Celebration Week 13

IT'S TIME TO CELEBRATE!

And one more! (for those who prefer hymns!)

A Meddlesome Post

Okay. I will admit it. I am about to take this whole "Taming the Tongue" thing and making it way too personal. But I feel I have to say something about this for the sake of all of my friends and family who are a part of the huge conglomerate that we call "The Internet."

The internet provides us a certain level of anonymity when it comes to the things we say. Through its wide reaching influence, people are able to share their opinions with anyone at the touch of a button. In 160 characters or less, people wind up getting themselves into so much trouble. We share information that should be left alone, and we leave things unsaid that should be shouted from the rooftops.

So what am I going to say about the internet, and more specifically about sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs, etc., etc., etc.? Only this:

BE CAREFUL!!!!!!

The internet is a place that is able to be used to spread the Gospel to more places than previously thought. We can encourage brothers and sisters all around the globe with words that will uplift their spirits when they are down, point them to Christ when they are feeling vulnerable, and will give them hope when all hope seems lost.

But the internet is also a place where more relationships have been fractured, more damage to the Gospel has been done, and more sharp-tongued words have been spewed than I think we could ever imagine. So please be careful in what you say. To help you out, let me give you three simple tips that will keep you from posting something on the internet that could damage you, your relationships with others, or the Gospel of Jesus.

1) When you are sharing something from another site, read it carefully. Make sure that the title, or the content doesn't have something offensive in it. I can't tell you how many times brothers and sisters in Christ will post something humorous they found in their newsfeed on Facebook, only to see that the place where it came from had a vulgar word in its title. We need to be very careful, because when we post these things, we are agreeing with everything we post. So please, please, PLEASE be careful when you post.

2) Reread your post in many different tones to see if what you say could be taken the wrong way. If so, and you still feel it needs to be said, then make mention of what you intend your tone to be. This is especially important in the area of friendships. I have seen many a friendship die because someone read an email, a tweet, or a Facebook post with the wrong tone or inflection, making it say something else entirely from what the author wanted to get across. So be careful about how your words could be interpreted. 

3) Reread your post to make sure a spelling error isn't causing your relationships or the Gospel any harm. For example, I saw a post from a Christian brother of mine that said, "God does want you live your life in fear! So go ahead an live the life God wants you to live." When I read it, I was shocked, and then realized that he forgot a word...the word "not" between "does" and "want." So I sent him a private message pointing out the issue...and he quickly changed it. I have reread my posts at times and have found misspellings that make my posts vulgar...lol. But a simple read through will help avoid this issue 90% of the time.

There are other things that I could encourage you to do before you post, but these are the top three. So take them to heart, and start using your posts, tweets, emails and videos to bring glory to God and strengthen your relationships!

I'm done meddling now. Back to your day!

Comment below about a time when you took a post, tweet or email the wrong way or someone took something you said in a post, tweet or email the wrong way. And we'll see you on Sunday!

Watch Your Mouth

"Young man! You'd better watch your mouth!"

These are the words my grandmother would say to me when I would get sassy. She had a very intensity when it came to words. She wanted to make sure that the words that we used were proper and useful. She wanted to make sure that we weren't saying things that would tear people down or make them feel less than loved.

My grandmother was right! We need to keep a careful watch on our mouths. We need to be sure that the things we say match up with the things we do. We need to make sure that the words of our mouths are useful and encouraging. We need to be sure that the things we say have value and meaning. When we speak, people should know that what they are hearing is important and wise.

My father-in-law is one of those people who doesn't say a lot. When I was a youth pastor at his church, I would attend board meetings. Many times these meetings would go by and Jack wouldn't say a word. He'd sit there and just take it all in. I remember after one such meeting I asked him why he didn't say anything. He told me, "Jim, when I sit and listen to those men speak, I agree with them, I vote with them, and they are moving in the right direction. If ever there came a time when I thought that they were not, I would speak up. But there is just no sense in repeating what everyone else is saying."

I thought about that a lot, and a few years before we left that church, a situation did come up where Dad disagreed with a direction the board wanted to go. I remember because after the meeting started, Jack spoke up and said, "I have something I'd like to address, please." Every man in that room stopped what they were doing and turned to listen to my father-in-law. Why? Because he was now going to say something important.

I want people to respond that way when I open my mouth. Unfortunately for me, I am a chatter-box. I have no off switch. So often when I speak people don't listen too much. But I thank God for those men who speak little, but when they do, it is something to think about, and something wise to consider.

Let's all strive to be those types of people.

Comment below about someone you know who doesn't talk much, but when they do it is worth listening to. And we'll see you on Sunday!

Ascent Week 13

Psalm 132

O LORD, remember David
   and all the hardships he endured.

He swore an oath to the LORD
   and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:
"I will not enter my house
   or go to my bed--
I will allow no sleep to my eyes,
   no slumber to my eyelids,
till I find a place for the LORD,
   a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."

We heard it in Ephrathah,
   we cam upon it in the fields of Jaar:
"Let us go to his dwelling place;
   let us worship at his footstool--
arise, O LORD, and come to your resting place,
   you and the ark of your might.
May your priests be clothed with righteousness;
   may your saints sing for joy."

For the sake of David your servant,
   do not reject your anointed one.

The LORD swore an oath to David,
   a sure oath that he will not revoke:
"One of your own descendants
   I will place on your throne--
if your sons keep my covenant
   and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
   on your throne for ever and ever."

For the LORD has chosen Zion,
   he has desired it for his dwelling:
"This is my resting place forever and ever;
   here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it--
I will bless her with abundant provisions;
   her poor will I satisfy with food.
I will clothe her priests with salvation,
   and her saints will ever sing for joy.

"Here I will make a horn grow for David
   and set up a lamp for my anointed one.
I will clothe his enemies with shame,
   but the crown on his head will be resplendent."

Careful Consideration

As we think about the things we say, we must be very careful about what comes out of our mouths. These words will judge us. Either what we say is in accordance with how we act, or it is not. We are either people of integrity, or we are hypocrites. The Scriptures bear this out in that they call those of us who are Christ Followers to be, at the very core of who we are, real. That is not to say, "perfect," because we will never attain to that (the Apostle Paul didn't either). But if we are who we say we are, and we live out the things we say we believe, then that goes a long way to showing the world that Jesus is who He claims to be.

So today, I want to challenge you to take careful consideration of what you are saying to people. Because if you call yourself a Christ Follower, then there is a certain amount of activity in your life that needs to be demonstrating that. Last week we spoke about the fact that our actions will demonstrate to the world that we really are who and what we say we are. This is what we are talking about here again. We must be careful that what we do matches what we say, and what we say matches what we do.

So how about it, Christ Follower? Are you doing and living in a way that backs up what you say you believe? Is the truth of your words born out in your actions? Or are you hypocrite? There really isn't a choice if we want to see the world won for Jesus Christ.

Feel free to comment below about some of the things that you are dealing with in your life where your actions aren't lining up with your words. And we will see you on Sunday!

Taming the Tongue

I want to begin this week with a short video. Just a word of caution, though. This video doesn't start running until about 25-30 seconds into it, so if you click it and nothing happens, just wait a minute or so, and then if nothing happens, try again.

So the tongue is the topic of our messages this week. We talked a bit about it a few weeks ago, but we're coming to it again because James seems to be telling us that if we want to influence a culture that hates Christ, then we will need to manage our words with care.

So how do we tame our tongue? We need to use the bit and bridle of the Word of God. There is an interesting passage of Scripture that we will cover in detail at a later date, but in it there is this phrase: "We take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ." (2 Cor. 10:5-NIV) In James, there are three specific places where the tongue is mentioned. Here in chapter 3, in chapter 1, and again at the end of chapter 4. James wants us to be careful about what we say. So much so, that we are to be "quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (1:19-emphasis mine).

What these verses mean for us, taken together, is that before we open our mouths, we must learn the art of bringing our words captive and make them obedient to the will of our Heavenly Father. Before the words come out, they need to be filtered through Jesus. Would Jesus say that? Would He say it that way? Would Jesus really get angry and raise His voice here? Answering these questions helps us to bring our thoughts and our words captive to Christ so that we might be obedient sons and daughters of the King!

Comment below about a time you spoke before thinking and how it got you into trouble...and we'll see you on Sunday!

Celebration Week 12

This week, let's celebrate the fact that God's work in us is not finished! Let's celebrate that there is a whole lot more work to be done, which gives us the opportunity to see God at work in many more areas of our lives. The trick? We have to let Him work and then submit to the plan that He has for us. Easy? No. But worth it? Oh yes!

To help you, watch a couple of videos that will help you remember that God is still working in you!

Have a wonderful day of celebrating all God has done for you! And we'll see you on Sunday!

Taking Action

When you have looked at your life and seen where you stand in relation to the things in your life that God wants you to change, there is one more step to take. There is one last thing to do to make that change a reality, and that is to take action to correct the things that are amiss in your life.

Do you remember that we talked about looking into mirrors a few weeks ago and how odd it would be if someone who woke up in the morning with bad hair, drooly face, and all other manner of unattractive things looked at themselves in the mirror and yet did nothing to correct it? It would make for a very funny movie or TV show (or even a skit for a talent show, eh?), but a very awkward reality. The funny thing about it is that most of us do just that each and every day in our Spiritual lives. We look into the mirror of God's Word and then do nothing to change.

Here's the point. If you have taken stock of your life and seen that there are things in your life that need to change, then you need to do the logical next step and take action to correct those errors. It would be like a coach who is losing the game seeing what is wrong, but not calling a time out to make the changes. It just does not make sense.

So if you took stock yesterday, take action today, and make this life that you have live here and now have tremendous effect on the there and then!

Comment below about a time when you not only took stock, but also took action to correct it, and the blessing that followed from the Lord. And we'll see you on Sunday!

Taking Stock

Yesterday, we challenged you to take a moment and think about your life. Are you living in accordance with what you say you believe? And if you aren't, then ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) and the walk in obedience with what He says.

One of the things that I want to broaden on this is something that I like to call "The Justification Factor." We read this week in James 2:24 that "a person is justified by what they do and not by faith alone." We talked about the fact that on the surface this seems to fly in the face of what Paul says in Ephesians 2:8-9 when he says, "It is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not by works so that no one can boast." I would like to talk about what James is saying here in context, and then hopefully, we can see what God is trying to tell us.

When we use the term "justified", there are two biblical definitions. The first is that of redemption. This is the meaning we most often jump to. It is the truth of God's Word that tells us that when we come to faith in Christ, we are justified before God...in other words, our sins are forgiven and we are able to stand before God righteous. This is totally a gift of God. There is nothing we can do in and of ourselves to make ourselves right before God. If were to try, God would laugh at us, and we would be toast. So it is obvious that James is not using this definition of the word "justified" here.

The second definition for justified is vindicated. This means that there is proof for what has been asserted. If I say, "2+2=4", I would then justify my statement by counting two apples, and putting with it, two more apples, and then counting again, having four. This "justifies" my statement that 2+2=4, and thus proves me right.

In James' example, the life of faith needs to be justified...or vindicated. If I say, "I have faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior!" then the actions of my life better reflect that this is true in my life. If I make this claim, and then go off and do whatever I want to do, then my statement is not justified, it is proven to be false, and I am a hypocrite. But if my claim is backed up with peace in the midst of horrific circumstance; or generosity when I can't afford it; or kindness when I've been abused; or any of a number of qualities that a Christ-Follower is to have, then my assertion is justified (or vindicated).

So when we talk about "The Justification Factor", we are talking about the fact that when we assert our faith in Christ verbally, there ought to be evidence that proves we are who we claim to be. The Newsboys have a song titled Guilty in which they approach this subject. Click on the link below and have a listen:

So, if you would like to share about a time you stood up for Jesus and your faith in Him was justified, comment below! And we'll see you on Sunday!

Ascent Week 12

Psalm 130 (Since we skipped this one last week and went to 131, we'll do it this week to get us back on track...lol)

Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD;
   Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
   to my cry for mercy.

If you, LORD, kept of record of sins,
   Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
   so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
   and in his word I put my hope.
I wait for the Lord
   more than watchmen waiting for the morning,
   more than watchmen waiting for the morning.

Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
   for with the LORD is unfailing love
   and with him is full redemption.
He himself will redeem Israel
   from all their sins.

What Would You Do?

If you had someone come to your home, or into your place of employment and they were in real need, what would you do? Would you see how you might be able to help them, or would you turn them away as someone else's problem?

You see, the answer to the question at that point is not if you have faith or not. The question at that point is does your faith impact your daily life? It is wholly a matter of choice, and if we are going to be the people of faith, as the Scriptures call us, then the choice is to do whatever it takes to help the other person.

I was reminded during my vacation that the early church was known for this kind of choice. In the Roman world, when a child was unwanted or defective or damaged, it was completely legal to just simply take the baby to the local garbage dump, and lay it there to die of exposure. But those who followed Jesus in that day were different. Their faith led them to believe that all life is sacred, and as a result, there were those who would very often go by the local garbage heaps to rescue those children who left for dead. This gained them quite a standing in the area as those who followed Christ.

So I ask you, what kind of reputation do you have in the community? Are you living for Christ, or are you living for yourself? It matters, folks, because if we claim to have Jesus in our heart, and that we believe in the Scriptures, then we must act in accordance to them.

Comment below about a time when your faith moved you to action, and we'll see you on Sunday!

Words and Deeds

Okay, so this week, we will be in James 2:14-26.This passage of Scripture just happens to be one of my all time favorites for a number of reasons, but the biggest reason is that the message contained therein is so appropriate for the church in America in these last days. So often we are big on the talking about prosperity, God's love, and the all of the cushy benefits of following Christ. But the truth of the matter is that we are called to live broken lives, persecuted lives, lives that look more like Jesus in His sufferings than His majesty.

The fact of the matter, church, is that we are promised two things in this life as we follow Jesus. We are promised His majesty, but not here and now. We are promised His majesty when we see Him face to face in His glory in Heaven. That is the promise we have...His presence with us forever and ever.

Francis Chan has illustration where he pulls out a huge rope that goes on and on out the door of his church, and on the end of the rope that he is holding is a small one inch section colored red. And he makes this connection. The church in America is all about living in this one inch space, not realizing that the whole rest of the rope is ours to be with our Lord, to find our rest and to have our reward. The insignificant amount of time that we spend here on this blue ball called "Earth" is so short in light of eternity, and yet we live to make this short time more important and more comfortable than the rest of eternity.

Yes, we are promised peace and paradise and rest and reward, but not here...not now. That all comes in the future, and we can be assured of it.

The second thing we are promised as followers of Jesus Christ is trouble. Jesus said, "In this world you will have trouble..." Paul said in one place, "I want to know Christ and fellowship in His sufferings." To Timothy, he writes, "In fact, everyone (not some, or a few, but everyone) who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be (a guaranteed fact) persecuted." (emphases added)

Now look, I know that this isn't popular to say nowadays, and I know that this particular blog post won't bring people flocking to follow my posts, but I can't help it...it's true. And we have to remember, folks that as followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to suffer. And I'm not talking about, "Oh! The girls at school mock me because I've chosen to keep myself pure, and I'm still a virgin," or "The guys at work think I'm a prude because I don't laugh at their dirty jokes." No, I'm talking serious hatred for us because we have chosen to be identified with the King of kings. It's coming sooner than we think, so I want to challenge you as we get ready for this week's message:

Do your words and deeds match up? Are you living like you say you believe? If you aren't, then you need to take stock of what you are doing and saying, and then make sure they line up.

Comment below about a time that God had you suffer for doing what was right, or a time that you've seen someone else do it. And we will see you on Sunday!

Celebration Week 11

Take the time today to celebrate what God has done in your life, how He has changed you into the person He wants you to be, and what He may have in store for you. Comment below and share with the rest of us what God is doing in these areas.

Let Your Light So Shine

Try listening to this very catchy song from the music group, Newsboys:

Matthew 5:16 says, "Let your light so shine that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

As the song says, there are some people (many people in fact) who will not see Jesus in any other way than to see Him living through us. And when they see that kind of light, it is strong. And as our culture becomes more and more dark, the light will become more and more stark in contrast. So live your life in the here and now in a way that the world around you will be able to see Jesus.

Comment below about a time when something you did or said led someone to see Jesus in you. And we will see you in Sunday.

The Confusion of Our Day

Please click here and read. Then come back.

In this Biblical account, we see how at one time, people could work together because we all spoke the same language. God even said that when they are able to communicate in understanding, there is really nothing they cannot do. God understood this and He confused the language of the people so that they could no longer come to agreement or understanding. They then abandoned their project and went and lived with those they could understand.

In the world today, there are many ways in which we communicate, but very few ways in which we can truly understand one another. Because of our fallen sinful nature, we become selfish, consumed with our own desire to have things our way. As a result, there are a infinite multitude of ways in which we miscommunicate, and things don't get done.

But those who have the Spirit, have an incredible ability. Look at this verse:

4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one bodyand one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all,who is over all and through all and in all.

In these verses, we are shown that with the relationship we have with Jesus, there is a relationship that also exists with the church. We are to be able to communicate with each other with clarity and understanding. We are also to be unified because of the bond of peace we have in the Holy Spirit. 

So, brothers and sisters, in this world, while politicians and news reporters try to communicate and tell us what they think, remember that among us, there needs to be understanding as we all come from the perspective of the Spirit of Christ. 

Comment below about a time when the Spirit was able to help you communicate with a brother or sister in Christ. And we will see you on Sunday!

Ascent Week 11

Psalm 131

1 My heart is not proud, Lord,

    my eyes are not haughty;

I do not concern myself with great matters

    or things too wonderful for me.

2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,

    I am like a weaned child with its mother;

    like a weaned child I am content.

3 Israel, put your hope in the Lord

    both now and forevermore.

In Your Ark

Sometimes we think about the story of Noah, and we forget just how long he stayed on that ark. He and his family and all of those animals were on that ark for 40 days and 40 nights of a storm. It didn't stop for a month and ten days. Folks, that's from today until the 21st of September. We'll already be a month or so into school, and watching football each Sunday (by the way, I love me some football, but that's a different post to consider).

Noah and his sons and their wives and their animals were all together on that ark for a 40 day storm that was not calm, to be sure. My guess is that it was pretty rough going for many days. But after the rain had stopped, it took another year for the waters on the earth to dry up. So think about this...from now until September 21st, 2017!!!!! That's a long time, my friends.

Now during that time, do you think that Noah ever thought that perhaps God had forgotten about him and his family and all the animals on the ark? Do you think discouragement ever set in? Do you think he would have been wondering, "What have I gotten myself and my family into?" Well, Scripture doesn't say for sure, but I would have to guess that Noah was much like any of the rest of us who might have thought that God had abandoned us. Most of us feel that way after a week of trouble in our families or our job. We start complaining pretty quickly...much less if it was going on for an entire year.

But God did remember Noah. Genesis 8:1 starts off with that glorious promise. And God will remember us, too. He hasn't forgotten that we are His children. He hasn't misplaced you. His plan for you hasn't hit an unexpected snag. No! God is there, and He is in control. And one day, He's going to burst your ark open, and you're going to see one of the most beautiful things that you've ever seen, most likely something you've never seen before...just like Noah, when he got off his ark. He saw a rainbow in the sky and got a promise that God would never destroy the earth with a flood again. I don't know what you'll see, and I don't know what God will promise you...but I do know it will be amazing!

Comment below about a time God did an amazing thing as you came out of a rough patch, and share it with us so we can be encouraged too.

And we'll see you on Sunday!

Day Off

Hello everyone. I trust your week has been great so far. I was noticing that I failed to get a post up for today, and for this I am sorry. Vacation is going wonderfully and we are thoroughly enjoying ourselves. We do miss you all and look forward to seeing you soon. Have a great Thursday, and fresh blog posts will resume tomorrow. Have a great day!

Celebration Week 10

For the beauty of the earth:

How Old Are You?

Click here and read, then continue...

Notice verse 6 once more: "Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth." We also know that it took Noah 100 years to build the ark. So with that in mind, I want to ask a couple of questions, and then elaborate some answers. Then we can talk through the comments (if any of you are so inclined), and see what we come up with, okay?

First question: Has there ever been a project that you have worked on that you would have stuck to for 100 years? I mean, think about it for just a second. Here is a 500 year old man, who starts a project to build a boat. But he is building that boat the length of one and a half football fields, the width of 80 feet (or the width of a decent sized house), and the height of close to a four story building. And all of this without the benefit of a detailed blueprint, modern power tools, or even another's help (save his three sons). But we do know that the people of his day must have thought he was a crazy man.

But Noah stuck to it...for a hundred years. That's longer than most of the people who are reading this blog post have ever lived or possibly ever will live. But Noah stuck to it. He kept going. He followed through. What in your life have you let slip? What in your life has gone on the back-burner because you felt it was taking too long, or it was too hard or too many people thought you were crazy for doing it? If you're facing that today, remember Noah, and keep going.

The second question is this: How often do we blame our age (whether we're too old or too young) for letting things go? How many times have we said, "That's for the older folks to take care of," or "I'm just too old to be doing this."? Can I say from the example of Noah, that if these words ever come out of your mind or your mouth to stop and remember that Noah was 500 when he started, 600 when he finished, and 601 when the voyage was finally over. And what did do after the flood? He became a farmer...and you know that's hard work.

So let's stop letting our age define what we can and cannot do. Let's start looking at our ages as nothing more than a signpost of the places we've been...not where we're going or even allowed to go. Stand strong and remember that God has great plans for you, and they will never fail.

Comment below on something you feel that it might be hard to do because of your age, and then we as a community of believers will pray for each other that we might no longer think this way, bet get out there and starting doing what we've been called to do by the Heavenly Father.

And we'll see you on Sunday!

Walking With God

In Genesis chapter 5, we read the accounts of several men who lived out their lives in relative obscurity. None of these men were written about much in this chapter...most of them only have two or three verses to their credit. But the truth of the matter is that each of these men were used by God to bring His truth to the next generation. How do we know this? Two reasons.

First is found in verse 24, where we are told that Enoch walked with God. He was one who understood who God was, and as a result, God took him to heaven before he could taste death. This man, as close to the Lord as he would have walked, most certainly would have passed this love of God on to his kids. This passion for God could have only come from a parent who taught him of this God and how He worked on behalf of Adam and his decedents after him.

The second is found in verse 32 where we find the first mention of Noah. We know from chapters 6-10 that Noah loved God deeply and walked Him. Of all the people on the face of the earth at the time, no one sought after God except for Noah. This could have come from God speaking directly to Noah, but I would venture to guess that Noah knew about God from his family's history. I'm sure that the stories of Adam, Enoch and others would have worked their way down to Noah to the point that he placed his whole faith in God.

God honored that faith and chose Noah out of all the people on the earth to spare from the disastrous flood that was coming upon the world. We are told that Noah, too, walked with God and found favor with Him.

So let me ask you a question today...how's your walk with God? Are you seeking after Him? Are you following Him with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength? Do you love Him to the point that you will obey Him no matter what he asks you to do? Have you given everything to Him? These are important questions, because if we can't answer these, then we must decide who we are and just who we are following, because if it isn't God, then it is ourselves.

Feel free to leave a comment below on how seek to walk with God on a daily basis. It might just help someone else who reads this get an idea on how they can walk with God more closely.

And we'll see you on Sunday!

Ascent Week 10

Psalm 129

“They have greatly oppressed me from my youth,”

    let Israel say;

“they have greatly oppressed me from my youth,

    but they have not gained the victory over me.

Plowmen have plowed my back

    and made their furrows long.

But the Lord is righteous;

    he has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.”

May all who hate Zion

    be turned back in shame.

May they be like grass on the roof,

    which withers before it can grow;

a reaper cannot fill his hands with it,

    nor one who gathers fill his arms.

May those who pass by not say to them,

    “The blessing of the Lord be on you;

we bless you in the name of the Lord.”

Confession

Please read the following Scriptures, and then come back and read the rest of this post. Thanks.

#1: Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” Genesis 3:1-11

#2: Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Now Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go out to the field.” While they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” Genesis 4:2-9

Here we see God at work in the lives of both Adam and Eve, and their son, Cain. In both of these instances God is looking for confession. In both of these instances, God receives blame, condemnation of others and indifference.

God wants us to confess our sins when we break His laws. He wants us to come to Him and confess that we have done what we have done. There is mercy and grace to be had if we only confess to our God our shortcomings.

But too often we try to hide like Adam and Eve or try to say that it’s not our responsibility like Cain. In both instances, God was looking to see if His creation would choose to come clean, but far too often His creation chooses instead to hide.

Francesca Battastelli has great song out right now called If We’re Honest, and it speaks to this very thing as it relates to confession to one another. I hope you’ll take the time to watch the video and reflect on what needs to “come clean” in your life.

Comment below and share a time when you confessed something and how that confession led to a deeper relationship with God and with the person you confessed to.

And we’ll see you on Sunday!

Creation

Please read the following Scripture, and then come back and read the rest of this post. Thanks.

Genesis 2:18-24

Okay, so in Genesis 2, Adam is faced with a dilemma that God already knows about and has a plan to address. But the fact of the matter is that God needed Adam to realize his need. God could have just given Adam what he needed, and Eve would have been the perfect wife and helper for him. But God wanted Adam to know that he needed Eve.

So God has Adam name all the animals. As he’s naming the animals, he notices that each one has a male and female. There is one with man parts and one with lady parts. This is not lost on Adam and he begins to wonder where his “lady” is. Now, he sees that he has a need. And now God steps in and solves the problem.

What problem do you face? Realize that God doesn’t let you walk into problems because you failed Him in some way. Sometimes, God needs you to see your need before He will step in. He’s already got the solution in mind, just admit your need to Him and then trust Him. Because believe me, it’s gonna be awesome!

Comment on a way in which God solved your problem when you finally realized that you had one.

And we’ll see you on Sunday!

Celebration Week 9

Well, my brothers and sisters in Christ, we have come to the end of another week of seeking to become the men and women that God has called us to be. How have you done this week? Celebrate the progress you've made this week, by singing a praise song to God. You may not be able to sing yourself, but the Lord said, "Make a joyful noise...!" Thankfully, He didn't say, "Make a joyful on-tune note!" So sing it out to the Lord.

Or if you are afraid to sing all alone, sing along with this contemporary worship song...

Or if hymns are more your style, sing along with this classic...

Show Comapssion

The second challenge that we gave on Sunday was to help us open our eyes and see the need around us. We were challenged to look and see how we might show compassion to those who are all around us who need to feel the touch of Jesus. We had looked at the account of Jesus healing the leper, and also thought about the fact that this leper most likely hadn’t felt the touch of another human being for a very long time until the time that Jesus “reached out his hand and touched” him.

There are a number of people in our workplaces, our communities, our grocery stores, our Wal-Marts, and even our homes who are in need of a compassionate touch from someone who loves Jesus enough to do what He did. The touch of Jesus on that leper issued in a whole new day for the lives of those who witnessed it. In the same way, our touches could usher in a new way of thinking about Jesus, Christians and the church in the lives of the individuals that we touch.

So, will you do it? Will you take the time to “reach out and touch someone” (to borrow the tag line from the long distance company)? I will certainly try and find a way to do so. Who’s with me?

Post a comment below about a time when you reached out and touched someone.

And we will see you on Sunday!

Do God's Will

Yesterday, we encouraged everyone to do a little research in the Bible to find the actual places where God has said in His Word “It is God’s will that…” and then walk in obedience to those things. I want to take that challenge a step further today.

Today, I want to challenge all of you who read this blog regularly to dig for God’s will in His Word. What do I mean by this? Well, one of the things that we learn in Hermeneutics class (“Hermeneutics” is $34 word that simply means “Bible study principles”), is that every Scripture passage we read has an interpretation, and possibly a number of applications. There are at least two applications that can be made from every Scripture. The primary application (or the first application made from the original author, readers and speakers), and the secondary application (or the application made by us in the 21st century).

Let me try and explain how the primary application works. When Paul wrote the book of Philippians, he was writing to a specific group of people for a specific purpose at a specific time. The things that he said, and the people to whom he said them, are of vital importance as we seek to understand the primary application of the book of Philippians. To know what the primary application is of a passage, it is paramount that we figure out who wrote it, to whom they wrote it, where the people were to whom it was written, what the circumstances were surrounding reason for the writing of the book, and the place in which the recipients lived. All of these things can be found in a commentary on the book you are reading, or sometimes in the notes at the beginning of each book of the Bible. 

A word of caution here: it may be tempting to skip the primary application since it has little to do with where we are today. But as you will find out, if you don’t understand the primary application, it may lead you into error when determining the secondary application.

The secondary application is trying to figure out what the Scriptures are saying to us today…right here…in the 21st century. This is where a careful study of the primary applications can really help us to determine what God is trying to tell us here today. When you study a passage, and you see how God used that passage to speak to the people of that time, it becomes easier to figure out what God is saying to you. But when you figure that out, be careful.

Read these words of Jesus and then let’s finish our post.

When you get a secondary application that is right on, and that you know is from God, you better be careful to follow that application. Why? Because as James says, “The one who knows the good they ought to do and does not do it, to them it is sin!” Simply put: When you know what God wants you to do, not doing that is sinful.

So get out there and study, and figure out what God wants of you. Then walk in the obedience that will bring you the blessing of God…His eternal peace, joy and confidence!

Feel free to comment below and we’ll see you on Sunday!