Liberty Worship Center logo

Liberty Worship Center

Author: Bert Mendelson

  • New Life Choices

    South, East, West, North pedestal signage

    New Life Choices

    Results

    If I’m holding a glass, then I drop it on a hard floor, it will break. It doesn’t matter if I want it to break, it’s going to happen. After it breaks, I might really wish it wasn’t broken, but it will still be in pieces on the floor. That’s the way that life is.
    We are the result of our choices. If we make good choices, we will have better consequences than if we make bad choices.
    Genetics can play a role (I was never going to be tall enough to play in the NBA). It also matters who we grow up with and where. At the end of the day, though, we all are responsible for our lives.
    Many people have had horrible childhoods, yet they became very happy, successful adults. Others have had everything good handed to them growing up, but they became miserable, ungodly adults.
    We all have good and bad things happen to us. How we choose to address them defines who and what we will become.

    Greatest Commandment

    One day, an expert in the Jewish law asked Jesus a question

    Matthew 22:36-40 (NASB)

    36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
    37 And He said to him, ” YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.
    38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.
    39 “The second is like it, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
    40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

    There are literally hundreds of commandments in the Old Testament. Jesus told this man that it can all be boiled down to these two commandments, though. God has always been showing us His love, and looking for us to love Him back. If we love someone, we will only do what we believe is good for them.
    We can even see this in the Ten Commandments. The first four speak to our relationship with God, the others outline our relationship with each other. Through it all, it’s all about love.

    Ten Commandments

    Exodus 20 (NASB)

    #1: “You shall have no other gods before Me.” (v.3)
    #2: “You shall not make for yourself an idol” (v.4)
    #3: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain,” (v.7)
    #4: “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.” (v.8)

    Notice that these are commandments, not suggestions. God expects us to keep them. If we don’t, there will be negative consequences, just like the negative consequences from dropping the glass. Some people think that God wants to keep us from being happy. It’s actually just the opposite. These commandments are here to show us how to have a truly joyful life (and eternal life).

    No Other Gods

    The word “idolatry” actually means placing our main affection or desire on anyone or anything over God Himself. He wants, and deserves, to be far more important than anything or anyone else. He created us for this purpose — to love Him!

    Making Idols

    In most of the Western world today, people are not bowing down and worshiping statues necessarily. I believe the most common idol that people have made and worship is so-called “science.” They will typically claim that they believe in “science”, not God. By its definition, that is making and worshiping an idol. By doing this, people are showing their own arrogance and pride. True science, however, is based on facts, not assumptions. When someone makes the statement that they won’t even consider the existence of God, but they will believe in the Big Bang Theory and evolutionary theory instead, they actually violate a major point of true science. They are refusing to accept all possible answers to a question, even though their own theories cannot be proven.

    Taking God’s Name in Vain

    If someone applies for a credit card or a loan using someone else’s name, it’s a crime. They used the other person’s good name and credit under false pretenses. That’s similar to what happens when someone takes God’s name in vain. It’s when someone “curses” using God’s name, but they are not actually calling out to Him. It reduces the majesty and glory of God in that person’s eyes, when He should be exalted and praised forever for His lovingkindness and goodness to all of us.

    Remember the Sabbath Day

    In Jesus’ day, the Pharisees and Sadducees had added numerous things to God’s law, including the Sabbath day. They actually claimed that Jesus (the Son of God) was a sinner, because he healed people on the Sabbath. This is what Jesus said.

    Mark 2:27-28 (NASB)

    27 Jesus said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
    28 “So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

    God established the Sabbath day when He rested from creating the universe in six days. He has unlimited power and energy, so He did not need to rest; He rested to give us an example.

    Relationship with Other People

    The next six commandments in Exodus 20 deal with our relationships with each other. If we truly love each other, these are things that we will be doing — not because we are forced to, but because we want to. Love leads us to do loving things.

    Exodus 20 (NASB)

    #5: “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.” (v.12)
    #6: “You shall not murder.” (v.13)
    #7: “You shall not commit adultery.” (v.14)
    #8: “You shall not steal.” (v.15)
    #9: “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (v.16)
    #10: “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (v.17)

    Honor Your Father and Your Mother

    Paul points out in Ephesians 6:2 that this is the first commandment with a promise.

    Exodus 20:12 (NASB)

    12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.

    Most people would like to live long, prosperous lives. This is one major way to accomplish that. As we grow up, we want to think for ourselves and not be forced to do what someone else tells us to. Our parents have lived longer than we have, so they have probably been through what we are going through right now. They also probably love us with a love that is like no other.
    Some people feel that their parents don’t deserve their love, because of their actions or words over the years. Unfortunately, in some cases, that might be true. On the other hand, this might just be an opportunity to show forgiveness.
    At the same time, notice the promise that God gives: “that your days may be prolonged in the land which the LORD your God gives you.” This is a promise for the son or daughter who is honoring their father and mother.
    Just as forgiving someone benefits the person who is doing the forgiving, honoring your parents benefits the one doing the honoring.

    Murder

    Exodus 20:13 (NASB)

    13 “You shall not murder.”

    As we see in other scriptures, this does not include execution after a person has been convicted of a capital crime (such as murder). It also does not include defending yourself or others, such as in a time of war.
    Murder is the taking of a human life, with the explicit exceptions just mentioned. It is especially heinous, because it is destroying someone who was created in the image of God. This includes suicide. God has created each of us in His image. Life is hard, but God can give you the strength to overcome, if you trust and follow Him.
    Science has confirmed to us that an unborn child is a human who only needs a safe place to be fed, nurtured, and grow. This is the same as a newborn child. Viewing life in this way (which is also confirmed in scripture — see Jer.1:5 and Gal.1:15), we can see that abortion is actually murder.

    Adultery

    Exodus 20:14 (NASB)

    14 “You shall not commit adultery.”

    God created Adam and Eve. He created them to be married to each other for their entire lives. Some people have said that we were never intended to be married for many years. I think that Adam and Eve, along with billions of others, disprove that idea.
    Remember how Jesus said that the greatest commandments were to love God and to love your neighbor as yourself. If you love your spouse, you won’t commit adultery against them. If you truly love someone else’s spouse, you won’t commit adultery with them. Loving God also means that you will keep yourself pure, no matter what our society says is okay. This means waiting to have sex until you have made the lifelong commitment of marriage, then keeping yourself only for your spouse.
    This is how God created us to live, and this is how we can show true love, not what the world around us claims love is.

    Stealing

    Exodus 20:15 (NASB)

    15 “You shall not steal.”

    Love wants the best for the other person. Stealing is the opposite of that love. Stealing is done by someone who only cares for himself. It can be taking someone else’s car or watch. It can also be eating a grape at the grocery store without paying for it. How much something costs is not the point. The point is taking something that does not belong to you.

    Ephesians 4:28 (NASB)

    28 He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.

    We should be giving to others, not taking from them; generosity not greed.

    Lying

    Exodus 20:16 (NASB)

    16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”

    Just like with stealing, God doesn’t say, “It’s okay to lie as long as you think it’s not a big lie.” There is no such thing as “a little white lie.” What God is specifically saying here is saying something bad or negative about someone else that you know is not true. This could be a political “opponent”, a coworker, or a former friend. Lying might seem like the easiest or most effective tool at the time, but it’s almost always a bad decision. It’s definitely not the loving decision.

    Coveting

    Exodus 20:17 (NASB)

    17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”

    Coveting simply means to desire greatly. I learned a long time ago that I will never be the best or worst at anything. I will never be the best looking or the richest or the most popular. There can only be one best of any particular thing, and chances are you won’t be the best, either. That means that you might be tempted to be jealous of what someone else has. This can lead to anger, lying, or many other things that are the opposite of love.
    Instead of jealousy, we should be happy for others when they are doing well. We should also be thankful to God for what we have. Being jealous of someone else means we are blaming God for not giving us what we think we deserve.
    Paul, once again, had the right attitude.

    Philippians 4:11-13 (NASB)

    11 Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
    12 I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need.
    13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

    Love

    Matthew 22:36-40 (NASB)

    36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
    37 And He said to him, ” YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.
    38 “This is the great and foremost commandment.
    39 “The second is like it, YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
    40 “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

    If we look at every situation in our lives as an opportunity to be thankful to God for what He has given us, as well as an opportunity to show His love to God and others, we will live the joyful, happy, content, and blessed life that He intends for each one of us.

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar

  • New Year New Direction

    South, East, West, North pedestal signage

    New Year New Direction

    New Year

    At the end of one year and the beginning of another, many people re-examine their lives. What am I doing? Where am I heading? Do I need to change direction?
    Few people wind up doing what they wanted to do when they were children, which is probably a good thing. (How many firemen and ballerinas do we really need?) Usually, our lives take many twists and turns. If we’re not careful, we can wake up one day and ask ourselves, “How did I get here?”
    It seems Moses had that happen to him more than once.

    Evil King

    The nation of Israel had been living in the land of Egypt for over 300 years. At first, they were welcomed there as guests, because of Joseph, one of Jacob’s sone. Over the years, the Egyptian people enslaved the Israelites and started to fear them. Since God was blessing the Israelites with many children, giving them a large population, the Egyptian king and his people were afraid that one day, they might rise up and take over their country. Just before Moses was born, the king even made a decree that all Jewish male children had to be thrown into the Nile River (to kill them).

    Supernatural Protection

    God miraculously spared Moses, though. His mother carefully placed him in a waterproof basket, then placed him by the side of the Nile River.

    Exodus 2:5-6 (NASB)

    5 The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the Nile, with her maidens walking alongside the Nile; and she saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid, and she brought it to her.
    6 When she opened it, she saw the child, and behold, the boy was crying. And she had pity on him and said, “This is one of the Hebrews children.”

    The king of Egypt was also called Pharaoh. His daughter saw Moses and had pity on him, so she decided to raise Moses on her own. God even provided a way for Moses’s own mother to nurse him and raise him in the early part of his life. She then brought Moses to Pharaoh’s daughter, where he was trained and raised in the royal household.

    Royal Education

    Acts 7:22 (NASB)

    22 “Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.

    At this time, Egypt had possibly the most advanced scientific and military knowledge anywhere. Moses probably saw himself growing up to become a powerful person there. Whether through his mother or someone else, Moses was told that he was chosen to save the Jewish people from their slavery.

    Action

    Acts 7:23-25 (NASB)

    23 “But when he was approaching the age of forty, it entered his mind to visit his brethren, the sons of Israel.
    24 “And when he saw one of them being treated unjustly, he defended him and took vengeance for the oppressed by striking down the Egyptian.
    25 “And he supposed that his brethren understood that God was granting them deliverance through him, but they did not understand.

    Moses was now a grown man. It appears that he was strong, courageous, and very intelligent. He probably looked at his circumstances and reasoned to himself that now was the time that God was going to use him to deliver his people. In his own mind, Moses probably figured that he had the right talent and training, so of course God would use him, and this was the perfect time. He was physically at his strongest, and if he waited much longer, he might not be physically able to accomplish what he could now.
    All of this was what Moses could understand on his own, not what God could accomplish. Things were about to change dramatically for him.

    Retreat

    After Moses killed the Egyptian, the king tried to kill him. Moses fled and went to another country, where he stayed in obscurity. He instantly went from being in the palace of the greatest country in the world to raising another man’s sheep in a poor land. He did that for the next 40 years. During this time, he probably lost all confidence in himself and his abilities, as we can see when God called him.

    Retreat

    Moses went from this:

    Acts 7:22 (NASB)

    22 “Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.

    to this:

    Exodus 3:11 (NASB)

    11 But Moses said to God, “Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the sons of Israel out of Egypt?”

    All the confidence and self-assurance that Moses had 40 years earlier had slowly drifted. He saw his calling that was once so clear gradually fade away. He now had resigned himself to the fact that he was going to live and die in obscurity, away from his family, never fulfilling God’s plan for him.

    Settling

    Moses had probably decided to make the best of where life had taken him. He married one of the daughters of the man whose sheep he was pastoring, and they had two sons. He had settled into this life and lifestyle.
    Now, God was about to shake things up again.

    Preparation

    God needed a man who would be able to lead over 3 million Israelites out of slavery to the most powerful nation on earth. Forty years earlier, Moses thought that God had uniquely prepared him and positioned him to make this happen. What Moses did not understand was that the last 40 years of obscurity and humbling were what he really needed. He needed to depend completely on God, having no confidence in his own talents and training. God needed an empty vessel, and that’s what Moses had become.

    Standing Before the King

    Moses was now 80 years old. He probably was planning for his death, making sure that his wife and young sons would be provided for. Instead, God tells him that He has a very special plan for him, one that would change the world.

    Exodus 7:15-18 (NASB)

    15 “Go to Pharaoh in the morning as he is going out to the water, and station yourself to meet him on the bank of the Nile; and you shall take in your hand the staff that was turned into a serpent.
    16 “You shall say to him, The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, sent me to you, saying, “Let My people go, that they may serve Me in the wilderness. But behold, you have not listened until now.”
    17 Thus says the LORD, “By this you shall know that I am the LORD: behold, I will strike the water that is in the Nile with the staff that is in my hand, and it will be turned to blood.
    18 “The fish that are in the Nile will die, and the Nile will become foul, and the Egyptians will find difficulty in drinking water from the Nile.”‘”

    God used Moses to inflict 10 different plagues on the Egyptians. Through this, God was glorified to all of the nations in the known world, especially Egypt.

    Your Direction

    Are you where you thought you would be when you were younger? What are your plans for the future? Are you ready and willing for God to change your plans into His plans?
    Where are you heading? When you die (which will happen to us all), where will you be? If you can’t say for sure that you will be in heaven with Jesus, please stop right now and ask Jesus to forgive you of your sins and be the Lord (ruler) of your life. Ultimately, that is the most important direction and destination for all eternity.

    How to be Saved

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar

  • Why Was Jesus Born?

    nativity

    Why Was Jesus Born?

    Why did we need help?

    In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve. Life was great for them in the Garden of Eden. They had everything they needed, including daily fellowship with God.
    Then, one day, they did the one thing that God told them not to do — they ate from the one tree that was forbidden. God had warned them that this would lead to their deaths, and it did. Physical death is when the soul and spirit are separated from the body. Spiritual death is when we are separated from God — spiritually.
    By disobeying God, Adam and Eve caused a separation between themselves and God — a spiritual death. They also felt shame for the first time, because they were naked. They formed some coverings for themselves out of fig leaves, but that did not work very well. God provided for them, with the first recorded animal sacrifice. He made clothing for Adam and Eve out of animal skins.

    Animal Sacrifices

    God had told Adam and Eve that they would die because of their sin. In Old Testament times, God accepted animal sacrifices, covering over the penalty that people deserved. He gave the people detailed instructions for offering the sacrifices. Although the sacrifices were good, they were not enough.

    Hebrews 9:9b-10 (NASB)

    Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience,
    10 since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.

    We needed a better sacrifice, one that would fully cleanse us from our sin.

    Jesus’ Sacrifice

    Hebrews 9:11-12 (NASB)

    11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;
    12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

    Why did Jesus have to make this sacrifice? Because He was the only person to ever live Who never sinned, making Him the perfect, blameless sacrifice. He is the only person Who did not deserve to pay for His sins, because He didn’t have any. All the rest of us do.

    Only a Woman

    Let’s look at what God told the serpent (Satan) after Adam and Eve sinned.

    Genesis 3:15 (NASB)

    15 And I will put enmity Between you and the woman, And between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

    God said that the seed (child) of the woman would be an enemy with Satan. He would not be a seed of a man, though. Of course, this is impossible; it made no sense. How could this ever happen? Still, God prophesied it again many years later.

    Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)

    14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.

    The word, “Immanuel” means “God with us.” (Matt.1:23) How could this be possible?

    A Virgin

    Luke 1:30-33 (NASB)

    30 The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God.
    31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.
    32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David;
    33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”

    Mary was a young Jewish woman who was engaged to a man named Joseph, but she had never had sex with anyone (Matt.1:18). Naturally, Mary was confused and asked the angel how this could be.

    Luke 1:34-35 (NASB)

    34 Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?”
    35 The angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.

    There are many places in the Bible where God references the fact that He considers all godly people to be His bride, and He is the groom. Actually, we are all supposed to be His bride/church, but many choose not to be a part. With this, God was marrying Himself to all of humanity.
    We were lost, but God had a plan. Why did He live as one of us, though?

    One of Us

    Referring to Jesus, scripture says this.

    Hebrews 4:15-16 (NASB)

    15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
    16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

    Jesus showed us how to live. He also showed us that it was possible to live a sinless life, but only with God’s help. We were never intended to live this life on our own. God has always wanted to be there, helping us and walking with us every day.

    Teaching

    Mark 2:13 (NASB)

    13 And He went out again by the seashore; and all the people were coming to Him, and He was teaching them.

    We see many scriptures telling us how Jesus would teach the people every day. He also chose 12 disciples who followed Him and lived with Him for over three years. They could see Him, His lifestyle, and His teaching up close. They knew exactly Who He was. In fact, they believed Jesus so much that they all gave up everything to follow Him.
    After Jesus was crucified, rose from the dead, then ascended into heaven, they all knew they had to tell everyone they could about Him. They were all persecuted, and all of them except one was martyred (killed) because of their faith in Jesus. They knew Who He was, and that’s how they lived their lives.

    Death

    Hebrews 9:15 (NASB)

    15 For this reason He is the mediator of a new covenant, so that, since a death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions that were committed under the first covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

    Jesus redeemed us (took our place) by dying on the cross. He took our sins on Himself, nailed them to the cross, and paid the penalty that we deserved. He didn’t stop there, though.

    Resurrection

    Romans 6:4, 10-11 (NASB)

    4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
    10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
    11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

    Jesus died, but then He rose from the dead. With this act, He destroyed the power of death, not just for Himself, but also for all of us. He made it possible for us to now consider ourselves “to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” By any human measure, all of this is impossible. With God, all things are possible (Matt.19:26).

    Today

    Today, Jesus is seated once again at the right hand of His Father in heaven. That doesn’t mean that He has left us, though.

    Matthew 28:19-20 (NASB)

    19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,
    20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

    Jesus, as a man, could not be with all of us all the time, so He sent His Holy Spirit.

    John 14:16, 18-19 (NASB)

    16 “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;
    18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
    19 “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.

    New Birth

    Just as we celebrate the birth of Jesus at this time of year, we can celebrate our own birth. Jesus gave us everything He had. It’s time for us to give Him everything we have and be born again ourselves.

    John 3:16 (NASB)

    16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar

  • Our Only Hope is Jesus

    Wise men on camels traveling to the star

    Our Only Hope is Jesus

    Trouble

    Sometimes, it seems our world has nothing but trouble. Politicians on one side say that the other side has the worst people to ever live. The other side says the same thing. Enemy nations use social media to stoke the flames of hate, knowing that this is how they can make us weak.
    At home, it seems like there’s never enough money to do what we would like to do. There are problems with parents/children/spouse/others. There are never enough hours in the day. Nothing goes right at work, home, family, friends, church, neighbors, etc.
    Have you ever thought, “Everything would be great if people just did what I wanted.” Then you realize that’s probably what everyone else wants, and that’s why we have problems!

    Sin

    Driving down the street, people speeding to get somewhere quickly. Some people will cut you off. Others will drive like they own the road, and no one else matters. Maybe you have even been that person some days.
    It’s hard to be nice when it seems that no one wants to be nice to you. You begin to wonder if there is any hope for this world (or yourself). Jesus is our hope!

    1 Peter 1:3-5 (NASB)

    3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
    4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
    5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

    Hope

    We have hope, not because of what we have done or who we are. We have hope because of what Jesus has done and Who He is! God Himself came to earth to give us hope. In spite of all the hardships He endured in this life, He always had hope. That was only possible because He knew Who He was, and He knew His Father’s plan. This life was not the end for Him. He knew that He came from eternity and He was returning back to eternity, with His Father.

    Perspective

    Hebrews 12:1-3 (NASB)

    1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
    2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
    3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

    The writer here is giving us a few ways to help keep our perspective on track. First, he tells us that we have a great “cloud of witnesses surrounding us.” He is probably referring to the “heroes of the faith”, such as Abraham and Moses, that he mentioned in the previous chapter. They were all people who overcame “impossible” obstacles because they trusted in God.
    Then, he tells us to get rid of everything that is slowing us down, like sin, “which so easily entangles us.” You can’t expect to win a race if you are trying to carry heavy weights on you everywhere you go. Let go of the sin and whatever is keeping you down, away from Jesus.
    When you are running a race, it’s good to keep looking at the finish line. That’s where you want to be. You want to do whatever it takes to get there. Jesus is our finish line — “fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.” Yes, we still have to live in this life, in this world. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, our goal, then we will have the right perspective to live in this life.

    Hostility

    Hebrews 12:2-3 (NASB)

    2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
    3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

    As we fix our eyes on Jesus, we need to remember what He did for us. Even though He despised the shame of the mocking, beating, and crucifixion, He “endured.” This means that when He wanted to run away, He stayed; He endured. When He was being arrested, Peter was going to fight for Him. Jesus said that He could have called for thousands of angels to protect Him, but He didn’t; He endured.

    Matthew 26:52-53 (NASB)

    52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword.
    53 “Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

    Sinners

    Hebrews 12:3 (NASB)

    3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

    There are times when we are going through trials, and we wonder about other people. We think, “I know that person, and they are horrible. Why do they never seem to have any problems?” Jesus didn’t go there. He was (and is) the Son of God — God Himself. He never sinned, in His entire life, yet here were horrible, sinful people judging Him and mocking Him. If anyone had a right to be angry, Jesus did. If anyone had a right to take revenge, He did. But He didn’t.
    Instead of taking vengeance for what these “sinners” were doing to Him, He died for them.

    Romans 5:8 (NASB)

    8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

    No, Jesus didn’t deserve what happened to Him, but He endured it anyway — for us. We might not deserve the trials we go through (or maybe we do), but we need to endure anyway. We endure because we know Who our Savior is. We keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, because He is our hope.

    John 14:6 (NASB)

    6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar

  • Your Plan vs God’s Plan

    two human palms

    Your Plan vs God’s Plan

    Our Plans

    Most of us have plans. As a child, we might have dreams of being a doctor, fireman, football player, or president. In high school, we start getting more “realistic” about how we want to make a living. Once we are in a career, we plan on getting a promotion. At some point, we might meet our spouse and start planning for a house and children. We get older, and start thinking about retirement.
    As you think back on your own life, how many of your plans turned out the way you thought they would? I have known some people who dated in high school, and they got married and lived happily the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, that is the exception. Most of the time, things don’t turn out as we had planned when we were young.

    Jacob

    In the book of Genesis, we meet Jacob, whom God renamed Israel. He was the father of the 12 tribes of Israel (the 12 sons he fathered). He loved the Lord, and was a godly man, but he was far from perfect. In fact, he deceived his own father into giving him the blessing of the firstborn child, instead of his slightly older twin brother, Esau. Jacob and Esau’s mother, Rebekah, sent Jacob back to her hometown, a long way off. He went to find a wife. Once he got there, he met Rachel, and fell in love with her. He agreed with her father to work for him for seven years, so that he could marry Rachel. This was his plan, but it didn’t work out that way.
    On his wedding night, Rachel’s father secretly deceived Jacob. He had his other daughter, Leah, waiting for Jacob. Jacob did not realize the deception until the next morning. The father then said that Jacob had to agree to work for another seven years to have the right to marry Rachel.

    Deception

    On his wedding night, Rachel’s father secretly deceived Jacob. He had his other daughter, Leah, waiting for Jacob. Jacob did not realize the deception until the next morning. The father then said that Jacob had to agree to work for another seven years to have the right to marry Rachel. Although this was an incredibly wrong thing to do — for Jacob, Leah, and Rachel — God used the situation to provide many children for Jacob.
    Jacob made plans. The father seemingly “ruined” those plans. God redeemed the situation and used it for good.
    This is a pattern we see many times in the Bible, and even in our own lives. Our job is to make sure that we keep a godly attitude and trust God with everything.

    Joseph

    As we said earlier, Jacob was not a perfect man. One of the problems with having more than one wife is preferring one over another, which brings out jealousy. Jacob did prefer Rachel. After many years of not being able to have children, she gave birth to a son named Joseph. Joseph quickly became his favorite son, probably because he was born to his favorite wife, and he “was the son of his old age” (Gen.37:3). (Remember, favoritism is bad.)
    It seems that Joseph was not just Jacob’s favorite, but God had a special plan for his life. Joseph was probably happy being the favorite son, but God had much more in store for him. He had his father’s favor, but because of this, his brothers hated him. Things were about to get worse, though.

    Genesis 37:5-8 (NASB)

    5 Then Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers, they hated him even more.
    6 He said to them, “Please listen to this dream which I have had;
    7 for behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and lo, my sheaf rose up and also stood erect; and behold, your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.”
    8 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.

    Joseph was just trying to understand his dream, and his brothers hated him for it. They thought that he was being arrogant and prideful, even though it doesn’t seem like that was the case. Many times, we can see a glimpse of God’s plans and not understand. We can even misinterpret what God is doing.

    Another Dream

    Genesis 37:9-11 (NASB)

    9 Now he had still another dream, and related it to his brothers, and said, “Lo, I have had still another dream; and behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”
    10 He related it to his father and to his brothers; and his father rebuked him and said to him, “What is this dream that you have had? Shall I and your mother and your brothers actually come to bow ourselves down before you to the ground?”
    11 His brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.

    Now, even his parents were upset with him. Joseph was just trying to understand what was happening in his young life, and it seemed that no one around him could help. They all accused him of pride and arrogance.

    From Bad to Worse

    Life must have been hard for Joseph, but it was about to get worse. Jacob would have Joseph go out to the fields and check on his brothers, to make sure that they were tending to the sheep. This also upset his (all older) brothers.
    One day, Joseph was going out to check on his brothers and the flocks. They saw him coming, and let their anger get the better of them.

    Genesis 37:18-20 (NASB)

    18 When they saw him from a distance and before he came close to them, they plotted against him to put him to death.
    19 They said to one another, “Here comes this dreamer!
    20 “Now then, come and let us kill him and throw him into one of the pits; and we will say, A wild beast devoured him. Then let us see what will become of his dreams!”

    Imagine your own brothers being angry enough to actually plan to kill you. Thankfully, Reuben, the oldest brother, wanted to save Joseph’s life.

    Genesis 37:21-22 (NASB)

    21 But Reuben heard this and rescued him out of their hands and said, “Let us not take his life.”
    22 Reuben further said to them, “Shed no blood. Throw him into this pit that is in the wilderness, but do not lay hands on him” — that he might rescue him out of their hands, to restore him to his father.

    Reuben had a plan, but, once again, that’s not what happened.

    Sold Into Slavery

    Genesis 37:25-27 (NASB)

    25 Then they sat down to eat a meal. And as they raised their eyes and looked, behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites was coming from Gilead, with their camels bearing aromatic gum and balm and myrrh, on their way to bring them down to Egypt.
    26 Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it for us to kill our brother and cover up his blood?
    27 “Come and let us sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him, for he is our brother, our own flesh.” And his brothers listened to him.

    The brothers had thrown Joseph into a hole in the ground, then they casually have lunch. They saw a caravan of Ishmaelites (their cousins through their their great-grandfather Abraham) on their way to Egypt. They sold Joseph to them as a slave, then lied to their father, Jacob, and told him Joseph was dead.

    Potiphar’s House

    When they got to Egypt, the traders sold Joseph to Potiphar, the captain of the bodyguard of Pharaoh (the Egyptian king). Even though Joseph was a slave, God was still with him. Even Potiphar saw that everything that Joseph did prospered. Potiphar soon put Joseph in charge of his whole household and everything he owned.
    Once again, it seemed like things were getting a little better for Joseph, but that was about to change. Potiphar’s wife saw Joseph and wanted to sleep with him. As a godly man, Joseph kept refusing her. One day, Potiphar’s wife got angry and accused Joseph of trying to rape her. Of course, Potiphar believed his wife, and he had Joseph thrown in the royal jail.

    Undeserved

    Genesis 39:19-20 (NASB)

    19 Now when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, “This is what your slave did to me,” his anger burned.
    20 So Joseph’s master took him and put him into the jail, the place where the king’s prisoners were confined; and he was there in the jail.

    Joseph could have taken the easy way out; he could have slept with Potiphar’s wife. Instead, he did the godly thing and maintained his integrity. Sometimes, we can do the right thing and still be accused of doing the wrong thing. This seems to be the pattern so far in Joseph’s life.

    Faithfulness

    Even though Joseph has hard things happening to him, he maintains his integrity, and he never loses his faith in, and faithfulness to, God. Because of this, God honors his faith, and is with him, even in the hard times.

    Genesis 39:21-23 (NASB)

    21 But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.
    22 The chief jailer committed to Joseph’s charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it.
    23 The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph’s charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper.

    Cupbearer and Baker

    In those days, Pharaoh (the king) could have people put in prison just because they offended him.

    Genesis 39:21-23 (NASB)

    1 Then it came about after these things, the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt offended their lord, the king of Egypt.
    2 Pharaoh was furious with his two officials, the chief cupbearer and the chief baker.
    3 So he put them in confinement in the house of the captain of the bodyguard, in the jail, the same place where Joseph was imprisoned.

    Dreams

    Genesis 40:5-8 (NASB)

    5 Then the cupbearer and the baker for the king of Egypt, who were confined in jail, both had a dream the same night, each man with his own dream and each dream with its own interpretation.
    6 When Joseph came to them in the morning and observed them, behold, they were dejected.
    7 He asked Pharaoh’s officials who were with him in confinement in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so sad today?”
    8 Then they said to him, “We have had a dream and there is no one to interpret it.” Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.”

    Joseph had a strong relationship with God, and he trusted that God would help him. After they told Joseph their dreams, he interpreted them. One was good news; the other one was bad news. Both interpretations came true. Joseph asked the cupbearer to remember him when he was released, since he had been imprisoned unjustly. Once again, Joseph was disappointed.

    Two More Years

    Genesis 40:23-41:1a (NASB)

    23 Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.
    1 Now it happened at the end of two full years that Pharaoh had a dream,

    Joseph had seen his chance of possibly getting out of this jail. He had done a great thing for the cupbearer, who was with the king every day. It probably seemed to him that no matter what he did, he never was able to have a “normal” life. Bad things seemed to follow him.

    Pharaoh’s Dreams

    After those two more years, Pharaoh had two more dreams. No one in his kingdom could interpret them, though. The cupbearer remembered Joseph and told the king about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams. The king had Joseph brought to him. Joseph interpreted the dreams. Both of them had the same interpretation. There was going to be seven years of abundant crops, followed by seven years of famine.

    Promotion

    Genesis 41:38-40 (NASB)

    38 Then Pharaoh said to his servants, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is a divine spirit?”
    39 So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are.
    40 “You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you.”

    This was an impossible thing that just occurred. Joseph had gone from being in jail to being the most powerful man, next to the king, in the most powerful country in the world at the time. What makes this even more incredible is the fact that Joseph was a foreigner; he was not even an Egyptian.
    He was still apart from his family, though.

    Famine

    When the famine came, Egypt was prepared. Joseph had commanded that they would store large portions of the abundant grain that was harvested in the good years. When the years of famine came, even Jacob and all of Joseph’s family experienced the famine. They came to Joseph, and he was able to provide for all of them.

    Fulfilled Dreams

    Joseph was now about 40 years old. The dreams that he had as a young boy finally came true. He was faithful to God, and God never left him. Joseph went through some very hard times, but God prospered him even in the hard times. Now, Joseph saw the ultimate reason he had to suffer all that he did.

    Genesis 45:7-8 (NASB)

    7 “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.
    8 “Now, therefore, it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh and lord of all his household and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

    God’s Purpose

    Joseph had every right to be angry with his brothers. They had wanted to kill him. They actually sold him into slavery and lied to his father. He could have commanded that they be killed, and he could have his “revenge.” Some people would even say that would be the just thing to do. Joseph, as a godly man, knew the heart of God, and he saw God’s plan — even through all of the hard times.

    Your Life

    It might seem like you are living the life of Job or Joseph or one of the other “heroes” of the Bible. What makes them different — heroes — is their faithfulness to God. They never gave up.
    Whatever you are going through today, remember that God will always be there with you, as long as you remain faithful to Him. He loves you, and will always redeem your life; sometimes in this life, sometimes only in the next.

    Ephesians 6:11-14a (NASB)

    11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
    12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
    13 Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.
    14 Stand firm therefore

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar

  • The Beauty of Sacrifice

    two human palms

    The Beauty of Sacrifice

    Christmas

    This is the time of year that we celebrate the birth of Jesus — the precious gift that was given to us. We traditionally celebrate by giving and receiving gifts. Too often, we miss the real meaning behind the whole thing. It becomes all about some material gift that we want or someone else wants. God wants us to understand that the real beauty is not in receiving. It’s not even in giving, if the giving is some material thing. The real beauty is when we give ourselves completely to serving God and others, in holiness.

    Sacrifice

    In Genesis chapter 3, we see that God sacrificed animals so He could make clothes for Adam and Eve after they sinned. In chapter 4, Cain and Abel bring sacrifices to God. Throughout the Old Testament, people brought offerings and sacrifices of animals and crops. They recognized that God’s justice required punishment for their sins. They also knew that God would accept sacrifices in their place.

    Soothing Aroma

    Exodus 29:18 (NASB)

    18 “You shall offer up in smoke the whole ram on the altar; it is a burnt offering to the LORD: it is a soothing aroma, an offering by fire to the LORD.

    We see this same phrase many times in the Old Testament — a “soothing aroma.” It is telling us that God is soothed, quieted, satisfied by the “aroma” of the burning sacrifices. It wasn’t the physical smell of the sacrifice; rather, it was the heart of the person who was offering the sacrifice. With this act, they were acknowledging their sin (that they had done wrong), as well as the fact that they deserved punishment for their sin. They also knew that this physical act, combined with their faith and repentant heart, would bring them back into a right relationship with their heavenly Father.

    Living Sacrifice

    Romans 12:1 (NASB)

    1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

    Today, we are told to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. Jesus paid the ultimate price. He gave His life so that we could live. God is still looking for our faith/trust in Him and a humble heart, longing to be in the presence of God.

    The Gift

    John 3:16 (NASB)

    16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

    We have probably heard this scripture so many times that it’s easy to skip over the real depth of its meaning. Because of God’s love for everyone in this world — past, present, and future — God gave His most precious gift, His “only begotten Son.” Why was this necessary? It was so that we should “not perish.” That means that we are perishing (dying) without His gift of sacrifice. Instead, He gave us His life, so we could have “eternal life” with Him (forever).
    Jesus satisfied the judgment that our sin required. It also made possible a closer relationship between us and God.

    God’s Love

    John 3:16 (NASB)

    16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

    Let’s not skip over the love part. It was God’s love that drove Him to give His most precious gift. It wasn’t loneliness, desperation, or anything that might cause some people to do difficult things. It was simply because of His love for us. He knew that we would fail (He knows all things), but He created us anyway. He knew that He would have to send Jesus to die for our sins, but He created us anyway. It’s just like parents who long to have children. They know that it will cost them money (a lot of money). They also know that there will be hard times, and their lives will be much more complicated. Because of the love that they already have for their children, which will only increase, they decide to make the sacrifices anyway. That is a small taste of God’s love for us.

    Jesus’ Reward

    Philippians 2:8-11 (NASB)

    8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
    9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
    10 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
    11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

    Because of His humility and obedience, God the Father exalted Him. It might seem that this is how Jesus earned His position in heaven. In reality, though, He already created and owned everything.

    John 1:1-3 (NASB)

    1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
    2 He was in the beginning with God.
    3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.

    “The Word” in this passage is Jesus. He was with God, and He was God. He created everything, along with His Father. His Father created nothing without Him. He already had all possible glory, power, and authority; He did not need to “earn” it. He endured all of the suffering for our sakes.

    Shame

    Hebrews 12:2 (NASB)

    2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

    Yes, God can and does feel emotions. Jesus felt the shame of being falsely accused in public, then beaten, mocked, and spit upon. He then had to carry His own cross, until He was took weak to continue. Then, they stripped Him of His clothes and nailed Him to a cross by a public road, for all to see. He was crucified and treated like a common criminal, being hung between two thieves.
    Jesus endured shame, but He did it out of His overwhelming love for us.

    Our Part

    Hebrews 12:1 (NASB)

    1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
    2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

    Jesus, of course, is our greatest witness and example. The Bible gives us many more. It’s true that living a godly life can be difficult, but it is worth every resistance to temptation, every hour of time spent in prayer and fellowship with God, every helping hand given to others, every loving word and act to those who mock or persecute us. Just like a runner in a race needs to keep focused on the prize at the end of the race, we need to do the same.

    Joy

    Jesus “endured the cross” because of the joy that was waiting for Him — being fully reunited with His Father, and knowing that He had purchased our salvation. At the same time, He spent His time here on earth loving people and touching lives. He also spent a lot of time praying and communicating with His Father. He did these things both as an example to us, and because He wanted to. Once again, we see His love overflowing to all those around Him. Now, it’s our turn.

    Encouragement

    Ephesians 5:18-21 (NASB)

    18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
    19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;
    20 always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father;
    21 and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.

    Many people will use alcohol as a way to have a “good time.” Paul tells us in Ephesians not to do that. It is a bad idea, and it doesn’t really provide us with what we need. We should be singing and speaking praises to God, along with encouraging each other. In verse 21, he reminds us to “be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” In this way, offering to God our sacrifice of praise (Romans 12:1), and submitting ourselves to each other, we will find we can live surrounded by love, even if it seems at times like we’re the only ones loving.

    We find the beauty of sacrifice when we live and love the way that Jesus did.

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar

  • Examples

    teacher

    Examples

    1 Corinthians 10:11 (NASB)

    11 Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

    Good and Bad

    God has given us many examples, both good and bad, of people in the Bible. Some did incredible things, because of their faith and trust in God. Others, did not do so well, because they did not put their faith in God. In this scripture, Paul is telling us that this is one of the major purposes of the Bible.

    Sports

    When I was a boy, someone showed me how to throw a football. I’m sure my first attempt, like most people, was pretty pathetic. After trying again, failing, being corrected and encouraged by others, I eventually learned how to throw a decent spiral pass. It’s the same with soccer, baseball, or even walking. At first, we were not good. Over time, with practice, we got better.

    Examples

    Something that has always helped me more than anything is watching someone else do what I want to do. To be a good baseball player, you watch good baseball players. To be a good gymnast, you watch good gymnasts. If you want to be a godly person, you watch godly people around you. You can also read about many in the Bible.
    I have also found that it’s easier to learn from the mistakes of others than to make them myself. These are all things we see in God’s word, the Bible. We see both good and bad examples. We also see people’s real personalities — how God can use us with all of our unique abilities and idiosyncracies.

    Peter

    Peter had been a fisherman, in business with his father and brother, Andrew. He was first introduced to Jesus by Andrew. Andrew had been a follower of John the Baptist. He heard John saying that Jesus was the Son of God, so he followed Jesus and spoke with Him, then brought his brother.

    1 Corinthians 10:11 (NASB)

    40 One of the two who heard John speak and followed Him, was Andrew, Simon Peter s brother.
    41 He found first his own brother Simon and said to him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ).
    42 He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of John; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter).

    Left His Business

    Later, we see Peter and Andrew at work, fishing.

    Mark 1:16-18 (NASB)

    16 As He was going along by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew, the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.
    17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.”
    18 Immediately they left their nets and followed Him.

    Jesus told Peter and Andrew that He had a higher calling for them. He was calling them to become “fishers of men.” In other words, Jesus was calling them to first follow Him, then lead others to Jesus.

    Strong Faith

    One night, after ministering to crowds of people, Jesus told His disciples to get in a boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. He went up on a mountain and prayed through the night. In the early hours of the next morning, a little before sunrise, the disciples were still trying to get across the Sea of Galilee, because they had strong winds and waves working against them. Jesus came by the disciples, walking on the water. They were all terrified, thinking it might be a ghost. Jesus said, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matt. 14:27). Peter was always a man of action.

    Matthew 14:28-32 (NASB)

    28 Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
    29 And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.
    30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”
    31 Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
    32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped.

    We can see a few things about Peter from this encounter.

    • He had a strong faith in Jesus — strong enough to believe that he could come to Jesus in the water.
    • He was the kind of person who would act before thinking.
    • Fear was not the first thing on his mind, but it was still there.

    Peter was doing well as long as he had his eyes on Jesus. When he looked at the wind and waves around him, that’s when he started to sink. This is a great example for us. If we keep our eyes on Jesus, instead of what things look like around us, we just might find ourselves doing the impossible.

    Not Perfect

    We see that even though Peter trusted Jesus enough to get out of a boat in the middle of a storm, he wasn’t perfect. After Jesus was arrested, Peter stood outside where Jesus was being tried. Some people started accusing him of being one of Jesus’ disciples. Afraid that he might also be arrested, Peter denied it.

    Mark 14:71-72 (NASB)

    71 But he began to curse and swear, “I do not know this man you are talking about!”
    72 Immediately a rooster crowed a second time. And Peter remembered how Jesus had made the remark to him, “Before a rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” And he began to weep.

    Forgiveness

    Yes, Peter, who had walked with, lived with, and ministered with Jesus for over three years, denied that He knew Jesus. He immediately knew he made a mistake. Jesus forgave him and renewed his calling.
    After Jesus was crucified and raised from the dead, Peter and some other disciples went fishing. Jesus appeared on the beach and called to them. He performed a miracle and let them catch 153 large fish, all at one time, without breaking their nets. Jesus then cooked some of the fish that they had just caught and gave it to them.

    John 21:17-19 (NASB)

    17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.
    18 “Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to gird yourself and walk wherever you wished; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and someone else will gird you, and bring you where you do not wish to go.”
    19 Now this He said, signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, “Follow Me!”

    From what we see in the Bible and church history, Peter never again denied Jesus. In fact, some historical accounts (not in the Bible) tell us that when some evil people had decided that they were going to crucify Peter, he actually asked that they crucify him upside down. He told them that he was not worthy to be crucified the same way that his Lord was. Jesus predicted this in verse 19 above.

    John the Baptist

    John the Baptist had what most of us would consider a hard life. He was born to elderly parents, who probably died when he was young. Because his father was a Jewish priest, he should have been a priest. Instead, when it was time for him to enter the priesthood (at age 30), God called him to be a prophet in the wilderness.

    Mark 1:4-7 (NASB)

    4 John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
    5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins.
    6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist, and his diet was locusts and wild honey.
    7 And he was preaching, and saying, “After me One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to stoop down and untie the thong of His sandals.”

    This was a hard life, but he had to come to prepare the way before Jesus could start his ministry. After a ministry of only about 6 months, he was arrested, simply for preaching righteousness and telling the king that he was living in sin, because he had married his brother’s wife. His wife plotted how to get rid of John the Baptist, using her own daughter.

    Matthew 14:8-11 (NASB)

    8 Having been prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”
    9 Although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of his dinner guests.
    10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison.
    11 And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

    A Waste?

    We might think that this was a waste of a precious, promising life. In God’s view, though, John was a faithful servant. This is what Jesus said about him.

    Luke 7:28 (NASB)

    28 “I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

    John the Apostle

    John the Apostle was not impetuous like Peter, but he loved and served Jesus just as much. He was one of Jesus’ closest disciples, along with Peter and James (his brother). While Jesus was dying on the cross, he looked at John there with Mary, the mother of Jesus. Since He could no longer do it, He entrusted John the Apostle with taking care of His own mother.

    John 19:26 (NASB)

    26 When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He *said to His mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”

    Mary and Joseph

    Mary, the mother of Jesus also (obviously) had a critical ministry. She was entrusted with giving birth to the Son of God. Then, both she and her new husband, Joseph, were given the critical role of raising Jesus in a godly home, keeping Him safe as He grew, until He was prepared for His ministry, at the age of 30.

    Different People

    All of these people had different backgrounds, different personalities, different talents, and different shortcomings. They were all able to be used by God, though.
    Just because you look different or act differently does not mean that God can’t use you. He is calling everyone to come close, receive forgiveness, and reach out to everyone around you. You are unique, and God wants to and will use your unique abilities and weaknesses. All you have to do is let Him.

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar

  • Sin is Crouching

    a lion yawns in a field of tall grass

    Sin is Crouching

    Genesis 4:6-7 (NASB)

    6 Then the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?
    7 “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it.”

    Cain

    Many of us know this story. Adam and Eve’s sons, Cain and Abel, presented offerings to God. God accepted Abel’s offering, but He did not accept Cain’s offering. It’s not clear why, but it could be because of Cain’s attitude. We see in the scripture above how God is warning Cain. Cain could see the right and wrong. God told him specifically. Now, he had a choice to make.

    Justification

    How many times have we found ourselves in a similar situation? We know what we should do, but we don’t. We know what we should avoid, but we don’t. Afterwards, we could try to justify ourselves.

    • It was too much temptation.
    • It was the other person’s fault.
    • I’m only human.
    • Everyone does it.
    • God’s still working on me.
    • No one’s perfect.
    • I can ask God to forgive me later.

    Choice

    The bottom line is that we have choices. God gave us a free will. That is both a blessing and a responsibility. He expects (and demands) that we choose wisely. The point is that we have a choice. No one forces us to sin; it’s our choice.

    James 1:14-15 (NASB)

    14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
    15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.

    Every day, we probably make hundreds of choices — some good, some bad. We all have good thoughts and bad thoughts. Sin is always there, waiting. Our own lust, greed, and selfishness can easily take over. It’s our job to resist temptation and overcome the sin.

    Satan

    1 Peter 5:8-9 (NASB)

    8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
    9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

    As if we didn’t have a hard enough time overcoming our own lust, we also have the devil trying to bring us down to his level. He knows that his destiny is sealed. He will never be spending eternity in the presence of God, and he wants to destroy as many of us as he can, as well.

    roaring lion

    The devil can seem intimidating, because he actually is powerful. Unfortunately for him, Jesus is stronger (unlimited power). If we depend on our relationship with Jesus, we don’t have to fear the devil.

    Greater

    Bullies can intimidate others, and get their own way for a while. If someone stronger comes along, they quickly find out they are no longer in charge.

    1 John 4:4 (NASB)

    4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

    The devil is the one who is “in the world.” If we have given Jesus control of our lives and received His forgiveness of our sins, we have the Holy Spirit (God) living in us. That’s why “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.” We don’t have to sin; we can resist and overcome. God has called us to be strong.

    Not Cowards

    Revelation 21:7-8 (NASB)

    7 “He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.
    8 “But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

    It takes courage to overcome sin. It’s easy to give in and do whatever we want. To live a godly life can be hard.

    True strength is measured in godliness, not muscle.

    Slow to Anger

    Proverbs 16:32 (NASB)

    32 He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.

    It’s easy to think that because someone is strong physically, or rich, or even very smart, that’s what makes them a strong person; it’s not. Someone who is able to resist fighting back or reacting to someone else in anger has tremendous strength, because they have learned how to control their own human nature.

    James 3:2 (NASB)

    2 For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well.

    Pride

    Romans 12:3 (NASB)

    3 For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.

    We are told many times in scripture about the dangers of pride. I have often thought about how pride seems to be a part of every bad decision we make. If we would only do what Paul tells us here in Romans, we would be far better off. If someone challenges us or belittles us, we have a tendency to let our “flesh” (our sinful part) rise up and fight back. If we never let what someone else says bother us, we never give them control over our mood and behavior. We also can live a more godly life. Remember what Jesus said as people were crucifying Him.

    Luke 23:34 (NASB)

    34 But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

    Distance

    A number of years ago, I watched a movie where the teacher was telling the student that the best way to block a punch or kick from your opponent is to not be there. That works in the spiritual world, also. If we stay away from temptation, we can’t be “hit” by it.

    1 Timothy 6:10-11 (NASB)

    10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
    11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

    2 Timothy 22 (NASB)

    22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.

    Paul is telling his disciple, who was also a pastor, to flee, run away, from the temptations of money and youthful lusts. Instead, he should “pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace.” If we are chasing after (pursuing) godliness, we won’t be tempted to fall into sin.

    Transformation

    Romans 12:1-2 (NASB)

    1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
    2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

    We don’t need to just be a little better in our daily lives; we need a total transformation. In other words, we need a metamorphosis along the lines of a tadpole becoming a frog or a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. The only way that this can happen is for our minds to be renewed by God. We need to think and live differently, because God is now living inside of us.

    Discipline

    1 Corinthians 9:27 (NASB)

    27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

    Even though God will give us the strength, we still have to do this ourselves. We have to make the decision that we will resist the temptation to sin, whatever it is, even if we feel that we are “justified” in doing it.
    The apostle Paul lived a truly godly life, wholly dedicated to the service of God and His body, the church. He was making the point, though, that he had to deal with the same temptations and weaknesses that we all do. He wanted to make sure that he ran far away from sin.

    Cain

    If only Cain had listened to God, he (and his descendants) could have lived far different lives. God doesn’t want us to just “blend in” with the world around us. He wants us to be different. We are called to be lights in a dark world.
    Yes, sin is crouching right at our door every day, but so is God. He is right there to comfort us and give us strength to overcome all of life’s trials, tribulations, and challenges.
    It’s true that sin is waiting at the door, but so is Jesus.

    Revelation 3:20-21 (NASB)

    20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.
    21 He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar

  • Are You Addicted to Unforgiveness?

    Couple standing back to back with arms crossed

    Are You Addicted to Unforgiveness?

    Debt

    In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells the parable of the “wicked slave.” Somehow, one of the master’s slaves owed his master 10,000 talents. Each talent was worth about 6,000 days wages for an average worker. That equals 60,000,000 days, or over 192,000 years (at 6 days a week). In other words, it was a debt so ridiculously high that no one (especially a slave) could ever come close to being able to pay. The master then forgave the slave the entire debt.

    Matthew 18:25-27 (NASB)

    25 “But since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold, along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made.
    26 “So the slave fell to the ground and prostrated himself before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’
    27 “And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.”

    Small Debt

    This slave leaves the master, after receiving forgiveness of his debt, and he finds a fellow slave who owes him the equivalent of 100 days’ wages, and he demands that he pay the debt. He even had the other slave thrown into prison, until he would pay the debt. His fellow slaves couldn’t believe what this guy had done, after having received so much himself. They told the master, and the master summoned the slave.

    Matthew 18:32-34 (NASB)

    32 “Then summoning him, his lord said to him, You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.
    33 Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?
    34 “And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him.

    As we just saw, there was no way for this slave to repay the debt, especially from a prison, where he was being tortured. He would never leave this prison.

    Lesson for Us

    Jesus then told His disciples the meaning of the parable, and how it applies to all of us.

    Matthew 18:35 (NASB)

    35 “My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”

    This is a very definite statement. Jesus did not leave any room for doubt or exceptions. Every one of us has managed to build up a debt of sin every bit as great as the 10,000 talents in the parable, yet Jesus forgave us our debt. He took our debt and paid it on the cross, then rose from the dead to give us eternal life. Jesus not only freed us from an eternity separated from Him, but He then gave us eternal life, in His presence forever!

    Inevitable Hurt

    It is inevitable that people around you are going to say something or do something that hurts you. They might mean it, or they might not. They might apologize; they might not. This might even be something very major, that could affect you for the rest of your life.
    No matter how major or intentional the hurt, it can never compare to what we did to Jesus. What Jesus was saying in the parable was that we don’t have the right to even consider not forgiving someone else. In the parable, they were all slaves, under their master. We are all the same, under our Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. No one is more “entitled” than anyone else; no one is “better” than anyone else. We are all the same. We are all sinners.

    Romans 3:23 (NASB)

    23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

    Rights

    Someone might say, “What about my rights? What about my feelings? Why do I have to be the one to apologize/forgive?” They might also say, “I might forgive, but I won’t forget.” Is that true forgiveness? This is how God said that He forgives us:

    Psalm 103:10-12 (NASB)

    10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
    11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
    12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

    It’s because of God’s love for us that He forgives us. Look what Paul writes about love in 1 Corinthians.

    Love

    1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NASB)

    4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
    5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,

    True love is not keeping a record of all the ways that someone has offended you or hurt you. True love forgives and reaches out to help the other person.
    So, why is it so hard to forgive sometimes?

    Procrastination

    Matthew 5:23-24 (NASB)

    23 “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,
    24 leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.

    Jesus said that even if you are about to worship God and bring Him and offering, if there is some unforgiveness between you and someone else, you need to go to that person and be reconciled with them first. Then, you can go back and worship God. The longer you put it off, the harder it will get.

    Addiction

    Just like a drug addict, we can enjoy the feeling when we are holding something against someone in our hearts. It might be that it makes us feel better about ourselves, or we think that it’s only right that they suffer at least as much as we did. Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t think that way?
    Drug addicts have a hard time quitting, because they like the feeling they get when they’re on drugs. It’s the same for unforgiveness addicts.

    Enablers

    Drug addicts build their “social circle” of friends and acquaintances who enable their activity and decisions. Likewise for unforgiveness addicts. Do you only have friends who tell you that it’s okay to feel the hurt and the pain that someone else caused? Maybe it’s even a counselor or minister. Is there someone in your life who is willing to risk your friendship, so that you can find freedom from the chains of your unforgiveness? Are you willing to be that person for someone else?

    Freedom

    John 8:36 (NASB)

    36 “So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.

    God is calling us to live in freedom, not in bondage. When we are holding unforgiveness in our hearts, we are holding ourselves in bondage. The only way to true freedom is to receive forgiveness from Jesus, then share that forgiveness with everyone around us.

    Brotherly Love

    1 John 4:20 (NASB)

    20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

    Once again, we see that the Bible “pulls no punches”; God’s Word is truth, and it tells the truth. If we think that we can love God but hold unforgiveness or hate for someone else in our hearts, we are lying to ourselves, people around us, and God.

    Reconciliation

    2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NASB)

    18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation,
    19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

    As we received forgiveness and reconciliation from God, we were also given a ministry — a ministry to reconcile ourselves to each other, and to reconcile people to Jesus.

    Unforgiveness separates.
    Love reconciles.
    Hate tears down.
    Love builds up.

    Anxiety

    1 Peter 5:6-7 (NASB)

    6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time,
    7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.

    We can give God all of our anxieties and cares, because He cares for us. This is true freedom!

    Freedom

    Don’t let anything or anyone steal your freedom in Christ that Jesus paid for on the cross. Receive His forgiveness today. Let go of all of your hurt, pain, and unforgiveness. Watch all of your chains and heavy weights fall away, as you choose to walk and live in real freedom every day of your life.

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar

  • Step Into the Light

    empty concrete road surrounded by tall tress with sun rays

    Step Into the Light

    Darkness

    closed glass-panel window inside dark room

    Have you ever been in a dark room, maybe waking up in the middle of the night? When you look around, it’s surprising how many things you can actually see. Maybe the only light you have is peeking through your window blinds or curtains. You might only have the light from the little LED on your smoke alarm or digital clock. If this was all you knew, you might think it wasn’t too bad. You can see some things, and you can feel your way around what you can’t see.

    Light

    Then, you turn on the light switch. At first, you can’t see anything, because your eyes are used to the darkness. You might even be tempted to turn off the light, because it’s hurting your eyes. If you keep the light on and let your eyes adjust, you start to see things that you missed before. Someone left their shoes in the middle of the floor, and you were about to trip over them. You never noticed the painting that was on the wall. The furniture that you could just make out before now is suddenly visible. Colors appear everywhere that weren’t there before, beautiful details that you just couldn’t see.

    Easier

    What if you had decided that turning on that light switch hurt your eyes too much, that the darkness was good enough? Think about all that you would miss — the tripping hazards, the vibrant colors, the beautiful details.

    Knowing God

    Our spiritual life is a lot like that light switch. It’s definitely easier to just stay in the dark. It takes work to live out a Christian life. When we first turn on the “light switch” by committing our lives to Jesus, we begin to see things more clearly. As we get closer to Jesus and become more like Him, we see even more.

    Tripping Hazards

    There are many “tripping hazards” in this life — things that we can’t see without God’s help.

    The Devil

    1 Peter 5:8-9 (NASB)

    8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
    9 But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world.

    Satan hates God, because he wants to be God. Thankfully, he never will be. We could get into the history of how and why, but for now, we just need to know that because we were created in the image of God, Satan also hates us and wants to destroy our lives.

    Angel of Light

    2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NASB)

    13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ.
    14 No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.
    15 Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.

    Satan doesn’t usually appear to someone and tell them what he is planning on doing. He usually disguises himself and pretends to be an “angel of light.” Unfortunately, there are many people who either knowingly or unknowingly choose to follow him and become his servants.
    These are tripping hazards. The only way to avoid them is by turning the light on them. Then, you will see them for who they really are. Otherwise, if all you listen to is what they say, it will begin to make sense. In reality, though, you are still stumbling around in the dark.

    False Prophets

    2 Corinthians 11:13-15 (NASB)

    6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion,
    7 wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.

    2 Peter 2:1-3 (NASB)

    1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.
    2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned;
    3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

    There are many people who write books and give seminars about their own philosophies on life and the afterlife. Usually, the message will talk about how there are many ways to heaven, and we just need to be sincere and be a “good person.” Of course, they will define the “good” part however people will want to hear. These people are teaching others about things that they don’t even understand. They pretend to be experts or have some special revelation from God, but they are clueless to the true ways of God, teaching people their own false ideas, leading them further and further away from the truth.

    Tickling Ears

    2 Timothy 4:3-4 (NASB)

    3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires,
    4 and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

    It’s been said that people do the things that they want to do because that’s what they want to do. If I really want to keep living the way that I am living, I will find someone else to agree with me. If they tell me that God approves of what I’m doing, that’s even better.
    These “myths” come in many shapes and sizes. They might say that they have a “special revelation” from God. They could claim that an angel or a vision appeared to them.
    Many people say that they believe in “science” (however they define/twist that word), but they can’t believe in the supernatural.
    All of these are myths, because they are denying the truth of God.

    Open Our Eyes

    2 Kings 6:15-17 (NASB)

    15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
    16 So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
    17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

    Elisha and his servant were not men of war. All around them was an army with thousands of trained soldiers, with weapons and chariots. Understandably, the servant was more than a little fearful. The prophet Elisha, though, could see past the natural into the supernatural. He saw that he had nothing to fear.

    Lord, open our eyes to see You and what You are doing!

    God’s Riches

    Ephesians 1:18-19 (NASB)

    18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
    19 and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe.

    Our eyes need to be “enlightened”, have more spiritual light. The more light that we have, the more of God’s “riches” we will see. There is so much more for us to see, if we could only see it. God’s glory, His greatness, His majesty are right there in front of us. How can we see them?

    Open Minds

    Some people define an open mind as someone who will believe and accept anything. That can be extremely dangerous. If I went out and ate anything and everything that I saw, I would probably get very sick. What we need is for God to open our minds to understand His ways and what He is doing.

    Luke 24:45 (NASB)

    45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

    Jesus’ disciples had spent over three years living with Him, but they still did not know who He really was. They needed Jesus to open their minds, so they could understand all of the Old Testament scriptures that had predicted His life, death, and resurrection. Without God’s help — His light — we cannot understand the Bible. There are people who read the Bible and consider it great literature, but they miss the whole point. The Bible is there to open our minds to understand and our spiritual eyes to see the incredible forgiveness we have available in Jesus Christ, and the riches of His presence in our lives today.

    Holy Spirit

    John 14:26 (NASB)

    26 “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

    Jesus said that He was sending the Holy Spirit, Who would teach us all things and help us to remember the words of Jesus. Without the Holy Spirit teaching us, we are stumbling in the dark. He is our guide, our companion, our tutor.

    Lamp

    Psalm 119:105 (NASB)

    105 Nun. Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.

    God’s word, the Bible, will help light the way. Like a flashlight on a hike in the woods, it can keep us from falling off of a cliff or running into a bear. If you are walking in an unfamiliar place in the darkest night with no moonlight and clouds obscuring the stars, you would be very thankful for the flashlight to guide you safely home.

    2 Peter 1:19 (NASB)

    19 So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

    Peter was an eyewitness of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. He was there on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit fell on him and others, like tongues of fire over each of their heads. He touched the Light of God — Jesus — every day for over three years. When he says that the Bible is a lamp shining in a dark place, we can believe Him.

    God’s Light

    Stepping into God’s light of salvation in Jesus is just like turning on the light switch in your room. All of a sudden, you can see things that might have tripped you up. You can see what lies ahead of you, and you can see the details and beauty that was impossible to see before.
    Trust in Jesus. Study His Word, the Bible. Spend time meeting with Him in prayer. Do this every day, and you will see your life suddenly getting brighter and brighter, until we are all standing in the presence of God forever.

    Revelation 21:23 (NASB)

    23 And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb.

    More…

    We would love to speak with you or have you worship the Lord with us. Please let us know how we can serve you.

    Contact Us
    How to be Saved
    Messages
    Church Calendar