The Lost and Found Column (3)

 

'...[My] son...was lost, and is found...' Luke 15:24 NIV   

 

Last night as I was sitting in connection group, an overwhelming sadness over came me. I had been in such a spiritual battle for our nation and state yesterday it made me almost sick. He revealed something to me that took me back. God began to share with me that the battles we are facing in our nation today were lost years ago when His people stopped doing what they should have been doing all along; being a light to our nation. I began to feel what God feels for His people. Righteous or not He loves all of us. That's why it is so important we understand we can't sit back anymore and not tell the world about Jesus. If you love Jesus then it's your job to tell the lost about Him. But pastor I'm not good at that and you can't make me...I'm joking...the greatest thing I learned when Jesus came into my life was how much He saved me from! The story of the lost son in Luke 15 is about the son realizing that he knew he was lost, and knew his way home. Even though things look bleak, my prayer is that they begin to see how much they can be saved from.The shepherd sought the lost sheep, the lady with the lamp sought the lost silver, but nobody went looking for the lost son. Only when he had squandered his inheritance and ended up in a pigpen do we read: 'When he came to his senses, he said... I will...go back to my father and say to him: 'Father, I have sinned'...But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him...the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was...lost and is found...' (Luke 15:17-24 NIV) Backslider, though you have walked away from God, He is waiting to welcome you home. Your place at the table is reserved. He has a ring of sonship that identifies you as His own, and a robe of righteousness to cover your shame. The Prodigal Son's joy didn't return until he came back to his father's house. So, you have a decision to make. Though you're disappointed in yourself and ashamed before the God you've failed, you can come back home. And you can come today. That's the message we all should be sharing to anyone who can hear. You are loved!

The Lost and Found Column (2)

 

'...I have found the piece [of silver] which I lost!' Luke 15:9 NKJV

         

        
To everyone who signed up to help with the Thanksgiving baskets we need everything here at the church this Sunday. Thank you for listening and helping those in need this season.

As we continue from yesterday, Christ's next parable in Luke 15 was about a piece of lost silver: 'What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost.' (Luke 15:8-9 NKJV) Notice, this piece of silver, which was an inanimate object, didn't know it was lost so it had no concern. Observe two things here: (1) It was lost by the very person who was supposed to care for it. (2) It was lost, even though it was in the house. I know this may be hard, but this is a picture of those who sit in church every Sunday morning trusting in personal reformation, church affiliation, family connections or good works to save them. Jesus leads us to look at the woman.What did this woman do? She lit a lamp, swept the house and searched for it until she found it. That's what Bible-based, Christ-centered preaching does. Whatever stands in the way of people coming to Christ must be swept out. Let's light the lamp of God's Word. Let's preach the only message that can save people from their sins: '...The Gospel...is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes...' (Romans 1:16 NKJV) This woman probably had garments to be mended, cattle to be tended and water to be drawn. But all of that took a back seat. What's needed in the church today is the lamp to illuminate, the broom to sweep clean, and a commitment that refuses to stop until those who are lost in God's house are found and saved. That's our mission and vision at CFW. We have a passion to see everyone who needs Christ to hear the message of redemption. That mean you and me working together. Are you on board and ready? You are loved...

The Lost and Found Column (1)

 

'...I have found my sheep which was lost.' Luke 15:6 NKJV

         

Yesterday I touched base in Luke chapter 15 on the parable of the "Lost Son." Chapter 15 is sometimes referred to as 'the lost and found column' of the Bible. In it you find the parable of the lost sheep, the lost silver coin, and the lost son. Today let's look at the lost sheep. Like all of us, it had no intention of losing its way. Indeed, it probably thought it wasn't lost at all. This parable shows us two wonderful things about Jesus, our Shepherd: (1) The value God places on you! Some of us would say, 'It's only one out of a hundred sheep, no big deal, nobody will miss it.' Wrong, the Good Shepherd will! Understand this: If you had been the only person who ever lived, Jesus would have gone to the cross and died just for you. Next time you feel worthless and unloved, think about that! (2) The lengths to which God will go to save you! God demolished social and religious barriers and sent Peter, a Jew, down to Caesarea to preach the Gospel to Cornelius, a Gentile. Heaven cannot shut its ears to the cry of one lost soul! When Cornelius prayed, God replied, 'Your prayers...have come up for a memorial before [Me].' (Acts 10:4 NKJV) And here's a gem: 'When [the shepherd] has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.' (Luke 15:5 NKJV) Jesus will not only save you, He will 'carry' you when you feel you can't go on. His promise is, '...I will never leave you nor forsake you.' (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV) One Sunday when Charles Spurgeon preached, a man jumped up and shouted, 'I'm lost!' Spurgeon replied, 'Thank God, you've just been found!' You are loved!

Stand Out from the Crowd

  

'Do not follow the crowd...' Exodus 23:2 NIV

         

             




Thank you everyone who took part in our outreach last night.What a great way to stand out in our community. We believe we reached over 300 people for Christ. Now we need to pray them into the Kingdom...So how do you stand out form the crowd without following it? Mark D. Roberts writes: 'In junior high, a boy named Andrew...was the classic nerd: overweight...thick glasses...skin so white it seemed he'd never been outside. One day some of the boys began teasing Andrew and making fun of his appearance...I saw the pain in his eyes and knew I should tell the other guys to knock it off. But I saw an opportunity to be aligned with the in-crowd. So I joined in...adding my taunts as Andrew began to cry... In my heart I knew I'd done a terrible thing... Sometimes the temptation to follow the crowd is almost more than we can bear. We crave acceptance to such an extent that we do what we know is wrong so others will like us. This is true not only for insecure junior high boys, but for just about everybody. It's hard to stand up to the crowd.' Jesus wasn't ruled by people's opinions. Even His critics acknowledged, '...We know you are a man of integrity... You aren't swayed by [others]...' (Matthew 22:16 NIV) When you know who you are in Christ it frees you from the need to impress. Paul writes, 'Don't let the world...squeeze you into its own mould...let God re-mould your minds...so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good...' (Romans 12:2 PHPS) As painful as it is to be criticised, it's far worse to give up the course God has for you just for acceptance. At some point you must ask, 'How much am I willing to lose in order to be accepted?' Can you take the pressure? Will you be like Nehemiah who said, '...I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down...' (Nehemiah 6:3 NIV) We as a church stood against the response to alienate ourselves from the holiday (Halloween) as some may do. Instead we did what Jesus would have done, we walked into the midst of it and showed the world the the greatest love they could ever know, Jesus...How about you? Are you ready to stand out from the Crowd? You are loved!

The Right Word at the Right Time

 'What you say can mean life or death' Proverbs 18:21 NCV  

             

There's a story about a teacher who, to honor her students, gave each a ribbon that stated, 'Who I am makes a difference,' and asked them to pass it along to someone who'd made a difference in their lives. One kid gave his to a young executive who helped him plan his career. He in turn gave it to his boss, who was hard to get along with. He told him how much he'd been influenced by his creativity, and asked him to give the ribbon to somebody he admired. That night the boss told his fourteen-year-old son, 'I've thought about who I want to honor-and it's you. My days are hectic, and I'm always complaining about your grades and your messy bedroom. Tonight I want to let you know the difference you've made in my life. Besides your mother, you're the most important person I know, and I love you.' Fighting back tears, the boy replied, 'Earlier today I wrote a letter explaining why I'd taken my life, and asking you to forgive me. I was going to do it when everybody was asleep. I didn't think you'd care. I guess I won't need the letter now.' Upstairs in his son's room the father found the anguish-filled note beside a loaded gun. God can help you to '...speak a word in season to him who is weary...' (Isaiah 50:4 NKJV) Words change lives: 'What you say can mean life or death.' So go out of your way today to speak words of encouragement to somebody you don't normally think about. '...a word spoken at the right moment-how good it is!' (Proverbs 15:23 AMP) You are loved...

God Will Do Whatever It Takes

 

'...Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.' Romans 5:20 NKJV

         

             


Are you ready to let God do whatever it takes? Paul writes, '...I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it.' (Galatians 1:13 NIV) Clearly, Paul had no thoughts of becoming a Christian. As a Pharisee, he was obsessed with the law. As an intellectual, he could debate the finest minds. Articulate and educated, he was committed to the tenets of his faith. Yet he hated Christians! He watched as Stephen, the first martyr, was stoned to death. And while he didn't personally participate, he held the coats of those who did (Acts 7:57-59). Paul never dreamed that one day he'd be a zealous follower of Christ himself. But when God has a plan for your life He will do whatever it takes to fulfil it. By the time He places the hook in your jaw, He's already begun to work out His purpose for you. Even while Paul held the coats of Stephen's executioners, God had plans to use him. Just as He had plans for you when you were out partying, doing your own thing, going from relationship to relationship, or thinking only of making money. None of that stopped God because, 'Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.' Had Paul known God planned to meet him that day on the Damascus Road, he might have taken a different route. But '...a light from Heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground...' (Acts 9:3-4 NIV) This proud Pharisee had an appointment with God that wasn't in his diary, one that knocked him off his high horse. And to bring you into submission with His will, God will do whatever it takes. So be warned! God won't permit your stubbornness to subvert His plans for your life! Give in and watch what God can do in you're life...you are loved*

Building Lasting Relationships

 

'...It is not good that man should be alone' Genesis 2:18 NKJV

         

             


As I was walking through my thought process on yesterdays services, I asked God if it could it get any better? I felt His smile on my heart and he said "you haven't seen anything yet." It's just the beginning and our speaker shared something very special about our church; it's amazingly relational. We are a big family. God's plan for your life always requires building relationships with the right people. To succeed, you must be able to recognise these people and work with them. Remember Jonathan, who loved David even at the cost of his own life? Or Ruth, who loved her widowed mother-in-law Naomi and gave her a reason to live again? Or Paul, who wrote about Timothy, '...I have no man like [him]... For all men seek their own...' (Philippians 2:19-21 KJV) God wouldn't say, 'It's not good that man should be alone,' then tell you to do it all by yourself. But there may be areas in your life that need to be healed before you can enter these relationships and enjoy them. There's a world of difference between 'using' relationships and 'heart-ties'. Blood-ties don't wear as well as heart-ties. So allow God to work on you. When you are ready, He will make the necessary introductions. In the meantime, get to know Him better. Make His opinion the source of your self-worth. If your last relationship stripped you of worth and drained you spiritually, use this time to get back on your feet. You may never have this opportunity again. And one more thought: begin to love as God loves. He sees your imperfection, handles your rejection and loves you regardless. That should help you not to throw someone away because they made a mistake. You wouldn't discard your car over a faulty part, right? If God forgave you as you forgive others, what shape would you be in? Come on, let God teach you how to build lasting relationships. Because we have a church full of people just waiting to get to know you! You are loved...