A Year of Restoration

   A story is told of a man who called a doctor and said that his wife was having problems hearing and he wanted the doctor to check her out. So the doctor said check her out at home and see how bad it is before you bring her in. The man said “how do I do that?” Doctor said “ask her something from the other side of the room and keep getting closer until she responds back to what you said”. So man goes home and she is in the kitchen making supper and from the other side of the kitchen husband asks “Is dinner about ready honey?” He didn’t hear anything. So he goes to the center of the kitchen and says “Dinner about ready honey?” Still didn’t hear anything. So he gets up right behind her and goes “dinner about ready honey?” and at that point she turns around and says for the third time Yes.

   Well, we have made it. We come to the end of one year and the beginning of a new year. We survived 12/12/12 and the “Incan End of the Word”.

   Now we get a start over, a “do over”.  And so here is the chance, everything about the last year is gone. So I want to ask us today how we are going to change, I want us to look at the way we lived our life in 2012 and the changes that we possibly need to make in 2013.

   As with all changes this focuses on priorities. I don’t want to you to respond publicly but what are your priorities?

   Now if I were to ask you what is your #1 priority what would you say?  Many would say well we are in church so the answer should be God.  But let’s not kid ourselves.  Let’s be honest.  If we are going to say that God is #1 then it must be evident.  And I don’t mean that he is #1 in my life on Sunday morning or #1 when I am experiencing a problem, but I’m talking about in our normal everyday living, what are our priorities in life.

   Looking back over the past decade the following list was compiled on New Year’s Resolutions

* 27% of resolutions involve health and fitness  

* 15% personal growth and interests

* 15% personal finance

* 9% education and training

* 6% time management and organization

* 5% recreation and leisure

* 5% family and relationships

   We said the #1 answer should be God. Did you hear me mention any resolution concerning God? It’s not there. To find anything about spirituality you have to expand the personal growth section and when that is done all that is found is 2% in that category think spiritual growth is important.

   It gets worse.  The Barna Group which specializes in research about Christianity reported that only 1 out of 7 adults place their faith in God at the top of the priority list.

   You say well that’s not fair because some of those are non-Christians. The survey goes on and says that out of Christians not quite 1 out of 4  place their faith in God at the top of the priority list.

   The majority of people are focused on the here and now and not on their relationship with God.

   It is my prayer that this year will mark the beginning of a time in our own lives and in the life of this nation that we will focus our priorities on Christ and praising Him for all that transpires in our life. And to give him thanks.

After all that’s what 1 Corinthians 10:31 says.

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of the God.”

   I pray that this year we will put God first and do everything in His name.

   I am sure that if we did this, if our nation did this – we would not be having the problems we are seeing.  I believe if we hadn't asked God to leave our schools we would not have seen the shootings take place.  If our priorities had been on God over the last decade, we wouldn't be approaching a financial cliff like we are.

   I know it becomes hard not to get lost in our lives, our worries over how things are going and what is going to happen next.  So as your “Spiritual Doctor” I am going to give you all three very important prescriptions for you to take this coming year.  This is no guarantee that all will be perfect but I can guarantee that if you take these three prescriptions you may find yourself taking on 2013 with a more confident heart because your will be placing God as a top priority in your lives

1. STUDY GOD’S WORD

I want you to take a look in Acts 17:10.

“As soon as it was night, the brothers sent Paul and Silas off to Berea.  On arrival, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 The people here were more open-minded than those in Thessalonica, since they welcomed the message with eagerness and examined the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

   Paul and Silas were on their missionary journey and were sent to Berea.  You have to understand that at this point Paul and Silas have just left Thessalonica where they city is in turmoil over what Paul and Silas are teaching about Christ, saying that all they have done is bring trouble.

Well Paul and Silas make it to Berea and instead of the Bereans hurling insults and creating a mob to run these missionaries out of town, notice what they do.  They searched the scriptures not just on Sunday mornings but every day.  And they did it with eagerness.  And because of this, verse 12, “Many of them believed”

   The bible is filled with many great and exciting truths and you and I need to invest time in it every day so that we can draw closer to Christ and understand His will for our lives and for the world.

Lately the Army has been focusing on the state of marriage – a great thing and I believe Strong Bonds is a wonderful commitment our leaders have given us.  But the real answer is simple, all one needs to do is study the scriptures and discover what Jesus has to say about marriage.  The same can be applied to all areas of our lives, from all relationships to our financial struggles.

   The bible is our sword; we are to use it to defend truth and to draw us closer to God. And we need to examine the bible daily.  

   Don’t take my word for it, get in there and discover what life’s greatest purpose is.  Get in it and discover what God has promised for you.  If we want to draw closer to God then we must be willing to read His book.

2 Timothy 2:15 says:

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth”

   Another way of saying this is found in the KJV which says “Study to show thyself approved”

   The best thing that we can do is to get involved in God’s word.  There are plenty of opportunities to do that from committing to read through your Bible this year to email devotionals.

   Get your day going with one of the Psalms and then spend the rest of the day praising God for opening up His word.  I know how life is because I am living it with you, but take time to read God’s word.

   When the former missionary David Livingston was asked where he was prepared to go, he answered, “I am prepared to go anywhere, so long as it is forward.”

   So you and I should place a priority on Studying God’s Word and going forward this year in this important endeavor

II. SHARE GOD’S WORD

   The great evangelist Dwight Moody was once criticized for his evangelistic methods. It was then that Moody replied, “I like my way of doing it better than your way of not doing it.”

   The truth is most of us don’t do it.  We do very little when it comes to reaching out to people for Christ.  As a whole we have little passion for people who are lost, confused, mixed up and messed up.

   This year, I hope that we will develop the initiative to honestly and intentionally reach out to people and share with them the good news.

   But why should there be so much emphasis on evangelism?  Why is it important that all of us be committed to placing as a top priority sharing the Gospel with others?

   Well because it is a command that is given to all Christians by Jesus.  In the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus commands us by saying:

“Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”

It does not say Preachers go and make disciples of all nations

It does not say Missionaries go and make disciples

Rather it refers to each Christian that has willingly accepted Christ into their lives.

   The Great Commission was not just spoken for a generation 2000 years ago. It was spoken for all generations.  The Great Commission is exactly what it says.  It is a great priority that we have to teach, witness, share, love and invite people to have one of the greatest relationships with a Great Savior who has come to save.  

   And when we are willing to share people will want to be baptized, they will want to be a part of church and they will begin to see greatness take place in their lives. --- And we will see the world change.

But what happens if we are not willing to share the gospel?  Romans 10:14:

“But how can they call on Him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about Him?  And how can they hear without a preacher?   And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who announce the gospel of good things!”

   All believers are sent to announce this Good News.  The process of salvation begins with the one who tells another the Good News.  Like Paul and the early Christians, who spread the message of Christ despite persecution and even death, we should be eager to share this Good News of salvation to all who will listen.

If you have Christ in your life and are excited Shout it out!!!

   Now actions speak louder than words.  We know Christ and listen to how we just shared how enthusiastic we were for Christ.

   If you can’t be excited that Christ died for your sins and gave you salvation in his house, then how in the world are we going to be enthusiastic for Christ when we go out into the devil’s house which is this world and share the good news?

   If it is good news to you then show it; be excited.  If you are excited about something it causes us to want to talk.

   Think about sports fans for a minute, maybe it’s you or you’ve seen someone just get all crazy over a game, jumping up and down yelling at the tv.  I knew a guy back when I was in AIT who was a Broncos fan.  Now this was way back in 1990 when the Broncos played the 49ers.  He was so upset at the end of the game (the Broncos lost 55 to 10) that he literally went to his room and cried.

   DO YOU GET MY POINT? We should be so enthusiastic about bringing the Good News to everyone that we should be in tears when people reject it.  We should be proclaiming the Good News like we wear our favorite team’s colors.

If we are excited about having Christ in our lives then let’s show it and tell it and live it.

So we need to Study God’s Word, Share God’s word and now I have the third prescription to share with you.

III. EXAMINE OURSELVES

In II Cor. 13:5 we find these words:

“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test”

   In today’s world, it seems that when it comes to an examination, everyone is always looking at the other person instead of themselves.  It’s amazing when something goes wrong all of a sudden the finger pointing starts.  It’s always someone else’s fault and not ours.

   We are always willing to jump to being critical of others yet; maybe this year is the year that you and I should be willing to examine ourselves a little more closely.

Go back to II Corinthinas 13:5: “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves”

   The Corinthians’ have had it in for Paul.  They have been insistent on testing Paul, the very one that had brought them to the Christian faith.  And now Paul was coming to encourage them to stop looking at others and to look at themselves.  What Paul was asking them to do was to examine themselves and to see if it was true that through their actions and words Christ Jesus was living within them.

   I remember when I was teaching High School I would occasionally have my students grade their own quizzes.  It would save me time but it would also give me the opportunity to see who really cared how they were doing.  Some of my students were harder on themselves then you would think.  I had one tell me how it was an eye opening experience and that she would become more disappointed when she had to grade here wrong answers – she wanted to do better.

   We are all aware of the term soul searching, but have we ever really done it.  Have we taken time to look at our life both inside and out and graded ourselves.  The bible tells us to test ourselves so let’s do so; you, of course grade your own tests:

1.  When was the last time you prayed and did not need something or was in trouble?
2. When is the last time you shared Jesus with someone who is not a Christian?
3. When is the last time that you sat down and meditated on a passage of scripture?
4. When is the last time you sacrificially gave without expecting something in return?
5. Are you repeatedly committing a sin?

How did we do?  Did we pass with flying colors or did we just get by or did we fail?

   Examining ourselves can be hard but can also be helpful for it helps us to see the things that need to be changed.

   If we are Christians then we should realize that Christ Jesus is within us and that should cause us to want to study God’s word.  It should compel us to want to share God’s word with others. It should also demand that we examine ourselves and our actions.

Do others see Jesus living in us.

   So in a few days 2012 will be no more and 2013 will be ushered through the door.  I pray that we will check our priorities and be encouraged to Study God’s word.

I pray that we will be willing to share God’s word.  If you are excited that Jesus is living within you then are you going to show how excited you are.

And finally after being willing to examine yourself and noticing the changes we need to make, that we are willing to begin the spirit of restoration.

Don’t be like the man in the story who thought his wife had the problem.

 May 2013 be the year in which Christ Jesus is not just within us but that Christ Jesus can be seen through us. Amen

Christmas Eve 2012

   In December 1914, World War I was only four months old, but already it had become a dark and bloody mess.

   On France’s Western Front, soldiers of Kaiser Wilhelm II and George V faced off with one another from rows of frozen trenches.

   The cold winter rains had chilled them to the bone, and there was no relief from the endless mud and constant sniper fire.

   On Christmas Eve 1914, Scottish troops looked out across No Man’s Land and noticed lights in the German trenches.  In the evening twilight, they made out the silhouettes of Christmas trees.

   Laughter drifted across the darkening sky. The lights of those Christmas Trees burned brighter and pretty soon the Scottish troops heard a rich baritone voice begin to sing: “Stile Nacht, Helige Naucht.” Silent Night, Holy Night.

   One Scotsman who saw and heard these things said: “It was strange, like being in another world, to which we had come through a nightmare, a world finer than the one left behind.”

   That Christmas Eve in 1914, in the midst of all that power and warfare, the sounds of a world bent on destroying itself, there appeared an unexpected gift, the gift of song, the gift of tenderness, the gift of peace on earth breaking forth into the dark chaos.

   On Christmas Day, The Royal Flying Corp got into the Christmas spirit. A plane was sent up over the German lines and dropped a padded case of brandy-soaked plum pudding behind the German trenches.

The German troops seemed to appreciate this, so they sent up their own plane with a careful airdrop of a bottle of rum. The Allied soldiers really appreciated that.

   It was not long after this, we are told, that all the shooting stopped, and soldiers on both sides gathered to celebrate Christmas, singing Silent Night.

   The Christmas Truce of 1914 spread up and down the Western Front, and for several days the fighting and killing stopped. Soldiers traded tobacco and photographs, a football game even broke out between the Germans and the Allies. In fact, so much “good will” occurred across the lines that generals on both sides finally issued orders forbidding what was going on, after all, they claimed, “it discouraged initiative and destroyed morale in the ranks.”

 On this Christmas Eve, the ways of the world are once again turned upside down. In a world consumed by never-ending violence and life-shattering warfare, the soft cries of Mary’s child fill the air, and we see that power, real power, is not found in the weapons of war, but belongs in the small body of a new-born baby.

No longer does the world bow to Caesar Augustus, or Quirinias of Syria, or Herod of Judea, or Kaiser Wilhelm, or George V, or any of the politicians, kings, generals, or CEOs that normally command the world’s attention.

   No, for tonight, the King of kings is born in a stable with a few lowly shepherds as the guests of honor.

The gift of this day is God’s love for the world and the package is a small baby cradled in a young girl’s arms, the most powerful force that the world has ever known. And we who have been hardened by the difficulty of our lives, bruised and scarred by shattered dreams and broken hopes. We who turn on the television, listen to the radio, read the newspaper each day, and hear painful news of bloodshed and sadness, of poverty and illness, we who have become calloused to the brutal stories of the world around us, who are saddened by the dark places in our own lives, we need this gift of tenderness, mercy and love.

We need this gift of a baby born among us named Immanuel.

   We are like shepherds in the dark night, scanning the horizon for any signs of hope, for the promise that this world is not all there is, that the darkness will give way to a light that shall not be overcome.

Following the birth of Jesus Mary and Joseph brought him to Jerusalem in order to present him to God as the Law commanded.  Here the first prophecies of the time of Jesus are fore told

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.  So he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, he took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said:

     “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace,

         According to Your word;

      For my eyes have seen Your salvation

      Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples,

     A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles,

          And the glory of Your people Israel.”

 And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.  Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.  And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Lk 2:25–38.     

  

   The first prophecies spoken of Jesus after His birth are for both “a rise and a fall” as well as “redemption”.  As we celebrate Christmas this year let us approach the coming of this New Year with a heart of Christ – a heart of redemption and celebration of the life that we can only find in true salvation through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

   

   Let us be like those Soldiers on that cold Christmas Eve, forgetting our differences and joining together as one true Body of Believers showing the World that only through Christ can evil finally be defeated and Hope restored.

A New Begining, A New End - Part I

  A few weeks ago I had a shift in what I was called preach; in the past I was being led to teach love of our fellow man, the unsaved in our world who need desperately to hear of God’s Love before it is too late.  I was saddened by how many who have turned away from God because of the harsh treatment they have received from those who call themselves loving Christians. That view still stands – we must represent God, Jesus so they will be drawn to us.

  A few months ago, while away on a training exercise I had extra time to spend in prayer and commune with God.  I am seeing a drastic shift in our country, a shift further and further away from the Truth – the Truth of Christ and sadly it is those who have chosen to call themselves Christians who are allowing it to happen.  We are more vocal about the threat of losing our right to bear arms than we are about the fact that God is almost gone from our country, the true reason for all that is wrong.  In those quiet times I had with God while in the high desert of Washington State it became apparent that I must pick up the "Staff" of my role as Pastor and speak Truth to those who feel comfortable in their faith rather than truly being a follower of Christ.  For some that faith that you have will kill you 

  You see one of the marks of our church is the sole satisfaction found in a relationship with God – anything else does not satisfy.  In fact if God is not the center of your life, your pleasure, your happiness, your relationships then I ask that you question your true faith  -  is it in Him or yourself.  The Biblical Truth is that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. The basis for this is deep, and the implications are as high as heaven and as long as eternity (salvation and death).

  It is like what Paul writes in Philippians 1:20-21; his  “eager expectation and hope is that I (he) will not be ashamed about anything, but that now as always, with all boldness, Christ will be highly honored in my body, whether by life or by death”.  His passion is that Christ be magnified in his death.  Paul’s explanation is that for him “death is gain.”  The reason death is gain is that to die is “to depart and be with Christ” (verse 23).  You cannot have that kind of faith if you do not find full satisfaction in Christ alone. In believing that Christ is magnified by your being so satisfied in Him that leaving everything else behind in death is not loss but gain. So Paul says in Philippians 3:8, “I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.”

  The implications of this are extreme; that we should pursue our joy in God - Should! Not may.  The main business of our hearts is maximizing our satisfaction in God. Not our satisfaction in his gifts, no matter how good, but in him.

Some Scripture and principles as to why this shift in our daily lives is necessary 

  We are commanded to pursue satisfaction -   Psalm 100:2: “Serve the Lord with gladness!” Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always.” Psalm 37:4: “Delight yourself in the Lord.”

  We are threatened if we don’t pursue satisfaction in God -   Deuteronomy 28:47-48: “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joyfulness and gladness of heart . . . therefore you shall serve your enemies.”

The nature of faith teaches the pursuit of satisfaction in God; Hebrews 11:6: “Without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

  The nature of evil teaches the pursuit of satisfaction in God -   Jeremiah 2:12-13: “Be appalled, O heavens, at this; be shocked, be utterly desolate, declares the Lord, for my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

  The nature of conversion teaches the pursuit of satisfaction in God -   Matthew 13:44: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

  The call for self-denial teaches the pursuit of satisfaction in God -   Mark 8:34-36: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

  The demand to love people teaches the pursuit of satisfaction in God -   Hebrews 12:2: “For the joy that was set before him [Jesus] endured the cross.” Acts 20:35: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

  The demand to glorify God teaches the pursuit of satisfaction in God -   Philippians 1:20-21: “It is my eager expectation and hope that . . . Christ will be glorified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (final and total satisfaction in him).

This is why my last sermon was offensive to some;

  To have your faith, your eternal salvation questioned is only offensive to those who hold closer their personal pursuits and personal satisfaction over satisfaction that only comes from God.

  I must also admit that my current and future teachings have a personal eternity at stake, you see the Bible says that the “Teacher” will answer to a higher standard in the end (James 3:1).  If I do not call upon you to repent and turn solely to God then I will also answer for it, and my heart will break for those of you who do not and perish rather than spend eternity in Heaven with our Lord

  Over the course of this series – and it may be a series that lasts the rest of my life – I will expand on the many areas of our lives that we must make HIS.  Many of these posts will be my sermon for the week, many will be extra.  But I am in prayer that God will give me all of them and that you, family, friends, will hear and make sure your salvation is secure.  

  Perhaps if we all become more stalwart in our Faith then maybe there will be shift in our country and America will remain “One Nation Under God” – perhaps even God will give us more time to draw more people to Him before the end (the end for those who do not KNOW Him).

 God Bless