Are you Flying?

Suppose you want to fly to LA (not sure why, but stay with me here). You spend the afternoon searching Kayak, CheapOAir and Expedia. Finding the best prices and the best days for travel, you purchase the ticket to LAX.

At this point, you have made a decision to enter into a contract and have even made a personal sacrifice. The day finally arrives, but you decide to go to the movies instead. Even though you made an agreement, sacrifice and a decision– you did not get on the plane.

Are you flying to LA?

I agree that is a simple question of logic with a simple answer, but might the same process be applicable spiritually?

1 John 2:4-6 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Your loving obedience to the Lord’s commands is you "getting on the plane".

It really does not matter what you claim, how much you have given or where you hang out on Sunday's – loving obedience in your daily life is the evidence of a genuine personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

John said if you claim it, yet do not live it - you are a liar and God's Word is not abiding in you.

Obedience to God’s Word is proof of our love for Him. There are three motives for obedience. We can obey because we have to, because we need to, or because we want to.

A slave obeys because he has to. If he doesn’t obey he will be punished.

An employee obeys because he needs to. He may not enjoy his work, but he does enjoy getting his paycheck to feed and clothe his family.

But a Christian obeys his Heavenly Father because he wants to out of love for Him.

Therefore, we have 2 questions to ask ourselves.

1. Do I keep His commands?

2. Why?

You can use John's teaching above to determine where you are spiritually.

Thankfully, the grace of God is extended to everyone who would receive it! In our humility, we surrender to Him as Lord and Savior, committing to follow Him and obediently doing what He says. It is because we experience His love that we choose to obey and it is through our obedience that He is made manifest in the world today. Are you flying?

There are Many Ways to Heaven

You have heard it. We must be politically correct. We cannot offend anyone. We must be accepting. But what is the end result? In this podcast, we shed light on Satan’s lie and search for the truth in God’s Word.



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You Will Always Have Tomorrow

Believing we will always have tomorrow eliminates the urgency of today. Believing the lie not only affects your family, it sets the next generation on a course away from God. Believing the lie cripples the church and renders the saints ineffective. Do we believe it? If so, how do we counter it? Join us as we seek God's wisdom!



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You Are Good Enough

Do we really believe Satan's lie? While we may not confess it, our actions may confirm it. Join us as we clarify the problem with this lie and rejoice in the remedy God brings!



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The Great Exchange (part 2)

For my sake... What did God do for my sake? In our attempts to grasp the Gospel, we often focus on only half of it! What did He do and what does that really mean to me? Join us as we study God's message through 2 Corinthians 5:21.



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The Great Exchange (Part 1)

What did God do to His Son on our behalf? Why did He do it? We likely know the "Sunday school" answer, but do we GET IT? Join us as we seek understanding in Scripture as God reveals His love for us.



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Sinfulness of our Sin

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Do we define sin by our experience or do we acknowledge it as a holy God sees it? This proper understanding of sin will help us experience true freedom in Christ Jesus.

God’s Holiness

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Do we “get” it? God is holy and righteous to an infinite degree! But, what impact does that have in our lives? Today, we attempt to catch a glimpse of God’s holiness through the eyes of Isaiah.

Distorted Views if Worship

When we gather together for worship, we do not come to see what we can get; rather, we give the fruits of our personal worship throughout the week. What are some distorted views that will inhibit my worship?



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Praying for healing

If you look at any church prayer list, you will find a list of those who are sick.  In my experience, it is the largest portion of the prayer list.  

Interestingly, Jesus gave no instruction to spend our time praying for the healing of others.

My father-in-law once said, “Christians spend more time praying to keep other Christians out of heaven than they do praying for the lost to go to heaven.”

James 5:13-16 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. ¹⁴ Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. ¹⁶ Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

Help me establish a foundation.  

• God is sovereign.
• God’s “will” will be done. 
• You and I cannot change the will of God.  

If it is God’s will for someone to be healed of an illness, will your lack of prayer cause God to not accomplish His will?  No

If it is NOT God’s will for someone to be healed of an illness, will your prayer cause God to go against His will? No

So, in all candor, regardless of how sincerely we pray, the size of our faith or the number of times we claim authority in Jesus name...

we will not change God’s will or cause God to do something against His will.

God does heal. In Luke 10, Jesus gave the disciples authority to heal as they preached the Gospel.  In a group this size, I am certain we could share testimony about the unexplainable healing of a friend or family member.  The fact is – God is all powerful and will heal those He will heal for His glory.

In 1 Corinthians 12:9, Paul lists the “gifts of healing” that are to be used to edify other believers and glorify God.  As with any spiritual gift, it has nothing to do with the person, but everything to do with the power and purpose of God being accomplished through His obedient people.

Since it is gifts of healing (plural), commentaries have identified at least three ways this could be manifested: miraculous healing, the understanding and application of medicine or empathy toward those who are emotionally distraught. With our culture having such an interest in the dramatic, we tend to define gifts of healing in the miraculous sense, while overlooking the others.

James begins this passage with a call to an intimate relationship with God, regardless of the circumstance.  If you are in a time of suffering, draw close to Him for strength.  If you have reason to be cheerful, draw close to Him in praise. Then...

If anyone among you is sick

The Greek word for “sick” is used throughout the New Testament.  When used in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – it most often refers to a physical illness.  When used in the remaining books – it largely refers to weariness.  Does the context of James help us understand to what he is referring? Yes! 

First, James was writing to persecuted Christians who were meeting trials of every kind.

Second, James uses a different word in the next verse to identify the same person.  This word is used only one other time in Hebrews 12:3 and is defined as weary or fainthearted.

Warren Wiersbe comments: “James was not referring to the bedfast, the diseased or the ill. Instead he wrote to those who had grown weary, who had become weak both morally and spiritually in the midst of suffering.”

From this passage, we have developed somewhat of a recipe for healing. When all else fails we call upon the Elders for prayer and anointing.  I have participated in such events – sometimes people got better, sometimes they remained sick.  

Why do some stay sick if this is the way in which we are supposed to bring God’s healing? 

You may hear something like, they did not have enough faith.  This is a lie because our faith does not change the will of God. Or, they must have had unconfessed sin in their life.  This is a lie because God’s favor comes by way of the righteousness of Christ, not our confessed sin.

The reason why some remain sick and some are healed is we do not tell God what to do. 

We do, however, submit ourselves to His authority and seek His perspective.

If we are weary, we call on the pastors to Pray over and anoint.  (let’s first talk about the anointing, then the prayer)

There are two words used in the New Testament for anointing.  One is the religious word for ceremonially anointing, while the other is the common word for rubbing with oil.  

The word used here is the regular word.

In his book Calling the Elders to Pray, Daniel Hayden says, “James is not suggesting a ceremonial or ritual anointing as a means of divine healing; instead, he is referring to the common practice of using oils as a means of bestowing honor, refreshment and grooming.”

Those who are weak and weary among us are to be encouraged and refreshed as they experience God’s love through His obedient people.  The prayer over them is not a prayer for healing, but one of seeking God’s direction and perspective. One of encouragement.

Verses 15 and 16 affirm the subject is spiritual healing rather than physical healing by specifically referencing being saved, in addition to the forgiveness and confession of sins that bring about renewal and refreshment. 

In Hebrews 10 and Ephesians 4, we are commanded to encourage one another and build each other up as we serve with His gift.  In this passage, James reiterates our mutual roles in the Lord’s church.

I am personally convicted that the majority of my prayer life and the prayers of His church are primarily on the areas Jesus did not indicate as most important!  

If we are not praying in the way Jesus says we should pray, what is the expected result?

NOT a place that is shaken.  

NOT a people who are impacting His kingdom. 

NOT a people that are effectively accomplishing the will of our Father.  

NOT a people who reflect the character of God.

What is prayer? It is two way communication with our Father in heaven where we lay down our burdens, cast aside our distractions and listen for His perspective, guidance and commands.  

From there, we accomplish His ministry and mission as we walk in obedience.

If prayer becomes something other than what Jesus provided as our framework in Matthew 6:9-13, we are dangerously approaching a religious activity that accomplishes nothing.

Teach Me to Pray - Freedom

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Teach Me to Pray - Character

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Teach me to pray - trust

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Death by Wisteria

Driving through the south this time of year truly opens your eyes to the beauty of God's creation.  What once appeared dead is now budding and blooming.  Trees, flowers, shrubs, pollen, allergies...  Still, one cannot escape the beauty.

As I drove Caleb to school this morning, there is one part of the road with wisteria growing on both sides - kind of drooping over the road.  The lavender bunches of flowers were beautiful.  There is that part of me that might even say, "I want to grow wisteria!"

Wisteria is a climbing vine that originates in Asia and was introduced to the southeastern United States (kind of like kudzu, but that is another story).  You can even buy it on Amazon as an ornamental plant.  So, how did the wisteria plant get to the point of hanging over the road?

Wisteria is a climbing vine, so it requires a "host" of sorts.  It climbs the trunk of a tree, out the limbs and blooms.  The result is spectacular...at the cost of the tree.  The vine wraps itself around the limbs to such a degree, it prevents them from growing and producing their own fruit.  It strangles the life out of the limbs!  BUT, the clumps of flowers give the appearance of life. Bummer.

Sin is the wisteria of our lives.  It looks attractive and lively, but it is death to the host.  When we choose a life of sin, we exchange the fruit of righteousness for a temporary pleasure that sucks the life out of us.  We can try to ignore it, but the result is the same. Don't be fooled by appearances!

What is the remedy? Cut out the vine. And keep cutting it out, because it is relentless.

Colossians 3:5-10 "Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ On account of these the wrath of God is coming. ⁷ In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. ⁸ But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."

Arrested, Tried and Crucified

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Arrested through betrayal. 
He was tried unfairly. 
He was crucified. 

Pilot, Herod, the thief, and the Roman commander declared his innocence, but God declared him guilty. 
Why? 
Join us as we “Journey to the Cross”. 

Prophecy and Prayer

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Jesus not only said the prophecies of the Messiah were written about Him, they were currently being fulfilled in Him.
How detailed were the prophecies? How did this impact the prayer of Jesus in the Garden? What does it mean for us today?

Journey to the Cross - Betrayed

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 Jesus loved Judas in peter equally and sacrificially, knowing what age would do.

The cross is not about our worth, it is that Jesus was worthy to be the final sacrificial lamb who would take away the sins of the world. The cross would be the greatest display of love to God the father, for Jesus was obedient to death. It was also the greatest display of love to mankind, for Jesus willingly took our place and punishment. (Parentheses no matter our previous actions)

Behind Closed Doors

The first in a series, "Journey to the Cross". The religious leaders did not wonder if they should kill Jesus, they debated on HOW to kill Jesus. They did so...in secret...behind closed doors. Is it possible to be so blinded by tradition that we miss the truth?

Why Evangelize?

Passive evangelism...

It occurs when we are fearful of rejection, of saying the wrong thing, not knowing what to say, or being asked something we cannot answer.  Here are two statements that are prominent among passive evangelists:
1. I will let my life be my testimony.
2. Preach the Gospel and, if necessary use words. (St. Francis of Assisi)
Do we live out our life in complete obedience everywhere we go in everything we do? Do we live as Christ to such a degree that we have been mistaken for Jesus? Have you EVER had someone approach you about how to know Jesus by your lifestyle alone?

That is the problem. What we use as our primary method of evangelism is the least effective.  Following the below link, we will answer these questions:
1. Why must I evangelize?
2. What do I say?
3. Where do I say it?

Blessings!

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Being the Church by Giving

Matthew 6:19-21 “¹⁹ “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, ²⁰ but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Here lies a kingdom principle that must become a reality for us today if we are to press on toward the goal of being followers of Jesus Christ. From His teaching, we know there are only two places in which we can lay up our treasures.  Here or in Heaven.  

Laying up our treasure HERE is investing in the temporary and saving it for the things we desire. What can we expect with this treasure?  Jesus said it will go away or it will be stolen. He said your heart will long to remain here where your treasure has been stored becoming distracted from what God desires.

What does it mean to lay up treasures in Heaven?  This is not a theoretical statement. Take everything – 24 hours every day, all your wealth and the abilities you possess – and commit them to His work in this world for His glory.  Treasures that are laid up in Heaven can only result from our obedience to His Word.

To BE the church by giving, we must hear God’s perspective on the question - Why should we give?

1. We Give because it is Right

If I asked you to list everything you own right now, how long would it take?  Would you miss anything? 

Let’s read a verse and then try it again...

Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,^”

Now how long would it take? Our first step to being the church by giving is understanding that God owns it ALL already.  We own nothing, but are simply managers of what God has allowed us to have. Therefore, when God says to bring your Offering to His church, He is not asking you to loan Him some money to accomplish His ministry and mission. He is asking you to acknowledge Him as Lord of all and return 10% of His resources back to Him.

When we choose to keep His resources for ourselves, our needs, our desires and our debts – listen to what God says:

Malachi 3:8 “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions.”

Simply put, bringing back to God what He tells us to bring back is the right thing to do – because it is His.

2. We Give because it is Smart

Can you outsmart God?  Do you have greater wisdom than God in any area?

When we place our faith in the Lord for eternal salvation, we also place our faith in His word for present instruction. So, when He teaches financial principles, we can trust that God knows our situation, our emergencies, our debt, our future and our economy.

Where do we begin?

Malachi 3:10 “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

The word tithe refers to the FIRST ten percent of all income in a household.  According to Scripture, a tithe is not conditional. We do not bring the full tithe only when it is convenient, or when there is a tenth left over, or when we get out of debt, or when we amass more wealth.

Many will take what comes in, pay expenses, take care of needs and if there is any left – they might consider giving some back to God.  Dave Ramsey calls that an upside down budget!  To give with a heart toward heaven, we take what comes in, bring God at least the first 10% and use the rest in His wisdom to take care of our needs and accomplish His mission.

We know it is the right thing to do because it is all His, but why is it the smart thing to do?  

Listen closely again to Malachi 3:10 “And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.”

God knew we would struggle with this aspect of our faith!  This is not a get rich quick scheme, it is simply the reality of who God is! If we will genuinely acknowledge Him as Lord over all things and follow Him in obedience to His word...

HE promises we will experience His blessing in a way that cannot be experienced in any other way.

Giving is right and it is smart.

3. We also Give because it is Beneficial

Once we acknowledge God as the owner of all He has allowed us to have, and we obey His teaching concerning all He has allowed us to have…

Malachi 3:11-12 “I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil, and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts. ¹² Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.”

God said your efforts will not return void.  He will ensure your soil and your vines bear fruit.  You see, our tendency is to cling to that which is uncertain; however, when the provision is assured, we are free to turn our hearts to the Provider. 

Have you experienced the faithfulness of God as your provider?  I am not talking about the provider when you are in trouble, but your provider when you faithfully bring the first 10% of your income by faith and trust in His promise of provision.

When you experience the Lord in this way regularly, you will not only grow in your faith, but you will find it easier to place your faith in Him and His instruction in other areas of your life.

God said to test Him in this!  He wants you and me to experience Him as our provider and Lord over all.  Did God place a limit on His generosity when He sent His Son to the cross to die for you?  NO! God gave sacrificially and generously.

Following God’s pattern is beneficial because we reflect the generosity of the God we serve and experience Him as our Provider.

Be advised, You can live generously and faithfully give to the church – yet not know Him as your Savior. We cannot buy our way into heaven nor do we have to pay to keep our place.  

We answer the invitation of Jesus by recognizing our need for a Savior, turning from our ways and committing ourselves to His.  

Once you have begun that relationship, you can experience the promises of God in your life as you faithfully obey His teaching. The tithe is not the end of our giving, but the beginning of a godly perspective and attitude of stewardship that reflects God’s character of a sacrificial and generous life.

Being the Church by Giving Audio

Love The Word

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Love the Word (Psalm 119:97-104)

Should you and I make resolutions?  Resolutions are words of expression. “Be it resolved that I would like to be in better shape in 2018.”  

A commitment; however, is taking action toward something.  “To achieve my goal of being in better shape this year, I will decrease my portion size and exercise three days per week.”

Today, I want to encourage you to set a spiritual goal and commit to take steps to accomplish that goal in 2018. Why? If you and I do not take steps toward change, there will be no change in His church. If, on the other hand, we commit to be more like Him, His church will be transformed!

Where do we begin?

Last week, we saw where Jesus called us the light of the world.  We came to understand that His light shines in us when we walk in obedience to Him.  Since our primary reason for existence and God’s will for us, is to bring glory to Him through our lives, we should set personal goals and make commitments that will move us in that direction.

Would you agree that the Bible is the only place to find the things of the Lord for which we should obey? Would you also agree that reading the Bible in the power of the Spirit is how we come to know those things?

So, by setting a goal of bringing glory to God in 2018, we must also incorporate a commitment to read and follow God’s Word.  

1. Love the Word

The things we love are given the most attention. We make adjustments for the things we love. We sacrifice for the things we love. More importantly, we are committed to the things we love.

The psalmist expresses that kind of love for God’s instruction.

Why should we love God’s Law (instruction)?

First, we realize the instruction comes from God to you. That makes it a supernatural message that is personal to you.

Second, we recognize that God’s instruction reveals God’s character.

Third, we understand that following God’s instruction will lead you to glorify Him in your life.

With that, we could all say together – I love God’s Word!  However, what must accompany our words for them to reflect a genuine love?  They must be followed by action!

The psalmist used the word “meditation”.  The Hebrew word means: “Giving considerable thought with a focus of responding properly to the information”.  The intention of meditation is to take action.  

Therefore, When we truly love the word of God, we will read it, think on it and respond to it.

2. Value the Word

From this passage, the Psalmist says God’s word provides wisdom, understanding and teaching.

God’s commands makes him wiser than his enemies. Wisdom is not simply knowledge about a subject. Wisdom is the application of experience, knowledge and judgment. According to the Psalmist – obedience to God’s commandment (which incorporates all of God’s experience, knowledge and judgment) will make one wise. (Therefore, We would be wise to follow)

In verse 99, God’s testimonies provide more understanding than his teachers.  This is not intended to discount those who teach the word, but it is intended to free everyone who loves the word.  

Teachers teach what they have been taught.  God teaches what He knows; therefore He is a flawless teacher to His people.

God will speak to you every day you love His word.  

His testimonies serve as warnings and urgings that align our lives to His perfect way. So, When we hear and understand directly from God, we experience greater understanding than we could receive from any teacher.

In verses 100 and 104, the term “understanding” means processing and responding appropriately to the directions provided.  And The word “precepts” indicates an action to be obeyed by all. Putting that together; when God almighty instructs us through His word, it is not for our consideration,  it is for our obedience – which is the appropriate response.  

In verse 102, God’s word is authoritative teaching, guidance and instruction.  For what purpose? For living out a life that brings glory to Him.

3. Respond to the Word

There is a connection between our love of the word, the value we place on it and our response to it.  

Can we value God’s word and be selfish? Or use His name in vain? Or worship idols? Or lie? Or be divisive? No.  You cannot exhibit your love for the Word, nor can you attribute value to it - unless you obey it.  

The psalmist is made wiser because the word is ever with him.  It is not a weekly event or morning devotion.  He recognizes its value and makes the proper application in his daily life.

The church of today has been poorly discipled to believe Christianity is only a Sunday and Wednesday occurrence.  Without saying it, we attempt to live for Christ with the least possible interference in our lives.  We attempt to live as close to the line of the world as possible without crossing it. 

Jesus said…“Unless you give up everything, you cannot be my disciple”. It is impossible to give up everything for His glory and keep something for ourselves.

He said...“Deny yourself, pick up your cross daily and follow me”. You and I cannot partially deny ourselves, or mostly pick up the cross or sometimes follow Him.

The psalmist experiences more understanding through proper instruction because he thinks on, and responds, to it.  Do you want to grow in wisdom in 2018? Immerse yourself consistently in God’s Word, and following the instruction of James 1:22, do what it says.

In verse 100, the psalmist understands more because he keeps the Lord’s precepts. To “keep” is to comply with a command.  This portrays more than obedience to the word, but an intentional act to stay in the word.

Notice the psalmist holds back his feet from every evil way in order to keep God’s word. Obedience is not only doing that which God commands, it is showing restraint over those things that draw us away or hinder our fellowship with Him.

How do we know where to show restraint? If it is not morally pure or good - according to His standard, we must avoid and stop the activity – SO WE CAN KEEP GOD’S WORD.

In verse 102, he does not turn aside from God’s rules.  When we value God’s word, we will not ignore His rules for us. When we recognize His rules are based on His authority, and realistically, the authority we gave Him over our lives – we will gratefully obey.

Lastly, The Psalmist describes His desire for God’s word.  

It is sweeter than honey to his mouth! He loves the word to such a degree – he hates everything that is contrary to the Truth.

What would your life look like December 31, 2018 if you committed to Love, value and respond to the Word this year?  More than you could ever imagine!