Building Up Your Faith (2)

'...Building yourselves up on your...faith...' Jude 1:20 NKJV

I got up this morning with a song in my heart, opened the window and what do I see? Snow...I wanted to get all goofy and start saying the snow is of the devil and all that stuff. But I surprised myself and spoke a word of faith instead. It's just snow and so what if it's cold out. Learning to build yourself up when little annoyances pop up that really irritate you takes a change in your thought pattern. In Jude 1:20 this word 'building' is an architectural term that means to renovate. It implies tearing down what's not working for you and building up what will. When you don't understand that, you are left to believe that whatever life has handed you is just the way it is, and you have to take it. You'd be surprised at the number of people who go to church every week just to get a word to help them survive. They sing about faith and talk about it. But when you ask them, 'How are you doing?' they say, 'I'm just hanging on. I'm just hoping I can make it through.' Yes, there are times when that will truly be the case. But that should be the exception, not the rule. The Bible says, '...we are more than conquerors...' (Romans 8:37 NKJV) To be a conqueror means to fight a battle and win it. But to be more than a conqueror means to win a battle-without even having to fight it. Jesus has already fought and won the battle for you. And today He is saying, '...I give...you power...over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.' (Luke 10:19 NKJV) You say, 'How do I get this power?' Jude says we can access this power for living by '...praying in the Holy Spirit.' (v20) And you can do it anywhere: in your car on the way to work, on your treadmill or even in your bathroom. You just need a place where you can be alone with God, praying and reading His Word, building up your faith. So go for it and see what God can do in your life. You are loved...

Building Up Your Faith (1)

'...Building yourselves up on your...faith...' Jude 1:20 NKJV

Are you ready for something big in your life? Its a great day today, rain and all, to be encouraged or to be a encouragement to someone who needs it. Many of us struggle in the area of our faith. Look at what the apostle Jude writes, 'But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.' Jude places the responsibility of building yourself up spiritually and strengthening your faith where it belongs-squarely on you. There are two kinds of faith: mechanical faith and intentional faith. Each time you flip on a light switch you're exercising mechanical faith. But when you face the unknown, the untried and the undone, you need intentional faith-faith that believes God to do '...exceedingly abundantly above all that [you] ask or think...' (Ephesians 3:20 NKJV) If you're proactive, your faith will grow. If you're passive, it won't. Like the action of water rushing against a riverbank, there's an erosion of faith that comes simply from living every day. If you don't do anything to secure and strengthen your faith it begins to deteriorate. Christ told the church at Ephesus to remember the heights from which they had fallen (Revelation 2:5). What a strange thing to say! If you fell from a significant height, don't you think you'd remember it? Not if the fall was so gradual that you didn't notice it. So ask yourself: 'Have those who know me best begun to notice the gleam has gone out of my eye, the joy out of my step, the peace out of my spirit and the Word of God out of my conversation?' Faith is like a muscle; if you don't exercise it consistently it will atrophy and become powerless. So the Thought for you today is: '...Strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die...' (Revelation 3:2 NKJV) and watch Christ work in your life and build your faith! You are loved...

Stop Condemning Yourself!

'...There is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.' Romans 8:1 NLT

The thought for you today is-stop condemning yourself! How many times have I heard condemning words that kept telling me I was know good. Just yesterday Satan tried to accuse me of something that happened three years ago. God says, 'I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins.' (Isaiah 43:25 NKJV) When God says He forgets your sin and you insist on remembering it, it's like saying your standards are higher than His. That's akin to idolatry! I had to think hard on that one because this weeks message is on idolatry. How many things can we put in front of God and not even know it. Listen, The Bible says, '...God in Christ forgave you.' (Ephesians 4:32 NKJV) In the Old Testament when someone sinned they brought a lamb to the priest and he would shed its blood on the altar as payment for their sin. Once that was done the record was expunged and the issue was settled. You say, 'But I don't feel forgiven.' Forgiveness comes by faith, not feelings. As long as you live by feelings Satan has a weapon he can use against you at every turn. You say, 'But what I did was so wrong.' As long as you truly repent whatever you have done can be pardoned. You say, 'But Satan keeps bringing it up.' That's because he is called the 'accuser' (Revelation 12:10). But notice how you overcome Satan the accuser: 'They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...' (v11) Next time Satan accuses you, say, 'I'm glad you brought that up.' Then tell him what the blood of Jesus has accomplished on your behalf. If you do that, he will flee. Learn from your failure, grow stronger through it, use it to bless others, move on with your life and stop condemning yourself! You are loved!

Learn To Respect Authority

'Work...as though you were working for the Lord...' Colossians 3:23 NLT

Man I love our church! I hope you do too. Thanks for being apart of a awesome service yesterday. I'm getting excited about our new series on "Ten Values for Strong Families." This is a great opportunity to invite a friend or co-worker who needs help in this area of there lives. Two things to remind you of this week: If you aren't plugged into a small group get plugged in! You'll be glad. Secondly, Sharefest is this Saturday. We will be meeting @7:30am to leave the church by 8am to go to Leslie Groves Park. I hope you'll come out and share Christs love to our community.

Today I want to talk about Respecting Authority. Can you imagine a nation without a leader, a workplace without a boss or an army without a general? It would be chaotic. Structure creates order; without it no progress can be made. That's why you don't park your car in the bedroom or sleep in the garage. Learn to respect those in authority over you. Honor those who have lived longer than you because they possess a wealth of knowledge. Listen to them and grow. Until you learn to take orders you will never be qualified to give them. Jesus understood this. He was the Son of God. He knew more than any other human being, yet He honored the authority of the government in power. When the Pharisees asked Him His opinion on paying taxes He answered, '...Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's...' (Mark 12:17 NKJV) Are you speaking words of doubt about your own organization? Are you belittling those in authority over you? Stop it now! True, they are not perfect. (Perhaps that's why they can tolerate you.) If you rebel against every instruction you are given, don't complain when those around you rebel against your words and opinions. The law of reciprocity states that if you want to be treated with respect, you must respect others. That includes those you don't agree with, or even like. Jesus did. Pray, 'Father, I know that respect for authority is taught in Your Word. So remind me today that my success depends upon my attitude toward those You've placed in leadership over me. As I honor them, I believe You will honor me.' You are loved!

God Is Giving You Another Chance

'...God has appointed another [future] for me...' Genesis 4:25 NKJV

Good morning,
Just got done praying for you this morning with our Men's Connection group. I love Friday's because not only do we pray, but we have fun doing it. We laugh, drink way to much coffee, but most of all we get blessed. This morning I want to talk about second chances. Satan's plan was to infect Adam with the virus of sin before his first son was born; that way he could get all the rest of us. And it almost worked. Cain, Adam's first son, murdered his brother Abel. But God wasn't finished. 'Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, For God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel.' For everything you've loved or lost, God has something else. For everything that's been stolen from you, God has something else. Your 'seed' is your future, and God has another one in mind for you. The situation you are in right now is not the end of the story; God wants to write a new chapter. The devil knew God had a plan for you; that's why he tried so hard to wipe you out. He doesn't want you to live long enough to fulfill it. But the fact that you're still here and able to read this says he failed, and that God's not through with you! Notice the word 'appointed'. There's an appointment on God's calendar with your name on it. 'God has appointed another [future] for me.' There's something good just over the horizon-something for your life, your marriage, your family, your career, your ministry. God has an appointed task for you to accomplish, and appointed blessings for you to enjoy. He has called you with an 'eternal purpose' and He will bring it to pass. You are loved!

Christ-There's No One Like Him!

'Then Jesus...said, All authority in Heaven and on earth has been given to Me.' Matthew 28:18 NIV

Sorry I missed yesterday but we took the day off to go celebrate my mom's 78th birthday. Spent the day with her and she loved it. I'm so glad she has given her heart to Christ. That's what I want to talk about today, there's no one Like Him! Billy Graham said: 'The Bible is concerned only incidentally with the history of Israel or a system of ethics. It's concerned primarily with the story of redemption as it is in Jesus Christ. If you read the Scriptures and miss the story of salvation, you have missed its message and meaning. There have been those who have gone through the Bible and traced the story of Jesus: In Genesis He is the seed of the woman. In Exodus He is the Passover Lamb. In Leviticus He is the Atoning Sacrifice. In Numbers He is the Smitten Rock. In Deuteronomy He is the Greatest Prophet. In Joshua He is the Captain of the Lord's Host. In Judges He is the Deliverer. In Kings He is the Promised King. In Nehemiah He is the Restorer of the Nation. In Esther He is the Advocate. In Job He is my Redeemer. In Psalms He is my Shepherd. In Proverbs He is my Pattern. In Ecclesiastes He is my Goal. In the Song of Solomon He is my Satisfier. In the Books of the Prophets He is my Coming Prince of Peace. In the Gospels He is the One who came to seek and to save us. In Acts He is our Risen Lord. In the Epistles He is our Representative at the Father's right hand. In Revelation He is our Returning Lord.' In an age of pop psychology and eclectic theology, the bedrock of our faith is still Christ's virgin birth, His sinless life, His atoning death, His victorious resurrection, His work of mediation and His visible return as King of Kings. Christ-there's no one like Him! It's time church to tell the world...there's no one like Him! You are loved...

When God Calls You

'Follow Me, and I will make you...' Mark 1:17 NKJV

I was thinking back to when God called Amy and I to step out in faith and accept the call in our lives. I was making almost $16.00 an hour back in 1982 and here's God saying I'm calling you. We're like to what God. To fulltime ministry. Amy and I even with the desire in our hearts to do what God was asking us to do never in our minds thought we we're qualified. If you think you're not qualified to be used by God, start changing the way you think! God had to change our stinking thinking to an attitude of gratitude to believe Gods word and say, ok God, by faith we believe we are qualified. Look at when Elijah called Elisha; he was plowing. When Jesus called Peter he was fishing. To follow God, Elisha had to leave farming and Peter had to leave fishing. Can you imagine a disciple's wife saying, 'How are we going to pay the bills?' Following God is like stepping out on tissue paper and discovering solid rock underneath. But you'll never discover the rock unless you're willing to step onto the tissue paper. When God asks you to walk away from a security base that's been part of your life, you take your talents with you. Matthew, an accountant, took his pen and wrote the first book of the New Testament. When David went to Saul's palace he took his harp, and went on to write psalms we still sing today. That's why it's important to know that it's God who's calling you, and to have it confirmed by trusted leadership. If you run before the starter fires the gun you'll be disqualified from the race. When God calls you, keep these four things in mind:
(1) There's a price to be paid. If you're willing to pay it, you can have God's best.
(2) There's a path to be walked. Each step is a step of faith.
(3) There are principles to be observed. You've got to do God's will, God's way, in order to be blessed.
(4) There's a promise to sustain you. '...do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.' (Joshua 1:9 NIV)
It's a awesome path if you'll just follow...you are loved!