Sometimes there are just too many things to do. :-) We are having a very busy week this week. School will be over for the term on Thursday night. FREEDOM RALLY is coming this weekend, along with a Youth Rally. We would have hired some bees, but they said that it looked like there was too much on our plates.
For the past several weeks on Sunday nights we have looked at Prayer and having our prayers answered. Sunday night the message focused on ASKING IN JESUS' NAME. In order to pray, and get answers from the Lord, we must ask in Jesus' name. He is our access to the Father.
His name carries authority to save. Acts 4:12 makes this clear.
His name calls us to surrender. He is the Lord. Philippians 2 states that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Yield to Him today.
His name provides access to the Heavenly throne room. Hebrews 4 calls us to come boldly to the throne of grace so that we can find mercy, and grace to help in time of need. Christ has opened up the way for us to access the Father.
This is why we can have our prayers answered. John 15:16 shows that when we make requests of the Father in the name of Jesus, our petitions will be granted.
What does it mean to ask in Jesus' name? Asking is requesting a thing or favor from someone else. Often we have not because we ask not. Prayer indeed is asking. Who are we to ask? The Father. This of course is GOD. He is the Creator and Sustainer of life. His coffers are full. He has riches untold. Indeed, He is the One worthy of our petitions. Then we see the little preposition "in". This word shows location. All of our petitions must be wrapped up in a certain place, a certain location. "My" a pronoun showing ownership and therefore authority. "Name" a title that reveals the character of the person. When we ask "in Jesus' name", we are asking for His glory, asking in line with His character, and asking for His sake (in light of what He has done in dying on the cross and making the way to God open).
The name of Jesus is not a magic charm. The seven sons of Sceva found this out when trying to cast out demons using the name of Jesus. In order to pray in Jesus' name one must first have a relationship with this Jesus. Do you know Him? Are you trusting Him for cleansing from sin and the salvation of your soul?
Sometimes people do not get their prayers answered simply because they are not a child of God. Religion will not save you. Morality will not save you. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me." You can come to the Father for salvation by trusting the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Then you can come to the Father with all of your requests in the name, for the glory of, in line with the character of, and to further the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us pray!
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Principles of Prayer - Part 3
Is there a secret to getting our prayers answered? Not really a secret, but there are certain truths involving our communication with God that can make prayer more than just a misuse of energy. Too often what we call prayer just isn't real prayer. Someone once made the comment, "Jesus never mentions unanswered prayer." Certainly His prayers always received the requested desire, but what about yours and mine?
First, our prayers are often hindered by our own unconfessed sins. So we must be clean before God so that our prayers will be heard. "If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18.
Next, we must pray with proper motivation. Whatever we do must be for the glory and honor of our God. Selfish praying bounces off of the ceiling! ". . .because we ask amiss that we may consume it upon our lusts," according to James 4.
God wants us to be able to communicate with Him. In fact He opened up the way into His presence through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. So, we can come to the Lord in prayer, and not only that, God has given us the Holy Spirit so that we can pray correctly. This is the third principle of effective prayer: Pray in the Holy Spirit.
Jude verse 20 calls this "praying in the Holy Ghost."
Ephesians 6:18 reminds us, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Zechariah 12:10 also foretells this privilege, "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications:. . ."
Elijah prayed earnestly. The Spirit of God that was upon him, of which Elisha received a double portion, was the Spirit of prayer, earnest and effective prayer.
Jesus gives us a wonderful promise, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever." (John 14:16) The Holy Spirit, the Comforter has been given to believers so that we can pray, and pray effectively and fervently so that the work of witnessing can be done.
Romans 8:26 states, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." You and I can pray effectively because of the Holy Spirit Who lives in us and guides our prayers.
Let us then be filled with the Spirit of God. Being filled with the Spirit means to be CONTROLLED by Him, to be SUBMITTED to His power and leadership, and to be YIELDED to Him. The results of this filling are seen in the context of Ephesians 5:18. Singing, worshipping the Lord in melody with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (don't miss the fact that the Holy Spirit is always holy), submission to the Lord and those who are in authority or partnered with me in the work of God (spouses), and service. The Holy Spirit has been given so that we are transformed into "Christians" in our words, deeds, attitudes, attendances, dress, home-life, and every other part of our lives. Sin grieves Him. Dirt defiles Him. Disobedience quenches Him. And when this happens? Our prayer-lives suffer.
We have a vital connection with the Lord. Let us be constantly cultivating our life in the Spirit. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly is the admonition. We are invited to "draw near" in Hebrews. Anything that would hinder us must be removed! Oh, that we would be a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing!
First, our prayers are often hindered by our own unconfessed sins. So we must be clean before God so that our prayers will be heard. "If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18.
Next, we must pray with proper motivation. Whatever we do must be for the glory and honor of our God. Selfish praying bounces off of the ceiling! ". . .because we ask amiss that we may consume it upon our lusts," according to James 4.
God wants us to be able to communicate with Him. In fact He opened up the way into His presence through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus at Calvary. So, we can come to the Lord in prayer, and not only that, God has given us the Holy Spirit so that we can pray correctly. This is the third principle of effective prayer: Pray in the Holy Spirit.
Jude verse 20 calls this "praying in the Holy Ghost."
Ephesians 6:18 reminds us, "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints."
Zechariah 12:10 also foretells this privilege, "And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications:. . ."
Elijah prayed earnestly. The Spirit of God that was upon him, of which Elisha received a double portion, was the Spirit of prayer, earnest and effective prayer.
Jesus gives us a wonderful promise, "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever." (John 14:16) The Holy Spirit, the Comforter has been given to believers so that we can pray, and pray effectively and fervently so that the work of witnessing can be done.
Romans 8:26 states, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." You and I can pray effectively because of the Holy Spirit Who lives in us and guides our prayers.
Let us then be filled with the Spirit of God. Being filled with the Spirit means to be CONTROLLED by Him, to be SUBMITTED to His power and leadership, and to be YIELDED to Him. The results of this filling are seen in the context of Ephesians 5:18. Singing, worshipping the Lord in melody with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs (don't miss the fact that the Holy Spirit is always holy), submission to the Lord and those who are in authority or partnered with me in the work of God (spouses), and service. The Holy Spirit has been given so that we are transformed into "Christians" in our words, deeds, attitudes, attendances, dress, home-life, and every other part of our lives. Sin grieves Him. Dirt defiles Him. Disobedience quenches Him. And when this happens? Our prayer-lives suffer.
We have a vital connection with the Lord. Let us be constantly cultivating our life in the Spirit. Let the Word of God dwell in you richly is the admonition. We are invited to "draw near" in Hebrews. Anything that would hinder us must be removed! Oh, that we would be a glorious church without spot or wrinkle or any such thing!
Monday, May 4, 2009
Answers to Prayer - part 2
What can prayer do? According to Genesis, prayer can rescue a saved family from a bad situation (Lot). Prayer can bring national deliverance, as seen in Exodus. Prayer shut up the heavens so that it would not rain, and then opened the heavens so that it would rain again. Prayer brought healing to those who were sick. Prayer opens the storehouse of God's provision. Prayer brings the power of the Holy Spirit upon our lives and ministries. Thank God for prayer! What a marvelous privilege! It is a shame that such a powerful tool can be disabled. Let's look at another principle for answers to prayer: PRAY WITH THE PROPER MOTIVES.
James 4:3 shows us that sometimes our prayer are unanswered because we "ask amiss" that we may consume whatever it is we are asking for on our own desires. How can we examine our motives. . .the things that cause us to ask God for His blessings? I believe that we should follow three principles: 1. God's plan must be our focus; 2. God's person must be our delight; and, 3. God's provision must be our satisfaction.
One of my favorite prayer promises is found in Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." If I pull this verse out of context, you would say I have joined with the "name it and claim it" group. In fact, Scripture must be taken in It's context to make Heavenly sense. The last part of chapter six, in Matthew, provides the proper context. Reading in verse thirty-three, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto thee." We can receive that for which we pray, if our motives are right. From these verses we see that God's Plan Must be Our Focus. This weeds out many improper motives.
Next, God's Person Must be Our Delight. Psalm 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." This is an awesome verse! He will give thee the desires of thine heart. Again, the context makes the condition for this promise clear. When we delight ourselves in the Lord, not in what He gives, but in Him, then He will give us the desires of our hearts. Do you delight in the Lord? If we delight in the Lord, we will also delight in what He says. Our Bibles will not be neglected. Preaching time and Bible study time will not be neglected either if we truly delight in Him. When we delight in the Lord, we will also delight in His work. We cannot be consistently having answers to prayer and not be involved in the work of God. Often my father-in-law makes the statement, "Every Christian needs to be an active member of a local Bible-preaching church." When we truly delight in the Lord, we will be an active part of His work. If we delight in the Lord we will delight in His ways. Our decision-making processes indicate whether or not we truly delight in the Lord. "My sheep hear my voice. . .and they follow me," Jesus said. How do you make decisions? Those who delight in the Lord will earnestly and honestly seek His leadership in every decision of life. A preacher friend of mine used to invite sarcasm because he would pray about everything, even the kind of peanut butter he was going to buy. I say, he was simply delighting in the Lord, His Shepherd. Our motives are revealed when we delight in the Lord.
Our motivation can also be exposed by our contentment or the lack thereof. God's Provision Must be Our Satisfaction. Ask yourself, "Am I satisfied with what God gives or do I seek something else. . .something more?" Satan tempted the first woman and the first man with this very temptation to be unsatisfied with God's provision. God's gifts to us are enough. For our salvation, Jesus' sacrifice and the shedding of His precious blood is enough. Seek nothing else for salvation. Simply trust Him. For our sanctification, the Word of God and the wondrous Holy Spirit at work in our lives are sufficient. Thank God His provision provides perfectly for our needs. For our daily sustenance, God has promised to provide what we need. Yet, many of the times we are greedily seeking MORE! Lehman Strauss made this statement: "The true purpose of prayer is not to get the things that we want from God, but to make us content with the things He wants us to have." Have we learned to be content? Jesus warned the brother seeking the inheritance to beware of covetousness. His warning should not go unheeded today.
So. . .what motivates our prayers? Do we pray for the same reason as the Pharisees? To show off our vocabulary? Listen to Psalm 24 "Who shall ascend in to the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart. . ." The Word of God alone can show us our true motives. When we get our motivation cleaned up, our prayers can begin to be answered. Let us pray, and get our prayers answered for the glory of God. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all to the glory of God." Keep praying!
James 4:3 shows us that sometimes our prayer are unanswered because we "ask amiss" that we may consume whatever it is we are asking for on our own desires. How can we examine our motives. . .the things that cause us to ask God for His blessings? I believe that we should follow three principles: 1. God's plan must be our focus; 2. God's person must be our delight; and, 3. God's provision must be our satisfaction.
One of my favorite prayer promises is found in Matthew 7:7 "Ask and it shall be given you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." If I pull this verse out of context, you would say I have joined with the "name it and claim it" group. In fact, Scripture must be taken in It's context to make Heavenly sense. The last part of chapter six, in Matthew, provides the proper context. Reading in verse thirty-three, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto thee." We can receive that for which we pray, if our motives are right. From these verses we see that God's Plan Must be Our Focus. This weeds out many improper motives.
Next, God's Person Must be Our Delight. Psalm 37:4 "Delight thyself also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." This is an awesome verse! He will give thee the desires of thine heart. Again, the context makes the condition for this promise clear. When we delight ourselves in the Lord, not in what He gives, but in Him, then He will give us the desires of our hearts. Do you delight in the Lord? If we delight in the Lord, we will also delight in what He says. Our Bibles will not be neglected. Preaching time and Bible study time will not be neglected either if we truly delight in Him. When we delight in the Lord, we will also delight in His work. We cannot be consistently having answers to prayer and not be involved in the work of God. Often my father-in-law makes the statement, "Every Christian needs to be an active member of a local Bible-preaching church." When we truly delight in the Lord, we will be an active part of His work. If we delight in the Lord we will delight in His ways. Our decision-making processes indicate whether or not we truly delight in the Lord. "My sheep hear my voice. . .and they follow me," Jesus said. How do you make decisions? Those who delight in the Lord will earnestly and honestly seek His leadership in every decision of life. A preacher friend of mine used to invite sarcasm because he would pray about everything, even the kind of peanut butter he was going to buy. I say, he was simply delighting in the Lord, His Shepherd. Our motives are revealed when we delight in the Lord.
Our motivation can also be exposed by our contentment or the lack thereof. God's Provision Must be Our Satisfaction. Ask yourself, "Am I satisfied with what God gives or do I seek something else. . .something more?" Satan tempted the first woman and the first man with this very temptation to be unsatisfied with God's provision. God's gifts to us are enough. For our salvation, Jesus' sacrifice and the shedding of His precious blood is enough. Seek nothing else for salvation. Simply trust Him. For our sanctification, the Word of God and the wondrous Holy Spirit at work in our lives are sufficient. Thank God His provision provides perfectly for our needs. For our daily sustenance, God has promised to provide what we need. Yet, many of the times we are greedily seeking MORE! Lehman Strauss made this statement: "The true purpose of prayer is not to get the things that we want from God, but to make us content with the things He wants us to have." Have we learned to be content? Jesus warned the brother seeking the inheritance to beware of covetousness. His warning should not go unheeded today.
So. . .what motivates our prayers? Do we pray for the same reason as the Pharisees? To show off our vocabulary? Listen to Psalm 24 "Who shall ascend in to the hill of the Lord, or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart. . ." The Word of God alone can show us our true motives. When we get our motivation cleaned up, our prayers can begin to be answered. Let us pray, and get our prayers answered for the glory of God. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all to the glory of God." Keep praying!
Monday, April 27, 2009
Getting Answers to Prayer - Part One
In order to get our prayers answered, take the first step and get clean before God. None of us want to live in filth physically. The smells, the feel, the oily look, the . . .well you get the picture. Several years ago I joined a group on a trip to Honduras, and came back with a hanging bag that had to be put down because it had absorbed some kind of a bad, stinky odor! We had a little puppy, or should I say "poopy", when I was very young who would decorate the carpet with multi-colored droppings. Needless to say, this is not the way to live long and prosper in the Sauvageot household. Most of us have a level of tolerance when it comes to cleaning. At a certain point an internal alarm goes off and we MUST CLEAN. Then again, you can visit some places and wonder where the alarm level is for those people.
Wouldn't it be great if our spiritual sensitivity was so acute that ANY SIN set off a loud spiritual cleaning alarm? God will not hear our prayers when we "regard iniquity in our heart". He has the power and desire to clean us up, but we must first come to Him for cleansing. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to forgive us form all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
We can either be sin "coverers" or sin "confessors". Sin "coverers', like Achan, will not prosper. However, when we come clean with God and agree with Him regarding our particular sins, He will clean us up. 1 John 3:22 carries a powerful promise: "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
It is time to clean up! I don't know about you, but I must have instant and full access to the heavenly throneroom. My budget requires it. My ministry requires it. My friendships require it. Every part of my life necessitates that God brings His power and His help. Like preacher Harold Clayton from over in Texas, I wake up in the mornings and pray, "Lord, HELP!" How about you? Do you also have a need of daily and moment-by-moment heavenly intervention? If you do, then come to the fountain for salvation's cleansing, and then have your feet washed daily so that you gain access in prayer.
GOD BLESS YOU TODAY!!
Wouldn't it be great if our spiritual sensitivity was so acute that ANY SIN set off a loud spiritual cleaning alarm? God will not hear our prayers when we "regard iniquity in our heart". He has the power and desire to clean us up, but we must first come to Him for cleansing. "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to forgive us form all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)
We can either be sin "coverers" or sin "confessors". Sin "coverers', like Achan, will not prosper. However, when we come clean with God and agree with Him regarding our particular sins, He will clean us up. 1 John 3:22 carries a powerful promise: "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight."
It is time to clean up! I don't know about you, but I must have instant and full access to the heavenly throneroom. My budget requires it. My ministry requires it. My friendships require it. Every part of my life necessitates that God brings His power and His help. Like preacher Harold Clayton from over in Texas, I wake up in the mornings and pray, "Lord, HELP!" How about you? Do you also have a need of daily and moment-by-moment heavenly intervention? If you do, then come to the fountain for salvation's cleansing, and then have your feet washed daily so that you gain access in prayer.
GOD BLESS YOU TODAY!!
Monday, April 20, 2009
Principles of Giving
A little girl was given a dollar bill and a quarter with the instructions to put whichever one she wanted to in the offering at church. When the family got home, her mother asked her which one she had given. "Mamma, I was going to give the dollar, but the preacher said that the Lord loves a cheerful giver, and giving the quarter would make me more cheerful. So I gave the quarter."
1 Corinthians 16's first few verses provide some powerful principles of giving.
1. Giving is God's program. God Himself is the Giver. He is the source of every good and every perfect gift. He gave the very best, when He gave His only begotten Son to die for your sins and for mine. He has ordained that His children should also be givers. Offerings to care for the needs of widows, to care for the needs of preachers, and to assist struggling congregations can be discovered in the book of Acts and the Epistles. Before we begin the next bake-sale or garage sale, let's first ask ourselves, "Am I doing my part in God's program?"
2. Giving is a Priority. These believers were told that they should give on the first day of the week, as an act of worship. Throughout the Bible giving and worship are tied together. We really do not worship unless we are giving something to God. Romans 12:1-2 show us that our reasonable service, our act of true worship, is to present ourselves to God totally. This includes our wealth. Abraham returned from the battle with the kings and presented tithes to the King of Salem in an act of worship. The OT Law called for sacrfices, bulls, goats, sheep, turtledoves, and meal so that people could come to God in worship. The first day of the week became the Christian sabbath as believers began to gather and worship in celebration of the resurrection. It was on this day of the week that Paul instructed the Corinthians to bring their offerings in worship.
3. Give Personally. "Every one of you." Nobody can beg to be excused from this one. Young and old, rich and poor, new convert and ripened saints are all included. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Every heart should unite in worship of our Lord, and our giving indicates our heart-focus.
4. Give Proportionally. This passage says, "as God hath prospered". Financially, God has prospered some more than others. With this blessing, God also adds the responsibility of giving more. One Biblical truth to be mentioned in this idea of proportional giving is the tithe: or tenth. This principle is first observed in the life of Abraham and the other patriarchs. Worship, submission, protection, and blessing are all related to this truth. Malachi 3 clarifies some of these truths regarding the tithe. Jesus sat by the temple one day and watched the people give their offerings, and he made a startling statement concerning one poor widow woman. He declared that she had given more than all of the others, though she only gave two mites. . .a very small amount. Reason? She gave ALL.
5. God protects the gifts. Instructions are given here to select faithful individuals to safe-guard the offering while it is intransit. This speaks of good stewardship and accountability. God watches over His own. He expects us to also take care of the offerings being given. By the way, God not only protects the offerings that are given, He also protects the church from those who would give with deceitful hearts and motives. Ananias and Sapphira show this to be true!
We live in times of financial crisis. Even in these times, God expects us to be faithful in our giving. Remember, He is our Source. I thought of a widow woman picking up sticks so that she could feed her son one last time and then sit down and die of starvation. While she was picking up the sticks, a preacher gave her instructions to cook him a little cake first. She told him her story, but obeyed anyway. God took care of her and her son throughout the time of drouth. We serve the same God today. One preacher said. "He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the hills, and the taters under those hills!" Amen! Let us trust and obey Him.
1 Corinthians 16's first few verses provide some powerful principles of giving.
1. Giving is God's program. God Himself is the Giver. He is the source of every good and every perfect gift. He gave the very best, when He gave His only begotten Son to die for your sins and for mine. He has ordained that His children should also be givers. Offerings to care for the needs of widows, to care for the needs of preachers, and to assist struggling congregations can be discovered in the book of Acts and the Epistles. Before we begin the next bake-sale or garage sale, let's first ask ourselves, "Am I doing my part in God's program?"
2. Giving is a Priority. These believers were told that they should give on the first day of the week, as an act of worship. Throughout the Bible giving and worship are tied together. We really do not worship unless we are giving something to God. Romans 12:1-2 show us that our reasonable service, our act of true worship, is to present ourselves to God totally. This includes our wealth. Abraham returned from the battle with the kings and presented tithes to the King of Salem in an act of worship. The OT Law called for sacrfices, bulls, goats, sheep, turtledoves, and meal so that people could come to God in worship. The first day of the week became the Christian sabbath as believers began to gather and worship in celebration of the resurrection. It was on this day of the week that Paul instructed the Corinthians to bring their offerings in worship.
3. Give Personally. "Every one of you." Nobody can beg to be excused from this one. Young and old, rich and poor, new convert and ripened saints are all included. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Every heart should unite in worship of our Lord, and our giving indicates our heart-focus.
4. Give Proportionally. This passage says, "as God hath prospered". Financially, God has prospered some more than others. With this blessing, God also adds the responsibility of giving more. One Biblical truth to be mentioned in this idea of proportional giving is the tithe: or tenth. This principle is first observed in the life of Abraham and the other patriarchs. Worship, submission, protection, and blessing are all related to this truth. Malachi 3 clarifies some of these truths regarding the tithe. Jesus sat by the temple one day and watched the people give their offerings, and he made a startling statement concerning one poor widow woman. He declared that she had given more than all of the others, though she only gave two mites. . .a very small amount. Reason? She gave ALL.
5. God protects the gifts. Instructions are given here to select faithful individuals to safe-guard the offering while it is intransit. This speaks of good stewardship and accountability. God watches over His own. He expects us to also take care of the offerings being given. By the way, God not only protects the offerings that are given, He also protects the church from those who would give with deceitful hearts and motives. Ananias and Sapphira show this to be true!
We live in times of financial crisis. Even in these times, God expects us to be faithful in our giving. Remember, He is our Source. I thought of a widow woman picking up sticks so that she could feed her son one last time and then sit down and die of starvation. While she was picking up the sticks, a preacher gave her instructions to cook him a little cake first. She told him her story, but obeyed anyway. God took care of her and her son throughout the time of drouth. We serve the same God today. One preacher said. "He owns the cattle on a thousand hills, the hills, and the taters under those hills!" Amen! Let us trust and obey Him.
Monday, April 13, 2009
He Lives!
We serve a wonderful Savior. Not only was He willing to come to earth, live in poverty, endure all kinds of opposition, and die on the rugged cross, He also was able to rise from the dead. Romans 1:4 "And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection. . ." 1 Corinthians 15:57 shows that we have victory through Jesus Christ, "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
He gives us victory by fulfilling the Law. The Law was given so that we might know ourselves GUILTY before God. Romans 10:4 shows us that the Law could not save us because it had an natural weakness, our flesh. We could not keep the Law! Jesus did. He satisfied the righteous demands of the Law of God. Not only that, Colossians 2 shows us that He took the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. That means that in Jesus the Law no longer has any accusations that will stick!
He gives victory by defeating sin. Jesus defeated sin in His birth. Instead of being born to a human father and inheriting the sinful nature of Adam's race, Jesus was born of supernatural means. Luke 1:35 tells how this happened. It was by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was born of a virgin birth, and it is important that we believe this. Without the virgin birth, we have no perfect Savior able to redeem us. Jesus was born of perfect birth. Jesus also lived a perfect life. Instead of being "pretty good", or some "prophet", Jesus lived and died without sin. Only on the cross did Jesus taste the bitter cup of sin and sin's penalty when he was made sin for us. But remember the next phrase of htis verse from 2 Corinthians 5:21, ". . .who knew no sin. . ." Jesus lived a perfect life. He knew no sin. Even His enemies could find no fault in Him at all. Certainly Jesus was tempted. Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. The book of Hebrews states that He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. Though severely tempted, Jesus lived a sinless life. Then He died a sinless death, a vicarious death, for you and for me. In the Old Testament, the Jews were instructed to take a lamb for their family and set it aside for a period of time. This was done in order to examine that lamb. Blemishes or deformities would disqualify the lamb. The lamb had to be without blemish and without spot in order to become the Passover sacrifice. Jesus is our Passover Lamb. He is without blemish and without spot. He has defeated sin.
Not only has Jesus fulfilled the Law and defeated sin, He has also removed the sting of death. Walk through history's graveyard and you will find that the brightest and best have met and succumbed to the last enemy, death. Caesar and Alexander, Lenin and Mao, Socrates and Aristotle, and the list is endless, all are in the grave. Great religious leaders, Mohammed, Buddah, Confucius, Smith ALL IN THE GRAVE! But, especially at this time of the year, we walk through a garden spot, look for a wounded body seeking to bring our belated gifts only to find that He is not here! He is risen as He said! He has removed the sting of death! Death now is but the foyer to eternal life for those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. So the question becomes more important: WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS WHICH IS CALLED CHRIST? He is the Son of God. He is the soon coming King. He has fulfilled the Law, defeated sin, and removed death's sting. Will you trust Him today for your salvation. He alone can take away your sin.
He gives us victory by fulfilling the Law. The Law was given so that we might know ourselves GUILTY before God. Romans 10:4 shows us that the Law could not save us because it had an natural weakness, our flesh. We could not keep the Law! Jesus did. He satisfied the righteous demands of the Law of God. Not only that, Colossians 2 shows us that He took the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. That means that in Jesus the Law no longer has any accusations that will stick!
He gives victory by defeating sin. Jesus defeated sin in His birth. Instead of being born to a human father and inheriting the sinful nature of Adam's race, Jesus was born of supernatural means. Luke 1:35 tells how this happened. It was by the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus was born of a virgin birth, and it is important that we believe this. Without the virgin birth, we have no perfect Savior able to redeem us. Jesus was born of perfect birth. Jesus also lived a perfect life. Instead of being "pretty good", or some "prophet", Jesus lived and died without sin. Only on the cross did Jesus taste the bitter cup of sin and sin's penalty when he was made sin for us. But remember the next phrase of htis verse from 2 Corinthians 5:21, ". . .who knew no sin. . ." Jesus lived a perfect life. He knew no sin. Even His enemies could find no fault in Him at all. Certainly Jesus was tempted. Satan tempted Him in the wilderness. The book of Hebrews states that He was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin. Though severely tempted, Jesus lived a sinless life. Then He died a sinless death, a vicarious death, for you and for me. In the Old Testament, the Jews were instructed to take a lamb for their family and set it aside for a period of time. This was done in order to examine that lamb. Blemishes or deformities would disqualify the lamb. The lamb had to be without blemish and without spot in order to become the Passover sacrifice. Jesus is our Passover Lamb. He is without blemish and without spot. He has defeated sin.
Not only has Jesus fulfilled the Law and defeated sin, He has also removed the sting of death. Walk through history's graveyard and you will find that the brightest and best have met and succumbed to the last enemy, death. Caesar and Alexander, Lenin and Mao, Socrates and Aristotle, and the list is endless, all are in the grave. Great religious leaders, Mohammed, Buddah, Confucius, Smith ALL IN THE GRAVE! But, especially at this time of the year, we walk through a garden spot, look for a wounded body seeking to bring our belated gifts only to find that He is not here! He is risen as He said! He has removed the sting of death! Death now is but the foyer to eternal life for those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. So the question becomes more important: WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH JESUS WHICH IS CALLED CHRIST? He is the Son of God. He is the soon coming King. He has fulfilled the Law, defeated sin, and removed death's sting. Will you trust Him today for your salvation. He alone can take away your sin.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
1 Corinthians 13
A More Excellent Way – 1 Corinthians 13
Introduction:
A Good Teacher and a Great Teacher
"Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go" (Mat_8:19).
A number of years ago a Johns Hopkins University professor asked his graduate students to locate 200 boys, ages 12-16 and research their family backgrounds. The assignment was then to predict their future. The students were sent to the slum area of the city to find the boys. The conclusion reached by the graduate students was that 90 percent of those researched would spend time in jail. The final chapter of this study would not completed until 25 years later.
When the 200 original students were sought after, some 25 years later, John Hopkins sent the researchers into the slum area again. Some of the group still remained in the slums, others had moved away, a few had died. In all they were able to locate 180 of the original 200. What they found amazed them. Only four had ever been to jail (remember the prediction had been 90 percent of 200)!
What caused this figure to be so low when all indications pointed to a larger number? When the researchers began to ask this question they found that they were getting the same answer, "Well, there was this teacher...." Pressed further, the researchers found that the teacher in all cases was one and the same. The boys had all been influenced by the same teacher.
The graduate students traced down the teacher, now living in a retirement home, and inquired about her remarkable influence over a group of boys who were headed for a life of crime. She really could not think of any reason why she would have this kind of influence. She did mention that "I truly loved my students."
1. The Power of Charity
- w/o charity our words are empty
- w/o charity our preaching is powerless
- w/o charity our faith is of no benefit
- w/o charity our giving profits nothing
They Killed My Brother
I vividly remember an incident that took place at our Greek Keswick in Macedonia one year. The Lord had just opened the door for a special ministry among the Turks. After I announced it, a devout Christian woman came up to me, placed some Greek currency in my hand, and said, "I want this used to win Turks to Christ. They killed my brother, but I want to be the first to contribute to their cause." There will be a special reward for that woman at the day of judgment for believers.
- w/o charity our supreme sacrifice is 0
But with charity, our words are made health and healing, our preaching reaches down and touches the hearts of our fellow men, our faith touches the lives of those who will come behind us, our gifts mean so much more than just money, and our supreme sacrifice of ourselves is transformed into something glorious.
2. The Personality of Charity
- Charity is long-suffering; James 5:7
- Charity is kind (gentle in Behavior)
- Charity does not envy (from – BOIL)
- Charity vaunteth not itself (braggart)
- Charity is not puffed up; 1 Cor. 4:6, like bellows. . .
- Charity does not behave unseemly; is not indecent. . .1 Cor. 7:36 “uncomely”
- Charity seeks not her own; 1 Cor 10:24,33; not after personal interests
Christian Love
That great blind preacher, George Matheson, adequately grasped the idea of Paul when he wrote: "Christian love is the only kind of love in which there is no rivalry, no jealousy. There is jealousy among the lovers of art; there is jealousy among the lovers of song; there is jealousy among the lovers of beauty. The glory of natural love is its monopoly, its power to say, 'It is mine.' But the glory of Christian love is its refusal of monopoly. The spiritual artist-the man who paints Christ in his soul-wants no solitary niche in the temple of fame. He would not like to hear anyone say, 'He is the first of his profession; there is not one that can hold a candle to him.' He would be very sad to be thus distinguished in his profession of Christ, marked out as a solitary figure. The gladdest moment to him will always be the moment when the cry is heard, 'Thy brother is coming up the ladder also; thy brother will share the inheritance with thee.' "
- Charity is not provoked; can be good Acts 17:16, or bad Acts 15:39
- Charity thinketh no evil; does not make a list of the wrongs done, like a ledger.
- Charity rejoices not in iniquity; Romans 1:32. . .be careful of your entertainment.
- Charity rejoices in the truth – truth personified as opposed to unrighteousness.
- Charity beareth all things – the idea is of a roof, a protection or covering – 1 Peter 4:8
- Charity believeth all things; not gullible, but having faith in people. . .
- Charity hopeth all things; seeing the bright side, not despairing.
- Charity endueth all things; perseveres as a stout-hearted soldier; Jim Vineyard’s green beret experience in Vietnam walking out with broken bone in his leg.
3. The Perfection of Charity
- Perfect in its endurance, “never faileth”
- Perfect in its expression, the Book
- Perfect in its experience, seeing Him
Introduction:
A Good Teacher and a Great Teacher
"Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go" (Mat_8:19).
A number of years ago a Johns Hopkins University professor asked his graduate students to locate 200 boys, ages 12-16 and research their family backgrounds. The assignment was then to predict their future. The students were sent to the slum area of the city to find the boys. The conclusion reached by the graduate students was that 90 percent of those researched would spend time in jail. The final chapter of this study would not completed until 25 years later.
When the 200 original students were sought after, some 25 years later, John Hopkins sent the researchers into the slum area again. Some of the group still remained in the slums, others had moved away, a few had died. In all they were able to locate 180 of the original 200. What they found amazed them. Only four had ever been to jail (remember the prediction had been 90 percent of 200)!
What caused this figure to be so low when all indications pointed to a larger number? When the researchers began to ask this question they found that they were getting the same answer, "Well, there was this teacher...." Pressed further, the researchers found that the teacher in all cases was one and the same. The boys had all been influenced by the same teacher.
The graduate students traced down the teacher, now living in a retirement home, and inquired about her remarkable influence over a group of boys who were headed for a life of crime. She really could not think of any reason why she would have this kind of influence. She did mention that "I truly loved my students."
1. The Power of Charity
- w/o charity our words are empty
- w/o charity our preaching is powerless
- w/o charity our faith is of no benefit
- w/o charity our giving profits nothing
They Killed My Brother
I vividly remember an incident that took place at our Greek Keswick in Macedonia one year. The Lord had just opened the door for a special ministry among the Turks. After I announced it, a devout Christian woman came up to me, placed some Greek currency in my hand, and said, "I want this used to win Turks to Christ. They killed my brother, but I want to be the first to contribute to their cause." There will be a special reward for that woman at the day of judgment for believers.
- w/o charity our supreme sacrifice is 0
But with charity, our words are made health and healing, our preaching reaches down and touches the hearts of our fellow men, our faith touches the lives of those who will come behind us, our gifts mean so much more than just money, and our supreme sacrifice of ourselves is transformed into something glorious.
2. The Personality of Charity
- Charity is long-suffering; James 5:7
- Charity is kind (gentle in Behavior)
- Charity does not envy (from – BOIL)
- Charity vaunteth not itself (braggart)
- Charity is not puffed up; 1 Cor. 4:6, like bellows. . .
- Charity does not behave unseemly; is not indecent. . .1 Cor. 7:36 “uncomely”
- Charity seeks not her own; 1 Cor 10:24,33; not after personal interests
Christian Love
That great blind preacher, George Matheson, adequately grasped the idea of Paul when he wrote: "Christian love is the only kind of love in which there is no rivalry, no jealousy. There is jealousy among the lovers of art; there is jealousy among the lovers of song; there is jealousy among the lovers of beauty. The glory of natural love is its monopoly, its power to say, 'It is mine.' But the glory of Christian love is its refusal of monopoly. The spiritual artist-the man who paints Christ in his soul-wants no solitary niche in the temple of fame. He would not like to hear anyone say, 'He is the first of his profession; there is not one that can hold a candle to him.' He would be very sad to be thus distinguished in his profession of Christ, marked out as a solitary figure. The gladdest moment to him will always be the moment when the cry is heard, 'Thy brother is coming up the ladder also; thy brother will share the inheritance with thee.' "
- Charity is not provoked; can be good Acts 17:16, or bad Acts 15:39
- Charity thinketh no evil; does not make a list of the wrongs done, like a ledger.
- Charity rejoices not in iniquity; Romans 1:32. . .be careful of your entertainment.
- Charity rejoices in the truth – truth personified as opposed to unrighteousness.
- Charity beareth all things – the idea is of a roof, a protection or covering – 1 Peter 4:8
- Charity believeth all things; not gullible, but having faith in people. . .
- Charity hopeth all things; seeing the bright side, not despairing.
- Charity endueth all things; perseveres as a stout-hearted soldier; Jim Vineyard’s green beret experience in Vietnam walking out with broken bone in his leg.
3. The Perfection of Charity
- Perfect in its endurance, “never faileth”
- Perfect in its expression, the Book
- Perfect in its experience, seeing Him
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