One of the most tragic events during the Reagan Presidency was the Sunday morning terrorist bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, in which hundreds of Americans were killed or wounded as they slept. Many of us can still recall the terrible scenes as the dazed survivors worked to dig out their trapped brothers from beneath the rubble.
A few days after the tragedy, I recall coming across an extraordinary story. Marine Corps Commandant Paul X Kelly, visited some of the wounded survivors then in a Frankfurt, Germany, hospital. Among them was Corporal Jeffrey Lee Nashton, severely wounded in the incident. Nashton had so many tubes running in and out of his body that a witness said he looked more like a machine than a man; yet he survived.
As Kelly neared him, Nashton, struggling to move and racked with pain, motioned for a piece of paper and a pen. He wrote a brief note and passed it back to the Commandant. On the slip of paper were but two words -- "Semper Fi" the Latin motto of the Marines meaning "forever faithful." With those two simple words Nashton spoke for the millions of Americans who have sacrificed body and limb and their lives for their country --
those who have remained faithful.
J. Dobson & Gary Bauer, Children at Risk, Word, 1990
Are we “forever faithful” or conveniently faithful? Are we faithful to God no matter what or just faithful when it’s convenient? Do we remain faithful when temptation strikes, when we are alone, when no body will know but us? Do we remain faithful when our friends or coworkers are around and we think that we have to save face? Or do we find ourselves doing the same things that we promised ourselves and God we would not do? We must be faithful all of the time, no matter what. No matter what someone else says or does, we must put Jesus first...always. Revelation 14:12 says, “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the saints who obey God's commandments and remain faithful to Jesus.” (NIV)
We must remain faithful to Jesus!!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
BEING FAITHFUL
Fred Craddock, in an address to ministers, caught the practical implications of consecration. "To give my life for Christ appears glorious," he said. "To pour myself out for others. . . to pay the ultimate price of martyrdom -- I'll do it. I'm ready, Lord, to go out in a blaze of glory. "We think giving our all to the Lord is like taking $l,000 bill and laying it on the table-- 'Here's my life, Lord. I'm giving it all.' But the reality for most of us is that he sends us to the bank and has us cash in the $l,000 for quarters. We go through life putting out 25 cents here and 50 cents there. Listen to the neighbor kid's troubles instead of saying, 'Get lost.' Go to a committee meeting. Give a cup of water to a shaky old man in a nursing home. Usually giving our life to Christ isn't glorious. It's done in all those little acts of love, 25 cents at time. It would be easy to go out in a flash of glory; it's harder to live the Christian life little by little over the long haul."
When does it seem to be the hardest to be faithful? It is in the everyday living for Christ; in our everyday walk with the Lord is when we tend to let things go. When we get tired of the grind, when we start feeling put out or left out, when it seems that others have a glorious walk with the Lord and all we have is struggles. Everyday, every moment of everyday we are required to be faithful, not following religious rules, but looking for opportunities to put a quarter or fifty cents down here or there. Looking for ways to be a good and faithful servant.
This doesn’t happen by accident, it has to be intentional, it has to be something that we watch for, and it will not happen just on Sunday morning, as a matter of fact it happens very few times on Sunday morning. But it will happen the rest of the time; it will happen a lot more often than you think if you are looking for it.
Look for times when you can show Christ to others, to your wife, your husband, you kids, family...total strangers.
And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
Matthew 25:40 (ESV)
When does it seem to be the hardest to be faithful? It is in the everyday living for Christ; in our everyday walk with the Lord is when we tend to let things go. When we get tired of the grind, when we start feeling put out or left out, when it seems that others have a glorious walk with the Lord and all we have is struggles. Everyday, every moment of everyday we are required to be faithful, not following religious rules, but looking for opportunities to put a quarter or fifty cents down here or there. Looking for ways to be a good and faithful servant.
This doesn’t happen by accident, it has to be intentional, it has to be something that we watch for, and it will not happen just on Sunday morning, as a matter of fact it happens very few times on Sunday morning. But it will happen the rest of the time; it will happen a lot more often than you think if you are looking for it.
Look for times when you can show Christ to others, to your wife, your husband, you kids, family...total strangers.
And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'
Matthew 25:40 (ESV)
Thursday, July 16, 2009
VACATION
Summer time is such a great time, kids are out of school, more daylight hours, and a chance that you might get to go on a vacation. My idea of a vacation is a cabin up in the mountains, away from everyone, just the mountains, creek, fish, cool days and cold nights. A place that we have always enjoyed going is the Continental Ranch up on the Continental Divide above Creede in Colorado. The cabins only have electricity for a couple of hours in the evening and then the generator is turned off. After that it's coal oil lamps, you have a wood (and coal) cook stove to heat and cook on. The cabins have 2 beds, a table and chairs and the stove, complete with the outhouse out back. Have you ever had someone throw rocks at the outhouse while you are inside?
The cabins aren't rented any more, and it's a shame, it was a great place to go to rest, relax, go trout fishing. One of the interesting things about this place is that Becky and I both went there as kids. Becky's parents were good friends with John Albert and Margie Dabney who owned the ranch, and it was a real working ranch. I'm not sure how my parents found out about the place, but we went there, and Becky and I think that we may have played together as kids. She says that she remembers playing with some kid from Texas, and his mother had church on Sunday morning....could be, seems to fit. Anyway, this was one of our favorite vacation spots as kids and as adults, our kids love it as much as we do.
A vacation is supposed to refresh you physically, emotionally, mentally and even spiritually. All too often we have to return home from vacation so we can get some rest. So I have to ask...
What is your ideal vacation? Let's hear from some of our readers.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
FAITHFUL
Sunday's @ 10:45 amAn elderly preacher was rebuked by one of his deacons one Sunday morning before the service. “Pastor,” said the man, “something must be wrong with your preaching and your work. There’s been only one person added to the church in a whole year, and he’s just a boy.”
The minister listened, his eyes moistening and his thin hand trembling. “I feel it all,” he replied, “but God knows I’ve tried to do my duty.” On that day the minister’s heart was heavy as he stood before his flock. As he finished the message, he felt a strong inclination to resign.
After everyone else had left, that one boy came to him and asked, “Do you think if I worked hard for an education, I could become a preacher—perhaps a missionary?”
Again tears welled up in the minister’s eyes. “Ah, this heals the ache I feel,” he said. “Robert, I see the Divine hand now. May God bless you, my boy. Yes, I think you will become a preacher.”
Many years later an aged missionary returned to London from Africa. His name was spoken with reverence. Nobles invited him to their homes. He had added many souls to the church of Jesus Christ, reaching even some of Africa’s most savage chiefs. His name was Robert Moffat, the same Robert who years before had spoken to the pastor that Sunday morning in the old Scottish kirk.
Lord, help us to be faithful. Then give us the grace to leave the results to you.
What does it take for us to be faithful to the Lord in every area of our life? For most of us it would be easier to go out in a blaze of faithful glory than to be faithful day in and day out. To be faithful in all of the small areas, the small things in our life, seems like a huge challenge. But if we look at it day by day, moment by moment it isn't so big. It’s like playing baseball, when you are up to bat; you are watching one pitcher throw one ball. But if you are trying to bat and you have 50 pitchers throwing 50 baseballs all at once...you will get hurt. Live for Christ right now, be faithful right now.
BEING FAITHFUL
Sunday's @ 10:45 am“His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!”
Matthew 25:21
What do you think Jesus meant by “good and faithful servant”? What does it mean to be good? What does it mean to be faithful? What does it mean to be a servant? Was Jesus just talking about money here, or was there something else, some other meaning in this? And what does He mean by “Come and share your master’s happiness”? This month we are exploring all of this and much more. We began this last Sunday and we will continue fir the next few Sunday's.
Faithful, is it a word that we use too freely or a word that we don't use enough. I think that it means more than we thing it does. Be here every Sunday at 10:45 am, let's discover God's Word together!!
I understand that during the summer we do things with the kids and we are gone from time to time, but I believe that we all need to be here for these messages.
By the way, when you do get to get away for those few Sunday’s with your family to do some fun things, let me know what fun things you did. It’s always more fun when you get to tell someone. This is Summer, make the most of it, spend time with your family, go to the park, go fishing, go on a picnic, whatever it is that you can do as a family, do it, have fun, be refreshed. Come to God’s house, be really refreshed, body, mind, soul and spirit. Remember, I love you and God loves you, that makes two who love you. How many more can you think of?
Matthew 25:21
What do you think Jesus meant by “good and faithful servant”? What does it mean to be good? What does it mean to be faithful? What does it mean to be a servant? Was Jesus just talking about money here, or was there something else, some other meaning in this? And what does He mean by “Come and share your master’s happiness”? This month we are exploring all of this and much more. We began this last Sunday and we will continue fir the next few Sunday's.
Faithful, is it a word that we use too freely or a word that we don't use enough. I think that it means more than we thing it does. Be here every Sunday at 10:45 am, let's discover God's Word together!!
I understand that during the summer we do things with the kids and we are gone from time to time, but I believe that we all need to be here for these messages.
By the way, when you do get to get away for those few Sunday’s with your family to do some fun things, let me know what fun things you did. It’s always more fun when you get to tell someone. This is Summer, make the most of it, spend time with your family, go to the park, go fishing, go on a picnic, whatever it is that you can do as a family, do it, have fun, be refreshed. Come to God’s house, be really refreshed, body, mind, soul and spirit. Remember, I love you and God loves you, that makes two who love you. How many more can you think of?
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
“WHAT IS FREEDOM?”
As I prepared the sermon for this week, and I looked up all kinds of really cool scriptures on freedom, and I researched the freedom in our own country, I had to stop and ask myself if I really knew what freedom was.
2 Corinthians 3:17
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (ESV)
Galatians 5:1
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (ESV)
What freedom? We will answer that in a moment? But first I have another question for you.
What is Freedom?
Well this being July 5th, it’s only right to start with this.
Freedom; a country's right to rule itself, without interference from, or domination by, another country or power.
Psalms 119:45
“I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.” (NIV)
We are free because God made us free!
What is Freedom?
Freedom; a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions.
If we are truly free in Christ, are we free to live and act as we choose?
1 Peter 2:16
“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (ESV)
What does a servant do? Anything that the master tells them to, they do whatever the master says. This verse says do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil, or as a cover-up for sin. Before we are saved we live in sin, we do things that God says are sin and we don’t worry about it, but after we are saved we should be conscious of sin. If we are truly in tune with God and His Word, the Holy Spirit will prick our hearts when we are doing things we should not be doing. But the trouble is that way too many Christians want to be saved and still live like the lost world. They have convinced themselves that it is alright to run around doing the same things and acting like those people who are not saved, and it doesn’t work.
If we are truly free, then what are we free from and what are we free to?
What is Freedom?
Freedom; release or rescue from being physically bound, or from being confined, enslaved, captured, or imprisoned.
John 8:34-36
“Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (ESV)
So if Freedom is release or rescue from being physically bound, or from being confined, enslaved, captured, or imprisoned. Then we must know what bondage is, we must know will enslave us. Jesus said that everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
How do we become enslaved to sin after we are saved?
2 Peter 2:19
“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.” (ESV)
They who? The ones who are not saved, the ones who are lost and going to Hell, and they want you to go right along with them. These people are the very ones who will tell you how wonderful their life is and how much fun they are having, what the honest truth is they are in bondage to sin.
“For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”
You know that Lord told me something a while back, He said, “It’s what we get used to that we accept.”
What does that mean? If we hang around something long enough, no matter how bad it is, no matter how repulsive it is, we will begin to look at it in a more and more approving way. And soon we will be trying it and doing the very thing that we disapproved of. Why? Because we got used to it and accepted it, and now we try to justify it and we will use God’s holy Word, even if we have to pervert it, to show that we have the freedom and the right to do as we please.
One of them that I hear a lot is, “Well I don’t thing that God will sent me to hell for it, do you?”
Let me ask you this, Do you think that this is something that God will allow into His perfect Heaven? Look at the consequences of you actions.
How do we become enslaved to sin after we are saved?
“Are you staying sober?” “Most if the time.” That means “When I’m not partying.”
“Are you staying clean?” “Pretty much.” That means when you can’t find a fix.
“Are you staying faithful to your spouse?” “Yeah, sure.” That means only when there is a chance of being caught.
“Are you still cheating on your taxes?” “Not so anyone would notice.” That means you are hoping that the IRS doesn’t notice.
Are you getting the drift? “For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”
What is Freedom?
Freedom; the ability to exercise free will and make choices independently of any external determining force.
People believe that they should be free to do whatever they wish, and God should’nt interfere, that nobody should ever tell them that they are wrong. Did you know that many people who call themselves Christians, would rather have a pastor who will make them fell good, than one who will point out sin. But when you stand before God, and are judged by God, which one would you rather have?
James 2:12-13
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (NIV)
Galatians 5:13-15
“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. 14 For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. 15 If you bite and ravage each other, watch out— in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?” (MSG)
Jesus said in
Luke 4:16-21
“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (NIV)
2 Corinthians 3:17
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (ESV)
Galatians 5:1
“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (ESV)
What freedom? We will answer that in a moment? But first I have another question for you.
What is Freedom?
Well this being July 5th, it’s only right to start with this.
Freedom; a country's right to rule itself, without interference from, or domination by, another country or power.
Psalms 119:45
“I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.” (NIV)
We are free because God made us free!
What is Freedom?
Freedom; a state in which somebody is able to act and live as he or she chooses, without being subject to any undue restraints or restrictions.
If we are truly free in Christ, are we free to live and act as we choose?
1 Peter 2:16
“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God.” (ESV)
What does a servant do? Anything that the master tells them to, they do whatever the master says. This verse says do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil, or as a cover-up for sin. Before we are saved we live in sin, we do things that God says are sin and we don’t worry about it, but after we are saved we should be conscious of sin. If we are truly in tune with God and His Word, the Holy Spirit will prick our hearts when we are doing things we should not be doing. But the trouble is that way too many Christians want to be saved and still live like the lost world. They have convinced themselves that it is alright to run around doing the same things and acting like those people who are not saved, and it doesn’t work.
If we are truly free, then what are we free from and what are we free to?
What is Freedom?
Freedom; release or rescue from being physically bound, or from being confined, enslaved, captured, or imprisoned.
John 8:34-36
“Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (ESV)
So if Freedom is release or rescue from being physically bound, or from being confined, enslaved, captured, or imprisoned. Then we must know what bondage is, we must know will enslave us. Jesus said that everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.
How do we become enslaved to sin after we are saved?
2 Peter 2:19
“They promise them freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption. For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.” (ESV)
They who? The ones who are not saved, the ones who are lost and going to Hell, and they want you to go right along with them. These people are the very ones who will tell you how wonderful their life is and how much fun they are having, what the honest truth is they are in bondage to sin.
“For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”
You know that Lord told me something a while back, He said, “It’s what we get used to that we accept.”
What does that mean? If we hang around something long enough, no matter how bad it is, no matter how repulsive it is, we will begin to look at it in a more and more approving way. And soon we will be trying it and doing the very thing that we disapproved of. Why? Because we got used to it and accepted it, and now we try to justify it and we will use God’s holy Word, even if we have to pervert it, to show that we have the freedom and the right to do as we please.
One of them that I hear a lot is, “Well I don’t thing that God will sent me to hell for it, do you?”
Let me ask you this, Do you think that this is something that God will allow into His perfect Heaven? Look at the consequences of you actions.
How do we become enslaved to sin after we are saved?
“Are you staying sober?” “Most if the time.” That means “When I’m not partying.”
“Are you staying clean?” “Pretty much.” That means when you can’t find a fix.
“Are you staying faithful to your spouse?” “Yeah, sure.” That means only when there is a chance of being caught.
“Are you still cheating on your taxes?” “Not so anyone would notice.” That means you are hoping that the IRS doesn’t notice.
Are you getting the drift? “For whatever overcomes a person, to that he is enslaved.”
What is Freedom?
Freedom; the ability to exercise free will and make choices independently of any external determining force.
People believe that they should be free to do whatever they wish, and God should’nt interfere, that nobody should ever tell them that they are wrong. Did you know that many people who call themselves Christians, would rather have a pastor who will make them fell good, than one who will point out sin. But when you stand before God, and are judged by God, which one would you rather have?
James 2:12-13
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!” (NIV)
Galatians 5:13-15
“It is absolutely clear that God has called you to a free life. Just make sure that you don't use this freedom as an excuse to do whatever you want to do and destroy your freedom. Rather, use your freedom to serve one another in love; that's how freedom grows. 14 For everything we know about God's Word is summed up in a single sentence: Love others as you love yourself. That's an act of true freedom. 15 If you bite and ravage each other, watch out— in no time at all you will be annihilating each other, and where will your precious freedom be then?” (MSG)
Jesus said in
Luke 4:16-21
“He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. 17 The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, 21 and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (NIV)
FREEDOM
“When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”
Did you know that this is the first line of the Declaration of Independence? Do you know what the second line is?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Do you know what the last line of the Declaration of Independence reads?
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
Now did you notice what these three lines have in common? Let me give you a hint; Nature's God, Creator, protection of divine Providence. All three on these lines mention God, when people talk about the separation of Church and State, what they mean is that they don’t want the Church to influence anything that the nation does. But it’s too late; God has been influencing our country from the very beginning. Most of our founding fathers were Godly men. Did you know that the preamble to every state constitution mentions God? 56 delegates signed the Declaration of Independence knowing that by doing so meant high treason against the crown. Signing it did not mean that we were free; we were still in war with Great Britain. After the Declaration was written and approved it was sent to the printer, many copies were made and sent out, including to General George Washington who read it to his troops with the British troops not far away. Every where it was read crowds in many cities tore down and destroyed signs or statues representing royalty. An equestrian statue of King George in New York City was pulled down and the lead used to make musket balls. Our freedom wasn’t free, Thank God for it.
Did you know that this is the first line of the Declaration of Independence? Do you know what the second line is?
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Do you know what the last line of the Declaration of Independence reads?
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.
Now did you notice what these three lines have in common? Let me give you a hint; Nature's God, Creator, protection of divine Providence. All three on these lines mention God, when people talk about the separation of Church and State, what they mean is that they don’t want the Church to influence anything that the nation does. But it’s too late; God has been influencing our country from the very beginning. Most of our founding fathers were Godly men. Did you know that the preamble to every state constitution mentions God? 56 delegates signed the Declaration of Independence knowing that by doing so meant high treason against the crown. Signing it did not mean that we were free; we were still in war with Great Britain. After the Declaration was written and approved it was sent to the printer, many copies were made and sent out, including to General George Washington who read it to his troops with the British troops not far away. Every where it was read crowds in many cities tore down and destroyed signs or statues representing royalty. An equestrian statue of King George in New York City was pulled down and the lead used to make musket balls. Our freedom wasn’t free, Thank God for it.
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