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Pastor’s Blog 10.19.18

Luke 17:5-6
5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. NKJV

What prompted the Apostles to ask for an increase in faith? The preceding verses deals with forgiving someone who sins against you seventy times seven! As I ponder the condition of the Nation, and even the Church in general, I would have to say that there is a lower faith level in our culture and church world than I’ve seen in my lifetime.

Social media has created the most isolated society in history. We have hundreds of Facebook and Instagram followers that we have never had a real conversation with. Apple’s newest software IOS update includes an app that monitors your “screen-time” and sends you a report every week on how much time you have spent looking at your phone. I have already heard people talking about how they couldn’t believe how much time they discovered they were on their device.

Most relationships on social media are fake. In the world of “fake news” countless fake products, scammers and the like, there is nothing as genuine as face to face communication. Researchers tell us upwards of 70% of communication is non-verbal. A skilled novelist may be able to articulate through words a clear communication but the average Joe- not-so-much.

The Church is about relationships, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers , sons, daughters and friends. We are called the assembly. Jesus chose the word Church to describe us which means, “those called from their home to an assembly”. I really regret the day we decided to stream our service online live. Our attendance immediately drooped 10-15%. If it wasn’t for the fact we have so many viewers online who are traveling for work, or have made us their Church home as they are in an area without a relevant local church, I would stop it. It just gives so many another reason to disconnect from real face to face time and sit in their homes in isolation. There is an undeniable, real, tangible presence of God that we experience as we gather. When I travel I so appreciate the online opportunity, but it is nothing being there!

It takes faith to assemble and even to get along once we do. So with the Apostles I have to pray “Lord increase the faith of your people!”

Hebrews 2:11-13
11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are being sanctified are all of one, for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,
12 saying: “I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will sing praise to You.” 13 And again: “I will put My trust in Him.” And again: “Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.” NKJV

Be Blessed!

Pastor’s Blog 9.19.18

John 3:1-8
3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’
8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
NKJV

After being a Senior Pastor now for 32 years, I am convinced that there are a lot of people who say they believe in Jesus, even attend a church, but have never been born again. A new birth is a new identity – period. Many people have no realization of a new identity in Christ. They live in the memories of their former lives and still identify as a victim of what has happened to them, before they accepted Christ. The fact is they never died with Him, so they have not been raised with Him to a newness of life!

Colossian 2:11-12
11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,
12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. NKJV

Colossians 3:1-11
3:1 Not Carnality but Christ If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.
5 Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.
6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.
8 But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.
9 Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds,
10 and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,
11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all. NKJV

I know I sound like a broken record to some, but the facts are the facts. Many say they believe the facts, but live as though they are myths. I don’t want to complicate the simplicity that is in the plan of man’s redemption through wordy philosophy, I want to help every person embrace the reality that they are a new creature in Christ, and until they believe that they will not act like it!

Years ago, in the Charismatic movement, we were taught to meditate on the truths of the word of God until they dropped into our spirit as a reality- not just an ideal. To think we can cause someone to really change, without the power of the Holy Spirit and the revealed word of God is the ultimate expression of arrogance. To see a million babies a year being aborted and then to hear that only about half of the Church even show up to vote is evidence that many have not been born again! The nature that is from the new birth would never see abortion as a woman’s right to choose whether or not a child lives or dies!

Christianity is not a life enhancement for your time on earth, it is eternal life that begins on earth. This is prep school for our eternal reign with Christ. Some people give the least amount of effort to understanding the things with the greatest consequences for sure!

Until next week, be blessed!

Pastor’s Blog 9.12.18

Suddenly…

Proverbs 28:18
18 Whoever walks blamelessly will be saved, But he who is perverse in his ways will suddenly fall. NKJV

Mark 13:33-37 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming — in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning — 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!” NKJV

It seems our lives are comprised of waiting on “suddenly”. It always seems so simple after the fact. The old adage hind-sight is 20/20 is very true. The blessings and curses that can happen in our lives seem to happen suddenly, but that is really not the case.

Blessings and curses usually occur after a process has been working. I am watching the “me too” movement take down some of the most powerful people on earth. Bill Hybels, after building one of the most influential church organizations in modern history, has ended his ministry in disgrace after several women in his life have accused him of sexual improprieties. There are some who rise to prominence after years of obscurity and have the appearance of overnight successes, but the reality is their success has only come after years of patient labor. The suddenly of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit came after 4000 years of God orchestrating behind the scenes. There are suddenlies scheduled in your life. Right now there are forces at work, both good and evil, setting you up for success or ultimately failure. What do we do?

“Watch and pray!”

One day my cell phone rang “suddenly,” and on the other end was a nurse telling me I was a very sick man. Well, the truth was I didn’t suddenly become pre-diabetic and have chemistry of heart disease, I had been breaking the nutritional rules of health for 45 years. To reverse the curse I had to work in the other direction. I am still waiting on my “suddenly” of a report of perfect health, but I am working in the right direction now, and things are changing from curse to blessing in my health.

The “suddenlies” we generally experience in life have actually been growing to a harvest for years. There are types of bamboo that will barely grow a couple of feet for five years and then in the sixth year will grow sixty feet! As we daily watch and pray, we become aware of the things that are happening behind the scenes, and are reminded to keep doing what is right. And when we do “suddenly” a harvest of blessing will come!