Many people today are seeing the things that they once counted on, the things that they trusted in, become worthless. Investments have lost their value. Business ventures have soured or gone upside down. Political winds have changed. Jobs have been lost. Our good health may be gone. For some, even our homes have been lost.
The uncertainty, chaos and confusion of today is not unlike another time described in the book of Isaiah. Chapter 6 tells us that King Uzziah died. He had ruled as a great king of Israel for 52 years. Israel’s enemies were ready to invade. Uncertainty and even chaos ensued. At that time, Isaiah had a vision as described in chapter 6. And what he saw and experienced holds many truths for us in these parallel and perilous times as well.
Number one: “I saw the Lord sitting on the throne, lofty and exalted…” In spite of what is going on in the world, God is still on the throne. God is in charge. God wants us to get our eyes off the circumstances of this world and get our eyes on Him.
Number two: “Woe is me, for I am ruined. Because I am a man of unclean lips.” Seeing the holiness of God opened Isaiah’s eyes to his own sinfulness. Recognizing our sinful state should convict us, bringing us to repentance.
Number three: “Behold, this [the burning coal] has touched your lips; and your iniquity has been taken away, and your sin is forgiven.” God needs to refine you with fire before He can use you. When we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Number four: “Whom shall I send?” God calls out to the church for people to be consecrated to the Kingdom, purified, set apart for service, willing to forsake all to follow Him and stand up for Him.
Number five: “Here am I, send me.” There is no greater aspiration or privilege in life than to be used by God. As the Apostle Paul said, We are exhibited as a spectacle to the world. We are to be an unwavering witness and a testimony to the things we have seen and heard and experienced.
It is the last days. God is allowing those things which can be shaken to be shaken, that those things which cannot be shaken will remain.
Hebrews 12:26 And His voice shook the earth then, but now He has promised, saying, "YET ONCE MORE I WILL SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH, BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN." This expression, "Yet once more," denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; for our God is a consuming fire.
What is your answer to God’s question, “Whom shall I send?”
Friday, June 25, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
A special fathers day message for every Christian
Without a doubt, the breakdown of the human family is one of the biggest contributors to moral decline and the depravity of modern society. Divorce rates now exceed 50%, and it’s devastating effect on the world is seen as children are left without the positive role models that God intended. One of the most important things missing in most kids lives today is the example of a godly father or mother.
The Apostle Paul addresses this issue with leadership, or what might be better described as discipleship, with the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 4 starting in verse 14, as he figuratively uses the metaphor of himself as a spiritual father. In this passage, we can find truth to guide us, whether we are earthly fathers, or earthly mothers or in the spiritual realm as we disciple others. And whether or not you even have children, all of us are instructed to “go into all the world and make disciples”. Just like there is a need for human role models in our physical lives, there is also a desperate need for spiritual role models in the church as well. There are a whole lot of spiritual orphans out there that need someone to take them under their wing, or adopt them as a son or daughter or big brother or sister.
Number one, the mark of a spiritual father is that he has children. Verse 15, "Though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, you have a lot of teachers, not many fathers. No, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel."
A spiritual father reproduces. God wants us to bear fruit.
Secondly, a spiritual father not only has children but he loves his children. Jesus said they will know you are my disciples by your love for one another.
Third, a spiritual father admonishes. Paul exposes their sin, not to shame them, but to correct them. As a father sees a child engaging in something harmful, he will admonish, or correct them out of love. Revelation 3: those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.
Fourth, a spiritual father not only has children and loves and admonishes, but he sets the example. And maybe this is the most important thing at all. Verse 16, "Wherefore I beseech you, be imitators of me”. To disciple someone speaks not of just teaching them, but showing them by example.
Fifthly, he teaches. And here we come to the fact that there has to be the giving of principles, the end of verse 17. He will remind you of my ways, which are actually Christ’s ways, which I teach everywhere, in every church. Matt. 28 again, “Go and make disciples, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.”
Finally, a spiritual father disciplines. Sometimes it is necessary to use the rod and a characteristic of a godly spiritual father is that they will use it when necessary. An even bigger danger than abuse of this principle is the opposite extreme which is neglect. So many Christians are being neglected by spiritual fathers that are either too busy or too self centered, to be much earthly or spiritual good. The need has never been greater or more urgent. I pray you will answer the challenge.
The Apostle Paul addresses this issue with leadership, or what might be better described as discipleship, with the church in Corinth in 1 Corinthians 4 starting in verse 14, as he figuratively uses the metaphor of himself as a spiritual father. In this passage, we can find truth to guide us, whether we are earthly fathers, or earthly mothers or in the spiritual realm as we disciple others. And whether or not you even have children, all of us are instructed to “go into all the world and make disciples”. Just like there is a need for human role models in our physical lives, there is also a desperate need for spiritual role models in the church as well. There are a whole lot of spiritual orphans out there that need someone to take them under their wing, or adopt them as a son or daughter or big brother or sister.
Number one, the mark of a spiritual father is that he has children. Verse 15, "Though you have ten thousand instructors in Christ, you have a lot of teachers, not many fathers. No, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel."
A spiritual father reproduces. God wants us to bear fruit.
Secondly, a spiritual father not only has children but he loves his children. Jesus said they will know you are my disciples by your love for one another.
Third, a spiritual father admonishes. Paul exposes their sin, not to shame them, but to correct them. As a father sees a child engaging in something harmful, he will admonish, or correct them out of love. Revelation 3: those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.
Fourth, a spiritual father not only has children and loves and admonishes, but he sets the example. And maybe this is the most important thing at all. Verse 16, "Wherefore I beseech you, be imitators of me”. To disciple someone speaks not of just teaching them, but showing them by example.
Fifthly, he teaches. And here we come to the fact that there has to be the giving of principles, the end of verse 17. He will remind you of my ways, which are actually Christ’s ways, which I teach everywhere, in every church. Matt. 28 again, “Go and make disciples, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.”
Finally, a spiritual father disciplines. Sometimes it is necessary to use the rod and a characteristic of a godly spiritual father is that they will use it when necessary. An even bigger danger than abuse of this principle is the opposite extreme which is neglect. So many Christians are being neglected by spiritual fathers that are either too busy or too self centered, to be much earthly or spiritual good. The need has never been greater or more urgent. I pray you will answer the challenge.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
No appetite for honey
They say one of the most healthy, nutritious foods you can eat is honey. You’ve all seen the advertisements claiming it is a cure for just about every ailment there is. My own grandmother used to take two tablespoons of it every night before she went to bed, claiming it kept her feeling like a 16 year old girl. Though I doubt all the claims made by every bee keeper out there are true, I do suspect there are some great benefits to eating honey. Besides, it tastes good.
Psalms 19 says that God’s word is sweet like honey from a honeycomb. But it says in Proverbs 27:7 that “the full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.” What that means is that all too often, we have become so full from eating at the feeding trough of this world that we aren’t hungry anymore for anything sweet. We don’t have any appetite left for God’s word.
Paul sarcastically rebuked the Corinthians, the most carnal church of that day and a church not unlike the church today, “You are already filled, you have already become rich….” Jesus Himself rebuked such a church in Revelation chapter 3 when He said, “you say I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and know not that you’re wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.”
“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore and repent.” He said, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot, so because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.” He urges us to “…buy from Me gold refined by fire that you may become rich.” “To him that overcomes I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My Throne.”
It all starts with the Word, then being obedient to the Word, then overcoming the ensnarement of the world, that we may be found when He returns doing the deeds that the Lord has us here to do. Along the way, expect some trials by fire. But that's a good thing, because it restores our appetite for God's Word.
Psalms 19 says that God’s word is sweet like honey from a honeycomb. But it says in Proverbs 27:7 that “the full soul loathes a honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.” What that means is that all too often, we have become so full from eating at the feeding trough of this world that we aren’t hungry anymore for anything sweet. We don’t have any appetite left for God’s word.
Paul sarcastically rebuked the Corinthians, the most carnal church of that day and a church not unlike the church today, “You are already filled, you have already become rich….” Jesus Himself rebuked such a church in Revelation chapter 3 when He said, “you say I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and know not that you’re wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked.”
“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore and repent.” He said, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot, so because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth.” He urges us to “…buy from Me gold refined by fire that you may become rich.” “To him that overcomes I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My Throne.”
It all starts with the Word, then being obedient to the Word, then overcoming the ensnarement of the world, that we may be found when He returns doing the deeds that the Lord has us here to do. Along the way, expect some trials by fire. But that's a good thing, because it restores our appetite for God's Word.
Monday, June 7, 2010
special announcement: Jericho March
Starting this Sunday, June 6, through Saturday evening, June 12, we will begin the Jericho March again for this year. We will meet every evening @ 8pm in the parking lot at Ocean View Parkway and walk around the town of Bethany in silent prayer for our ministry, our community, our friends and neighbors. We will be praying that God will bring down the walls of resistance to the gospel as we preach each Sunday on the beach. We are praying for revival and that it would start with us. We encourage you to join us as you have the opportunity. The walk takes about 30 minutes. We believe that prayer is one of the few weapons at our disposal in this spiritual warfare that we are engaged in and look forward to seeing the walls fall down as we go into this new summer season.
counting the cost
Many people mistake the cost of salvation. Because they received it freely, they think it cheap. However, the cost to Christ was immeasurable. The agony of the cross cannot even be compared to the cost of bearing the weight of the world's sin. We cannot imagine the cost of leaving His throne and glory in heaven where He received the adulation of thousands of angels for the ignominy of taking on human form and all it's weakness and sufferings. There was a cost. It was priceless.
But Christ said that we were to consider the cost as well. He warned the disciple who wanted to follow that the Son of Man had no where to lay His head, indicating the would be disciple would lose the comfort of his home. He showed us that we might lose our friends or loved ones for the sake of the kingdom. He told us to take up our cross and follow Him. There is a cost for us as well. It isn't with wealth or works that we can buy our way into the Kingdom. It is in agreeing that He has paid it all, and that if we want citizenship in His kingdom, we must exchange the self rule of our life, for allegiance to His rule and His will.
Jesus gave two parables which explain this principle to us. In Matthew 13: 44 it says, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid, and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field". Vs. 47 " Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great price, he went and sold all he had and bought it."
But Christ said that we were to consider the cost as well. He warned the disciple who wanted to follow that the Son of Man had no where to lay His head, indicating the would be disciple would lose the comfort of his home. He showed us that we might lose our friends or loved ones for the sake of the kingdom. He told us to take up our cross and follow Him. There is a cost for us as well. It isn't with wealth or works that we can buy our way into the Kingdom. It is in agreeing that He has paid it all, and that if we want citizenship in His kingdom, we must exchange the self rule of our life, for allegiance to His rule and His will.
Jesus gave two parables which explain this principle to us. In Matthew 13: 44 it says, "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found and hid, and from joy over it he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field". Vs. 47 " Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great price, he went and sold all he had and bought it."
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