28
November
2005
PROPHECY OF A PERSON - The Face of God
Isaiah 7:11-14
People. We can’t live without them. We need people. People need us. One of the most adoring and comforting features of a person is the face. We use the word faceless in the English language to denote “without an identity”. A face gives us identity. It tells people who we are. It expresses how we are. It can reveal our deepest emotions, like fear, joy, anger, compassion, apathy and love.
When you meet a person for the first time, you look at the face. When you think about the person later, you don’t remember the hand or the foot or the neck. You remember the face. When I visit the courthouse to renew my license, the photographer takes a picture of my face. She doesn’t say to me, “Let’s get a good shot of your right shoulder”. People will identify me by my face.
God is said in the Old Testament Bible to have hands and arms, and even a back. But in the New Testament He is given a face. He is a person.
Some people might not consider that very important. But most people do. In the English language, we use a term called “personification”. That’s when something that is not human is given human characteristics. We might say “the wind howled” or “the door hinges groaned”. Even the Bible tells us that the mountains “clap their hands”. Personification reveals to us our need to put a face with everything that happens. We need to be able to see in order to experience.
Look at our holidays. We have an Easter bunny, Tom Turkey and Pilgrims and Indians for Thanksgiving. We sing “the turkey ran away before Thanksgiving Day”. We see a variety of faces on Halloween. We buy pumpkins and what do we do with them? We carve out a face. We laugh at leprechauns on St. Patrick’s Day, Cupid with his bow and arrow on Valentines Day.
Perhaps Christmas is most personified holiday. We can’t eat cookies without calling them “gingerbread men”. Angels. We create snow angels.
I guess they watch over the snowmen. Snowmen which, by the way, no one ever makes without putting on a face of “a corn cob pipe, a button nose, and two eyes made out of coal”. We even give him a name. Frosty. We call him a jolly, happy soul. Elves. Reindeer. How about Santa Claus? Some call him Father Christmas. A few weeks later we credit Father Time with bringing in the New Year. If it gets cold and snows hard we say “Mother Nature is up to it again.”
There’s something about a face. Its one thing to know about God and even His Character. God is love. God is just. God is holy. These sound good. But they don’t have a face. It’s another thing altogether to see God. God wanted us to see Him. That’s why we have Christmas. Personification of all personification. God not only put on a human face. He became human.
Number 6:25 is a blessing: “the Lord make His face to shine upon thee”.
The Psalmist declared to the Lord, “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness” (17:15).
The passage today refers to a situation in Judah. King Ahaz, a young King, was threatened by King Rezin of Damascus and King Pekah of Samaria to join a coalition against Assyria. When King Ahaz refused, these kings planned to attack him. It brought about fear and uncertainty to think of his land being invaded. In the midst of these uncertain times, King Ahaz had gone out to inspect the city’s water supply. Isaiah and his son went out to meet him. His face there, as all prophets, represented God. His purpose was to convince Ahaz that if he didn’t trust God in all this, his nation would suffer a crisis of judgment. Only a remnant would ultimately survive. Isaiah’s son’s name was Shear-jashub, which meant “a remnant shall return”.
Isaiah had good advice. No matter what’s happening in your life, look to God. But a face sure would help. He knew that Pekah and Rezin were no threat to God. He even called them “two smoldering stumps of firebrands”. Now that’s another way of saying, “they’re all smoke and no fire.” I reckon that’s a good description of all our problems and enemies in this life if God is on our side. They are all smoke and no fire. He tells him in verse 9 that if he does not believe God, his kingdom will not stand. Faith has always been the key to victory, hasn’t it? Hebrews 11:6 informs us that “without faith, it is impossible to please God”. He tells him, if I may paraphrase, “If you don’t hold on to God, you will fall”.
Isaiah opposed Ahaz’s plan to try to get on Assyria’s good side. Isaiah saw Ahaz’s plan as bad religion and bad politics and a lack of belief. Isaiah tried to get Ahaz to ask for a sign of God’s intervention in the matter. Ahaz sounded very pious and self righteous by saying, “What? Who me? Ask God for a sign? No way. I’d never tempt God like that.” So Isaiah said, “Then I’ll give you a sign.”
Now, the word “sign” appears some 79 times in the Old Testament. 25 of those relate to the plagues of Egypt. A sign is “something natural or supernatural that reveals a very important truth from God”. A sign never stands alone just to make a show. It never draws attention to itself, but to the message God that is revealed through it. Ahaz would not request a sign because, to do so would have been admitting Isaiah was right. If God gave him a great sign, he’d be obligated to do it God’s way.
Think about it for a moment. If God gave you a sign and made it perfectly clear what He wanted you to do, you would feel obligated to obey Him. You could offer no excuse. You could not say, “I didn’t hear you, God”. Or “I didn’t understand”. You could not plead, “it’s not the right time”. You could not even offer a good, pious excuse like, “Let me pray about it”. Or, “Let me take some time to think about it seriously.” If God made it clear to you and convinced you with a sign, you would be obligated to do it God’s way. That may have been the idea behind King Ahaz’s refusal.
So Isaiah gives him a sign. “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” He goes on to say that before the child is old enough to know right from wrong, Pekah and Rezin will be gone and forgotten. It was a message of hope for Judah and a threat to the evil kings. Immanuel means “God with us”. Isn’t this really the greatest promise of God? No matter where you are or what your circumstances are, “I will be with you”. God told Joshua in 1:5, “There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with thee; I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Jesus promised in the Great Commission, “Lo, I am with you always”.
Even right then a young virgin would bear a son and would be the sign that God was still with His people. Many years later, still in the tribe of Judah, God spoke these words through an angel to Joseph, the husband of Mary, “But when he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son; and thou shall call his name JESUS; for it is he that shall save his people from their sins. Now all this is come to pass, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, And they shall call his name Immanuel; which is, being interpreted, God with us.” Matthew 1:20-23
The writer of Matthew declares to us that the words of Isaiah declared down through the ages that God would be with us in the baby called Jesus. God put on a face. People could see the Christ child. Jesus would grow up and fulfill this great prophecy to “save His people from their sins” by dying on a cross and shedding His blood.
God with us. God in person. God with a face we can see. You might say, but I have never seen the face of God. Well, neither have I. John 1:18 tells us that “no man has seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him.” You might say, “I have never seen Jesus either.”
But the wise men did. Matthew 2:11, “And they came into the house and saw the young child with Mary his mother…” John the Baptist declared as he looked upon Jesus as He walked, “Behold the Lamb of God.” John 1:36. The Galileans cried, “We want to see Jesus.” Do you want to see Jesus? Do you want to see God? As Isaiah said to Ahaz, “Believe”. In Romans 10:9-10, we read two often quoted verses in the Bible concerning salvation. Paul tells us that we believe with our hearts and we confess with our mouths. He then says in verse 13 that “whoever calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”. Paul then refers to this same prophet, Isaiah, as he talks about hearing believing the good news. In verse 16 he writes, “But they did not all hearken to the glad tidings. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed our report?’”
Do you believe in the sign God has given? You can see Jesus today through eyes of faith. And if you see Jesus, you have seen God. That’s what Jesus said. In John 14:8-9 we hear these words, “Philip said unto him, Lord, show us the Father, and it suffices us. Jesus said unto him, have I been so long time with you, and do you not know me, Philip? He that has seen me has seen the Father…”
What does God want us to do today? To believe in His Son. To see Him through the eyes of faith.
John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.”
The invitation is to come and see. John 1:46, “And Nathanael said unto him, Can any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip said unto him, Come and see.”
One day we shall see God, if we believe in His Son, Jesus. I John 3:2, “Beloved, now are we children of God, and it is not yet made manifest what we shall be. We know that, if he shall be manifested, we shall be like him; for we shall see him even as he is.”
I Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face…”
Three thoughts to encourage you today:
1. As a Christian you can be assured God is always with you
2. You can trust God in all circumstances in our lives
3. You can look into the face of God because of Christmas
Somebody once said that when Noah was on the ark with all those animals, all those days, the air probably stunk pretty badly. But the storm was outside the ark. For Christians today who complain about our circumstances surrounding our lives, just remember…it’s always stormier outside of God’s presence. If we trust God’s plan and seek His face, we will stand through the fiercest storms of life.
“Keep your eyes on Jesus”, I often tell people in distress or during times of decision. Of course, I am referring to our spiritual eyes of faith. When Peter walked on the sea, he took his eyes off Jesus and began to sink. I am convinced this Advent season that if we look into the face of Jesus we will see the face of God. If we see the face of God, we can trust the words of Isaiah to King Ahaz in verse 4, “Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither let thy heart be faint…”
Posted: Sermons
20
November
2005
SACRIFICES THAT PLEASE GOD
(Hebrews 13:15-16)
Are you glad today that we no longer have to worship God by offering sacrifices? Are you thankful today that we are no longer under the sacrificial laws of the Old Testament?
I have news for you: We are still under the Old Testament sacrificial laws. And, yes, we must still come to God today by offering sacrifices.
There are three superlative passages in the New Testament that refer to sacrifice and genuine worship:
Romans 12:1-2 “I beseech you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
James 1:27 “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”
Hebrews 13:15-16 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
WHAT KIND OF SACRIFICES MUST I OFFER TO GOD TODAY?
1. Offer the Sacrifice of Praise to God
Under the covenant of Moses, the priesthood belonged to the tribe of Levi. Offering sacrifices was the responsibility of Aaron’s family. Hebrews 9:22 tells us “that without the shedding of blood there is no remission (of sin)”. Today, we are the priests. We offer the sacrifices. We call this doctrine the priesthood of the believers.
I Peter 2:5, 9 “You also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
Revelation 1:5-6, “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”
a. By Him (Jesus).
Thank God we no longer have to sacrifice animals. Why? The entire 9th chapter of Hebrews tells us why. Jesus became the High Priest by offering Himself as the perfect, once for all sacrifice for sin. Note verses 11-14, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies to the purifying of the flesh: How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
The sacrifice of Jesus does not have to be repeated. Hebrews 9:25-28 tell us, “Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entered into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.”
b. Continually,
As priests, we still have the duty of offering sacrifices of worship. These sacrifices are not for sin. That has already been paid by Jesus. Our sacrifice is to give Him praise…worship. This is a continual sacrifice, even for all eternity. We also sacrifice through worship by remembering the sacrifice of Jesus. The Lord’s supper or Eucharist is the highest form of this worship. We do it “in remembrance of me” No wonder the writer of Hebrews warns us “not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together” (10:25)
Continual means not just on Sundays or Thanksgiving and Christmas…but every day. Continual means that every word that comes out of our mouths ought to honor the Lord. Continual means to praise God when things are going good in your life and when things are not going so good.
c. With our Lips,
How do you praise God with your lips? Testimony, preaching, teaching, singing, praying, shouting…even confession is made with the mouth according to Romans 10:9-10.
You can hardly find a psalm that doesn’t speak of the lips or the voice.
Psalm 45:1-2, “My heart is indicting a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer… Grace is poured into your lips: therefore God hath blessed you for ever.”
Psalm 63:3-5, “Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee. Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.” My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips.”
Psalm 149:6, “Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth…”
Psalm 147:1, “Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.”
“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord”
“Let the redeemed of the Lord say so”
“Sing unto the Lord a new song.”
Matthew 12:34-37, “O generation of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart brings forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
d. Giving thanks. The literal translation is “to give confession to His name”. Confession means to “agree with God”. By confessing the goodness of God, we are expressing gratitude to Him.
Psalm 116:17-18, “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.”
2. Offer Sacrifices of Good Works
True Worship has a way of leading us to good works. Our good works are not sacrifices to pay for sin. Jesus has already paid for sin once and for all. Our good works become an offering to God in obedience and thanksgiving.
a. Do good to others. This means good deeds, acts of kindness, generosity. With the lips we praise God. With the rest of our bodies, our very lives, we also worship God. Remember what James said in 1:27 that pure religion involves ministering to widows and orphans?
b. Communicate with others. The word used here is koinonias, which translates fellowship, sharing, contributing, partnering…
Romans 12:13,“Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.”
II Corinthians 8:4-5, “Praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.” And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God.”
c. Please God.
II Corinthians 9:12-13, “For the administering of this service not only supplies the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; While by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men.”
When we praise God, we make Him more valuable in our eyes than ourselves. When we share with others, we make God more valuable in our eyes than our possessions. That pleases God.
Philippians 4:18 calls the gift the church sent Paul “an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God”.
Hosea 14:2, “Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.” The “calves of our lips” means “a thanks offering”.
Jonah 2:9, “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.”
In what ways have you offered the sacrifice of praise with your lips?
In what ways have you offered sacrifice with your life?
Will you offer your sacrifices to God today?
Posted: Sermons
19
November
2005
WHAT I LOVE MOST
ABOUT THIS CHURCH
Psalm 84:1-12
1. I Love the Building of the Church
2. I Love the Gatherings of the Church
3. I Love the People of the Church
4. I Love the Message of the Church
5. I Love the Mission of the Church
6. I Love the Head of the Church
Posted: Thoughts
19
November
2005
“THE FINAL STEP”
First Samuel 27:1-7
1. The First Step I sometimes take when facing a difficult situation in my life is to try to think my way through it.
It’s the truth: “When we listen to ourselves, it is important that we say the right things”
Something to think about: “Have I ever tried to rationalize my disobedience to God?”
Be honest with yourself: “Do I ever feel sorry for myself?”
2. The Second Step I sometimes take that naturally follows the first is to try to work my way through it.
It’s the truth: “One half of our problems come from wanting to have our own way. Guess where the other half comes from?”
Something to think about: Have I ever said something like, “I know it’s wrong, but I’m not hurting anyone but myself”?
Be Honest with yourself now: Have I ever made a statement of my good intentions, yet never really believed it yourself?
3. The Final Step I end up taking – the step that should come first – is to trust God to make my way through it
It’s the truth: “The longer you roll around in the mud, the more you will look like a pig and the less you will want to crawl out.”
Something to think about: “When have I had to act like something that I wasn’t?”
Be honest with yourself now: “What does it mean to me to strengthen myself in the Lord?”
My Response:
Has my thinking ever got me into trouble?
Have my actions ever drawn other people away from God?
What is it that makes it so hard for me to trust God and do what He says?
Posted: Thoughts
19
November
2005
ARE YOU Telling the Truth?
(Exodus 20:7)
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.”
What does it mean to take something in vain? Vain means
Empty useless nothing worthless futile Having no value or significance.
Do you ever treat God’s name this way? Let’s see if you do.
There are at least three ways you can take God’s name in vain
1. You can take God’s name in vain by using it as an expression
Do you regularly say things like, “Oh my God!” “Oh God!” “Jesus Christ” to express surprise or anger.
“FOR THE LORD WILL NOT HOLD HIM GUILTLESS…”
Matthew 12:36-37, “But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned.”
Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”
TWO EXTREMES
Proverbs 29:19-20, “A servant will not be corrected by words: for though he understands he will not answer. Do you see a man who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.”
2. You can take God’s name in vain by using it to make promises
Have you ever said something like this?
“I mean it. I’m telling you the truth. I swear to God.” Or
“I’d swear to it on a stack of Bibles”
2 Kings 5:20, “Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD lives, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.”
Jeremiah 5:2, “And though they say, The LORD lives; surely they swear falsely.”
BETTER TO NOT MAKE PROMISES THAN TO NOT KEEP THEM
Leviticus 19:12, “And you shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shall you profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.”
Robert Frost wrote, “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep; but I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep, and miles to go before I sleep.”
Matthew 5:33-37, “Again, you have heard that it has been said by them of old time, you shall not forswear yourself, but shall perform unto the Lord your oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth; for it is his footstool; neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shall you swear by your head, because you can not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no: for whatsoever is more than these comes of evil.”
*** IMPORTANT FACT ***
GOD IS ALREADY A PART OF EVERY PROMISE WE MAKE EVEN IF WE DO NOT USE HIS NAME
The Apostles Peter demonstates that there is a difference between swearing and lying. The ninth commandment forbids lying. The third commandment forbids swearing.
Matthew 26:74, “Then he began to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the rooster crowed.”
3. You can take God’s name in vain by using it without sincerity
Do you use God’s name to get attention?
Do you ever make promises just to get rid of somebody?
Do you ever say, “I’ll pray for you”, but don’t?
Do you ever use Jesus as a good luck charm just to get something you want?
Do you ever sing Christian songs and yet don’t really mean the words in your heart? “Have Thine Own Way, Lord.”
Luke 6:46, “And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things I say?”
Mark 7:6-7, “He answered and said to them, well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, this people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”
Lord’s Prayer, “Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be Thy Name.”
Posted: Thoughts
16
November
2005
FROM THE PASTOR’S HEART,
Our Letcher County Ministerial Association Community Thanksgiving Service will be held Tuesday night at 7:00. We will meet up on the hill at the new County Extension Office. For those who do not want to drive, we will run the bus from the church parking lot at 6:30 PM and bring you back to the church after the service.
We are fortunate to have our new bus and will to use it to transport those who want to ride. This will be just one of many ways we can use the bus to meet needs. I hope you will make the effort to attend. We will receive an offering to use in our ministry fund. Remember, this will take the place of our mid-week service; so there will be no prayer meeting on the 23rd.
Sunday the 27th ushers in the advent season. December 4-11 is the week of prayer for international missions. The Lottie Moon theme this year is “that all peoples may know Him”. I have personally challenged our church with a goal of $2500.00.
Let me take this time to thank you church family for your love and support to me as pastor and to my family. You are a great church family. We love you and pray for you continually. We thank God for you. I am thankful for the spirit of cooperation and unity we enjoy here at our church. I ask for your continued prayers for us. As your pastor, I am available. If you have a visit you wish me to make to a home, in the hospital, or where there is a need, please let me know. That’s why I am here!
From Carol, Robert, Bethany, and your pastor, we love you and – Have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
Bro. Tony
Posted: Articles
13
November
2005
ADDICTED TO MINISTRY
(I Corinthians 16:15-18)
There is something about this family in church, the Stephanas family – verse 15
1. The whole family serves the Lord
I Corinthians 1:16, “And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.”
2. They are the first family to respond in the new outreach
3. They are addicted to ministry to the saints
II Corinthians 8:1-5, “… the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; praying us with much entreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord and unto us by the will of God.”
We are urgently called upon to submit ourselves to people like the Stephanas family who work and labor for the Lord – verse 16
Hebrews 13:17, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.”
There are some wonderful benefits to having people like the Stephanas family in our church – verses 17-18
1. They bring joy to our church
2. They supply what is missing in our church
Philippians 2:25-30, “Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants… I sent him therefore the more carefully, that, when you see him again, you may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. Receive him therefore in the Lord with all gladness; and hold such in reputation: Because for the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not regarding his life, to supply your lack of service toward me.”
3. They become a breath of fresh air
II Timothy 1:16-18, “The Lord give mercy unto the house of Onesiphorus; for he often refreshed me … and was not ashamed of my chain: But, when he was in Rome, he sought me out very diligently, and found me … and in how many things he ministered unto me at Ephesus, you know very well.”
We are urged to take note of people like the Stephanas family – verse 18
I Thessalonians 5:12-13, “And we beseech you, brothers, to know them who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.”
Hebrews 6:10-12, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labor of love, which ye have showed toward his name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That you be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”
Posted: Sermons
9
November
2005
GETTING PERSONAL ABOUT LOVING PEOPLE
Ephesians 4:25-32
Do you have a difficult time loving some people? Are there some people with whom you find it impossible to get along? What can you do?
There are two basic approaches when learning to love people. First, you can spend a lifetime trying to change everybody you know into lovable people. Or, second, you can learn to change yourself and the way you relate to them.
The Top Ten Ways to Get Personal About Loving People
10. Be truthful in all your relationships verse 25
9. Control your anger so that it doesn’t control you verse 26
8. Give the devil only what he deserves verse 27
7. Work hard at something worthwhile verse 28
6. Use your mouth to lift up others and impart grace verse 29
5. Please the Holy Spirit with your actions and attitudes verse 30
4. Put away everything that is hurtful to yourself and others verse 31
3. Be kind to everyone you meet verse 32
2. Show compassion verse 32
1. Forgive other people as God in Christ has forgiven you verse 32
Posted: Articles
6
November
2005
IMAGINE THAT!
(Exodus 20:1-7)
1. GOD IS THE ONE AND ONLY ONE
Three stages of belief in God:
a. Polytheism: Belief in many gods at the same time.
b. Henotheism: Trust in your god while accepting that there are other gods who are just as real
c. Monotheism: Belief in One God in all the earth
He is God the Creator: Exodus 20:11, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
2. GOD IS INVISIBLE
He is God the Liberator: John 8:32, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
He is the jealous God: Hosea 2:8, “For she did not know that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold, which they prepared for Baal.”
• IDOLATRY CONSISTS OF
Bowing down to images Worshipping dead men Worshipping images Sacrificing to images Worshipping other gods Swearing by other gods Walking after other gods Speaking in the name of other gods Looking to other gods Serving other gods Fearing other gods Sacrificing to other gods Worshipping the true God Worshipping the host of heaven Worshipping demons Covetousness Changing the glory of God into an image Changing the truth of God into a lie
• THEY WHO PRACTISE IDOLATRY
Forget God Go astray from God Pollute the name of God Defile the sanctuary of God Are estranged from God Forsake God Hate God Provoke God Are vain in their imaginations Are ignorant and foolish Ask counsel of their idols Look to idols for deliverance
• Some names for idols the Bible refers to:
New gods gods that cannot save gods that have not made the heavens No gods Molten gods Molten images Graven images Senseless idols Dumb idols Dumb Stones Stocks Abominations Images of abomination Stumbling blocks Teachers of lies Wind and confusion Helpless Vanity
Posted: Sermons