Walking in God's Will - 2012

Wow, can you believe it, a new year is just around the corner? It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming in 2010. Then again, we probably say the same thing at this time of year. As we reflect on the year that has been and the year that will be, there are usually tasks undone and some goals we want to see accomplished.

But what does a new year really mean? Well, it all depends on the person! Some people look forward to the new year and are excited. Others face the new year with hesitancy as they are unsure of the future. And yet, whether we are ready or not, the new year will come. January 1st will still arrive and we will face 2011 just like everyone else.

A new year should be something viewed as filled with amazing possibilities and wonderful opportunities. It ultimately depends on our trust in Christ. The more that we trust the Lord, the greater 2011 can be. The more we allow God to be who He is and not try to contain Him in a box that we can understand and wrap our minds around, the greater 2011 will be.

So, how big will you allow God to be? The bigger you allow Him to be and the more you allow Him to do what He wants, the greater your year will be. Our theme at Calvary for 2011 is: Walking in God's Will.

Yes, it is easy to say, not so hard to do. But we are going to take the time in 2011 to see what it means to walk in God's will and my prayer for each of us is that by the time 2012 rolls around, not only will we be walking in God's will on an individual basis, but our view of God will be greater than we could have ever imagined.

Come on, let's have a GREAT year and walk in God's will!

Humbling Worship in an Unexpected Place

Where do you like to worship? Some prefer a majestic cathedral, others a simple chapel. But would any ones first choice be a stable? Yet, after hearing the message of the angels, these shepherds' first response was to find the stable where Mary had given birth to the Savior.

To me, this only confirms that our God is the God of the unexpected. And few things could be more unexpected than the King of Heaven being born in a stable.

READ: Luke 2:15-16

I have often heard people use various forms of the expression, "You are not defined by what happens to you, but by how you respond to what happens to you." This is true, to some degree, in areas of life both good and bad, joyful and painful, exciting and terrifying. How we respond measures us in ways that words fail to express.

The shepherds' response was, first, to worship and, second, to tell what they had seen!

READ: Luke 2:17-18

Shepherds were not only the first to hear, they were also the first to tell the Christmas message. With their hearts bursting with wonder at what they had experienced, they shared that wonder with others by telling the whole story about the angels and the glory and the baby!

This is true worship - to kneel before Christ so that you are then able to stand before others and proclaim His glory and salvation. Once we are humbled into silence in the presence of the King, we can then speak boldly to all who need to hear.

The great challenge left to us, is that all of our Christmas celebrations should include at least traces or threads of the exaltation and worship the shepherds' exhibited. If we do this, we will cut through the glitz and the glamour of a season that has increasingly become secular and commercial and be reminded of the beauty of the One who is Christmas!

Our Amazing God

Last night I had the privilege to attend the Pregnancy Care Center of Union County fundraising banquet. What an amazing group of people who truly care about the sacredness of life. The director of the care center here in Union County is a tremendous leader and has such a wonderful heart for this ministry.

I won't take time to share the whole story but we heard the story of what prayer and God can do in the life of a young lady. She not only decided to keep the child but decided to raise the child with the help of her family. Those that helped her come to that decision as well as leading her to Christ are definitely worthy of acknowledgement.

Clearly, God was in control of the situation, and yet, I am reminded once again of the servant heart of those individuals who took of their time and energy to help this young lady and her family out.

We serve an amazing God! And with what I have been preaching on the last two weeks, I must say that you will never know the amazing God we have unless you step out in obedience and follow Him with ALL that you are!

God, thank you for being so amazing, loving, kind, gentle, merciful and gracious! May we never tire of praising You for You are most worthy of our praise!

What Kind of Church Will We Be?

Can you imagine 3,000 people being saved in one day, in one place, in one service?
That’s what revival can do to a people. That’s what a group of Spirit-filled, Spirit-led, and Spirit-powered people can do when used by God to accomplish His will for His glory!
Do you want to experience something like that?
Does your heart ache to see lives changed and people saved?
My heart aches for a glimpse, for a taste of what that day of Pentecost was all about. And you know what, I have hope that we will experience it, here, in our church, in our town, in our families, with our friends, with our neighbors. I have hope because I know what God can do.
This morning, I want you to know that it wasn’t by chance that those people were saved. It wasn’t a case of being at the right place at the right time. The reason it happened was because God’s people were doing what God wanted them to do. They were praying.
What were they praying for? They were praying for the promised Comforter that Jesus had said He would send. They were praying for the Holy Spirit.
Jesus knew that the 120 or so disciples and followers did not have the ability, they didn’t have knowledge, they didn’t have the courage, they didn’t have anything within their own power to accomplish God’s will in the world. They may have been devoted followers, but they would be lost without the power of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Can I tell you something this morning?
That hasn’t changed in the last 2000 years. If you don’t have the power, if you are living life without the power of the Holy Spirit, you will not live a satisfying or successful Christian life.
Let me explain. God’s plan for our lives is not to just be a lump on a log. God has not called us to a life of vegetation – a life of just using up space and oxygen.
His plan for you as a Christian is a plan of action, it’s a plan of a person who loves God and people so much that you can do nothing but act. His plan for us as Christians is: Make An Impact, using our God-given abilities, working together as a team, forcing the light of God into the darkness all around us.
I want you to understand that what God did on the Day of Pentecost does not have to be a onetime deal. I believe God wants to pour out His Spirit today into us and use us the same way he used the early church. The truth is we have to believe it can still happen.
I want to ask you a question – it’s a simple one, but your answer is so important to our future. What kind of church will we be?
This early church, this group of people at some point decided that they were going to be obedient to what Jesus had asked of them, which was to wait on Him to send His gift, and then to carry out His Great Commission.
At some point, everyone that was in that room decided that what Jesus stood for, what He had taught them was the most important thing in their life. They made a choice of what they were going to value in their life.
They chose to be obedient to God, and that was the one constant value or belief that was holding this group together when God poured out His Spirit upon them.
When they came down from that upper room, they were the same people, but they were being led by the very Spirit of God and they continued to be true to their belief that this cause that Jesus had died for was real, and that Jesus was worth living for, in fact He was worth dying for.
They became so convinced of this belief that it colored everything else in life. Everything in their life fell under the Lordship of Jesus Christ. They were committed. They were sold out for Jesus.
Peter, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, spoke with passion to those that were there. He told them about Jesus, and how they had crucified an innocent man who was the Son of God. He told them that Jesus didn’t stay in the grave though, and that now they could be forgiven of their sins if they would repent and accept Him as their Savior.
What happened? 3000 people were added to the church that day. 3000 people. Is your faith big enough for 3000 people? How big is your belief in Jesus? What kind of church will we be?
The answer to that is all wrapped up in the size of your belief in Jesus.
If Jesus isn’t everything, then it’s not enough. If your faith in Him is only good when things are going your way, then it’s not good enough.
This early church was committed to some core values that they believed in, and they practiced. We find them right in our Scripture this morning. Look at verse 42.
READ: v. 42
There were 4 areas here in this verse that they were devoted to. They were committed to them, these took priority over everything else. “Continued steadfastly” uses a Greek verb communicating “a steadfast and single-minded fidelity to a certain course of action.” What were they?

#1. They were Devoted to the Apostle’s Teaching
What were they teaching? They were teaching the Bible, the Old Testament, plus they were also teaching what Christ had taught them while He was with them.
I asked you what kind of church will we be? I don’t know about you but I want to follow the example of the church god blessed with 3000 new converts on the first day, and then continued to add to their numbers daily.
God was blessing them because they were following His plan.
We must be devoted to God’s Word. As individuals we need to read God’s Word, allow the Holy Spirit to teach us and encourage us as we read.
READ: 2 Peter 3:14-18

#2. They were Devoted to Fellowship
The early church met in each other’s homes every day the Bible says. They met for discipleship and fellowship.
The Greek word koinonia has the idea of association, communion, fellowship, and participation; it means to share in something.
As Christians, we share the same Lord Jesus, we share the same guide for life, we share the same love for God, we share the same desire to worship Him, we share the same struggles, we share the same victories, we share the same job of living for Him, we share the same joy of communicating that gospel to others.
This fellowship had to do with sitting around a living room and sharing what God had done for them that week. It involved accountability to one another, it involved praying for one another. This was a fellowship centered on talking about Jesus, not the weather, sports or personal things. This fellowship involved a bond between this small group of people that could not be broken. True fellowship is the uniting of souls through Christ.
The word “fellowship” literally means “partnership” or “sharing.” Because Christians become partners with Jesus Christ and all other believers, it is our spiritual duty to stimulate one another to righteousness and obedience.
Romans 15:5-7 “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.”
Hebrews 3:13 “But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today.’ That none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
Hebrews 10:24-25 “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”


#3. They were Devoted to the Breaking of Bread
Some say this refers to taking communion together while others say it simply means eating a meal together. The truth is it doesn’t matter which one of these is meant, the idea is the same.
In Eastern culture, when you have someone into your home for a meal, the relationship takes on a whole new level of intimacy. They become part of your household, they are under your protection, you become responsible for their safety.
They devoted themselves to breaking bread together because they loved being with each other, and they also realized that Christ wants us to have this relationship with our brothers and sisters in Christ.

#4. They were Devoted to Prayer
This is self-explanatory for the Christian, prayer is our number one option. To know God is to talk to Him.
Whenever God’s work is done, God’s people are praying.

CONCLUSION:
For this early church, these were some of their core values, the things that they devoted themselves to do, everyday. It wasn’t a job to do, this was their life, it became who they were.
Your core values are what determine what you do, how you behave, what you say, how you act.
Are you devoted to God’s Word?
~ Reading daily
~ Bible on CD
~ Devotionals on Resource table

Are you devoted to fellowship?
~ Prayer group on Wed. @ 11:30 @ Westlake’s
~ Encourage group on Wed. @ 7 @ McComas’
~ Sunday school – fellowship before

Are you devoted to breaking bread?
~ Do you get together with other church members/attenders?
~ When was the last time you had somebody in this sanctuary in your house for a meal?

Are you devoted to prayer?
~ Do you know who is on our prayer list?
~ Do you know what prayers have been answered?

The only way we will be the church that God wants us to be, the only way revival will sweep through this church is if we are devoted to God’s Word, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and prayer!
Which of these areas do you need to improve in? Come today and commit to God to work on them starting today!

Hope in Dry Times

God had called His people, the Jews, out of captivity in Egypt. For over 100 years, they had been in Egyptian captivity. God brought them into the Promised Land, and gave them a land and a king, and made them a nation. But – they turned against God, and God allowed them to go into captivity once again.

Nebuchadnezzar and his Babylonian army invaded Israel. They had reduced Solomon’s Temple to ashes, and had taken many of the Jewish people back to Babylon as captives. This is the condition Ezekiel is in. The nation of Israel is dead. The exiled captives have last all spirit and energy. But with the restoration will come a restored energy to the people.

This anointed man, with God’s Spirit on him, was given a vision and in that vision he was taken to a valley. In the valley he saw a heart-breaking sight. The valley was covered with bones. God led him all around and had him look at the valley and at the bones from several angles and several viewpoints. Everywhere he looked there were bones.

As Ezekiel looks at the bones he notices several important truths about the bones.

#1. The Condition of the People

#A. God’s People were Dry – v. 2

For years Ezekiel had tried to encourage the captives living in Babylon. For years he had tried to remind them of the power, and the might, and the faithfulness of God. Every time he tried to encourage them, he was met with skepticism.

“ . . . the bones are very dry and crumbling into dust."

Though not actually buried, they are slowly burying themselves in their progressive decay. The evidence of death is complete. It is beyond the power of any known physical law to breathe the ghastly fragments into life. A nation, or an individual, so utterly defunct seems beyond the possibility of recovery.” – (The Preacher’s Homiletic Commentary)

I believe there are several reasons that can lead to a dryness in your life, to dryness in your spiritual life. These will sap the joy from your life and leave you just trying to make it from day to day.

#1. Disobedience

Disobedience, unconfessed and undealt with will leave your life dry.

Psalm 51:8 “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice.”

This verse is from the Psalm David wrote describing his condition and praying for God’s forgiveness after he sinned with Bathsheba and had her husband killed. David said, “Lord, since I have sinned, You’ve crushed my bones. The joy is gone. The energy is gone from my life. My excitement and enthusiasm is gone. I’m just hanging on. God, my sin has done this.”
Unconfessed sin will leave you dry.

#2. Discouragement

Continual difficulties, setbacks, and just plain old discouragement will leave you dry.

For 10 years the Israelites had been captive. At first they thought God was going to work in a great way. At first they thought He was going to rescue them. They thought things were going to be okay. Now the bondage continued day after day. The captivity continued. They saw no hope in sight.

Do you ever feel like that? You try to get ahead, you work on your finances, but it seems like just about the time you are about to get your head above water, an unexpected bill comes your way.
Have you ever give up hope on a friend or family member? You’ve prayed for that person again and again. You cannot count the nights you’ve shed a tear. You’ve prayed and yet it seems that nothing ever improves.

Are you dry today?

Ezekiel looked around and he saw the bones, the people were dry. He also noticed a second characteristic about the bones and that is that they were scattered.

#B. God’s People were Disjointed – v. 7

v. 7 “. . . the bones came together”

Most of the time when we see skeletons on TV and such, regardless of how old they are or how dry they are, those skeletons are usually together for the most part. They may not be in perfect shape, but at least the bones are together.

Not here. The bones, God’s people, were disjointed. The people, when they had gotten dry, when they fell into disobedience, when they got discouraged, they became disjointed. They had so many things going on in their lives, that when they became dry and lost the purpose for their lives, they started going everywhere and doing everything. They had looked for more hours in the day so they could do more things and it just didn’t work. They forgot what was supposed to be central in their lives and they came apart.

Are you ever like that? Do you ever ask yourself – am I going or coming? We have to remember we were created by God, for God. When you get dry, when you are disobedient, when you are discouraged, it is easy to become disjointed.

God’s people were dry, disjointed and thirdly. . .

#C. God’s People were Distracted – v.2

As Ezekiel looked in the valley, he noticed that there were bones all over the place. There was no rhyme or reason to where they were.

Sometimes that happens with us as Christians today. We get discouraged and become dry. We take our eyes off of God and in our individual lives we find ourselves running around this way and that. Then, we get distracted and after a while we forget we’re fighting an enemy. We can forget there’s a battle going on.

Have you ever found yourself so busy you found yourself taking your spouse or your kids for granted? You didn’t mean anything by it. You got busy and distracted.

The same thing can happen in church. Sometimes we get so busy that we begin to take one another for granted. We quit taking care of each other. We quit praying for each other. We figure someone else will teach that class or give financially or help out with that ministry. We get so busy doing stuff we forget we’re called to work together.

God doesn’t want us to get disjointed. He has the cure for dryness. He has the cure for disjointed lives and families. He has the cure for distractions.

#2. The Cure for the Problem

#A. Hear and Apply God’s Word – v. 4

READ: v. 4

I am reminded of the prayer of David in Psalm 119:25, “Quicken Thou me according to Thy word;” and the Lord Jesus has told us, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (John 6:63).

So when the life-giving Word goes forth in the energy of the Holy Spirit even dry bones will be revived and will know that God has spoken.

Notice that Ezekiel doesn’t proclaim his own message, but that of the Lord’s. He spoke the words of God.

Look with me at the results of the bones hearing and applying the proclaimed message – READ: vv. 7-10

What I want you to see is that in verses 5-6, God told Ezekiel exactly what He would do. In verses 7-10 we see it come to be.

“The people could not be truly restored unless they were reformed and renewed in heart and character. . . What happened to ancient Israel happens to all the people of God. They are restored to true life and prosperity by means of a spiritual resurrection. Souls are dead in sin. The world is like a valley of dry bones – ugly in its wickedness, helpless in its confusion, utterly unable to save itself. But Christ has come to give new life to the souls of men. . . The gospel is thus supremely a message of life. It comes to us in our most degraded, desolate, despairing condition. It brings life and incorruptibility to light.” – (The Pulpit Commentary)

When God tells us in His Word what he will do, we must trust Him. However, don’t miss the part that Ezekiel had to do his part – the preaching – before God would do His.

#B. Pray that God will Work – vv. 8-10

They became an army again. They became a nation. They became what God wanted them to be.
READ: James 5:16-18

CONCLUSION:
A short while before Dr. J.B. Chapman passed away, he was addressing a gathering of preachers, when he said, “We have reached the place where one plays a handsaw and another gives a ‘life story’, gathering a big crowd and we call that revival. No! That is not a revival; that is a farce. Tears, sweat, and blood are the price of revival, and some of us are not willing to pay the price.”
Can dry, dead bones live? With God, nothing is impossible. Sometimes we look around us, and all we see is a valley of dry, dead bones. It looks pretty hopeless . . . it looks pretty devastating . . . it looks pretty grim.

But God’s got a plan. Get into His Word and He’ll speak to you. Yield to the Holy Spirit, purge the sin in your life and God will give you a new life.

Can dead, dry bones live? With God, nothing is impossible. If you have never trusted Jesus to save you, you are still living in the graveyard of dead, dry bones. Believe His Word when it says that Jesus paid your sin-debt on the cross. Trust Him to save you and He will give you a new life.
Can dead, dry bones live? That’s up to you!

Rekindle Our Passion - Pt. 3

Almost Revival

In June of 1995, after years of planning, research and billions of dollars, the space shuttle Discovery was scheduled to launch for the first of seven missions which would rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir, in preparation for the launch of the international space station in 1997.

The date had been carefully chosen, weather conditions were favorable but strange noises were coming from Launch Pad 39-B. Upon investigation technicians found six dozen holes in the insulated covering of the main external fuel tanks.

All of the complex planning and high-priced preparation were useless as the mission grounded to a halt because a family of woodpeckers decided that the space shuttle looked like a great place to live.

The story of Joash is a fascinating one, his reign was filled with promise. After a steady decline in the kingdom from the time of David a bloody coup had taken place, upon the death of her son the king, Joash’s grandmother had killed all of the royal family and set herself upon the throne. But Joash’s great aunt had snuck the infant Joash out with a nurse and they hid for six years in a secret place at the Temple of God. When Joash was seven years of age, the priest, Jehoida, staged an uprising against the wicked and idolatrous grandmother, placing the boy Joash upon his rightful throne.

The temple of Baal in the city was destroyed, the priest of Baal was put to death, the covenant was re-established as well as proper temple worship.

It looked as if another golden age was coming to the kingdom of Judah. It looked like revival was coming. The plans had been laid, the process had begun but then something went wrong. You could say that woodpeckers were discovered in the fuel tank of the revival.

The question for us this morning is why. Why did such a perfect opportunity for revival slip away? What kept God from pouring out His blessing? What did Joash do wrong?

The reason that these three questions are important to me this morning is that I believe we are in a time that in many ways is similar to the beginning of Joash’s reign. A time that looks as if we could be on the brink of revival.

Yes, society has experienced moral decline. Yes, terrible things have happened but there are positive signs, signs that people are growing discontent with the status quo.

So I think it’s important for us to look at the lesson of Joash – of almost, but not quite revival, so that we might see the traps to avoid, the things that quench revival. In the story of Joash, 4 roadblocks are visible to revival. The first is . . .

#1. “Follow the Leader” Faith – v. 2
READ: v. 2
READ: 2 Chronicles 23:16
READ: 2 Chronicles 24:17-18

As long as Jehoida was around to guide him, Joash did, Ok. Not perfect, but ok. But it seems as if there’s little conviction in him. It wasn’t possible for Jehoida to make a covenant on behalf of the king. The king needed to dedicate himself to the Lord, but I don’t believe he ever really did that, and then, as soon as Jehoida is gone, Joash is easily led astray by those who wanted him to turn against the Lord, to reinstate idol worship, and mix it with the worship of the One true God.

Joash was a follower, and that can be ok as long as you’re a follower with conviction, but Joash seemed to be a follower primarily because he had no conviction.

The same danger exists for us today. It’s tempting to follow the crowd or even to follow a charismatic leader. But that’s dangerous even when the leader is a good one because you need to have a personal relationship with the Lord, and if your commitment is leader based it’s easy to be led astray or be turned around by some other leader. And it’s also dangerous because people will let you down.

Though we often think of revivals in terms of their leaders – Jonathan Edwards, D.L. Moody and others, I don’t believe revival has ever come because a leader desired it, but only because the people desired it enough to repent of their sin and seek God in prayer with changed hearts and lives.

A leader may play some part in imparting a vision under God’s anointing of what He wants to do which results in inspired people who make those changes. However, I don’t believe revival will ever happen where people seek to ride the coattails of a leader into revival. For that reason I believe that “follow the leader” faith is a roadblock to revival. The second roadblock is . . .

#2. Neglecting the Strongholds – v. 3
READ: v. 3

The high places were centers of idol worship on mountains and hilltops, often poles to the goddess Asherah were erected. Altars, similar to the ones in the temple used for animal sacrifices, were found there.

But they weren’t in the cities, and the pagan priests who operated them were often very politically powerful. It sounds as if Joash, once he got to the age where he could have done something about it, simply wasn’t willing to make the effort.

We have to remember that idol worship had become more prevalent than genuine worship. The stories in Kings and Chronicles make it clear that many kings like to play both sides of the fence – keeping a pagan god on the side just in case the God of Israel didn’t come through in a tight spot.

Well, what does this have to do with us? We don’t have high places, we don’t worship idols. Maybe not, but we do have places hidden in the hills of our lives, places where God is not sovereign, those habits and sins, inappropriate relationships, temptations we indulge. What about your dignity and your reputation? Are you willing for those to be brought low? Are you ready to surrender every corner of your life to God’s sovereignty or are you hanging on to the high places?

The next roadblock to revival is that which should never be surrendered . . .

#3. Surrender of the Sacred – vv. 17-18
READ: vv. 17-18

When face with a crisis, Joash doesn’t turn to the Lord, he doesn’t call upon the nation to fast and pray, instead, he surrenders the sacred objects, the things dedicated to the Lord. He uses them as a bribe to get his enemy and the enemy of God to leave him alone.

What about us? When push comes to shove in your life what gives way? Is it those things that are sacred to the Lord? When the budget is tight, what gets cut? When something exciting is happening on Sunday morning, where do you find yourself? When your daily schedule is tight, does the laundry wait or does the Lord?

Now, please don’t hear this as some kind of legalism that says you have to “do your time” to be right with the Lord. But if we are earnestly seeking a deeper walk with the Lord, if we’re hungry for revival, then all of our resources: time, talent and treasure must belong first of all to God and if we surrender the sacred for the sake of convenience we should not expect revival or even personal blessing!

The last roadblock comes from 2 Chronicles!

#4. Ignoring the Call to Repentance – 2 Chron. 24:19-22
READ: 2 Chronicles 24:19-22

Even after Joash had strayed far from the path that the Lord had marked out for him, God in His mercy sent messengers to warn him, to invite him back, to offer revival, restoration. But Joash didn’t want to hear what he was doing was wrong, so he killed the messengers.

I believe it is God’s will for us to experience revival – I believe that’s always God’s will. But I also believe that unless we as individuals and as a community of believers heed the call to repentance, we will never experience all that God wants for us. And it won’t be because God has established a system that says: you act right and I’ll bless you, but simply because the blessing of God and intimacy with Him are simply incompatible with an unrepentant life.

READ: 2 Chronicles 7:14

CONCLUSION:
I believe the Holy Spirit has been working powerfully in people’s lives here this morning, convicting those with high places that need to come down, of sacred things that you have surrendered that need to be reclaimed for the Lord. You can choose to ignore God’s call to repentance and continue with life as usual, or you can choose to surrender.

I believe with all my heart that the Lord is willing and anxious to move in revival power in this church. His plans are made, the shuttle is on the launching pad. But there are some woodpeckers we need to deal with. The way we deal with them is repentance – genuine sorrow for sin and a turning back to God – a sorrow that leads to a change of behavior.

Recapturing Our First Love

This is the first message in the series entitled, "Rekindle Our Passion."

The first time we hear Jesus mention the church is in Matthew 16. He says, “. . . on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (v. 18). Why is that, you may ask? Well, He continues in v. 19: “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
It is in Acts 2 that we see the workings of the Holy Spirit in the church. Now remember, this group of some 120 believers included those who were witness to Jesus’ leaving earth. They return to Jerusalem with the promise that God was going to do something. This is key because they were not sure of exactly what He would do. But they knew He always gives good and perfect gifts and that they could trust Him. So they were willing, ready, and open to whatever God would do.
READ: Acts 2:1-4
Knowing that on a regular basis we don’t have this kind of movement of God, have you wondered what the hold-up is? Is it that no longer does God care to grace His children with His presence in this way? No! Has the Holy Spirit lost the ability to show up in power? No! Or might it be that we are not ready, willing, or open to His manifest presence?
The result of the Holy Spirit’s presence was that 3,000 people were saved that day. It is as if the Holy Spirit said, “When I show up, something wonderful happens.”
Here is my dilemma: If Jesus Himself is building the church and if the Holy Spirit empowers the church, why is the church so anemic today? Where is the fire? The power? The passion? The purpose?
These are questions that I have asked myself over the last several weeks. And to be honest, I don’t have all the answers. However, I do believe that God wants to change that in our lives here at Calvary. So, starting today, we are going on a journey to “Rekindle Our Passion.” It is time to, as Paul said to the church in Corinth: “Awake to righteousness, do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame” (1 Cor. 15:34).
Our journey to “Rekindle Our Passion” begins here: ‘Recapturing our First Love.’ Take your Bibles and the outline in the bulletin and let’s see how we can ‘Recapture our First Love.’
#1. Christ’s Compliments for the Church – vv. 1-3, 6
The book of Revelations is a record of a vision that the Apostle John saw while on the island of Patmos, a vision of what was to take place in the future.
At the beginning of this book, Christ dictates some letters to the seven churches, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea.
The first letter is the one we want to investigate this morning, the letter to the church in Ephesus.
In the first three verses, Christ commends the church.
First, He commends them for their deeds (works). Christ knew their hard work. But I must point out that works save neither them or us.
READ: Ephesians 2:8-9
We are saved by grace, not by works; not by good deeds. But works follow salvation. The next verse says: (READ: Eph. 2:10).
After we receive His grace, we allow Him to mold us into what He wants us to be. We become His workmanship. And as His workmanship, this verse says we are created to do good works. He makes us into a servant to do good deeds.
Then He complimented them for remaining steadfast. They had stayed the course. They had displayed patience. They had endured over a period of time.
Then in verse 3, Christ said, (READ: v. 3).
Christ commends them for persevering and enduring hardship for doing what God wanted them to do. They were commended for doing the right thing when it wasn’t always easy to do.
They were complimented for remaining steadfast.
They were also commended for opposing evil in vv. 2 & 6.
READ: vv. 2 & 6
They were commended for hating the evil practices that God hates. But notice that neither they nor God hated the Nicolaitians; they hated the practices of the Nicolaitians.
Listen closely: they didn’t give in when people cried for “tolerance” of people with “alternative lifestyles,” but they hated the practices of those people and God commended them for it.
We are called to love the person and hate evil practices. Christ commended the church for opposing evil – the church in Ephesus did not tolerate wicked men.
They also exposed false teachers (READ: v. 2). This church was able to discern whether their teachers were from God or not. They knew the Bible well enough not to be misled by false teachers. And God commended them for it.
Christ certainly complimented the church, but notice . . .
#2. Christ’s Criticism of the Church – v. 4
READ: v. 4
One commentator translates the verse this way: “You no longer love me as you once did.”
“I compliment you for your deeds, for remaining steadfast, for exposing evil, and for exposing false teachers, but there is one thing I hold against you – you no longer love me as you once did.”
What happens when you love Christ?
~ You love to think about Him.
~ You love to hear about Him.
~ You love to read about Him.
~ You love to talk about Him.
~ You love to talk to Him.
~ You love to walk with Him.

It’s worth asking, “How do I know if I’ve lost my first love?” I found this and believe it’s worth hearing:
1. When my delight in the Lord is no longer as great as my delight in someone else, I have lost my first love.

2. When my soul does not long for times of rich fellowship in God’s Word or in prayer, I have lost my first love.

3. When I claim to be "only human" and easily give in to those things I know displease the Lord, I have lost my first love.

4. When I do not willingly and cheerfully give to God’s work or to the needs of others, I have lost my first love.

5. When I view the commands of Christ as restrictions to my happiness rather than expressions of His love, I have lost my first love.

6. When I inwardly strive for the acclaim of this world rather than the approval of the Lord, I have lost my first love.

7. When I fail to make Christ or His words known because I fear rejection, I have lost my first love.

So this puts us all on the chopping block! Be honest: Haven’t there been times when you’ve loved the things of this world more than you’ve loved the Lord? Haven’t you had times when you didn’t feel like praying? Or you didn’t feel like coming to church? Haven’t you had times when you’ve strived more for the acclaim of this world rather than the acclaim of Christ? If you’re human, you have!
When love cools all these are less important.
1. Thinking about Christ is no longer as important as it once was.
2. Hearing about Christ is no longer as important as it once was.
3. When your love for Christ cools, reading about Him is not as important as it once was.
4. Talking about Christ is no longer as important as it once was.
5. Talking to Him is no longer as important as it once was.
6. Church services are only a habit.
7. The Bible is neglected. Prayer becomes but a form.
8. Service is mechanical.
9. Witnessing ceases.
10. When you lose your first love for Christ, He becomes less important than He once was.
Christ complimented the church for their good deeds, but He criticized them for doing so with no true love for Christ. So now, notice. . .
#3. Christ’s Cure for the Church – v. 5
READ: v. 5
Remember the height from which you have fallen!
Remember how you felt when you were first saved, when you baptized. Remember how grateful you were for your eternal life. How grateful you were for the forgiveness of your sins. How grateful you were for peace in your life.
Remember who you were when Christ found you. Remember what kind of person you were. Remember the direction your life was headed. Consider where you would be today if you had not been saved.
Not only does He tell us to remember, but He also tells us to repent – turn around your behavior and thinking.
The word ‘repent’ is the Greek word: ‘metanoeo’ – which means to “rethink, or reconsider.”
Remember your first love, rethink your current love; and then change your current love to reflect your first love. REPENT!
We get that love back by remembering, repenting and then returning.
Return to your first love of Jesus! Return to the way that you served Him when you first came to Him! Serve the Lord with joy and gladness.

CONCLUSION:
Jesus taught that love for God is the greatest commandment. We are to love Him with all (not some) of our heart and with all of our soul (not some) and with all of our mind (not some). Do we love God with every ounce of our heart, soul and mind? How often do you think of God in one day? We should be in constant communication with God. We should seek His will in everything that we do, every second of the day. He should be in our thoughts constantly. Our soul and spirit should be praising Him constantly. This is the true first love. We are also to love everyone. Do we show this love to everyone? Sometimes we don’t even show it to others in our own church.
We need to get out of the business of religion and return to our first love. We need to really start praising God in our churches. We go through the motions, but our hearts are not in it, because we are afraid we might go against traditions. We don’t come to church for traditions. We should be coming to church to praise and worship our Lord with all of our soul and spirit. We need to let the Holy Spirit lead us in worship. People, let’s get out of the religion business and return to our first love and really praise and worship our Lord and Savior.
If you are here today and you have forsaken your first love, come to the altar and humble yourself on your knees before God and repent.

If you are here today and you don’t know Jesus has your savior, then you are missing out on eternal life in heaven. You do have eternal life without Him, but it will be in Hell where you will be in torment constantly for eternity. The choice is yours. Jesus loves you and He suffered and died on the cross for your sins because He loves you. He arose on the third day where He sits at the right hand of God the Father, waiting for you to call upon His name. Come now and accept Christ as you Savior and Lord. Ask Him to forgive you of your sins and repent of those sins. He will help you to change your life and to turn away from whatever sins you are involved in. You haven’t done anything that Jesus won’t forgive. Come now and have assurance that you will spend eternity in Heaven. Your life here on earth will change too. It will be full with the first love that we have been talking about tonight. It is a love for Christ that will change your life for the best. Come now.

Why a Complacent Church?

Over the last several weeks, I have been burdened for the church. There seems to be a complacency that has found its way into the lives and hearts of many Christians in our country. The reasons are probably too numerous to share, as a result of everyone have their own opinion as to why. As I have prayed about this, I have been challenged in my own life about my "passion" for the Lord and all that He is.

As a result of this, I have decided to preach a series that I have entitled "Rekindling our Passion." It begins this coming Sunday, September 19th. For at least the next 5 weeks, I will be preaching from passages that will challenge our thinking and living in regards to our anemic Christianity. My plan is to post each message following each worship service. That way, if you miss it, or are unable to attend, you can review it for yourself.

Do I have all the answers? NO! Is this going to change the universal church? NO! Will it change our church? Only God knows. But I do know that it won't change any church until we, as individuals are changed first! It may be extremely simple and overstated but revIval doesn't start until it starts in "I"!

Talk to you again soon!

Are You Willing to Lose to Gain?

In my devotions this morning I read 2 Corinthians 9:6-15. At this time of year we anticipate seeing farmers harvesting their crops, not planting their crops. However, I was reminded that it is only as we lose our lives in Him that we find true life (Matt. 10:39).

Jesus taught us to measure our lives by what we lose rather than what we gain, by what we sacrifice instead of self-preservation, by time spent doing things for others rather than time spend for ourselves, by love that is demonstrated rather than love selfishly held onto.

When a farmer sows seed, it seems like he is throwing it away. It may seem to be lost, but it's not really gone. Because in time, the farmer gets it back - with a lot more besides.

What we have to remember as God's children is that, just like a good father, God has so much to give us. The problem is not that He can't give it to us, He is just waiting for us to give to others so that He can give us more. The principle is: God blesses those who give of their lives, resources, time and talents (2 Corinthians 9:6).

As we give the truth we know, He will give us more to give away. As you give your resources and time, you will have more. If we do not set a limit on the love that we give, we will have more love for others than before.

Solomon said in Proverbs 11:24: "One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want." It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand that God's design is that we are to give and He will respond in kind.

Someone has said: "When you grasp, you lose; when you give to God, you gain." What are you grasping onto that God wants you to give? Remember: "He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully" (2 Corinthians 9:6)!

GOD IS AWESOME!

Wow, it has been an amazing couple of weeks. So as not to put you to sleep with the WHOLE story, let's just say, that God is AWESOME. And not only is He that, but He over and over has shown me His providence, sovereignty and overwhelming love for me.

In Proverbs 3:5-6, we find some verses that many of us memorized as children. However, sometimes it's not until we are older until we truly comprehend the words we find there. God has clearly shown Himself trustworthy over and over again.

I have seen that despite thinking that what I was doing was good, it was not the best. And God, through giving Him the situation, revealed to me beyond what my imagination could come up with. After having been dealt a negative blow, God provided an over-abundance of support, love and help. So much so, that words really don't begin to grasp what I have experienced over the last couple of weeks.

I realize that this is all so vague. But I truly believe that even if you don't know my situation exactly, you can understand exactly what I am saying. May God's Word have a powerful impact on your life today. ALLOW His word to confront your life with truth and be willing to conform to its standard.

"Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart." - Yeh, it is easy to say; not so easy to do. But when you do, hold on tight because the ride will be AWESOME!

OUCH! That Hurts!

In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul shares with us, albeit briefly, about his "thorn in the flesh" (v. 7). There has been much controversy and discussion about what this may have been. And due to the fact that Paul does not tell us, I am not going to venture a guess.

However, Paul does tell us that it was "a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from being conceited" (v. 7). Could Paul really have become conceited? You bet. Paul was just like us and had plenty to get conceited about. The great truth about this is that God knew Paul well enough to not only give him this "thorn" but even when Paul asked Him to remove it, He did not. Instead, God responded with these popular and powerful words: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (v. 9).

You see, it's not about us overcoming our "thorns" as much as it is God's desire to show His grace and power in our lives. Paul realized this as he then states: "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities" (vv. 9-10).

When was the last time you got upset about a weakness, insult, hardship or calamity? Probably was not too long ago. And yet, when was the last time you boasted in those things so that the "power of Christ" would rest upon you? Powerful thoughts, huh?

In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul gives us a small overview of what he had experienced, those events and rights that he had in which to boast in (vv. 16-29). And yet, Paul says that he will not boast in the great things he has been able to be a part of but the "things that show my weakness" (2 Cor. 11:30).

I know that we all have something in our lives that if we had too would call our "thorn". Whatever it is for you, I know that we have a tendency to complain, gripe, get upset, and just have a bad attitude about it. But I want to encourage you, as Paul did, to "boast" in your weaknesses for the glory of Christ. Take time right now, to reflect on all those things, that keep you from being conceited and give the Lord praise and thanks instead of complaining about it. Oh, and, by the way, also take the time to thank Him for His grace that is sufficient!

Who Are You Bragging In?

"For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. (27) But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. (28) God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, (29) so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (30) He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. (31) Therefore, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord'"(1 Cor. 1:26-31).

Who are you bragging in? As a sinner who has been saved by the grace of God, who do you brag in? Who do you credit for your salvation? Do you live and act as if you had anything to do with it? From these verses, it is clear that we had NOTHING to do with our salvation.

Why? Because once we had anything to do with it, then we could boast and brag in ourselves and do so in the very presence of God. Paul tells us in v. 30 that God is the source of our life in Christ. Not God and us or God and someone else or even God and something else. Paul is clear that it is God and Him ALONE!

As a result, we have no one to boast in except the Lord. No one to brag on than the Lord. No one to lift up except the Lord. No one to exalt, glorify, praise, adore and live for except the Lord. We have not been chosen because we are so great, but because God is so great!

As you reflect on this truth today, take time to boast in the Lord. Take time to praise the Lord for your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption which is Christ! And remember: the path for God's glory is Christ crucified; the evidence of God's glory is His choice of the lowly!

What Role Do You Play?

Over the last several weeks, I have been extremely burdened about the Body of Christ BEING the body; about the church doing their faith, not just talking about it. I am in the midst of a series at church that I have entitled "Practice = Maturity". The goal of this series is to awaken people to the reality that Oswald Chambers spoke about when he said, "Spiritual maturity is not reached by the passing of the years, but by obedience to the will of God."

In the church today, we have too many who live as if being saved for many years means they are spiritually mature! This mindset, I believe, is part of the reason why the world is in the situation that it is. It is because for too long the church, the body of Christ, has lived as if being saved for a long time is the key to spiritual maturity. Clearly, that is not what God had in mind.

As I said in the first message in this series, real faith is not just what we say, feel, think, or believe. Real faith is what we DO! As the Body of Christ we are to be about doing!

May these words from the song, "If We Are the Body" by Casting Crowns challenge and convict you about whether or not you are DOING!

"It's crowded in worship today
As she slips in trying to fade into the faces
The girl's teasing laughter is carrying farther than they know
Farther than they know

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way

A traveler is far away from home
He sheds his coat and quietly slips into the back row
The weight of their judgmental glances
Tells him that his chances are better out on the road

Jesus paid too much high a price
For us to pick and choose who should come
And we are the body of Christ

But if we are the body
Why aren't His arms reaching?
Why aren't His hands healing?
Why aren't His words teaching?
And if we are the body
Why aren't His feet going?
Why is His love not showing them there is a way?
There is a way
Jesus is the way!"

I close with the words of Paul to the Christians in Rome: "For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them. . . " (Romans 12:4-6a).

"LET US USE THEM!" Wow, I couldn't have said it better myself!

Know HIM More!

As you can see I have changed some aspects of my blog. Yeh, I didn't really need to, but sometimes change is a good thing. I am praying that these changes will challenge you to want to have a deeper and more intimate relationship with Christ.

Paul, a great Christ-follower, wasn't concerned about what others thought of him or any praise of men. Paul was solely concerned with knowing Christ more. Why? It's simple: Paul not only understood the sacrifice that Christ had made for him, but he also realized that the ONLY response to that sacrifice was a life sold out for Christ.

Take time right now to read Philippians 3:1-15. Really, open your Bible and read those 15 verses.

You just read that Paul didn't even consider his own heritage something worth having. He counted it all as "rubbish" (ESV). It was worthless, something that should be thrown in the trash and never seen of again. That is EXACTLY what Paul thought of the stuff that could have gained him prestige and honor.

No, instead, he was striving for the knowledge of, comprehension of and application of Christ's suffering, death and resurrection. Paul wanted to know what enabled him to be a Christ-follower as he came to know that it was simply by grace through faith that he had what he did have and knew where his eternity would be spent.

Last week I was asked about why people weren't coming to church. My answer: ultimately it is not about the excuses we give, it is ultimately about the fact that we don't appreciate the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, we don't want to know Him more, and show Him how much what He did for us means to us!

So what does this mean for me?

Well, you must decide whether or not you truly, deeply, honestly appreciate the sacrifice Christ made for you and the home He is making for you right now. If it is important and does mean something to you, then you will count everything as loss to know Christ. You will be setting aside yourself (your goals, dreams, passions, desires, and wants) to get to know Christ more.

"But what does that look like in my life?" It will find you:
> In church for Sunday school, worship service, Bible study, and small groups
> In the Word of God on a daily basis
> In prayer seeking out the will of God in every matter
> In praise for ALL that He has done for you
> In search of opportunities to share the love and hope of Christ
> In love with God so much so that you are overflowing with JOY

Well, there it is. There is what we are to be about. As Paul said, "press on toward the prize. . ." (Phil. 3:14). Press on and know HIM more!

Trusting In God's Silence

Read: John 11:1-10

Can you believe that? Jesus, knowing about Lazarus being sick, doesn't immediately respond! What kind of God is He? Doesn't He care? I mean, isn't Jesus the one that said, "cast all your care upon Him, for He careth for you?" Didn't Jesus weep as He looked over Jerusalem? Isn't He the one that healed the lame, the blind, and many others? Why wouldn't Jesus immediately head toward Bethany? Or why, didn't He just heal Lazarus from where He was? He did it for the centurion in Matthew 8?

So, why did Jesus stay two more days? Was it because He didn't care? NO! Jesus reminds us of His reason in verse 4: "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it" (John 11:4).

Oswald Chambers says this, in regards to this passage: "Has God trusted you with a silence - a silence that is big with meaning? . . . Think of those days of absolute silence in the home at Bethany! Is there anything analogous to those days in your life? . . . His silence is the sign that He is bringing you into a marvellous understanding of Himself. . . . If God has given you a silence, praise Him, He is bringing you into the great run of His purposes."

Even Solomon understood that sometimes there is a need for silence, when he said, "There is . . . a time to be silent" (Eccl. 3:1,7). There are times, in God's sovereignty that silence is necessary for us. The reason we don't like it, is simply because we are not used to silence. We are a people consumed and overwhelmed with noise. Just think about what it is like when there is a "moment of silence" somewhere. What do you usually do after a few seconds? You do what most people do, they start looking around. Why? Because we are uncomfortable with silence.

And yet, within God's plan for our lives are times of silence. Times when trusting in His silence is difficult but necessary.

A.W. Tozer, in his book, In the Pursuit of God, says this about silence: "Whoever will listen will hear the speaking Heaven. This is definitely not the hour when men take kindly to an exhortation to listen, for listening is not today a part of popular religion. We are at the opposite end of the pole from there. Religion has accepted the monstrous heresy that noise, size, activity and bluster make a man dear to God. But we may take heart. To a people caught in the tempest of the last great conflict God says, 'Be still, and know that I am God,' (Psalm 46:10) and still He says it, as if He means to tell us that our strength and safety lie not in noise but in silence."

God wants our activity, but we need His silence!

What Are You Chasing After?

In Ecclesiastes 1:14, Solomon says, “I have seen all the things that are done under the sun; all of them are meaningless, a chasing after the wind.” Why did he say that everything is “a chasing after the wind?” Why was everything futile activity? Does that mean that I can do whatever I want and not be concerned with obedience to the will of God? Not so fast!


If you keep reading in Ecclesiastes you will find that Solomon was talking more about the motive for what was being done than what was actually being done. Listen to his conclusion: “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, [25] for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? [26] To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Eccl. 2:24-26).

Solomon’s conclusion is simply stated that to truly be happy, one must enjoy and be content with the provision of God. Solomon’s conclusion is restated by Paul in Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Both Solomon and Paul realized that life is not about what they wanted. It was about what God wanted. It was about and still is about what God wants.

So why did Solomon say everything was meaningless? The answer is simple: because everything was being pursued for personal gain. Man has always had a desire for self-gratification and self-satisfaction. We are a society consumed with personal and instant fulfillment. John put it this way: “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. [16] For everything in the world – the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does – come not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:15-16).

The truth is, that we live in a “me” dominated society. It was in Solomon’s day, Paul’s day and even today in 2010. So how do we keep ourselves from falling into the “everything is meaningless” cycle?


We heed and obey the words of Paul mentioned earlier in Colossians 3:17. Our daily desire should be to bring glory to God in whatever we are doing. Whether it is mowing the yard, running errands, spending time with family, or resting on the couch, we should be doing ALL things to make God pleased.

I close with these words from Brother Lawrence, a cook in a 17th-century monastery: “One’s depth of spirituality does not depend on changing things you do but rather changing your motive – doing for God what you ordinarily do for yourself.”

Are You AUTHENTIC?

Did you know that today, April 30, is National Honesty Day in the United States? According to ‘Our Daily Bread’- author M. Hirsh Goldberg established this day in the early 1990’s as a way to honor the honorable and encourage honesty. This day was selected because “April begins with a day dedicated to lying [April Fool’s Day] and should end on a higher moral note” (M. Hirsh Goldberg).

As I think about what it means to be honest, my thoughts land on the reality that honesty is more than just about what we say. Honesty has so much to do with how we live our lives on a day-to-day basis. It is about living lives of integrity and being authentic.

Looking at the words of Jesus Christ, one word that jumps out at me that He used several times is the word: “hypocrite.” The word was spoken to different groups of people but the point was the same – Jesus wants us to be authentic. He wants us to be real. He wants us to be honest!

On several occasions, Jesus called the Pharisees and scribes “hypocrites.” Why? Because they were so focused on “looking” religious on the outside that the inside was tragically filthy. Listen to how Jesus put it: “Now you Pharisees make the outside of the cup and dish clean, but your inward part is full of greed and wickedness” (Luke 11:39).

Wow! But we are not Pharisees or scribes! No, we are not. However, as Jesus a few verses later: “. . . there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, nor hidden that will not be known” (Luke 12:2).

It is so important that we be authentic. We live in a world where the masks people wear are numerous. All of us, at times, put on a false façade. We have been commanded to “be ready to give a defense (apologia – apologetics – an answer) to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you . . .” (1 Peter 3:15).

Friend, we will NEVER be asked if we are not being authentic! There is enough “acting” in the world today. It is time that we be real, authentic, honest.

Let me challenge you with some commands taken directly from the Word of God and let these be what you strive after in order to be authentic! Please take time to read this passage slowly, meditate, and ask the Lord to reveal to you which one’s you need to work on.

READ: Ephesians 4:17-32
Now, go and be AUTHENTIC!!

How have you asked lately?

Take a few moments and read 1 Kings 3:1-14. As you do so, put yourself in Solomon’s shoes and imagine the situation he is in as king.

What I want you to see is that Solomon asks for a “discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong” (v. 9). It is amazing to me that of ALL that he could ask for, Solomon asked for the ability to discern between good and bad, right and wrong.

Now, there is nothing at all wrong with this request. As a king, I would like to think that I would want that same ability. But Solomon did not ask for power, prestige, wealth or anything that would be considered something just for him to enjoy. He ultimately asks for something that will help him be a more effective ruler over Israel.

Let’s look now at God’s response. In verses 11 & 12 God says, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a ‘wise’ AND ‘discerning heart,’ so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be.”

Wow! Above receiving the discerning heart, God grants Solomon a ‘wise’ heart. The word ‘wise’ in Hebrew means “skillful in technical work, wise in administration, wise ethically and religiously.’ So Solomon received the ability to discern between right and wrong, and on top of that he also received the skill to use what he had been taught and learned in a skillful and administrative manner.

But God was not done giving to Solomon; check out verses 13 & 14: “Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for – both riches and honor – so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.”

Can you believe it? Solomon received a discerning heart, wisdom, riches, honor and if he obeyed God, a long life. And to think that all he asked for was the ability to discern between right and wrong.

As you reflect honestly on what you ask God for, do you have to admit that it is extremely personal in nature? How much of what you ask for benefits you? How much benefits others?

What Solomon asked for was really for the benefit of those he was king over. What he received benefited everyone involved.

The key to all of this is found in verse 7: “Now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties.” The description of himself as a “little child” is not in age, but in experience. Solomon acknowledged that in and of himself he was unable to perform the duties of a king. He admitted his weakness. When was the last time you admitted to God that you are weak and that only through Him are you strong?

I believe that due in large part to Solomon’s humility, God granted to him what he asked for and more. As you go about your day, as you seek the Lord in prayer, I challenge you to acknowledge the greatness of God and the lowliness of yourself.

As I close, allow these verses to impact you as you seek the Lord in prayer: “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ . . . Humble yourself before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:6, 10).

Men and the Home

I want to start off by defining a word for you. That word is “responsible”: answerable or accountable, as for something within one's power, control, or management.

As I think about that word, I know that it comes fully loaded. Sometimes we are “responsible” for someone or something we don’t really want to be “responsible” for. Other times, it just comes with a lot on the plate.

Today, I want to speak to the husbands and fathers. I realize that Father’s Day is still weeks away, however, after a conversation two weeks ago, I have not been able to shake these thoughts.

As husbands and fathers, we are responsible for not only the physical and emotional well-being of our families, but also the spiritual growth of our families. Not only must we seek to see our families grow in their faith but we must also see that growth lived out.

It is crucial that we lead by example. That means our attendance at church, use of our spiritual gifts, devotional life and practical living of our faith if we expect our families to follow suit. No longer can we think that our inconsistency will not be seen or emulated by the rest of our family.

Over the last 2-3 years, much has been discussed and written on the fact that a large percentage of 18-25 year-old's are leaving the church. Depending on who is leading the discussion, many different reasons are given for this. However, I believe one of the greatest reasons for this, is the lack of leadership by husbands and fathers in relation to their own spiritual growth and the effect that has had on the family.

Men, it is time for us to accept the “responsibility” that God has given us and step up to the plate. No longer can we sit idly by and think that our every-once-in-a- while participation will do the trick. Most employers expect 5 straight days of work. And when that does not happen, that job is not ours any longer. In order to be successful at work, consistency is the key. The same is true spiritually when it comes to our families.

Men, get your families to Sunday school, worship services, children and youth meetings and activities, your wife to ladies group and yourself to a men’s group. I believe that no matter what is going on in your life or your family, church and all related activities must be priority.

Let me share with you something very personal. When I was younger I had a drug problem. I was “drug” to church for Sunday school, worship services, children’s church, youth choir, Awana, youth group, and many other activities. I honestly did not appreciate it every time, but you know what? I saw in my parents a love for the Lord that was exemplified in their living. Not once did I see in my father an inconsistency in his relationship with the Lord.

Men, it is time that our families see consistency in us as we take on willingly, the responsibility that He has given us. Whether you like the responsibility or not, is not the issue. You have it, so take it. To do anything less, is falling short of what God has given you to do.

Easter and the Bunny

In a recent survey by the Barna Research Group, only 42% of those polled link Easter to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Which means that 58% of those contacted, do not see the true significance of the death, burial and resurrection of the Messiah.

When Easter is discussed, it is usually about how much candy will be eaten, how many eggs will be found and the joy of not having to work.

What we have to keep in mind is that no matter what others believe, it is crucial for us to acknowledge the true meaning of Easter and take the time to reflect on the truth that Jesus Christ died on the cross, was buried and rose again the third day.

Despite the fact that it seems redundant, it must be constantly on the forefront of our mind. Paul put it this way: “I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10).

Easter is all about wanting to “know Christ and the power of his resurrection.” We must pursue knowing Christ and becoming impacted by Christ and the power that raised Him from the dead. Why? Because the same power that raised Christ from the dead is:
> The same power that gives us life eternal.
> The same power that is made “perfect in our weakness.”
> The same power that gives us victory over sin.

When the National Retail Foundation announces that consumers are planning on spending more money on candy and gifts for baskets, we must take notice. Is there anything inherently wrong with candy and baskets? No. But if that is the focus of this weekend, then “knowing Christ and the power of His resurrection” is not the priority.

So when you take away all the frills and fun, candy and consumerism, is Easter all about Christ who died for the sins of the world and rose again to give life to those who believe in Him or is it about the bunny?

A Parade . . .and More!

A little boy who lived far out in the country in the late 1800s had reached the age of twelve and had never in all his life seen a circus. You can imagine his excitement, when one day a poster went up at school announcing that on the next Saturday a traveling circus was coming to the nearby town. He ran home with the glad news and the question, "Daddy, can I go?" Although the family was poor, the father sensed how important this was to the lad. "If you do your Saturday chores ahead of time," he said, "I'll see to it that you have the money to go."

Come Saturday morning, the chores were done and the little boy stood by the breakfast table, dressed in his Sunday best. His father reached down into the pocket of his overalls and pulled out a dollar bill - the most money the little boy had possessed at one time in all his life. The father cautioned him to be careful and then sent him on his way to town.

The boy was so excited, his feet hardly seemed to touch the ground all the way. As he neared the outskirts of the village, he noticed people lining the streets, and he worked his way through the crowd until he could see what was happening. Lo and behold, it was the approaching spectacle of a circus parade!

The parade was the grandest thing this lad had ever seen. Caged animals snarled as they passed, bands beat their rhythms and sounded shining instruments, midgets performed acrobatics while flags and ribbons swirled overhead. Finally, after everything had passed where he was standing, the traditional circus clown, with floppy shoes, baggy pants and a brightly painted face, brought up the rear. As the clown passed by, the little boy reached into his pocket and took out that precious dollar bill. Handing the money to the clown, the boy turned and went home.

What had happened? The boy thought he had seen the circus when he had only seen the parade!

In just a few days, we will celebrate Palm Sunday. The day we remember Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey while people waved palm branches and shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" (Matt. 21:9)

It is wonderful to think about the pomp and circumstance that Jesus Christ enjoyed as people gave Him a hypothetical high-five. Despite the fact that there was misunderstanding of why He had come to Jerusalem, they were still lifting Him up and applauding Him.

The Word of God is full of verses that command us to "praise the Lord"; and rightly so. Even Jesus told the Pharisees who were upset that the disciples were praising Him on this day: "If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out" (Luke 19:40).

However, don't get caught up in the parade! The Christian life is a marvelous adventure, an exciting journey. Many people - including Christians - seem to be content to float in a sea of mediocrity, settling for second best; settling for just the parade. Do you want the abundant life that Jesus promised? Do you want to live life to the fullest? Are you experiencing all that God has for you? Then aim higher. Don't set your sights too low. Determine to become all that God created you to be. Give yourself to Christ, follow Him completely, and allow the Holy Spirit to work in you and through you. You ain't sen nothin' yet!!!!

God's Constant Presence

Well, it has started! March Madness is officially upon us. And amazing as it is, there have already been some upsets and some "giants" have fallen. Every year, it seems that a team or two that hasn't been given much of a chance rock the college basketball world by beating a team that probably was too sure of a win.

This year, 2010, it has happened in the first day. A number three ranked team in their bracket was defeated by the number fourteen ranked team. A team that by some was projected to go far in the tournament is now done.

As I thought about this, I realized that there are a lot of Christians, who for whatever reason, believe that they are not significant enough and there is no way they can do anything for the Lord. Had that #14 ranked team thought this, they would be the team going home.

I know that we think that because even people in the Bible struggled with feeling or believing they were less than important. In Judges 6, we find God calling Gideon to save Israel out of the hand of the Midianites. We have a tendency to criticize Gideon for his response, but if we are honest, we probably would say something similar: "But Lord, how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family" (Judges 6:15).

"But God, who am I? I don't have any special gifts or abilities. I am a nobody. I have this problem, that issue, and you can't possibly want to use me!" Sound familiar? Well, maybe you never told God that directly, but you sure have thought it!

Despite Gideon's lack of faith, God's response is short and to the point: "I will be with you..." Judges 6:16). God simply told Gideon, "I am not asking you to do this alone. I am not asking you to come up with a plan and execute it all by your lonesome. I will be with you. I have your back!"

No matter the view you have of yourself, it is important that you remember that God is with you. God has your back! God will empower you for whatever task He calls you to do. John tells us: "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world" (1 John 4:4).

Hudson Taylor, the great missionary to China for 51 years, said, "All God's giants have been weak men who did great things for God because they reckoned on His being with them."

So what about you? What "GREAT" thing will you do today, simply because you believe that when God says, "I will be with you," He means it?

So, the next time you are feeling less than adequate for the task that God is calling you to do, just remember that you are a child of God, dearly loved, fully equipped for the task at hand.

It's Not Over Until It's Over!

It's March and that means NCAA conference tournaments and March Madness! Man, I love this time of year! It's amazing how every year, teams that have not done well during the regular season, somehow put it together and play well against teams that are much higher ranked. I just watch the replay of the last seconds of the Ohio State/Michigan game. With 2.2 seconds left, a player from Ohio State made a 3-point shot from just inside half-court; Ohio State wins!

Despite being down 2 points, those players on the court knew that until the buzzer sounds, the game is not over. No matter what had been done up until that point was irrelevant at the moment. Too focus on the last 39+ minutes would surely result in losing. The focus was on the present and what needed to be done in order to have a chance to win.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us that we "ARE God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (emphasis mine).

That word "are" means that the game is not over yet. God is still making/working/creating in us to be effective tools for Him. Which means that we still have work to do. For us to focus on the past, whether good, bad or indifferent, is not being focused on what God wants us to be doing right now.

So no matter what has happened in the past, whether yesterday or years ago, God wants us to be focused on the here and now. We should want the ball, figuratively speaking, and do what we can to forward the cause of Christ. It is no secret we live in a world that is overwhelmed by hopelessness. It is our responsibility, privilege and mission to share the hope of Christ with those we come in contact with each day. That is the game we have to play. It is time we get in the game, focus on the present and remember that God doesn't use our past to determine our future.

P.S. - Go Buckeyes!

The Big Rock

A little boy was spending his Saturday morning playing in his sandbox. He had with him his box of cars and trucks, his plastic pail, and a shiny, red plastic shovel.

In the process of creating roads and tunnels in the soft sand, he discovered a large rock in the middle of the sandbox. The lad dug around the rock, managing to dislodge it from the dirt. With no little bit of struggle, he pushed and nudged the rock across the sandbox by using his feet. (He was a very small boy and the rock was very large.) When the boy got the rock to the edge of the sandbox, however, he found that he couldn't roll it up and over the little wall.

Determined, the little boy shoved, pushed, and pried, but every time he thought he had made some progress, the rock tipped and then fell back into the sandbox. The little boy grunted, struggled, pushed, shoved - but his only reward was to have the rock roll back, smashing his fingers. Finally he burst into tears of frustration.

All this time the boy's father watched from the living room window as the drama unfolded. At the moment the tears feel, a large shadow fell across the boy and the sandbox. It was the boy's father. Gently but firmly he said, "Son, why didn't you use all the strength that you had available?"

Defeated, the boy sobbed back, "But I did, Daddy, I did! I used all the strength that I had!"

"No, son," corrected the father kindly. "You didn't use all the strength you had. You didn't ask me."

With that the father reached down, picked up the rock, and removed it from the sandbox.

We all have "rocks" in our lives. And we, just like the little boy, shove, push and pry, trying to get the rocks out of our lives. We know that we don't have the strength or ability to remove them, and yet we insist on trying. God is always available to us and willing to give us the strength we need to overcome obstacles and to accomplish great things for Him.

The psalmist says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble" (Psalm 46:1). Will you use His strength or insist on trying to do it all by yourself? Why not let the One who calmed the sea, raised the dead, turned water into wine, healed the sick, be the One that empowers you to overcome those "rocks" in your life?

True Forgiveness and Behavior

One of the people discussed quite a bit recently has been the golfer Tiger Woods. 85 days ago he was known for his golfing ability and his dominance on the course. However, due to a minor car accident, the personal life of Tiger has been brought to the forefront.

As I read a portion of his apology, I was struck by one powerful statement: “As Elin pointed out to me, my real apology to her will not come in the form of words; it will come from my behavior over time.”(1)

Taking some time to reflect on what he said, this is exactly what Jesus had in mind. Let me give you one example. Take a few moments, grab a Bible and read John 8:1-11. What I want you to focus on is what Jesus tells this woman in verse 11. Let me share it with you from the NIV: “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11b).

What did Jesus mean? He simply meant that to be truly sorry, to ask for forgiveness and even receive it is not enough. There must be a change of behavior to prove that the apology is sincere. Another word would be “repentance”; word that is simple to define and yet is not as easy to apply. Repentance simply means “to go in the other direction.”

Temptation and sin lead us down the path away from God and His standard and desire for our lives. To repent is to change directions, to head in the direction of pursuing righteousness and holy living. Repentance is not words, but a change of behavior.

In each of our lives, there is sin that we must deal with. If you find yourself sinning, apologizing, and then doing it again, it is safe to say that you did not repent. You may have been sorry for what you did, but until there is a change of behavior, a changing of direction in your life and behavior, there has been no true repentance.

So what about you? Jesus is telling you today, “Go now and leave your life of sin.” Maybe you view your sin as not as bad as what someone else has done. However, as God looks at our sin, it is all equal. So, take the time to take an honest look at yourself and determine if there is something you need to “repent” of. Oh, and by the way, don’t just talk the talk, walk the walk!
(1-Read more: http://www.golf.com/golf/tours_news/article/0,28136,1966764-1,00.html#ixzz0g2dSZOec)