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Tag: Jesus
This Generation Needs Us
This Generation Needs Us
What a fellowship, what a joy Divine; Leaning on the Everlasting Arms. What a blessedness, what a peace is mine, leaning on the everlasting arms.
This song came to mind when I thought of the journey that I have been on, and also your journeys as well.
We are here today because God has a plan. This moment in time, and the work we do was planned long ago. I am speaking broadly because this is true for every ministry committed to His name. In the name of Jesus we live, move, and have our being.
David said in Psalms 139. “ For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.”
He went on to say, “17How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How vast is the sum of them!
18 If I should count them, they would outnumber the sand. When I awake, I am still with You.”
Psalms 71 author is not determined but theologians believe David penned it as a result of growing old.
Psalms 71:17-21
17 O God, You have taught me from my youth, And I still declare Your wondrous deeds.
18 And even when I am old and gray, O God, do not forsake me, Until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to all who are to come.
19 For Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the heavens, You who have done great things; O God, who is like You?
20 You who have shown me many troubles and distresses Will revive me again, And will bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
21 May You increase my greatness And turn to comfort me.
It seems to me that David is saying that as long as we have breath, we have a purpose. The longer we have followed Christ the more victories we have to share. Our understanding and revelation should be clearer.
If there has ever been a time in our history that needed a clear vision of who Jesus is, it is now. His story has been buried in theological principles that mean nothing to someone who has never heard the message of the cross.
Psalms 119:110-112
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, Yet I have not gone astray from Your precepts.
“111 I have inherited Your testimonies forever, For they are the joy of my heart.”
112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, even to the end.
Psalms 119:111 Message
I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever— what a gift! And how happy it makes me!
The Word of God will change our world.
We have a responsibility. A God given call to share the word with every generation. Passing it on from a firm foundation. Declaring the principles of faith, love repentance, righteousness. On and on. Every promise in the book. Accountability
Daniel 4:3
How great are His signs And how mighty are His wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom And His dominion is from generation to generation.
Message
His miracles are staggering, his wonders are surprising. His kingdom lasts and lasts, his sovereign rule goes on forever.
Luke 1:50
And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him.
Everyone who follows Christ at any level has a story. You may be a fire burning saint who declares Him at every opportunity. You may be a quiet person who shares one on one when God puts you in a position to do so. A quiet person who prays for God to send someone to those who need Him. There are all levels in between.
Yet there is a story to be told.
Psalms 63:5 Amplified
My soul [my life, my very self] is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises [to You] with joyful lips.
Psalms 145:14-21
14 The Lord sustains all who fall And raises up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to You, And You give them their food in due time.
16 You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all His ways And kind in all His deeds.
18 The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.
20 The Lord keeps all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.
Verse 21 Message, “My mouth is filled with God’s praise. Let everything living bless him, bless his holy name from now to eternity!”
We live in a world that expects immediate gratification. Immediate results. Waiting has not been embraced by much of the culture today. “I have never embraced it”
Isaiah 40:31 KJV
But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Psalms 17:15 Message
And me? I plan on looking you full in the face. When I get up, I’ll see your full stature and live heaven on earth.
There must, at some point in our lives, come a realization in our heart and mind to pass on what we know. What we have learned by following Christ, and understanding His Word.
“For it to mean any thing, you have to believe it yourself.”
Called to Engage
Called to Engage
I love to talk about Jesus and His church. I do my best to share the Biblical principles regarding salvation, and the relevance of Jesus to the world today.
From time to time I get very broad with my pronouncements but it is what it is.
Many people refer to their opinion when explaining the story of Jesus and the church. I am one of the many that believes these things should not be referenced as an opinion. These principles are easily understood.
I will be the first to admit that there are things in the Bible that are not easily understood. With much study and prayer the best we can do is come up with an educated opinion.
The story of Jesus and the structure of the church is not one of these things. Jesus and the purpose of the church have been made clear Biblically. So clear that they can be taught with authority throughout every generation.
Keep your opinions of a persons lifestyle and destination to yourself. You can’t save them, so don’t judge them. Tell them the story of Jesus.
Regarding the church, when you remove accountability you have become rogue. No longer following the Biblical principles of Apostolic ministry and authority.
The Father created the church to be a living breathing organism in each community. Bringing the story of Jesus. The work of the Holy Spirit. The ministry to the poor and the hurting. Teaching the need to follow Christ and then making them disciples of Christ. So these folks can change the world they live in.
These, we are all one body groups, are doing their best to reject the Biblical principles of the New Testament church. I do believe they love Jesus but without accountability there is too much confusion. Everyone goes their own way. Believing in their own opinions.
Pray with me for these good folks, and the entire global church as well. The enemy is roaring about, and without a strong foundation of accountability. So many folks are left all alone to deal with the life events that come to all of us.
A Message not a Massage
A Message not a Massage
There has been an issue on my heart for weeks and I have finally found time to share some thoughts. I hear all too often how preachers are not addressing sin issues enough. They call it soft and compromising if you preach the love of God and His love for all people. Sinners and saints. I have heard said that some call it giving a massage, instead of preaching them a message about hell fire and eternal damnation.
The prophet Jeremiah addresses a similar issues in his 6th chapter verse 14. “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.”
Ministries often spend time preaching against things that no one in their congregation is dealing with. Social issues, sexual sins. Never addressing the value that love has to turn the heart of someone that has not embraced Christ.
When I share my thoughts on this subject, I often get a lot of criticism. I love that. In some small manner it puts me in the same situation Christ was in. The religious folks didn’t like His message either.
They often forget that it was the religious folks that hated Him because He loved the sinners. He forgave them, healed them, embraced them.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 Message
3 If our Message is obscure to anyone, it’s not because we’re holding back in any way. No, it’s because these other people are looking or going the wrong way and refuse to give it serious attention.
4 All they have eyes for is the fashionable god of darkness. They think he can give them what they want, and that they won’t have to bother believing a Truth they can’t see. They’re stone-blind to the day spring brightness of the Message that shines with Christ, who gives us the best picture of God we’ll ever get.
The religious folks were looking for the Messiah. Those in the temple knew every prophesy about Him, yet they could not recognize Him.
Much like to day many have a picture in their minds of what Christ should look like. How He would respond to sinners and saints. All too often that picture is a God with a sword, poised to kill those who are in sin.
It is a picture that is painted all too often when telling the story of Jesus.
In John chapter 4 Jesus had the longest conversation recorded in the Bible with a woman who had been married 5 times, and was currently living with another man.
History tells us a lot about this woman.
Sometime after this encounter she was baptized by the Apostles and given the name, Photine. Her name means, “the luminous one” or enlightened one.
History says that she was recognized by the church as equal to the Apostles because she won so many people to the Lord.
Look her up. It is an awesome story.
In reading the story in John chapter 4 Jesus pointed out her life issues.
John 4:15-18
15 The woman said to Him, “Sir, give me this water, so I will not be thirsty nor come all the way here to draw.”
16 He said to her, “Go, call your husband and come here.”
17 The woman answered and said, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You have correctly said, ‘I have no husband’;
18 for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; this you have said truly.”
So where is the condemnation? He pointed out her issue and then opened the path to redemption. Seems like I read somewhere that if you have been forgiven much, you will love much.
I could go on and on so let me wrap this one up. Tell the story of Jesus. His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension. Tell them why He did it. That must be the message. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”
By the way Photine converted her 5 sisters and two sons. They won many to Christ. In 66AD they were all martyred under the persecution of Nero. Some say he threw her body in a dry well.
Let me know what you think. visitlivinghope@gmail.com
In His Name
In His Name
Welcome to everyone this morning. God has been awesome this past week. Really nothing new, He always is. Each week we gather in His presence and enjoy His greatness.
Day by day we live in Him. Move in Him, and embrace Him, and His purpose for our lives.
Our relationship with Christ should never stop progressing. Moving forward in our purpose, and growing stronger in His grace. Embracing the Word of God. Embracing a consistent prayer life. Being the light of Christ to your world.
There is an amazing season of change occurring in the church world. People who left the Gospel for religious rules and regulations have been brought to their senses, by the Holy Spirit. The truth of the Gospel, the birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus is being restored in pulpits across this land. “Amen, Amen!!!”
I come to you this morning in His name, to share some thoughts titled, “In His Name”
Isaiah 52:13-15
13 Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up and greatly exalted.
14 Just as many were astonished at you, My people, So His appearance was marred more than any man And His form more than the sons of men.
15 Thus He will sprinkle many nations, Kings will shut their mouths on account of Him; For what had not been told them they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand.
This is clearly a reference to the coming of the promised Messiah. It takes two other translations of verse 15 to make sense. The first will take care of, He will sprinkle many nations.
Isaiah 52:15 AMP
So He will sprinkle many nations [with His blood, providing salvation], Kings will shut their mouths because of Him; For what they had not been told they will see, And what they had not heard they will understand.
This passage clears up the rest.
Isaiah 52:15 TLB
Yet many shall be amazed when they see him—yes, even far-off foreign nations and their kings; they shall stand dumbfounded, speechless in his presence. For they shall see and understand what they had not been told before. They shall see my Servant beaten and bloodied, so disfigured one would scarcely know it was a person standing there. So shall he cleanse many nations.
“We are talking about Jesus”
Isaiah 53:12
Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the transgressors.
(The NLT says, I will give him the honors of a victorious soldier, because he exposed himself to death. He was counted among the rebels. He bore the sins of many and interceded for rebels.)
“We are talking about Jesus!!!”
Daniel had a prophetic vision and then God revealed to Him, the Son of Man.
Daniel 7:13-14
13 “I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him.
14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.
“We are talking about Jesus, Why isn’t everyone talking about Jesus?”
Philippians 2:8-11
8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phillip’s says of verse 11, “And that is why, in the end, “every tongue shall confess” that Jesus Christ” is the Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
“We are talking about Jesus, Why isn’t everyone talking about Jesus?”
His Miracles.
1. Calming the storm – Matthew 8:23-27; Mark 4:37-41; Luke 8:22-25
2. Feeding 5,000 – Matthew 14:14-21; Mark 6:30-44; Luke 9:10-17; John 6:1-14
3. Walking on water – Matthew 14:22-32; Mark 6:47-52; John 6:16-21
4. Feeding 4,000 – Matthew 15:32-39; Mark 8:1-9
5. Fish with coin – Matthew 17:24-27
6. Fig tree withers – Matthew 21:18-22; Mark 11:12-14, 20-25
7. Huge catch of fish – Luke 5:4-11; John 21:1-11
8. Water into wine – John 2:1-11
Healing of Individuals
1. Man with leprosy – Matthew 8:1-4; Mark 1:40-44; Luke 5:12-14
2. Roman centurion’s servant – Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 7:1-10
3. Peter’s mother-in-law – Matthew 8:14-15; Mark 1:30-31; Luke 4:38-39
4. Two men possessed with devils – Matthew 8:28-34; Mark 5:1-15; Luke 8:27-39
5. Man with palsy – Matthew 9:2-7; Mark 2:3-12; Luke 5:18-26
6. Woman with issue – Matthew 9:20-22; Mark 5:25-34; Luke 8:43-48
7. Two blind men – Matthew 9:27-31
8. Dumb, devil-possessed man – Matthew 9:32-33
9. Canaanite woman’s daughter – Matthew 15:21-28; Mark 7:24-30
10. Boy with devil – Matthew 17:14-21; Mark 9:17-29; Luke 9:38-43
11. Two blind men – including Bartimaeus – Matthew 20:29-34; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43
12. Demon-possessed man in synagogue – Mark 1:21-28; Luke 4:31-37
13. Blind man at Bethsaida – Mark 8:22-26
14. Crippled woman – Luke 13:10-17
15. Man with dropsy – Luke 14:1-4
16. Ten men with leprosy – Luke 17:11-19
17. The high priest’s servant – Luke 22:50-51
18. Nobleman’s son at Capernaum – John 4:46-54
19. Sick man at the pool of Bethsaida – John 5:1-15
20. Man born blind – John 9:1-41
Raising the Dead
1. Jairus’ daughter – Matthew 9:18-26; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56
2. Widow’s son at Nain – Luke 7:11-17
3. Lazarus – John 11:1-44
“We are talking about Jesus, Why isn’t everyone talking about Jesus?”
John 3:18
18He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Acts 3:6
But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!”
Colossians 3:17
Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
1 John 3:23
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.
1 John 5:13
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.
“Talking about Jesus. In His Name.”
#inHisname #hopelives
It’s Not My Opinion
It’s Not My Opinion
I spend a lot of time in sermons, Bible studies, and yes, my blogs addressing opinions within the church world. There are those who criticize that because they believe that everyone has a right to their opinion.
We are talking about the word of God, redemption, eternal life, light of the world stuff.
There are lives hanging in the balance while people in the religious circles are defending their opinion. Attacking those of us who defend the truth of the Gospel. Not by opinion, but by the word of God. Not twisting it to confirm some religious issue. Simply telling the truth.
The truth is that God does not measure the value of someone based on your opinion. He found value in prostitutes, thieves, rebellious folks. He found value in the Jews that He came for, who rejected Him, and the Gentiles that He commissioned Apostolic ministry for.
He found value in children, working people, and slaves. People who had little knowledge of the scriptures that told of Him. People who knew every passage that announced His coming.
He found value in the sick, the diseased, and the oppressed.
The hungry and the poor.
I share all of this to remind us that Jesus loved everyone. He taught us to do the same.
I read something to day from an article on Facebook and I lost it in the feed. I would love to credit the individual because it moved me, and confirmed something that I have preached, and wrote about for years. It is very simple.
This is what was said. “When the church stops talking about Jesus, it has nothing to say.”
Many times our sermons and studies are sprinkled with our opinions. That is a normal thing, to some degree. Everyone shares from personal experience and understanding.
I read a lot. I read doctrine, theological principles. commentaries, and lexicons. All of these are valuable, and they should be used to confirm facts.
I am fully aware that there are things in the Bible that no one really understands. I have heard a number of opinions on end time, after death, and various other references in the Bible. We accept them as the Word of God, and await revelation and understanding as the need presents itself. It will come.
My overwhelming concern is the the telling of the story of Jesus. Our mission to the world is not to build denominational foundations. Walls of doctrinal and theological principles. I love to study and I love all this stuff.
Our mission is to win the lost, and then teach them to win the lost.
It will not be raving against sin that will do this. It will be telling the story of Jesus.
His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.
It will not be your opinion that wins them. It will be the love of Christ that overwhelms them.
We must view everyone as if they have value in the eyes of God. Knowing that they do have value, they were made in His image. Everyone has a Divinely appointed destiny.
They are simply waiting for someone to tell them the story of Jesus.
Remember what brought this on today.
“When the church stops talking about Jesus, it has nothing to say.”
Have a great week and be blessed. #inHisname
The Quest for Excellence
The Quest for Excellence
For the most part I am a very positive guy. While a lot of folks are crying the doom and gloom of sin, I see awesome opportunities. Opportunities to share His story. Reach out in our communities. Get involved in the structures of our towns and cities, interjecting the light of Christ as opportunities present themselves.
Not necessarily with words, but with our lives and our love for our communities. Giving, teaching, blessing, and sharing with the same passion that Jesus did.
I won’t deny that I embrace every chance I get to challenge those who misrepresent the Gospel, and the 5 fold ministry.
These things are my passion, and I will never stop addressing these issues, not with my opinion, but with the Biblical authority that is very plain.
Paul often spoke in terms of being excellent. Excellent in our lives, and our presentation of the Gospel. Excellent in our communities. In our thoughts and our actions.
Philippians 4:4-9
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
9 The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.
What an awesome passage to encourage us to thrive in the excellence of our Lord. Guarding our hearts with the mind of Christ, and doing things that cause the world to see Jesus in our actions.
Jesus taught us by example to love and respect people with needs. Healing the sick, encouraging the hopeless. Feeding the poor, and forgiving the sins of the hurting and wounded.
He also taught us to stand against the religious system that failed to do this. The same religious system that rejected Him, and His love for those who hunger and thirst.
The same religious system that refuses to embrace sinners with the love and grace of God today.
I will never understand how the church expects people to follow Christ, and believe in His love and grace, when the first thing they do is tell them that this same Jesus will send them to hell.
I pray everyday that we all embrace excellence. In our thoughts, words, love, and our work. Doing our best, being our best, as we share our hopes and dreams in this amazing world.
All the while, with every opportunity, telling someone about Jesus.
Partake of Him and you will never hunger. Drink of Him and never thirst. He is eternal life, and there is plenty of room in His kingdom for everyone.
Regardless of the sin or failure He is there to forgive, and pick them up.
I love the Lord. What an awesome season for the story of Jesus. Live it, tell it, and watch it change your world.
Praying blessings for you always, In His Name.
#lovewins #hopelives. #inHisname
When You See or Hear Jesus
When You See or Hear Jesus
Still rejoicing over the 10th Annual Backpack event July 8th. It was very successful. Even more so considering the community involvement.
God has blessed us over the years. It is faithfulness to Him, and the mission of this church that has moved us forward each year.
What an awesome God that has continued in His faithfulness to us, and to this community.
Your prayers, your giving, your love has changed the atmosphere that surrounds us.
I love the grace and mercy of God, and it’s purpose for our lives and our church. Together we give Him all the glory and honor. It has always been about him, and His unconditional love.
I want to share some thoughts titled, “When You See or Hear Jesus”
Luke 5:12-16
12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”
15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses.
16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
I love the story of this leper. His plea for healing must have been extraordinary to Jesus. Why? Because He broke Levitical law when He touched the leper.
The law is found in Leviticus 5:3 and it was given to prevent the spread of the disease. Since Jesus was God in the flesh He could not be infected by leprosy.
“He touched the leper to spread the cure.”
“Verse 15, But the news about Him was spreading even farther.”
Matthew 20:29-34
29 As they were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed Him.
30 And two blind men sitting by the road, hearing that Jesus was passing by, cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”
31 The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”
32 And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
33 They *said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.”
34 Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes; and immediately they regained their sight and followed Him.
One saw, others heard. In both cases they took action.
When your need has overwhelmed you. Imprisoned your mind, and your thoughts. When your circumstances are beyond your ability to change.
You must see Him. “perceive who He is.” You must hear Him, “His faithful promises that will move you beyond any need or circumstance.”
You can’t just see or hear Him. You must take action!!!
Mark 5:25-29
25 A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years,
26 and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse—
27 after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak.
28 For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.”
29 Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction.
Mark 10:46-52
46 Then they *came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a large crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the road.
47 When he heard that it was Jesus the Nazarene, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they *called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”
50 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus.
51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”
52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.
Have you ever prayed for a situation and felt hopeless. It seems like your prayers never rise above the ceiling. Never reaching the Heavens.
The enemy will come and discourage. God’s not listening. This is your fault. Your problem to solve. Friends may even tell you that praying is not the answer. Just let the circumstances play out.
NO NO NO. Don’t listen to the crowd. The lies of the devil. Don’t listen to the voice in your head that says God is not listening.
Cry louder. Louder than the voices around you. The voices that say no.
Tell them this. “I have seen Jesus working in my life. I have heard Him speak words of love and truth.”
I will pray, I will weep, I will never stop calling on Jesus.
#lovewins #hopelives
Is There Room In Your Vessel?
Is There Room In Your Vessel
What a humbling experience it is to enter this house each Sunday, and enjoy such an awesome presence of God.
His love and grace is overwhelming at times. His eternal, unwavering care for His people is awesome.
My prayer for us all is this. Keep your eyes on Him. Your faith in His promises. Never stop praying. Pray more than ever, with passion.
Don’t quit until He answers, or until He tells you why.
I want to share a very familiar Psalm today. Probably the most recognized Psalm in the Bible.
I want to share some thoughts titled, “Is There Room In Your Vessel”
There is one verse that is the heart of the message today, but all of Psalm 23 is amazing.
Psalms 23:1-6
1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
3 He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
The word cup is used figuratively to mean, “his portion or lot.” The phrase runneth over, or overflows means, “saturation.”
David is saying that God has blessed him beyond what he deserves, to the point his blessings are spilling out all around him.
Psalms 16:5-6
5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; You support my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places; Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.
The word lot in verse 5 is referring to destiny. The lines of His heritage is referring to the earthly heritage. The kingdom that God has given David.
There is something that is critically important to the work of God in our lives. It is contained in one word. Thanksgiving.
At every level we are at. Every season of life. We must be thankful for what we have. The things we have been given. The strength to move beyond the pain that life has brought. In abundance or in lack.
The scriptures I read were blessings, but if you know David’s story He faced peril as well. That is life. God is always there in every situation. That is more than enough reason to honor Him with praise and thanksgiving. In Psalms 63 David had found himself in the wilderness.
Psalms 63:1-5
1 O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. (Symbolic)
2 Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory.
3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips will praise You.
4 So I will bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
5 My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips.
David is probably our greatest example of the grace of God. God loved him in his failures, his bad decisions, his fear. God blessed David richly. Not because he was worthy, it was because he was greatly loved.
Ephesians 3:14-19
14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name,
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man,
17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19 and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.
Filled means, “to cause to abound furnished or supplied liberally.” Fullness means, “That which is filled with the presence, power, agency, and riches of God and Christ.”
Is there room in your vessel? If so how do we obtain this level of God and His presence?
The Apostle John said this, and I read the Amplified
John 1:16 Amplified
For out of His fullness [the superabundance of His grace and truth] we have all received grace upon grace [spiritual blessing upon spiritual blessing, favor upon favor, and gift heaped upon gift].
Jesus said in John 7 verse 37. ““If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.”
Are you thirsty? Hungry? Is there room in your vessel for more?
Have an awesome week. There will be more to come.
#lovewins #hopelives
The Lord Is Near
The Lord is Near
God is great, and He is greatly to be praised. We are in an awesome season of the presence of the Lord. I believe that He is positioning some of His churches, in this region and state, to create an atmosphere relevant to revival.
When true revival comes, brought on by repentance within the church, it will burn like a fire. The fire will spread to other areas as well.
It is the way it has always been.
Mother’s day, is an amazing day of honor and tribute. It is a day we give tribute to our mothers who have passed on. We also honor the moms who are still with us.
My mom was awesome. She was my strongest advocate. She was also, funny, opinionated, and loud.
She would often speak without thinking. These traits worked well with my dad. He was quiet, and simply listened when she got on a rant.
I took after my dad. “Not”
In the Bible there was a woman named Hannah. Her husband had another wife as well. This other wife had children but Hannah had not given birth. Yet she was Elkanah’s favorite wife.
1 Samuel 1:9-11 NASB
9 Then Hannah rose after eating and drinking in Shiloh. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat by the door post of the temple of the Lord.
10 She, greatly distressed, prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly.
11 She made a vow and said, “O Lord of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but will give Your maidservant a son, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life, and a razor shall never come on his head.”
Hannah dedicated her son to the service of the lord, and Samuel became a prophet in Israel. The prophet that anointed David king.
I know this sounds weird but it has always sort of made me think of my mom. She gave birth to me , 3 months short of her 44th birthday. Because of her age, I was supposed to have died before birth.
To make this very long story short, one day I asked mom if she had dedicated me to the Lord.
This was her reply. There was a very well known Pastor, named J.C Hibbard. He Pastored the Gospel Lighthouse in Oak Cliff. He had hundreds in his congregation. Mom watched him on tv. On a Sunday morning she wrapped me up, took a bus, and walked in his church, all the way to the pulpit, during his sermon. He stopped preaching and asked mom what she needed.
She wanted him to dedicate me to the Lord. He fulfilled her request, mom left and came home.
Her love and courage will be with me always.
She felt the person who laid hands on me, and prayed, should be someone with anointing. Someone she had a connection with.
I want to move from this, and share some words of encouragement.
Philippians 4:5-7
5 Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Amp
5 Let your gentle spirit [your graciousness, unselfishness, mercy, tolerance, and patience] be known to all people. The Lord is near.
6 Do not be anxious or worried about anything, but in everything [every circumstance and situation] by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, continue to make your [specific] requests known to God.
7 And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].
There are four words that moved me. “The Lord is Near.”
The word Lord from the Greek means, He to whom a person or things belongs, the possessor or disposer of a thing. The word near means, near of place or position, those who are near access to God.
There are those who believe this passage is referring to the second coming of Christ. “I do not believe this.”
Jesus said in Matthew 28:20, (and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”)
I believe the Apostle was confirming these words of Christ.
He will be with us in the end, but He is with us now. He is near when we need Him. Every step, every season, of our lives.
It is His goodness that we embrace, as we walk out our purpose. What an awesome Father.
#lovewins #hopelives
Tell Me the Story
Tell Me the Story
When you follow anything I do, from social media, blogging, and Pastoring. You will quickly recognize my love for the church. With its difficulties and struggles over the years. Even with the diversity within it, that comes to question from time to time.
The local church in every community and country around the world, is the hope of the world. The work that churches do in their communities. The prayers they pray for their cities and their countries. The programs they offer, people that they feed, needs met all across the board.
Not to mention their most important efforts to shine the light of Christ to everyone in their community, and in mission work across the world.
By the way, doing all the things I mentioned above are part of shining the light.
The most common reference to church from the Greek in the Bible is the word, ecclesia. It means, “a called out company or assembly.”
It is used to describe local bodies that gather together, individual members, and more broadly the universal church which includes all believers throughout time.
Still, it is local churches that the Apostles spent so much effort in building. The power and presence of believers in a community would bring change and purpose for believers, and unbelievers as well.
When it comes to doctrinal issues the church today has drawn many different conclusions. The study of the original languages, writings from church fathers for over 2000 years, along with many other study and help aids available. These things have offered a path to knowledge.
I am sort of an old school guy. I love to study and prepare messages from the inspiration I get from the things I mentioned above.
Yet there is something that has stuck in my mind for years. A passage from the Apostle Paul. It is found in 2 Timothy 3 and you need to read the chapter in its entirety. Paul said this in verse 7.
2 Timothy 3:7 NASB
always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
Jesus said this.
John 6:63 NASB
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.
Yes, I love God’s Word. I believe with all my heart that it is comprised of two elements. Written and Spirit. These two together give us a spiritual revelation of the words written in the Bible.
Only then can we fully understand what God has shared from His heart, down through time. Remember again the words of the Apostle John from his Gospel.
John 1:1-2 NASB
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
Don’t forget the words of Christ from John 16.
John 16:13 NASB
But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.
I love the Classic Amplified—“But when He, the Spirit of Truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth [full and complete truth]. For He will not speak on His own initiative, but He will speak whatever He hears [from the Father—the message regarding the Son], and He will disclose to you what is to come [in the future].”
The Bible is the history of the coming of Christ. A reference to Him is mentioned in every book, including the Apocrypha.
I am one of those Pastors that believes the story of Jesus is the relevant issue that we need to share. The church is not the police agency of the world. Yes we must stand for righteousness but the most successful way of doing that is to live it. Not tell it.
That is the example that will lead others to Christ.
Paul wrote 3 Pastoral Epistles. Giving instruction and leadership to Timothy and Titus. Through out his letters, and in fact, most of the letters in The New Testament, the authors used one common theme to encourage their readers.
The story of Jesus. Paul used it to encourage Titus. A Greek that was converted by Paul. Paul appointed him the first Bishop of the island of Crete.
Titus 2:11-14 NASB
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
Forgive me for going so long. I love the church and I love the Word of God.
I love the story of Jesus. “His birth, life, death, resurrection, and ascension.”
Tell it every where you go, and every chance you get. The church is built upon it, exists because of it, and walks in Kingdom authority empowered by it.
I will close with a verse and chorus from Frances Crosby.
Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.
Tell how the angels in chorus, Sang as they welcomed His birth, “Glory to God in the highest! Peace and good tidings to earth.”
Refrain:
Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every word;
Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.
#lovewins #hopelives