scripture Say?

Scripture does not speak at all about Halloween, but it does give us some principles on which we can make a decision.

In Old Testament Israel, witchcraft was a crime punishable by death (Exodus 22:18; Leviticus 19:31; 20:6, 27).

The New Testament teaching about the occult is clear. (Acts 8:9-24) the story of Simon, shows that occultism and Christianity don't mix.

The account of Elymas a sorcerer in Acts 13:6-11 reveals that sorcery is violently opposed to Christianity. Paul called Elymas a child of the devil, an enemy of righteousness and a perverter of the ways of God.

In Acts 16 a fortune-telling girl lost her demon powers when the evil spirit was cast out by Paul. What's interesting here is that Paul refused to allow even good statements to come from a demon-influenced person.

In Acts 19 we see new converts who have abruptly broken with their former occultism by confessing, showing their evil deeds, bringing their magic paraphernalia, and burning it before everyone. (Vs.19) A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.

Should a Christian celebrate Halloween?

Is there anything evil about a Christian dressing up as a princess or cowboy and going around the block asking for candy? No...

Are there things about Halloween that are anti-Christian and should be avoided? Absolutely! If parents are going to allow their children to participate in Halloween, they should make sure to keep them from getting involved in the darker aspects of the day.

If Christians are going to take part in Halloween, their attitude, dress, and most importantly, their behavior should still reflect a redeemed life.

(Philippians 1:27) Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel.

There are many churches that hold "harvest festivals" and incorporate costumes, but in a godly environment. Many hand out tracts and share the Gospel along with the Halloween candy. The decision is ultimately yours to make. But as with all things, we are to incorporate the principles of Romans 14. We can’t allow our own convictions about a holiday to cause division in the body of Christ, nor can we use our freedom to cause others to stumble in their faith. We are to do all things as to the Lord. Whatever you choose to do be safe and blessed...

October 24 Sermon

Greetings everyone. I was out of town this past Sunday and did not give a sermon. Our congregation was blessed with a sermon from Greg Fisher. I was not there but was told the Holy Spirit moved in a mighty way as Fish ministered from Ephesians 1. I pray that next Sunday (October 31) you find it in your heart to minister God's Word to those who will be "Trick or Treating". Let's make that night all about God and not ghosts and goblins. Till next week be Blessed...

Overcoming Temptation

Scripture Reading: Matthew 4:1-11

We all face temptation. We are not alone, everyone faces temptation. Our scripture reading tells us that even Jesus was tempted. Hebrews 4:15 “ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.”. Temptation is common to man and has been since the beginning of time but there is encouragement in scripture. 1 Corinthians 10:13 “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”. Let’s take a closer look into God’s word.

Where Do These Temptations Come From?:

They do not come from God but He does allow them. James 1:13 “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;”

We see in the book of Job God allowing Satan to tempt Job, but with restrictions. 1 Peter 5:8 “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”. Vs. 9 tells us to resist him, knowing that other Christians are also experiencing his attacks. By these passages we know that temptations come from Satan.

James 1:14 “but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”. Temptation comes from within us, when we are “carried away and enticed by our own lust” (vs.14). We allow ourselves to think certain thoughts, allow ourselves to go places we should not go, and make decisions based on our lusts that lead us into the temptation.

Satan and our own evil desires create temptation

How Do We Resist Temptation?:

Let us look at when Jesus was tempted by Satan. Each temptation was met with a common answer “It is written” followed by scripture. If the Son of God used God’s written word to overcome his temptations what should we do? We know that it was successful. Satan fled (Vs. 11)

Our efforts to resist will be weak and ineffective unless they are powered by the Holy Spirit through the constant reading, studying, and meditating on the Word. Romans 12:2 “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”.

There is no other weapon than God’s word (Eph. 6). The only weapon in the armor of God.

Colossians 3:2 “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”. When our minds are cluttered with the latest TV shows, music, and all the rest the culture has to offer, we will be bombarded with messages and images that inevitably lead to sinful lusts. But if our minds are filled with the majesty and holiness of God, the love and compassion of Christ, and the brilliance of both reflected in His perfect Word, we will find that our interest in the lusts of the world diminish and disappear. But without the Word’s influence on our minds, we are open to anything Satan wants to throw at us.

How Do We Guard Our Heart’s And Minds?:

Remember the words of Christ. Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.”. Most of us do not want to jump into sin, yet we cannot resist falling into it because our flesh is not strong enough to resist. We place ourselves in situations or fill our minds with lustful passions, and that leads us into sin.

We need to renew our thinking. No longer think as the world thinks or walk in the same way that the world walks. Romans 12:1-2 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will”.

We also need to turn from evil. Proverbs 4:14-15 “Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men. Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.”. We need to avoid the path of the world that leads us into temptation. Our flesh is weak. We are easily carried away by our own lusts.

Matthew 5:29 has some excellent advice. “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw if from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.”. That sounds pretty severe. Sin is severe. Jesus is not saying that we literally need to remove body parts, Jesus is teaching us that if necessary, a drastic measure should be taken to avoid sin.

If we follow the advice God gives us, we shouldn't have to go to the extremes to overcome temptation.

I pray that you can resist temptation and sin. Till next week may God Bless you and yours.

Overcoming Sin

Scripture Reading: 1 John 1:5-10

Can we overcome sin? We are told to walk in the light, to overcome darkness. It’s not easy but God provides a way. Outlined in scriptures we have a way to resist sin. We will never be perfectly victorious over sin but that should still be our goal. How can we can progressively overcome sin and become more and more like Christ? God gives us four resources to accomplish His plan.

1. The Holy Spirit

God has given us the Holy Spirit so we can be victorious in Christian living.

Read Galatians 5:16-25, we are called to walk in the Spirit. All believers have the Spirit, but we are being told to walk in the Spirit yielding to His control. To follow His prompting always, not the flesh.

Do not quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19 “Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;”).

We should seek to be filled with it (Ephesians 5:18-21 “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ”)
How do we fill ourselves with the Holy Spirit? There is evidence in Ephesians 5:18-21 (above) and Colossians 3:16 (“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”)

God chooses to fill those who are filling themselves with the Word of God.

2. The Word Of God

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
It teaches us how to live and what to believe. It reveals to us when we have chosen wrong paths, it helps us get back on the right path and it helps us to stay on that path. It is living and powerful, able to penetrate to our hearts to root out and overcome the deepest sins of heart and attitude.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Often treated to lightly. Not memorized, not applied, not meditated on. When it comes to the Bible, we are often either anorexic or bulimic. We either take in just enough to keep us alive spiritually by eating from the Word (but never ingesting enough to be healthy, thriving Christians), or we come to feed often but never meditate on it long enough to get spiritual nutrition from it.

The Bible is the tool the Spirit uses in our lives (Ephesians 6:17), an essential and major part of the armor that God gives us to fight our spiritual battles (Ephesians 6:12-18).


3. Prayer Prayer is our third resource in our war against sin … Another area we tend to be lazy in.

How important is prayer to overcoming sin in our lives? We have Christ's words to Peter in the Garden of Gethsemane, just before Peter's denial. As Jesus prays, Peter is sleeping. Jesus wakes him and says, “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak” (Matthew 26:41). We, like Peter, want to do what is right but are not finding the strength.

We need to follow God, keep seeking, keep knocking, keep asking—and He will give us the strength that we need ... (Matthew 7:7) ““Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Prayer is not a magic formula. Prayer is simply acknowledging our own limitations, acknowledging God's awesome power, and turning to Him for strength to do what He wants us to do. Not what we want to do. (1 John 5:14-15) “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”

4. The Church Fellowship with other believers.

When Jesus sent His disciples out, He sent them out two-by-two (Matthew 10:1) “He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.”
The missionaries in Acts did not go out one at a time, but in groups of two or more.

Jesus commands us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together but to use that time for encouraging one another in love and good works (Hebrews 10:24) “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

He tells us to confess our faults to one another (James 5:16) “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective”

In the Old Testament, we are told that as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (Proverbs 27:17) “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another”
There is strength in numbers (Ecclesiastes 4:11-12) “Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

Temptation is common to all (1 Corinthians 10:13) “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”
An accountability partner can help our need to overcome sin. Sometimes victory comes quickly other times, slowly. God has promised that as we make use of His resources, He will progressively bring about change in our lives. We can rest easy in our efforts to overcome sin. We know that God is faithful to His promises.

Restoration

Once again I apologize for not posting my sermons. I will try to be more obedient and get this done. I will start with this past Sunday's service...

He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Psalm 23:3

Restoration of our souls. As Christians, we are the sheep of God’s pasture (Psalm 100:3), and only He can restore our souls. To restore means "to repair, renovate, or return to a former condition." The soul is the deepest part of us, our spirit and innermost being. Since God is the one who made us, only He can restore us, because only He knows what we truly need to restore our souls.

Restoring the soul is only possible for those whose souls have been redeemed through faith in Christ. Jesus promised rest to all those that would come to Him (Matthew 11:28-30), so it is important that we are sure of our salvation and our relationship with God. Only those who are truly born again in Christ can experience the peace and joy that God has promised in His Word.

Thankfully, God provides for us when we face discouragement, trials and temptations. He has provided three primary sources of encouragement and strength. First, He has given us His Word to guide us, encourage us and nourish us spiritually. We need to spend time reading it, hearing it preached (Romans 10:17) and most of all obeying it (Psalm 119:2; Proverbs 3:1-2; James 1:25). Second, God has also given us the privilege and power of prayer (Matthew 7:7-11; Mark 11:24-25; John 15:7; Hebrews 4:16; 1 John 5:14). We need to take our problems, our discouragement and our tiredness to God in prayer, knowing that He loves us and cares for us (1 Peter 5:6-7). Third, He has given us other Christians to encourage us and support us (Ecclesiastes 4:9-19; Ephesians 4:29; Hebrews 3:13). It is important to be a part of a healthy, well-balanced church and to regularly worship and fellowship with other believers (Hebrews 10:23-25). Christians who have gone through similar struggles can be a great source of encouragement and help as we go through dark times (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

Discouragement during times of trials and tribulations is not unusual. Throughout the Bible we see examples of godly men and women who have faced similar situations. These examples can serve as encouragement to us today, because the same God who was faithful to them then will be faithful to us.

God wants to restore us, to bring us to Him, let's stop resisting Him and give complete control to our Lord. Have a wonderful Blessed week.

The Lost Sheep

Tonight's Scripture Reading: Luke 15:1-7

Tonight we looked into parables taught by Jesus. Why did he use them? What did they mean? Do they apply to us today? How can we interpret them? How do we understanding and apply them? What is a parable? Why are they taught in set’s of three? Let’s look at a group of three.

What Is A Parable?:

A short story to convey a concept to be understood or principle to be put into practice (intent not meaning). The Greek meaning is, “to set beside” (a comparison). In biblical times, things were explained in word pictures. Today we use statistics or definitions. Word pictures do not draw attention to technicalities they draw attention to attitudes, concepts, and characteristics.

Why Did Jesus Use Parables?:

It was a language all Jews could understand. Jesus focused on attitude rather than “outward appearance” as the Pharisees taught (John 7:24 “Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”)

They have an emotional impact that make them memorable and meaningful to those with a soft heart. They remain a mystery to those who’s hearts are hardened. Why? They require you to be “self critical” and to place yourself in the appropriate place in the story.

Result of a hardened heart? “be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving” (*Isaiah 6:9, Psalm 78:2, Matthew 13:35*)

They are Timeless Teachings. They use commonly understood concepts such as grace, gentleness, concern, pride and others. Everyone can comprehend these concepts even though the story is thousands of years old. In Jewish culture charter traits are often described in relation to objects that are universally recognized (*Hosea 6:3*). Everyone know what rain is. This is why poetry was so often used in scriptures. Over emphasis on a particular detail will lead to interpretative errors. Repetition, patterns or changes help us in identifying when we should focus on a particular detail.

The Lost Sheep Parable:

Repetition: The Lost Sheep (Luke 15:1-7)
The Lost Coin (Luke 15:8-10)
The Lost Son (Luke 15:11-31)

Vs. 1-2 sets up the scenario, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them”. Pharisees thought themselves to be righteous and all others were wicked. Teaching sinners was acceptable to them but eating with them was shameful. Jesus addresses “This man welcomes sinners” in the three parables.

We need a little history to better understand this parable. Jewish culture revolves around shame/honor. Everything done in Jewish culture either brings shame or honor. The primary motivation is to bring honor to ones self, this was the primary preoccupation of Jewish interaction.

The Lost Sheep: Vs. 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep”. Jesus was appealing to their life experiences. As the story ends the Pharisees refuse to see themselves as sinners, by their self righteous pride and refusing to repent they placed themselves in the group of 99. Vs. 7 “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

We all have sinned including the Pharisees. (Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”)

The Lost Coin: 10 coins refer to a piece of jewelry worn by Jewish brides (like a wedding ring). See the pattern? Lost, Found, Rejoicing.

The Lost Son: Repetition, Patterns, and Changes. They all have the same meaning but are told with different charters. All mean the same thing.

Patterns Of Progression:

Identify the things in common. A sheep, a silver coin, and a son are lost. Remember the shame/honor concept of the Jewish faith. To loose one of these things was shameful.

The personal progression of seeking the one thing that was lost. This shows the scope of God’s personal concern for individuals and gave comfort to the “sinners” who were listening.

Notice the change in tense regarding the rejoicing, from future, present, and past (“will be more joy”, “there is joy”, “had to be”). This communicates the acceptance of those who repent.

Notice the earthly references: lost sheep in an open field, coin lost in the dirt, and the son who was in the mud of a pigsty. This represents our sin.

How did people relate to these three parables? Poor men and young boy’s would have related to the Sheppard. Woman and young girls would have related to the lost bridal coin. The last parable dealt with everyone present, the prideful, self righteous Pharisees, the wayward tax collectors, and the sinners.

Patterns Of Consistency:

1) The main charter possessed something valuable and did not want to loose it.

2) The main charter rejoices in finding what was lost but rejoices with others.

3) The main charter (God) expresses care in either the looking or handling of what was lost.

4) Each thing that was lost had a personal value not just a monetary value; shepherd’s cared for their sheep, woman cherished their jewelry, and a father loves his son.

Jesus paints a beautiful picture with words, a picture of God’s grace in His desire to see the lost return to Him. Men seek honor and avoid shame, God seeks to glorify Himself through us, His sheep. Despite having ninety nine other sheep, despite the sinful rebellion of His lost sheep, God joyfully received it back. Just as He does when we repent and return to Him.

I pray that if you know a lost sheep or if you are one of the ninety nine that you seek Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If you don't know anyone who can tell you about Jesus please drop me an e-mail or call. I will be more than happy to tell you what He has done for me. Till next week may God Bless you and yours.

Jeremiah The Prophet

Tonight's Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 1:1-3

Jeremiah, a prophet of God. A man who kept a record of the final prophesies of Judea. Written between 630 to 580 B.C. He warned of destruction without repentance. A plea from Jeremiah to “Turn back to God”. Jeremiah had knowledge of what was and is to come. Let’s look at Jeremiah the Prophet of God and what he had to say.

Who is Jeremiah?:

A Prophet created and called by God:

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Called by God to warn the nations, to warn us. Warn us about what? Man’s deceitfulness:

Jeremiah 17:9 “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

Jeremiah loved Judea and his people but he loved God more. He grieved about delivering God’s messages. He was obedient and did what God asked of him. He hoped and prayed for mercy on Judea. He trusted that God was just, righteous and good. He recognized it is more important to obey to God than our own desires, to trust in God’s wisdom and perfect plan. For the benefit of His children:

Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

What Was His Message?:

Judgment for Judea for idolatry: Jeremiah 7:30-34 / 16:10-13 / 22:9 / 32:29. Judea abandoned God after King Josiah died.

He compared them to a prostitute: Jeremiah 2:20 / 3:1-3

God promised severe punishment for idolatry: Leviticus 26:31-33 Jeremiah was warning Judea that punishment was at hand. God had delivered them from destruction many times and His patience was wearing thin.

What Happened?

Jeremiah 24:1 “After Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the craftsmen and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the Lord.”. Occupation of King Nebuchadnezzar but they continued sin and rebellion. What happened next?

Jeremiah 52 The destruction of Judea, total destruction. King Zedekiah’s family killed in front of him, all his Officials killed, his eyes plucked from him, shackled and bound and put in prison till death. God’s promise fulfilled.

What’s Next?

Jeremiah 29:10 “This is what the Lord says: When seventy years are completed for Babylon I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place.”. Restoration,Forgiveness.

What Does That Have To Do With Us Today?

Jeremiah 23:5-6 “The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name which he will be called: The Lord our righteousness. The prophecy of Jesus Christ.

The “Branch” from the house of David (Matthew 1)

The King of wisdom and righteousness (Revelation 11:15)

Recognized by Israel as the True Messiah and salvation for his chosen ones (Romans 11:26)

They Key word “Recognize” Jesus as Messiah. It is yet to be done

Fast Forward To Today:

Where are we today? Lawless, worshipers of idols, lovers of ourselves, wicked, lovers of money, disobedient, etc.

2Timothy 3:2 “People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.”

Sound like the world around us? Where is your heart? Do you hang out with these people? Do you know what is to come? Are you prepared?

Jeremiah, a profit of God, a messenger for all the nations. Heed his warnings. Change your lifestyle if you already haven’t. Come to God. Destruction is inevitable, men’s hearts are deceitful. Society is turning from God as the Israelites did. Look around, do you see the similarities of Jeremiah’s time today? History repeats itself, are you ready?

Clean On The Outside, Dirty On The Inside

Tonight's Scripture Reading: Genesis 35:1-5

What was God telling Jacob? To build an alter, Honor Him. What did Jacob tell his family? Get rid of the foreign god’s, purify yourselves, change your cloth’s. God is with us always. Did Jacob want to take his family on his journey of faith? Let’s look into the journey and what happened on the journey?

The Foreign God’s:

Vs. 2 “So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes.”

Jacob realized how much God had done for him. He wanted everyone to share his experience. How much they “needed” God, only God.

Foreign gods: Many people back then had “household idols” that they depended on, as well as God. They didn’t trust God alone. Get rid of them. What are your “idols”? Have you gotten rid of them?

Purify Yourselves, Change Your Cloth‘s:

What was Jacob telling them to do? To purify and change their hearts, not the physical clothing, the heart. Stop Sinning, get rid of the idols, stop sinning and come to God. Change your heart. I told a story about a friend who had a dream. In his dream God told him he was clean on the outside but dirty on the inside. He wanted to know what that meant to me. Here is what was reviled to me.

God was telling him to change his heart and focus on Him. Stop living in the world, claiming to be a Christian. Wearing a cross, going to church, going through the actions without changing his heart. “Clean on the outside, Dirty on the inside”. Would you drink from a shiny, polished cup that was moldy inside? His outer appearance said Christian but his heart said sin.

The Journey:

We need to Change, we need to have Faith in God. A Changed heart, no idols, just God. Jacob listened to God and did what God asked of Him. Faithfully.

Vs. 5 “Then they set out, and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.” …

God offered complete protection, a safe journey, then Blessings.

Obeying:

Vs. 7 There he built an alter, and he called the place El Bethel, because it was there That God revealed himself to him when he was fleeing from his brother.”

Jacob had cleaned his heart and obeyed God’s commands,what happened next?

Vs. 10-13 “God said to him, Your name is Jacob , but you will no longer be called Jacob; your name will be Israel. So He named him Israel. And God said to him, I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will come from your body. The land I gave to Abraham and Isaac I also give to you, and I will give this land to your decedents after you. Then God went up from him at the place were he had talked with him.”

The Kingdom

Are you Clean on the outside but dirty on the inside? … Do you look like a Christian or do you Act like a Christian? …
The promise of God is, eternal life with Him. All He asks us for, is our heart God looks at our heart not the exterior.
If you see someone wearing a cross it doesn’t mean that they have Christ in their hearts. Ask them, don’t turn down the chance to minister God’s word. Remember, A Shiny outside doesn’t mean a Clean inside.

Church Conflict

TONIGHT'S SCRIPTURE READING: Acts 15

Conflict among Christians is inevitable and should be anticipated.   Yet, many churches have trouble managing conflict.  I believe a major reason why this is so is because it is contrary to what we expect to find.  We think that church should be the one place where people find relief from the turmoil that is in our lives.  

People believe church should be an environment that is free of strife.  We're Christians; can't we all get along?  But this expectation does not take into account the fact that even Christians are still fallen people.  Though we believe in Jesus, we're still a mess.   The unrealistic expectation that believers in Christ will always live peacefully with one another only exasperates the problem when conflict does arise.

Acts 15 is a pivotal chapter;  in it the decision was made as to how Gentiles would be received into the church.  It was difficult for some Jewish Christians to accept that Gentiles could be brought into the church without first becoming Jews.   The conflict in the church at Antioch caused by the Judaizers' false teaching was no side issue.  The matter had to do with salvation itself.  This was not something where believers could just agree to disagree.  Salvation is an essential doctrine of the church.  This issue went to the very core of Christianity, and it had to be resolved.
When Paul heard about what the Judaizers were teaching, he became outraged.  You see Paul correctly taught that salvation is grace plus nothing.  Our simple response is to place our faith in Jesus.  To require one to follow the law, or to observe a system of religious rituals, is to add to the gospel of grace. 

Just how is church conflict to be resolved?   *Matthew 18:15-17* gives us a three-step method for resolving church conflict.
 
The situation to which Jesus refers is when someone in the church has sinned against us.  Our Lord instructs us to go to that person, and seek to bring about reconciliation.  Quite often, our attitude is, "He or she should come to me.  After all, I was the one who was wronged.  Why should I make the first move?  That person should come to me and apologize."
 
We are also to take the initiative whenever we have been the one who has caused the hurt or anger (*Matthew 5:23-24*).  So then, we should always take the initiative in resolving conflict, regardless of whether we were the one hurt, or we were the one who caused the hurt.

Step One: Go to the individual in private:

We are to go to that person alone.  This is because we need to preserve peace in the church.  If we don't handle the matter privately, and instead talk about it with our friends behind the person's back, gossip will spread throughout the church.  Factions will develop as people choose sides.  Thus, we must attempt to resolve the issue one-on-one.
Before we go, we should pray.  We need to ask God to help us approach the individual in an attitude of love.  Our purpose in meeting with him or her should be to both convince and restore.  We also want to reconcile with him.  We almost certainly will not succeed if we lose control of our temper, or if he cannot see love for him in our approach.  If the matter is resolved, give thanks to God.  If not, Jesus gave us a second step.

Step Two:  Seek the help of one or two mediators :

This mediator should be someone who is spiritually mature, and who will be objective.  He will not choose sides, but instead will try to assist in discovering what it is God is saying.  If, after meeting with a mediator, the issue remains unresolved, Jesus directs us to take a third step.


Step Three: Bring the matter before the church elders:

(*Acts 15:7-21*)  The Jerusalem Council began their meeting by spending a great deal of time discussing the matter of how Gentiles would be received into the church.  Peter gave a history lesson, recalling what God had already done among the Gentiles.  God already had fully received the Gentiles on the basis of faith, making no distinction between Jews and Gentiles.

Turning to the Judaizers, Peter remarked, "Why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?" (vs. 10).   The purpose of the law was to make us aware of our sins, so that we would acknowledge our need of a Savior (*James 2:10*).

After Peter spoke, Barnabas and Paul began sharing all that God had done in bringing Gentiles to Himself during the first missionary journey.  Finally, James spoke, quoting from Amos  9.    James appealed to scripture to demonstrate that what God was doing among the Gentiles had a biblical foundation.  He then made a ruling on the matter of how Gentiles would be received into the church.  

Basing his decision on the authority of God's Word, which had been confirmed through the experiences of Paul and Barnabas on the first missionary journey, James declared the church must recognize and embrace Gentile believers as brothers and sisters in Christ.  He added they must not burden Gentiles by asking them to add to their faith either circumcision or obeying the Mosaic law.

Did you notice how James and the Jerusalem Council arrived at their decision?

They appealed to Truth.  They turned to the Word of God in seeking to discover the Truth of God.   They did not rely on their own thoughts and feelings.   What we think or feel about a matter can be wrong.  Only the Bible is authoritative.  It is our only reliable source of Truth.  When the Council looked at what had been taking place through the experiences of Paul and Barnabas, they saw that these experiences were aligned with scripture.

While affirming a law-free gospel, James also appealed to these believers to refrain from certain practices which particularly offensive to their Jewish Christian brothers.  "Hey folks, now that we've resolved this essential matter, we want you to know there are some things you need to be aware of.   So, out of love for them, just don't do these things."

When it comes to essential matters of faith, we need to be willing to go to the mat to defend these.  But there are some non-essential areas of faith where our convictions may differ.   Out of love for one another, we need to respect each others' convictions on those issues, and not do something that knowingly would hurt others.

We need to respect one another in order to promote harmony in the church.

How To Listen To A Sermon

Greetings and God's Blessings to all. Tonight we looked into listening to a sermon. Many people attend church and sit there but don't listen. Church is a place that God communicates with us but we need to have our ears, eyes, and hearts open to receive His word. Self help books are all around us today. Most begin with “How To”, They offer advice on how to make your life “more practical”, how to accomplish tasks, make your life easier, be more productive, and make your life more fulfilling.

Our scripture reading for tonight was 2 Timothy 4 : 1-5. Why do you come to church? To meet Christian friends?, give your children good moral values?, help lift you up for the up coming week? We should be coming here to “Know God”, to have an encounter with Him. We should be here to ‘Hear Him”. So, we need to listen. Luke 8:18 Therefore consider how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him. Does God speak to us today? Yes, just as much as He always has. Today, He speaks to us mainly through His Word and the teaching and preaching of His Word. If we develop good listening skills, we will hear Him clearly.

How To Listen: Listen reverently (Worshipful). The Bible is God’s Word.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. The Greek word “Inspired” is literally translated to “God Breathed”. Not the product of human imagination, ingenuity, or creation. God insured that the words written and translated were His words and only His Words. When you open your Bibles you are not reading words from men about God, you are reading God’s words to man. God speaks through the Bible. Paul told Timothy and all Pastors through the ages to “Preach the Word”. 2 Timothy 4:2-3 Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit there own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.

A Pastor is not to preach his prejudices or opinions. We are to proclaim what God say’s in his Word. Many Pastors have grown large congregations by telling their parishioners what they think they want to hear. Some are “Happy, Happy” churches, some “Fire and Brimstone”. Look around are they scriptural? You come here to hear a word from God. That is why we should listen reverently. He has a message He wants you to hear, and a coarse of action He wants you to pursue.

Listen Critically: Definition: “inclined to find fault” or “careful and exact evaluation”. The later is what we need to do. Acts 17:11 “Now the Bereans were of more noble charter than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” The Bereans listened carefully to Paul. They took notes, went home and checked it out. They did their homework. When listening to a sermon you need to be an active participant not a passive recipient.

If you had an appointment with God how would you prepare? Prayer, confession, bring a note pad as not to miss anything? At the meeting what would you do? Listen closely, take notes, ask questions? I bet you would make some changes after your appointment. How do you know if the Pastors message is his own or from God? You evaluate the sermons faithfulness to scriptures. Do what the Bereans did, listen, take notes, go home and check up on the Pastors message. In order for God’s word to impact our life we have one more thing to do, Listen Submissively.

James 1:22 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” God did not give us His Word to make us better sinners. He wants to make us more like Himself. You and I share the responsibility in the transformation.It is my job to present scripture in a way you can better understand it and how to apply it to your life. The Congress of Biblical Exposition defines biblical preaching as: persuasively and urgently communicating the exact and full meaning of the text of Scripture in terms of contemporary culture, with the specific goal of helping people understand and obey the truth of God.” What is your responsibility? Listen reverently, critically and submissively. During the week you should seek to apply God’s message to your life. Spiritual Maturity is the product of truth applied over time.

I read Matthew 7:24-27. When we hear God’s word and carefully apply it, we have a solid foundation for living. Hear it and not act on it, you might have well have build your house on sand. When you hear the Word and Apply it, blessing comes, protection comes, security comes, and resilience comes.

In closing, listen reverently, it is a Word from God, listen critically, be active not passive, and listen submissively, ask yourself, “How can I apply what I have learned today? What changes does God want me to make? YOU, not your spouse, children, co-workers, or friends. God is talking to YOU. Prayerfully apply the truths you have learned to your life. God tells us that His Word, when applied, does not return to Him void.

The Spirit was indeed in our presence once again. Till next week may you and yours be Blessed.