Wednesday, October 27, 2010
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...
Monday, October 18, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, October 11, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)