Aug 15, 2017
2017-08-13 UR or RU? UR Prehistoric
Two weeks ago I challenged our church and listeners to TRY to prepare for Sundays for the next 5 months leading to the end of 2017. Trying to prepare includes not waiting until Sunday to decide if you “feel” like going, but rather to pray in anticipation of going. The true ANTICIPATION of going should be counter-culture. Instead of coming/going to church to GET, let’s try coming/going to GIVE! See, the church was designed by the One and Only God Who so loved He gave and gave and gave and gave until He gave His only Son. Then he gave us the forgiveness we couldn’t ever get. The devil has tried to mess the church up by inspiring us to be like him instead of The Christ Who founded the Church. The devil is a getter and taker. The only thing he tends to give are promises he doesn’t deliver on. Countless people have left the church because they didn’t get anything out of it. I wonder how much they honestly gave. Here are 6 “GIVES” you can pray about giving: 1. Give Him first place. 2. Give Him the glory, all of it. 3. Pay (give) attention to Him and others. 4. Give Him room in your heart to work. 5. Give Him Praise. 6. Look for a way to give Him to someone else. I’ll betcha you can’t do this for 5 months without being blessed. Remember? It was Him Who said it is more blessed to give than receive! This IS the way to be blessed; no, really this is the way to realized you ARE blessed.
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- Aug 15, 20172017-08-13 UR or RU? UR Prehistoric
Aug 15, 20172017-08-13 UR or RU? UR PrehistoricTwo weeks ago I challenged our church and listeners to TRY to prepare for Sundays for the next 5 months leading to the end of 2017. Trying to prepare includes not waiting until Sunday to decide if you “feel” like going, but rather to pray in anticipation of going. The true ANTICIPATION of going should be counter-culture. Instead of coming/going to church to GET, let’s try coming/going to GIVE! See, the church was designed by the One and Only God Who so loved He gave and gave and gave and gave until He gave His only Son. Then he gave us the forgiveness we couldn’t ever get. The devil has tried to mess the church up by inspiring us to be like him instead of The Christ Who founded the Church. The devil is a getter and taker. The only thing he tends to give are promises he doesn’t deliver on. Countless people have left the church because they didn’t get anything out of it. I wonder how much they honestly gave. Here are 6 “GIVES” you can pray about giving: 1. Give Him first place. 2. Give Him the glory, all of it. 3. Pay (give) attention to Him and others. 4. Give Him room in your heart to work. 5. Give Him Praise. 6. Look for a way to give Him to someone else. I’ll betcha you can’t do this for 5 months without being blessed. Remember? It was Him Who said it is more blessed to give than receive! This IS the way to be blessed; no, really this is the way to realized you ARE blessed.
- Aug 10, 20172017-08-09 I Forget to Remember
Aug 10, 20172017-08-09 I Forget to RememberIn Romans 7, Paul declares his fight with the flesh and spirit causes him to DO what he doesn’t want to do and NOT DO what he does want to do. As we age (but even as kids) it also seems to apply in other ways, physically and spiritually. We have a tendency to “Remember the things we should forget and Forget the things we should remember.” Most Christians can relate. Even most people can relate. We can’t seem to remember the important things, but have minds full of thoughts that are basic trivia. This message is about the things the Bible encourages us to remember so we will be effective in our walk with Him. Jesus is the one that reminded the church at Sardis to remember what they had received and heard! It is vital to remember because our awareness causes us to prioritize around the important and essential. Otherwise we are like the guy that spends his paycheck on partying because he forgot the rent was due… If Jesus is Lord, let’s remember that and live with Him as priority 1.
- Aug 9, 20172017-08-06 UR or RU? Discovering What HE Planned
Aug 9, 20172017-08-06 UR or RU? Discovering What HE Planned
For too long, Christians have gotten the idea that Jesus is like the proverbial genie that grants us our 3 wishes if we show up for 2 church services, read 1 verse out of the Bible for a week and say 2 prayers a day instead of our normal "Now I lay me" at bedtime. Ironically at one time, we believed we owed Him everything. But, as time passed, we came to believe that all He did around and through the cross wasn't enough. Christians started looking to Christ as consumers seeking to be blessed, instead of to Bless. That's a very tough view to prove by the lifestyles of the Apostles or true Biblical context.
But to take a verse in context, let's look at Ephesians 2:10; We are Christ's workmanship, created to fulfill a mission He planned for us before time began. Any chance we're like the church at Sardis, where their deeds, or our missions weren't completed? Christians aren't supposed to be just good people; we are the body of Christ responding to the same Holy Spirit that led Jesus to accomplish His mission. Let's learn The Spirit's voice.
Steve
- Aug 3, 20172017-08-02
Aug 3, 20172017-08-02"Yes, HE Will Keep You STRONG to the END - I Cor. 1:8"Strength comes in a variety of ways. We've probably all seen somebody muscular and either admired or feared them. Then there are those that aren't muscle bound, but fierce like the MMA fighters. How can we not admire those that reveal ENDURING strength? It reveals itself through grit, determination, overcoming obstacles and resistance. That strength can happen outside of athletics and is often seen in the 95 pound grandma that continues to soldier on whether abandoned by someone or enduring a lack of physical strength.
Jesus also showed unbelievable strength as He was falsely accused, brutally treated and abandoned by those that claimed they loved Him. If WE are IN HIM, we can have that same strength. If not, our strength will fail us and others in the end.
- Jul 31, 20172017-07-30 UR or RU?
Jul 31, 20172017-07-30 UR or RU?As our kids go off to school and begin the routine of attending classes, reading material, listening to lectures, writing papers and TAKING TESTS, it might be a good time for adults to consider their continuing education. Some of you may be taking a few courses online or at a local college. But I am really more concerned about our learning curve with Jesus Christ, our Faith, The Bible, this great salvation and the graduation into eternity and heaven that Christians expect. Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians 13:5, gave some interesting advice: “Test (or examine) yourselves to see IF you are living IN the Faith. Look closely (test or examine) at yourselves. You know that Jesus Christ is IN you, unless you fail the test (the Expanded Bible). Paul seems to be saying something similar to what is attributed to Socrates, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” This message takes a look at 3 things the Bible says “We Are”. My questions is “Are We?”
- Jul 28, 20172017-07-26 Like Popeye _ Strong to the Finish
Jul 28, 20172017-07-26 Like Popeye _ Strong to the FinishPopeye would certainly end up in some jams, especially when fighting with the unfair bully, Brutus. But just when it seemed there was no way out, he would find a way to get some spinach sucked through his corncob pipe and instantly be revitalized. As Christians, the devil can certainly be a bully that strikes fear into our lives and often deceives us into believing it's God who is against us. Other times we fail to see the devil working through others to pull us away from a tight relationship with Jesus. Next thing you know, it feels like Christ doesn't care, but the Truth is, He couldn't care more! In it all, we need strength and a partner like Jesus to fight with us. This message is about getting strong
and getting stronger. It's about coming back to Christ like Peter after his denial. Fortunately, Jesus tastes better than spinach - Jul 24, 20172017-07-23 A Body A Bride and A Building – Kingdom of God Series
Jul 24, 20172017-07-23 A Body A Bride and A Building – Kingdom of God SeriesJohn the Baptist preached about the KOG (Kingdom of God). Jesus preached about the KOG. Jesus told His disciples to preach about the KOG. After His resurrection, Jesus taught them about the KOG. Paul, Acts28:23, spoke from morning till evening explained the KOG. Mt 13:19 shares the insight that Jesus gave, when anyone hears about the KOG and does not understand it, “the evil one” comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. What’s the point? The KOG is a big enough deal that Jesus declared it and the devil wants to prevent believers from understanding it. Even in Jesus’ final declaration to His church in the book of Revelation, Christ is trying to enhance the understanding of the KOG. The vital message is “If we expect to experience that Kingdom of God in heaven, we must experience the Kingdom of God in us!”
- Jul 20, 20172017-07-19 Don’t Wake Me Up for That
Jul 20, 20172017-07-19 Don’t Wake Me Up for ThatUndoubtedly, we have all had somebody wake us up. Most times, it is a terrible inconvenience and very frustrating because it always happens just as you are in that deep sleep or having a great dream. Wake-ups happen with parents getting their kids ready for school and siblings coming in and turning on the light. Then there are those college roommates that operate on a totally different timetable than you. And it doesn’t take long until the “Love of your Life” reveals their sinister side that just can’t be quiet. On the other hand, there are times we need to wake up: To not miss work or an important event. When we are literally asleep at the wheel. When your child is suffering. When the fire alarm is going off. When you are sleeping in Church. OK, I threw that last one in there for the preachers. But in Revelation 3, we have some people in a church that are sleeping through the alarms. Jesus Himself tells them it is critical to wake up; literally eternal life critical. There is no pulse. This message looks at other passages that address areas Jesus may have been referring to; areas we need to wake up.
- Jul 17, 20172017-07-16 Deez Deedz – Does What I DO Really Make A Difference?
Jul 17, 20172017-07-16 Deez Deedz – Does What I DO Really Make A Difference?Balance can be so difficult to obtain. It presents itself fairly early in childhood development as we struggle to balance our bowling ball head as we look around. The next major test happens as we try to take shaky legs and overcome gravity in order to stand. Something inside of us prompts us to now try and put one leg in front of the other to walk. On and on it goes until we try to ride our own bike WITHOUT training wheels. It seems equally difficult and challenging with our Christian walk. Various churches have sprung up as preachers and people seek to emphasize what they believe is most important. Church revolutions happen as priorities shift. Faith and Grace are very Biblically based truths. We are saved by placing our faith in Christ. His grace covers us in multiple ways. All too often the emphasis of faith and grace lead some to believe that being a Christian requires NO input from us; that it is all up to Jesus. That’s out of balance and couldn’t be farther from the truth that Jesus Himself emphasized. Revelation is a letter to the Bride of Christ, from the Groom that wants to come get her. The majority of the churches were told, “I know your deeds”! In Rev 3:2 He says, “I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of My God”. Deeds don’t disqualify Faith and Grace; DEEDS Prove we have received them and don’t take Jesus for granted…
- Jul 14, 20172017-07-12 Deez Deeds – Revelation Series
Jul 14, 20172017-07-12 Deez Deeds – Revelation SeriesRevelation has several reoccurring words and phrases. Knowing Jesus, I really don’t think it is by accident. Rather, as Jesus was one not to waste words, I think He is intentionally trying to get us to NOT miss His message and desire for us to come into heaven victoriously.
I shared with my home church in Burnside last week, this is a compassionate and compelling love letter from a serious fiancé. Jesus IS coming to get His bride, but is His bride in a “I can’t wait” mindset, or a “I am careless because I could care less”? I think we have all heard and may have all said “Actions Speak Louder than _ _ _ _ _”. I am certain you can fill in the blanks. Think with me about how you felt the last time someone told you that they would do something, but never did. Now think of the last time you told Jesus “You would do…” and never did, or started but never completed.
Jesus speaks to the churches in this book of Revelation. He said something to the majority of them, “I know your deeds”! Tonight, we are looking at the church of Sardis. He says that to them, but after declaring they have “a reputation for being alive” and the reality of being dead, He s tells them “I have not found your DEEDS complete…”!! Wow, can you imagine hearing that and discovering that it wasn’t about just claiming to believe, but BELIEVING enough to DO SOMETHING?