Saturday, September 9, 2017

A Heavenly Country



Hebrews 11 describes stories of faithful men and women in the Bible. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. We must understand faith correctly because eternal life is hinged upon faith. In order for anyone to come to God, he must first believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those that diligently seek him. Noah believed God, so he moved with godly fear. The act of building the ark didn’t save Noah, but his faith in God that moved him to build the ark saved him. Abraham was called out of his country to a place that God would show him in the future. He went out motivated by only a promise of God. He obedience was proof of his faith in God. Have you ever gone out with only faith in God’s promises? Are you willing to go out to the place of your eternal inheritance, believing in God’s promises? Our faith grows through trials, challenges, and failures. When Sarah was told she would bear a son, she laughed in doubt and unbelief. God needed to break these down in her through reproof. God asks her, and us, this question: “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” May this question cause inner reflection and examination. Are you in the midst of an impossible situation? Has God given you a promise in the midst of this situation? God will give you strength and grace. Pray through this challenge until you receive strength. The patriarchs died not seeing the promise, but seeing it afar off, and were assured of God’s promises. There will be temptation to go back, just like the patriarchs, but they did not return because they desired a better country. Pray for greater desire for the Lord and for the heavenly country to which you were called!




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Thursday, September 7, 2017

I Have Learned to Be Content



This Scripture is on the subject of contentment. Paul tells his readers to rejoice always, not in avoiding the gravity of situations in life, but in showing how one lives out a Gospel-defined life. We can’t let the culture define us, but need to let the Gospel define us. Consider your identity in Christ. Contentment and joy are linked. Discontentment comes from misplaced joy. We are instead to rejoice, entirely confident in Christ. We are not to detach ourselves from reality during trials, but not to be anxious for anything. We can be comforted in knowing that we have a Father who knows all things. We are to make our requests known to God, confessing in an honest prayer how we’re feeling, and to do so with thanksgiving of what God has done for us through the Gospel. Peace doesn’t come from the remedy of the situation, but from fellowship with God. What we think about affects our peace and rest. Preach the Gospel to your mind. You are not defined by the way you think of yourself, or by how others think of you. What defines you is how you are in Christ. Contentment is rooted in God, not in self. We are to be God-dependent, not self-sufficient. Nothing is going to be remedied by my discontentment and impatience. We must learn to be content. This is a process, if you are willing. You will have to change your perspective of life. There is more work that needs to be done in your heart and life than you even realize. Measure your life by the Gospel, not by worldly standards, and you will find contentment. We cannot control much in life, but we can ground ourselves in our identity in Christ. In Christ, I can do all things that God has called me to. In Christ, we can be content.


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Saturday, September 2, 2017

What Are You Doing Here, Elijah?



God had just used Elijah to destroy the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. King Ahab had been there and saw what the Lord had done, and went and told his wife, Jezebel. She became outraged and sent a messenger to threaten Elijah that she is going to kill him. Elijah was led to despondency because of Jezebel’s response. Depressed, discouraged, weak, and alone, he humbles himself before the Lord. The Lord knew he would need more strength for the journey ahead though, so He provided Elijah with food and drink from an Angel. We too must realize that our journey ahead is going to be too great for us, and we need to set aside time to rest, eat, drink, and spend time with family and friends. God knows what He’s designed for us, and He will supply what we need accordingly. Elijah then went in the strength that the Lord provided to Horeb, so that he might spend time alone with God. When the Lord leads you to spend more time in communion with Him, do not refuse this time. Elijah had become frustrated because he felt he was pouring his life out for the ministry of the Lord, but the Lord wasn’t acting accordingly. The Lord then displayed His power through wind, an earthquake, and fire to Elijah, but the Lord was not in any of those things. The Lord came in a still small voice that might have spoken what was spoken to Moses, declaring the Name of God. He is the Lord, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth. Elijah was overwhelmed by the mercy and grace of the Lord. Has the Lord revealed His Name to you? The Lord also tells Elijah that he will not do the work of the Lord alone because God had reserved 7,000 men for His work.




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Wednesday, August 30, 2017

I Have Made Myself a Servant to All



A witness is a public affirmation by word or example. As a church, we are to immerse ourselves in our cities and with our neighbors and not to be elitists. We are to go to those who are marginalized like Jesus did. We should not hide what we are going through. Admit who you are and then share how you’ve found the answer in Jesus Christ to your distresses. This does not show Christianity in a bad light--it glorifies Christ and what He can do in you. In this passage, Paul declares that the Gospel has freed him to do his ministry. He recognized that he’d been given a stewardship of the Gospel and he was confident that God was going to use his ministry for His purposes. Paul was not under obligation to any man but he made himself a servant to all that he might win more souls. He voluntarily made the decision to deny his rights and serve others instead. We are to exist in peace with others, as long as we do not offend God, so that we may obtain their affection and then share with them the hope of the Gospel. Jesus has comforted us so that we can bring comfort to those we’re reaching out to. Paul saw opportunities to help others and intentionally engaged them in their lives. In order to do this, Paul had to discipline himself. This is essential in ministering to others. Giving of ourselves for others will take time. Take for example athletes training for a race to win a perishable crown. We are going for an in imperishable crown, to please our Father, so be willing to serve, be willing to be disciplined in thought and time. Paul knew what Christ had given him, and therefore he disciplined his body so that he could give it to the world. Be faithful to carry out your ministry!

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Monday, August 14, 2017

We Are Members of One Another

This message defines what community looks like and how it is played out today from a biblical sense. A community has a common identity and purpose, where each person sells their own individuality and sets aside their own personal desires. They are knit and joined together in affections, their mind, desires, and thoughts. Human nature may desire to be alone, but we are meant to be in a community. Community is to be a means of growth for each person. We all must individually give our lives unto God as a free offering first. Then we give ourselves to the body, and to the work. God has given each of us a gift to help others. We are not to be proud with our gifts, but to maintain humility. Just like the human body, each person has a different role but the body exists as one. We aren’t to think less of others though because they don’t perform our function, and we’re also not to think less of ourselves because we don’t perform another’s function. Who has God called you to be in the body? Be faithful in using your gifts. Live as a sacrifice unto God first, then to others. Paul describes how we are to exist together in the world. We are to love regardless of circumstances, without hypocrisy. We are called to abhor unkindness, and to outdo one another in giving honor to each other. We are to throw away all thoughts of pursuing self, and dispense love to others with a burning effort. Have your heart and mind renewed to this given life, unselfishly. We are to pray and bless those who persecute us. This high calling is radical thinking, which is why Paul exhorts us to be renewed in our minds. We are to be of the same mind, and associate with the humble. Remain engaged in this work!

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