In yesterday's message I said that it would be good to create a memorial of something God has done in our life so we could tell the generations that follow us. The focus and purpose of these things is not the beauty of the memorial but the desire to teach the generations that follow us just how great our God is and what He has done.
If we think about it, creation is a lasting memorial to our all wise, powerful God. Although some would like to say it's not so, the Grand Canyon is a memorial to our creator God. As we look around the birds of the air and the flowers of the field are memorials to the faithfulness of our providing God. I can't help but praise Him when ever I see a garden growing and thank Him for the food on my table.
In the world around us God has living memorials that He is God and God alone. (Psalm 8 and 19) As a believer I ought to tell others of the great things God has done in creation, I should give Him credit for His handiwork, and stand in awe of my Lord God. So everytime I see that beautiful sunset, watch the amazing bee at work, see one of the natural wonders of the world, I should tell someone in the generations that follow that it's the God of the Bible who has done this!
What's the greatest memorial you've ever seen that God created? I think when it's all said, done, and seen the greatest memorial to the glory of God that He has ever made is the changed life of the believer. It shines bigger and better than even the Grand Canyon because it can speak and tell the great things God has done! (Mark 5:19)
Monday, May 25, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
As I closed the message yesterday I tried to remind us all of the great opportunity of service we have today. I spoke of God's calling some to "full time" service and the great open door that this calling brings. I wanted us to remember that God has given us all spiritual gifts and with these gifts we have specific areas of service in the body of Christ. This opens a door of special purpose and place in service. Yet with both of these there are also the many things all Christians are given to do, such as, being a witness to others (Acts 1:8), being hospitable (Romans 12:12), bearing one another's burdens (Galatians 6:1-10), and several other regular actions of the believer that follow Christ's example who went about doing good. The doors are there, most are open wide, some need just to be pushed a little, but we all need to make an effort.
How I wished that the Holy Spirit would have pressed all of us through a door of simple service (Maybe He did) such as cleaning a room at the church, sweeping a sidewalk, washing windows, inviting a neighbor, preparing a meal, starting a Bible study of prayer group, writing a letter of encouragement, or another daily or weekly task that could go on unseen by most but invaluable to the body of Christ. Just doing a small part adds up to big things so ask yourself "What am I going to do for Jesus today?" Maybe you would share your open door on the comment response. Let's be workers together for His Kingdom.
How I wished that the Holy Spirit would have pressed all of us through a door of simple service (Maybe He did) such as cleaning a room at the church, sweeping a sidewalk, washing windows, inviting a neighbor, preparing a meal, starting a Bible study of prayer group, writing a letter of encouragement, or another daily or weekly task that could go on unseen by most but invaluable to the body of Christ. Just doing a small part adds up to big things so ask yourself "What am I going to do for Jesus today?" Maybe you would share your open door on the comment response. Let's be workers together for His Kingdom.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Yesterday during the message I mistakenly said Raybelle for Rahab. It caused a few chuckles and a big moment of embarrassment for me. It's awful when my tongue gets over my eye tooth and I can't see what I'm saying!
Anyway that night when I sought Raybelle out to say I was sorry for the slip up she said something that blessed me. She said "You can call me Rahab any time if I can have faith like she had!" What a truth, what a great attitude, what a right way to think about others. She saw what God had made her not what she was before faith. She knew the new Rahab, a product of God's mercy and grace, was a worthy hero and she wanted to be like her. Rahab was her blessing not her bad example.
So, why is it that we have such a hard time seeing what God has done in the lives of people He has saved? Why is it that the past is remembered as if there is no changing power in the Gospel we preach? Although God refers to her as the harlot in the New Testament does He only so we don't confuse her with other Rahabs. God makes her an example of a real, visible, working faith for us to follow. So who is Rahab to you, a harlot or hero? What about that brother or sister in Christ? Are they the person with a sinful past who should be avoided or a brother or sister with a forgiven present who is worthy to be followed? Remember 1 Timothy 1:12-16
Anyway that night when I sought Raybelle out to say I was sorry for the slip up she said something that blessed me. She said "You can call me Rahab any time if I can have faith like she had!" What a truth, what a great attitude, what a right way to think about others. She saw what God had made her not what she was before faith. She knew the new Rahab, a product of God's mercy and grace, was a worthy hero and she wanted to be like her. Rahab was her blessing not her bad example.
So, why is it that we have such a hard time seeing what God has done in the lives of people He has saved? Why is it that the past is remembered as if there is no changing power in the Gospel we preach? Although God refers to her as the harlot in the New Testament does He only so we don't confuse her with other Rahabs. God makes her an example of a real, visible, working faith for us to follow. So who is Rahab to you, a harlot or hero? What about that brother or sister in Christ? Are they the person with a sinful past who should be avoided or a brother or sister with a forgiven present who is worthy to be followed? Remember 1 Timothy 1:12-16
Monday, May 4, 2009
It was encouraging last night to hear so many people say that Joshua was their favorite Old Testament book. The comments ranged from "I can't wait for the series of messages!" to "How can I get a copy of the message the week I can't be at Church?" It wasn't just the comments that caught my attention but the countence too. The smiles, the twinkle in the eyes, the overall look of excitement was an equal blessing. The eagerness to hear the Word is always an encouragement to a pastor.
It is true that our attitude toward the preaching and teaching of the ought to be eagerness. The Bible says we should desire it as new born babies desire milk, as a hungry person wants bread, and as a student desires learning. A desire for the Word is Spirit given but is developed by the faithful receiving of the Word. A willingness to be led of the Spirit will always bring us to the teaching of the Word. Check out Acts 17.
Desire of the Word should also have discipline with it. For the believer to receive the most from the Word we need the attitude of a student who will study, search, and apply the Word to his life. It's important to come to a place of the teaching of the Bible with an open mind, a soft heart, and a pencil to write something down to remember and think about later. It's important to seek to keep what we learn in our mind over the next few days until the Spirit of God has put it into practice in our lives. Check out James 1.
Last but not least is to remember to distribute to others the things we have learned from the Word. In 2 Timothy 2:2 the Apostle Paul taught this principle and it proved to be a strength to the churches where he ministered. Maybe you would consider starting a small "afterglow" group to meet together during the week and discuss questions and blessings learned from the Word at church or Sunday School.
I admit I left church last night with a greater desire to prepare to preach this series from the Book of Joshua, looking forward to the growth it will bring in my life and in the lives of those who hear and obey it. It is our solid foundation (Matthew 7).
It is true that our attitude toward the preaching and teaching of the ought to be eagerness. The Bible says we should desire it as new born babies desire milk, as a hungry person wants bread, and as a student desires learning. A desire for the Word is Spirit given but is developed by the faithful receiving of the Word. A willingness to be led of the Spirit will always bring us to the teaching of the Word. Check out Acts 17.
Desire of the Word should also have discipline with it. For the believer to receive the most from the Word we need the attitude of a student who will study, search, and apply the Word to his life. It's important to come to a place of the teaching of the Bible with an open mind, a soft heart, and a pencil to write something down to remember and think about later. It's important to seek to keep what we learn in our mind over the next few days until the Spirit of God has put it into practice in our lives. Check out James 1.
Last but not least is to remember to distribute to others the things we have learned from the Word. In 2 Timothy 2:2 the Apostle Paul taught this principle and it proved to be a strength to the churches where he ministered. Maybe you would consider starting a small "afterglow" group to meet together during the week and discuss questions and blessings learned from the Word at church or Sunday School.
I admit I left church last night with a greater desire to prepare to preach this series from the Book of Joshua, looking forward to the growth it will bring in my life and in the lives of those who hear and obey it. It is our solid foundation (Matthew 7).
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