Monday Morning 10/6/2014

I am seeing more and more people who stop going to church because of their relationship with another person in the church. The church is not the building, nor is it a high school hallway. It is not a social club. Church is a body of believers put together with special skills to be used for the glory of God and for the spread of the Gospel. Jesus Christ is the head of the church, not you, not the Pastor. We all need a relationship with Jesus Christ and we need a relationship through Jesus with each other. If someone says they don’t want to go to church because some other person with whom they have some problem goes there is like saying we don’t go to church because we might hear about Jesus.

God’s original design for the church is found in the book of Acts. If there was ever a church growth plan that worked, it was the one used by those early followers. Talk about effectiveness. This church exploded. Why? Because the believers knew why they were there and what they were supposed to do.
If we were to do a side by side comparison of the early followers and their church and ourselves, I dare say that we would come up way short. As I look at the Acts church and I look at our church, I can’t help but notice that we have a long way to go. This should not discourage us, it should challenge us, and I would hope it challenges you. Every time I read this passage I see not only what we are not, but what we can be.

42 All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer. 43 A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. 44 And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. 45 They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. 46 They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity— 47 all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved. (Acts 2:42-47)

Acts 2:42-47 shows us they were a “WELL” church with four foundational qualities:
They were a Worshipping Church – God is exalted; Christ is the center.
They were an Evangelizing Church – They went to their communities sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
They were a Learning Church – They could not know enough about God’s love for them and His creation.

They were a Loving Church – They were in relationship with each other with One God, One Savior, and One faith.
Is God and Jesus the center of your worship? If not, you’re not “WELL.”

Do you share Jesus with your community? If you don’t, you’re not “WELL.”

Do you really know how much God loves you? If you don’t you’re not “WELL”

How much do you love your brothers and sisters? If you cannot put aside petty unimportant gossip and differences, you are not “WELL.”

I believe that when God set up the first church, HE DID IT RIGHT! So if we are going to do it right, we need to do it God’s way.

God’s church is a church family.

God’s church is brother and sister bound together in love; caring for one another, helping one another, serving one another. Not fighting with each other.
God’s church is a place where there is true fellowship & ministry.

Where is your heart focused? Is your heart “WELL?”

Monday Morning 6/3/2013

There are people who struggle with trust and faith. The Bible says faith can move mountains. But the reality is that we must trust the ones doing the moving.

Simply, trust is a decision we make. Trust means there is room for failure. If we are honest we say that we trust a friend, a spouse, our pastors, and we say that we trust God. But then something bad happens and all trust is gone out the window.

Faith says there is no failure. Did you ever wonder why, in 1 Corinthians chapter 13, Paul writes that three things will remain: “Faith, Hope, and Love?” Why didn’t Paul write “Trust” instead of “Faith?” Why not, “Three things remain: TRUST, Hope, and Love?”

Many people think trust and faith is the same thing. Trust is a step toward faith. Faith is the completion of trust. In John 14 Jesus said, “Trust God but also trust me.” That is the presence of trust. Jesus said, “In my father’s house are many mansions. If it’s not true, I would not tell you.” Jesus said, “I’m going ahead of you to unlock the door, then I’ll be back to get you and bring you with me.” That is the promise of trust. Finally Jesus said, “Trust in me.” Jesus is saying he is not only going to show us the way, or tell us the way, or write out the instructions on how to get there. He is saying He will come and take us by the hand to His Father’s house. Then we will be home. Faith demands action. Faith does not stay silent.

We trust Jesus when we read His words. We trust Jesus that He speaks absolute truth. And we trust Jesus will do what he says he will do. These are all parts of faith. Putting all these separate things together, truth, dependable, and action, we know with no doubt Jesus will do what He says He will do. That is faith.

Jesus says to not only have an “intellectual” faith as the result of trust, but to have an “active” faith. The book of James says to be “doers” of the Word not just “listeners.” What we learn about Jesus needs to be shown in our relationship with Him and others. Faith is trust in action. Trust is something that belongs to us. I can ask you to trust me, but until faith is established, there will always be that little piece of doubt, waiting to let us down.

Trust can be weak or solid. Trust can be gained or lost. Faith says no matter what is weak or solid, whatever is gained or lost, faith is what will stand clear being what will bring us through the best and the worst times of our life.

The book of James also says we will have troubles. He doesn’t say “if” troubles happen but “when” they happen, give thanks. Huh? The Book of 1 Peter follows up on this: “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” (1 Peter 1 6-7)

In other words, we have trusted and been disappointed, but this has only built and strengthened our faith. Peter says it will bring praise, glory and honor to us. But it’s not for what we have done but what faith in Jesus has done.

But check this out. Peter goes on: “You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. The reward for this trust will be the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9) The reward of trust is faith. The reward of faith in Jesus Christ is eternal life.

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as “confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.”Confidence and assurance only happen with one thing: trust. Without trust there is no faith. Without faith there cannot be trust.

Let me end with this:

Character without faith is fake.
Knowledge without faith is useless information.
Self-control without faith is dangerous.

Endurance without faith is empty at the end.
Godliness without faith is mere religion.
Brotherly kindness without faith is self-serving.
Love without faith is not true love.

Monday Morning 5/20/2013

Believe it or not, God did not create us to think small things. Limiting our thinking usually means that we think exactly the same as other people. If something is good enough for someone else, it’s good enough for me.

On the other hand, God also has not called us to do just little things. He hasn’t called us to do something that is moving backwards, getting smaller, getting easier, or is something that we even want to do. God has called each of us in our own God-given way to be a world shaker, a world changer. He has called us to do what could be called impossible. God wants us to be changers in an impossible world!

Well, how can we do that? How can we make disciples who go and make more disciples? How do we build God’s kingdom and not our own?  Those are all the same old questions that everyone expects to hear. As we think of what God wants us to do, the assignment God has given us, what we may be really thinking is, “How can we avoid the failure of not being able to do what is impossible?”

It’s called Holy Spirit Power. Most times we associate the word “power” with the strength, muscle, or ability to “do” something. But think this way. Think “outside the box.” We may not have the strength change the world. But we have the power to influence where we live.

Paul said in Ephesians 5:18: “Don’t be drunk with wine, which will ruin your life, but be filled with the Spirit.” When I was younger I felt the effect alcohol had on me. I would drink beer or wine or something harder until the alcohol would take over and influence how I acted and how I thought.

But let’s unpack this picture a bit. Paul’s point is that if you drink too much wine you become drunk. When you become drunk you lose your common sense and you can do some pretty stupid things that will ruin your life. It will ruin your relationships. It will ruin everything for which you have worked. So the common sense thing would be to don’t drink at all. In Genesis chapter 4 God says to Cain, “Sin lies right outside your door.” Why open your life to something to which you can lose control and risk everything for nothing.

When someone is filled with wine and becomes drunk, what controls them? The wine takes over and influences their thoughts and actions.

But notice this:

-          When someone is filled with anger and negative attitudes, what controls them? Negative attitudes and anger take over and influence thoughts and actions.

-          When someone is filled with jealous feelings toward someone else, what controls them? The desire to do whatever it takes to have something someone else has without concern for the other person takes over and influence thoughts and actions.

-          When someone is self-centered and their attitude is “Me First,” what controls them? A hard heart and selfish attitude take over and influence thoughts and actions.

In other words, the things we let into our hearts, whether it is anger, jealousy, or selfishness will influence how much we are able to do what is impossible.

Take a moment to think differently. If we were to stop and pray, not for the power to do something, but the power to UNDERSTAND, the attitude is changed. Just like we did before look at it this way: If someone is filled with knowledge and understanding of God’s grace and love what controls them? The Holy Spirit controls them.

This was Paul’s point. Fill ourselves with the Holy Spirit, and everything God has will be given to us to do what God wants us to do. What is it God wants us to do?

-          Be an earthly image of Jesus Christ.

-          Learn how much Jesus loves us, and died for us.

-          Bring Jesus to our communities.

-          Teach others about how much Jesus loves us and died for us.

When we are filled with Holy Spirit power, these things don’t seem so impossible do they?

Friday night I had the opportunity to hear a missionary speak. He and his family are going to a city in Ecuador in South America. The city has 600,000 men, women, and children living there. That is a hard number to understand. It is a big number. In preparing for the work he is doing, the missionary learned that less than 1% of the people there have heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ. That means out of 600,000 people less than 6,000 have heard the Gospel. That means that there are 594,000 people in that city who are lost and do not know Jesus as Savior. This missionary goes with Holy Spirit power to do something that seems impossible to you and me.

My friends, God has given us a great mission, an impossible mission, to make disciples of every nation. He has given us an impossible task, to be Christ-followers, living like Jesus. He has called us to a great task. He has called us to be fellow laborers and builders with Him in the Kingdom of God. He has given us a great vision. He has also given us a great Helper, His Holy Spirit living in and through us, controlling us. Whether or not you allow Him to do so is your decision.

God has big things planned for ordinary people. We can be used in a great way. We can be movers and shakers, life-savers, kingdom builders, and world changers, if we allow the Holy Spirit to direct us. Do not settle for “good enough” or worse, don’t settle for leaving no mark on this world.

God has called us to do impossible things in an impossible world with impossible people. Pray for the power to understand the true power of the Holy Spirit, do what calls God wants us to do, and let God handle the impossible things.

Monday Morning 5/6/2013

Most days I am burdened. Some days are worse than others. Some days I feel troubled and some days I feel not-so-troubled. Am I burdened with the normal things of life? Yeah, I am: Things like money, relationships, kids, family, the government; and things that affect day to day life. Yes those things are burdens, and yes I think about them, and yes sometimes I become obsessed about them, and yes sometimes I worry. Does that make me a bad person? Does that make me self-centered?

No. We all go through things like that. I have a different kind of burden too. One that is more important than those. The Bible says that all those things will pass away and come to an end. Okay, so what is my burden? My burden is how I can share something I have learned that is so “WOW” and help you to understand.

Someone told me recently, “John, you cannot save the world.” That struck me. And here is the "WOW" I want to share.

Jesus said from the cross, “It is finished.” The Bible goes on to say that Jesus “gave up His Spirit, bowed His head, and died.” Jesus is saying there is nothing more that could be done. God came to earth to become flesh and live among us. God HIMSELF came! God HIMSELF came to earth to become sin for us. Jesus was created to die. Have you ever thought about that?

Then at His moment of death, when there was nothing more He could give, what did Jesus do? He released His Holy Spirit. He set His Spirit free. He turned His Spirit loose. Jesus had already told the Apostles that He would pray for God to send a comforter to come along side them to give them power to teach all people the things Jesus had taught them. And there it is. At the moment of His death, Jesus gave the world HIMSELF.

Jesus did not forgive our sin. God forgave our sins. Jesus made it possible for that to happen. We don’t sin against Jesus. We sin against GOD. When Jesus gave Himself in exchange for us, God’s anger was satisfied. WE ARE FORGIVEN. IT IS FINISHED. OUR SINS ARE TO GOD “AS FAR AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST.”

SO why are so many people taught to pray for God to forgive them every day? God forgave each one of us at the cross. Everything past, present, and future is forgiven. This is a truth that releases us, sets us free, and turns us loose. Do you believe this? Do you trust this?

What are we free to do that we cannot do now? We say we teach, share, preach, witness and things like that. All of those are good. The Bible, however, says, we are to PROCLAIM the Gospel to the entire world. Proclaim means to make known in every way possible, to shout, to scream, and to declare that Jesus Christ is Lord! It means that above the noise of the world and the weight of our burdens one thing stands clear: JESUS CHRIST DIED, WAS BURIED, AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD!

Jesus made this point in John 12:32, “And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself.” The Prophet Isaiah said long before Jesus was born that He saw “The Lord” high and lifted up, on his throne, and with His glory filling the temple.

Only when Jesus had done everything He could do, being lifted up on the cross, as King of Kings on His throne, and His glory filling HIS temple (That is you and me by the way), that we could be drawn to Him.

But we hang onto guilt and sin and worrying if we are forgiven or not. IT IS FINISHED. YOU ARE FORGIVEN. Nothing stands between you and OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST.

But Pastor John, you don’t seem to understand,

I still sin. – Yup got it.

I still make mistakes. – Yup got it.

There are problems in my marriage. – Yup got it.

There are money problems. – Yup got it.

I’ve done things in the past I’m not proud of. – Yup got it.

There are things I’ve done I wish I had not done. – Yup got it.

I say, “That’s exactly right.” God's knows and  God has forgiven each and every mistake we have made, are making today, and will make tomorrow. Every single one of them “is as far from God as the east is from the west.”

So we don’t pray forgiveness. We pray thanksgiving. Thank you Lord for saving me. I know I will make mistakes. Thank you for forgiving me. Now let your Holy Spirit live in me to show forgiveness to others. Let your Holy Spirit lead me to YOUR TRUTH so I will not make the mistake again. Give me your power to help others not make mistakes also.

Now the view changes not from what I am doing wrong in guilt but what God has done with Jesus in grace.

That person I was recently talking with was right. I cannot change the world. You cannot either. Only God can change the world through the blood of Jesus Christ and His love and grace that was exchanged at the cross for our sin and guilt.