Last Sunday I was approached by several members who asked if I could post the ten principles of defeating Giants mentioned in my message from II Samuel 21:15-22. So here they are. I hope they will help you in your walk with Christ this week.
1. When faced with the Giant called Despair set your heart to praising God and the Giant will flee
2. When you set your heart to take on the giants expect those in our own family to come against you
3. Make the glory of God your chief concern and God will empower you to do things you once thought impossible
4. Be ware when all men think well of you, you are closer to danger when this happens
5. If you are going to walk with God expect to learn first hand from God in the School of the Wilderness
6. The people that God will use to help you defeat the giants will not be the ones you would normally choose.
7. To make your life a life of defeating Giants invest in the kingdom of God early in your life. Those early investments will pay off when you are old
8. To defeat the giants you must learn to submit to authorities in your life
9. If you do not fight with others you will fall alone
10. The people that you train in Warfare will be the ones that will rescue you when you are old.
11. The most difficult battle you will face will be the battle at the end of your life.
Taking a Good look at Scripture
Pastor Phil
Teachng the Word
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Are We Just Creating More Idolaters?
Over the past several months I have begun to see and hear some things that are causing a growing concern. I have been listening to many conversations in the church over the past several months and I continue to hear the following statements coming from those who belong to, “The Church.”
The statements I hear are the following, “I cannot wait to get to heaven so I can see my grandmother, I cannot wait to get to heaven so I can be free from my pain and suffering; I plan on sleeping in until 4 p.m. every day in heaven; And so the talk goes at many of the churches I have attended over the past year.
I attended a church that was just recently completed. It had all the really high class furnishings and state of the art sound system and beautifully crafted pipe organ. During the meet and greet time I heard continually of what a great building they had and just look at this ceiling and the architecture. Much was being made of the building and furnishings but something was noticeably absent. I did not hear any conversation like the following; Is not our God great? Is not our Lord and Savior a magnificent God who would allow us to even enjoy such a place?
It seemed in all the conversations of the church I only heard the church thrilled with the benefits of redemption but completely ignorant of the beauty of their redeemer. Their conversations were fixated on the stuff not on the Savior. I was frightened in those moments for I fear we have only made more idolaters instead of more passionate worshippers of our Savior with our focus on building and blessing instead of the beauty and the benefit of knowing our Savior.
These are just some of my thoughts. I hope you can be convicted and challenged by them in the days ahead so you will turn your heart's affections more and more to the Savior. As Paul instructed us in Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV)
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Come let us fix our gaze heavenward to see our Redeemer and may the sight of him thrill us more than all the things of this universe.
The statements I hear are the following, “I cannot wait to get to heaven so I can see my grandmother, I cannot wait to get to heaven so I can be free from my pain and suffering; I plan on sleeping in until 4 p.m. every day in heaven; And so the talk goes at many of the churches I have attended over the past year.
I attended a church that was just recently completed. It had all the really high class furnishings and state of the art sound system and beautifully crafted pipe organ. During the meet and greet time I heard continually of what a great building they had and just look at this ceiling and the architecture. Much was being made of the building and furnishings but something was noticeably absent. I did not hear any conversation like the following; Is not our God great? Is not our Lord and Savior a magnificent God who would allow us to even enjoy such a place?
It seemed in all the conversations of the church I only heard the church thrilled with the benefits of redemption but completely ignorant of the beauty of their redeemer. Their conversations were fixated on the stuff not on the Savior. I was frightened in those moments for I fear we have only made more idolaters instead of more passionate worshippers of our Savior with our focus on building and blessing instead of the beauty and the benefit of knowing our Savior.
These are just some of my thoughts. I hope you can be convicted and challenged by them in the days ahead so you will turn your heart's affections more and more to the Savior. As Paul instructed us in Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV)
1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Come let us fix our gaze heavenward to see our Redeemer and may the sight of him thrill us more than all the things of this universe.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Our Appointed Time
It is now just two days after the earthquake in Haiti and we are seeing hundreds of thousands of lives lost. There was no warning of the earthquake just people going about their daily lives thinking they had more time to live and consider what really matters. For many in Haiti the time to consider what really matters is over, millions more are now more aware than ever that life does not last for long. It can be snuffed out with a quick shake of the ground and it is all over.
Even this morning we have news of a college basketball player who fell on the floor and was rushed to the hospital only to be declared dead moments later. He was a great player in good health. He was only a sophomore and he had years left of his life or so many thought. No one knew that he was playing his last game with the opening tip off.
What is to be made of these happenings in our world? One thing is sure, we have only this moment before us to consider Christ. There is no guarantee of our next breath. There are some television preachers who proclaim that it is because of sin that the nation of Haiti had this devastation. Others may proclaim that it was because of sin that this player died suddenly. Such statements do not correctly represent the gospel.
To be sure they are right in what they said, all people die because of sin. No one leaves this world in perfect righteousness. We are all under the curse of sin and death because of it. We all have rebelled against God and all equally deserve his judgment. But God in his grace has revealed his Son to us and those who have fled to Christ will escape the coming judgment at the end of the age.
All of these storms and sudden deaths are merely what happens in a world that has rebelled against God. The disciples were walking along the road one day and they were thinking of tragedies in their day and they thought of the thousands of Jews who were slaughtered by Pilate as they went to the temple one day. Listen in on their conversation. Luke 13:1-9 (NIV)
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?
Such seems to be the answer of a modern day television evangelist. TO be sure he was right in that Haiti was under a curse but see how Jesus responds to their question.
3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
Jesus' replied, No, they were not worse sinners than you. The reason that they died is the same reason we will all die, we have sinned against God and as a result this world is under a curse, not just the nation of Haiti but all of the earth stands under a curse.
Once again the question comes "Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?"
The disciples are just like us in this way, we somehow think when bad things happen to others it happens because of some specific sin they committed, so we think to ourselves we must be better because this has not happened to us. Let us forever put away such thinking. Let the Word of the Lord correct us in this attitude. Hear now the Word of our Lord as he responds to such a question, "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Here is the message the Word of the Lord gives us about disasters and tragedies that come upon us unaware. This world is under a curse and it will always be under a curse until it is purified by the coming of our Lord. (For more information about this read II Peter chapter 3.)
When we see disasters and tragedies it should point us all to the fact that it will happen to us one day as well. We will be walking along and then death will sweep over us and take us. The Scripture says that it is appointed unto man once to die and after that to face judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) All of us have an appointment with death and it is fixed in the eternal counsel of God. So how should we respond to this news of tragedy and disaster when it happens?
First let us examine our own hearts to see if we are prepared to meet God in judgment. Any death is a reminder to all of us that none of us will escape this life alive. Are we in the faith? Have we turned from our sins and trusted solely in Christ alone for the forgiveness of our sins? Then we are safe in Christ alone and we do not need to fear our physical death for it will only be the doorway into eternal life with God.
If we are not in the faith let us flee at once while we still have breath in our lungs to Christ for forgiveness and cleansing. There is no other way to be prepared for eternity.
Then if we know others who do not yet know Christ let us go to them and plead with them to trust in Christ for they know not the day of their death. It may come upon them suddenly like the earthquake in Haiti, or it may creep upon them like old age creeps upon many and they lose their ability to see and remember and respond to God and his Word.
So let us give ourselves to Christ afresh and anew and let us sound the clarion call of repentance and trust in Christ as man's only hope to escape eternal death and destruction.
Hear once more the words of our Lord who said, "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish." No, the Haitian nation is not any more cursed than we are here in America. We just do not know how fragile our life really is. Some falsely think that they can trust in their health for long life but this was not the case yesterday for a twenty one year old healthy basketball player from Southern Indiana.
We work to alleviate the suffering of the world not thinking we can end all suffering for that will not happen until the new heavens and the new earth are made. We work to alleviate suffering now because we desire all men to see the goodness of God and come to repentance. So let us go forth with a towel and food and medicine and care to those who suffer and let's at the same time speak of the grace of Christ who loved a lost world and stands ready to save those in eternal danger of perishing forever.
This is the gospel and this is what we must proclaim in these days.
Even this morning we have news of a college basketball player who fell on the floor and was rushed to the hospital only to be declared dead moments later. He was a great player in good health. He was only a sophomore and he had years left of his life or so many thought. No one knew that he was playing his last game with the opening tip off.
What is to be made of these happenings in our world? One thing is sure, we have only this moment before us to consider Christ. There is no guarantee of our next breath. There are some television preachers who proclaim that it is because of sin that the nation of Haiti had this devastation. Others may proclaim that it was because of sin that this player died suddenly. Such statements do not correctly represent the gospel.
To be sure they are right in what they said, all people die because of sin. No one leaves this world in perfect righteousness. We are all under the curse of sin and death because of it. We all have rebelled against God and all equally deserve his judgment. But God in his grace has revealed his Son to us and those who have fled to Christ will escape the coming judgment at the end of the age.
All of these storms and sudden deaths are merely what happens in a world that has rebelled against God. The disciples were walking along the road one day and they were thinking of tragedies in their day and they thought of the thousands of Jews who were slaughtered by Pilate as they went to the temple one day. Listen in on their conversation. Luke 13:1-9 (NIV)
1 Now there were some present at that time who told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way?
Such seems to be the answer of a modern day television evangelist. TO be sure he was right in that Haiti was under a curse but see how Jesus responds to their question.
3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.
Jesus' replied, No, they were not worse sinners than you. The reason that they died is the same reason we will all die, we have sinned against God and as a result this world is under a curse, not just the nation of Haiti but all of the earth stands under a curse.
Once again the question comes "Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them--do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem?"
The disciples are just like us in this way, we somehow think when bad things happen to others it happens because of some specific sin they committed, so we think to ourselves we must be better because this has not happened to us. Let us forever put away such thinking. Let the Word of the Lord correct us in this attitude. Hear now the Word of our Lord as he responds to such a question, "I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish."
Here is the message the Word of the Lord gives us about disasters and tragedies that come upon us unaware. This world is under a curse and it will always be under a curse until it is purified by the coming of our Lord. (For more information about this read II Peter chapter 3.)
When we see disasters and tragedies it should point us all to the fact that it will happen to us one day as well. We will be walking along and then death will sweep over us and take us. The Scripture says that it is appointed unto man once to die and after that to face judgment. (Hebrews 9:27) All of us have an appointment with death and it is fixed in the eternal counsel of God. So how should we respond to this news of tragedy and disaster when it happens?
First let us examine our own hearts to see if we are prepared to meet God in judgment. Any death is a reminder to all of us that none of us will escape this life alive. Are we in the faith? Have we turned from our sins and trusted solely in Christ alone for the forgiveness of our sins? Then we are safe in Christ alone and we do not need to fear our physical death for it will only be the doorway into eternal life with God.
If we are not in the faith let us flee at once while we still have breath in our lungs to Christ for forgiveness and cleansing. There is no other way to be prepared for eternity.
Then if we know others who do not yet know Christ let us go to them and plead with them to trust in Christ for they know not the day of their death. It may come upon them suddenly like the earthquake in Haiti, or it may creep upon them like old age creeps upon many and they lose their ability to see and remember and respond to God and his Word.
So let us give ourselves to Christ afresh and anew and let us sound the clarion call of repentance and trust in Christ as man's only hope to escape eternal death and destruction.
Hear once more the words of our Lord who said, "Unless you repent you will all likewise perish." No, the Haitian nation is not any more cursed than we are here in America. We just do not know how fragile our life really is. Some falsely think that they can trust in their health for long life but this was not the case yesterday for a twenty one year old healthy basketball player from Southern Indiana.
We work to alleviate the suffering of the world not thinking we can end all suffering for that will not happen until the new heavens and the new earth are made. We work to alleviate suffering now because we desire all men to see the goodness of God and come to repentance. So let us go forth with a towel and food and medicine and care to those who suffer and let's at the same time speak of the grace of Christ who loved a lost world and stands ready to save those in eternal danger of perishing forever.
This is the gospel and this is what we must proclaim in these days.
Monday, January 11, 2010
The urgency of the Gospel
Ezekiel 3:17-19 (NIV)
17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.
Acts 20:25-31 (NIV)
25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Have you ever considered how many people you pass by each day? Have you ever felt the weight of the gospel as you go about you daily routine? God is jealous for His Son's glory and he has set us with the task of telling the gospel to all who live around us. How shall we accomplish such a great undertaking when it seems that most do not have the time to listen to the story?
Let me suggest a few possibilities. !. Begin to ask God to give you divine appointments with those you encounter each day. As you pass by each person lift up a prayer to the Father asking for his discernment as to how to share about Christ with this person. It may be just a kind word or a smile breathed in prayer. It may be you hand them a tract that explains the gospel for them to read later. It may be that you offer a word of praise as you are passing through the checkout counter. It may be that you actively listen to those who express a difficult day and then offer to pray for them.
2. It may be that you write out a personal presentation of the gospel and have it copied so you can distribute it to those you encounter. I have found that this one thing really helps to set in your mind what exactly it is that you believe. You may want to have your pastor or some other leader in your church to help you evaluate the contents of your writing.
3. It could be that you take advantage of writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper expressing biblical views on any number of cultural concerns.
4. It could be that you take notice of the obituary column and send note of prayer to those who have lost loved ones recently.
5. It could be that you volunteer to spend time in your church's prayer room praying for the lost in your area and around the world.
These are just a few ideas that you could develop to help you be a faithful proclaimer of the good news. Certainly Paul had developed a way in his day to share about Christ with everyone he met so he could say that he was free from the blood of all men because he had not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God to them. Let us also be among those who have been found faithful.
A word of warning though, if you go on record as belonging to Christ and set your heart to declare the gospel expect difficulty to begin to visit you since you have now decided to go on the offensive against the enemy.
Join with me and others who have set our hearts on declaring the good news of the gospel until the Lord comes for us. I want my last words in this life to be, "I urge you to repent and turn to Christ."
Pastor phil
17 "Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18 When I say to a wicked man, 'You will surely die,' and you do not warn him or speak out to dissuade him from his evil ways in order to save his life, that wicked man will die for his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. 19 But if you do warn the wicked man and he does not turn from his wickedness or from his evil ways, he will die for his sin; but you will have saved yourself.
Acts 20:25-31 (NIV)
25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again. 26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men. 27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God. 28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
Have you ever considered how many people you pass by each day? Have you ever felt the weight of the gospel as you go about you daily routine? God is jealous for His Son's glory and he has set us with the task of telling the gospel to all who live around us. How shall we accomplish such a great undertaking when it seems that most do not have the time to listen to the story?
Let me suggest a few possibilities. !. Begin to ask God to give you divine appointments with those you encounter each day. As you pass by each person lift up a prayer to the Father asking for his discernment as to how to share about Christ with this person. It may be just a kind word or a smile breathed in prayer. It may be you hand them a tract that explains the gospel for them to read later. It may be that you offer a word of praise as you are passing through the checkout counter. It may be that you actively listen to those who express a difficult day and then offer to pray for them.
2. It may be that you write out a personal presentation of the gospel and have it copied so you can distribute it to those you encounter. I have found that this one thing really helps to set in your mind what exactly it is that you believe. You may want to have your pastor or some other leader in your church to help you evaluate the contents of your writing.
3. It could be that you take advantage of writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper expressing biblical views on any number of cultural concerns.
4. It could be that you take notice of the obituary column and send note of prayer to those who have lost loved ones recently.
5. It could be that you volunteer to spend time in your church's prayer room praying for the lost in your area and around the world.
These are just a few ideas that you could develop to help you be a faithful proclaimer of the good news. Certainly Paul had developed a way in his day to share about Christ with everyone he met so he could say that he was free from the blood of all men because he had not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God to them. Let us also be among those who have been found faithful.
A word of warning though, if you go on record as belonging to Christ and set your heart to declare the gospel expect difficulty to begin to visit you since you have now decided to go on the offensive against the enemy.
Join with me and others who have set our hearts on declaring the good news of the gospel until the Lord comes for us. I want my last words in this life to be, "I urge you to repent and turn to Christ."
Pastor phil
Friday, January 8, 2010
How Important is the Gospel?
Acts 20:22-24 (NIV)
22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
Yesterday I did something I have been praying about for some time. I was not a believer when I graduated from high school 35 years ago and over he years I have often prayed about how to share Christ with my graduating class of 1975. I knew that there would be some repercussions from sharing about Christ and I was somewhat concerned about that but as I have watched our culture continue to spiral out of moral truth I decided yesterday that the time was now.
I penned a letter that I sent to everyone by e-mail yesterday. It went out to about 200 of my former classmates. Today I received one letter back so far telling me that they were glad I had found religion but they found it offensive that I would use such an e-mail list to proselytize my classmates. At the end of the letter they did wish me a happy new year.
This response got me to thinking more about the necessity of the gospel. As I have been reading several biographies of those who have gone before us and those who have lost their lives for the sake of the gospel I was at once convicted and challenged to no longer be silent with the gospel.
I began to think what it would be like to stand next to our brothers and sisters across the history of the church at the end of time and hear them ask us what we had suffered for the cause of Christ. They may tell us of their scars and the life they had lived and the cost they paid and then it would be our turn and the question would come, “What scars do you have to show for your confession of Christ in your day?”
I thought for a moment and knew at once something was terribly wrong. What scars do I have to show for my walk with the Lord? Possibly a few that think I am crazy for believing in such "Nonsense." Every time I step onto an elevator I find myself grow timid, I step into a room of unbelievers and feel afraid because I do not want them to think I am a fool. My silence has been too deafening, my courage too lacking. I believe it is no longer time for us to be silent about the Gospel.
To be sure we must live lives that demonstrate the truth of the gospel. We should pray for our enemies and love those who despitefully use us, but we should not stop at that we must speak the gospel. There was an old preacher who was thought very wise when he said to his congregation, "Preach the Gospel, and if necessary use words." When I first heard that I thought to myself, “What a nice statement.”
It sounded good in my ears and gave me a sense of rest. I no longer had to share the truths of the faith I just had to live a good moral life led by the Spirit. What a breath of fresh air, I thought.
I could not have been more wrong. The gospel is a matter of words, right words, and right doctrine. To only live a moral life is to reject the very gospel we seek to proclaim. The one who gave us the gospel speaks from His Word, Isaiah 40:9 (NIV)
9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"
The salvation of those who will rust in Christ is dependent on preachers being sent. Romans 10:13-17 informs us that it is the preaching of the Word that is heard in the ear that produces faith in the redeemed. Words are absolutely essential to this ministry that God has called us to. Without words being spoken there will be no faith be exercised.
But we also must know this that when we begin to speak these words the enemy will do whatever he can to shut our mouths. Let us labor to be as the early disciples and say that we cannot help but speak of the things which we have seen and heard. O God may you open our mouths even more in these days so the dead can hear and live again.
Speaking up for the Gospel,
Pastor phil
22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there.
23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me.
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
Yesterday I did something I have been praying about for some time. I was not a believer when I graduated from high school 35 years ago and over he years I have often prayed about how to share Christ with my graduating class of 1975. I knew that there would be some repercussions from sharing about Christ and I was somewhat concerned about that but as I have watched our culture continue to spiral out of moral truth I decided yesterday that the time was now.
I penned a letter that I sent to everyone by e-mail yesterday. It went out to about 200 of my former classmates. Today I received one letter back so far telling me that they were glad I had found religion but they found it offensive that I would use such an e-mail list to proselytize my classmates. At the end of the letter they did wish me a happy new year.
This response got me to thinking more about the necessity of the gospel. As I have been reading several biographies of those who have gone before us and those who have lost their lives for the sake of the gospel I was at once convicted and challenged to no longer be silent with the gospel.
I began to think what it would be like to stand next to our brothers and sisters across the history of the church at the end of time and hear them ask us what we had suffered for the cause of Christ. They may tell us of their scars and the life they had lived and the cost they paid and then it would be our turn and the question would come, “What scars do you have to show for your confession of Christ in your day?”
I thought for a moment and knew at once something was terribly wrong. What scars do I have to show for my walk with the Lord? Possibly a few that think I am crazy for believing in such "Nonsense." Every time I step onto an elevator I find myself grow timid, I step into a room of unbelievers and feel afraid because I do not want them to think I am a fool. My silence has been too deafening, my courage too lacking. I believe it is no longer time for us to be silent about the Gospel.
To be sure we must live lives that demonstrate the truth of the gospel. We should pray for our enemies and love those who despitefully use us, but we should not stop at that we must speak the gospel. There was an old preacher who was thought very wise when he said to his congregation, "Preach the Gospel, and if necessary use words." When I first heard that I thought to myself, “What a nice statement.”
It sounded good in my ears and gave me a sense of rest. I no longer had to share the truths of the faith I just had to live a good moral life led by the Spirit. What a breath of fresh air, I thought.
I could not have been more wrong. The gospel is a matter of words, right words, and right doctrine. To only live a moral life is to reject the very gospel we seek to proclaim. The one who gave us the gospel speaks from His Word, Isaiah 40:9 (NIV)
9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"
The salvation of those who will rust in Christ is dependent on preachers being sent. Romans 10:13-17 informs us that it is the preaching of the Word that is heard in the ear that produces faith in the redeemed. Words are absolutely essential to this ministry that God has called us to. Without words being spoken there will be no faith be exercised.
But we also must know this that when we begin to speak these words the enemy will do whatever he can to shut our mouths. Let us labor to be as the early disciples and say that we cannot help but speak of the things which we have seen and heard. O God may you open our mouths even more in these days so the dead can hear and live again.
Speaking up for the Gospel,
Pastor phil
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Finding Joy in the Midst of Despair
Often after the holiday season many find themselves in the throws of despair or depression. Things they had put their hopes in did not offer the deliverance from the fleshly word that we live in. They open of some gift bringing with it the form of lasting hope and peace does not materialize and once again life is thrown into the regular often mundane, even depressing situations of living in a fallen world.
Where shall we find our hope in such case? Does the Christian life have any offer to those who find themselves in this season of gloom? From one who often finds himself ins such cases hear these words clearly; the Gospel is our only hope for deliverance from such states. As David spoke to his own soul we must speak to ours, "Put your hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is my savior and my God." Psalms 42
We are commanded by Scripture to put our hope in God alone not in what we feel or in what we do to find our deliverance. Are you depressed, in the pits, feeling gloomy? Then look away from your despair unto Christ. See him standing at the right hand of the Father serving as your righteousness. The day of your eternal redemption is coming and the guarantee that you will not be in this pit forever is Christ, your redeemer. Look unto him and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth.
IN the same manner that you looked to Him for salvation at first you must look to him in this for he alone is your only hope. We labor in this hope for he who promised is faithful and he will rescue, though for a season if need be we may be in heaviness for our Sovereign God's appointed ends, which are always for our good and for His glory. Let us therefore boast in our weakness, though it be finding ourselves often in such places, for we shall soon be caught up to be with the Lord forever at the last trumpet call of God.
Surely now we can see that these times are meant for our savoring and rejoicing in our Lord when he comes for us, for had we not such pits of despair we would not savor the rescue of our Savior. SO let us rejoice when we find ourselves in such places for this is working for us a more sweet release when he comes for us.
Looking Unto Jesus, the Author and Hallelujah the Finisher of my Faith,
Pastor phil
Where shall we find our hope in such case? Does the Christian life have any offer to those who find themselves in this season of gloom? From one who often finds himself ins such cases hear these words clearly; the Gospel is our only hope for deliverance from such states. As David spoke to his own soul we must speak to ours, "Put your hope in God for I shall yet praise him who is my savior and my God." Psalms 42
We are commanded by Scripture to put our hope in God alone not in what we feel or in what we do to find our deliverance. Are you depressed, in the pits, feeling gloomy? Then look away from your despair unto Christ. See him standing at the right hand of the Father serving as your righteousness. The day of your eternal redemption is coming and the guarantee that you will not be in this pit forever is Christ, your redeemer. Look unto him and be ye saved all ye ends of the earth.
IN the same manner that you looked to Him for salvation at first you must look to him in this for he alone is your only hope. We labor in this hope for he who promised is faithful and he will rescue, though for a season if need be we may be in heaviness for our Sovereign God's appointed ends, which are always for our good and for His glory. Let us therefore boast in our weakness, though it be finding ourselves often in such places, for we shall soon be caught up to be with the Lord forever at the last trumpet call of God.
Surely now we can see that these times are meant for our savoring and rejoicing in our Lord when he comes for us, for had we not such pits of despair we would not savor the rescue of our Savior. SO let us rejoice when we find ourselves in such places for this is working for us a more sweet release when he comes for us.
Looking Unto Jesus, the Author and Hallelujah the Finisher of my Faith,
Pastor phil
Monday, January 4, 2010
The Salvation of A Great Sinner
January 5: Luke 15:20 (NIV)
20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
What is necessary to understand for a full and meaningful walk with the Lord in this world? Some may answer, “Your theology must be perfect. You must not have any unworthy thoughts of God." Others may respond, “Make sure your life is ordered only be the Scriptures and that you possess no unwholesome practices in you." Still others reply, “Care not for anything but that you are saved and worry not about such things as theology, behavior or the like, and just live your life."
A man who was well known for his rejection and open ridicule of the Christian faith and its dictates would spend the first almost thirty years in complete wanton disregard for the truths of the gospel. He would live as a reprobate and encourage others in the same way. Even though he had been spared numerous times from certain death on the high seas and in ordinary life routines he would not turn to Christ.
He had attempted a few occasions of living the Christian life but all to no avail. These turns would only last a few months or at best a couple of years but he would once again return each time to greater reprobation. What would be his hope? From where would he find his deliverance? He tried to turn to the churches of his day only to find false teachers filling her pulpits. He tried reading books on religion or philosophy but nothing seemed to work. It would be a gradual awakening over time after being delivered from certain death on the high seas one more time that he would begin in earnest to seek after this God who had spared his life time and again.
How would God receive such a person who had spent the first part of his life living in wanton disregard for the things of God? The text before us today answers much to the shock of the world, that our Great Redeemer does not wait for us to come home he runs after us and finds us in the far country and as we turn to him he runs towards us to receive us. Can this be true? Yes Church this is the truth which we have received and on which we stake our claim. The good news of the gospel is that when we once see the utter hopelessness of our condition we will find our Savior running toward us with open arms.
O Holy Spirit come and bring your conviction of sin that we might see our utter brokenness so we too can be rescued as the great hymn writer John Newton who penned these wonderful words for us, “Amazing grace how sweet the sound the that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found was blind but now I see.”
Proclaiming such an Amazing Grace,
Pastor phil
20 So he got up and went to his father. "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
What is necessary to understand for a full and meaningful walk with the Lord in this world? Some may answer, “Your theology must be perfect. You must not have any unworthy thoughts of God." Others may respond, “Make sure your life is ordered only be the Scriptures and that you possess no unwholesome practices in you." Still others reply, “Care not for anything but that you are saved and worry not about such things as theology, behavior or the like, and just live your life."
A man who was well known for his rejection and open ridicule of the Christian faith and its dictates would spend the first almost thirty years in complete wanton disregard for the truths of the gospel. He would live as a reprobate and encourage others in the same way. Even though he had been spared numerous times from certain death on the high seas and in ordinary life routines he would not turn to Christ.
He had attempted a few occasions of living the Christian life but all to no avail. These turns would only last a few months or at best a couple of years but he would once again return each time to greater reprobation. What would be his hope? From where would he find his deliverance? He tried to turn to the churches of his day only to find false teachers filling her pulpits. He tried reading books on religion or philosophy but nothing seemed to work. It would be a gradual awakening over time after being delivered from certain death on the high seas one more time that he would begin in earnest to seek after this God who had spared his life time and again.
How would God receive such a person who had spent the first part of his life living in wanton disregard for the things of God? The text before us today answers much to the shock of the world, that our Great Redeemer does not wait for us to come home he runs after us and finds us in the far country and as we turn to him he runs towards us to receive us. Can this be true? Yes Church this is the truth which we have received and on which we stake our claim. The good news of the gospel is that when we once see the utter hopelessness of our condition we will find our Savior running toward us with open arms.
O Holy Spirit come and bring your conviction of sin that we might see our utter brokenness so we too can be rescued as the great hymn writer John Newton who penned these wonderful words for us, “Amazing grace how sweet the sound the that saved a wretch like me, I once was lost but now am found was blind but now I see.”
Proclaiming such an Amazing Grace,
Pastor phil
Fixed on the Sovereign God
January 4: 2 Samuel 7:28 (NIV)
28 O Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.
How shall we face the coming year with all of it uncertainties and trials? Let us take courage from the text of Scripture in front of us today. Our God is sovereign and he controls everything in his universe, nothing, not even evil can occur without his divine permission and direction. Such thoughts are perhaps too marvelous to us to grasp and yet they are true nonetheless. Whatever God has promised will come to pass no matter how many forces are aligned against such truths.
It was this confidence in the Word of God that would compel Adoniram Judson to cross the thousands of miles of ocean to set his course toward India and Burma. He would leave his homeland and family and travel with his wife, Ann and together they would give birth to several children that would all die under the harsh tropical climate. Along with the loss of his children, Adoniram would see his own beloved wife, Ann, taken by the same diseases.
How shall one fare when faced with such hardships? Hear in his own words how Adoniram viewed the sovereignty of God which would sustain him on the foreign field for decades while he would tarry for the Master often alone on foreign soil. "If I had not felt certain," he says, "that every additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings." Judson joined with Paul in declaring: "The love of Christ constraineth me ... Therefore I will glory in reproaches, in persecution and in distresses for Christ's sake."
We all face many trials in this life but none so hard that the sovereign God cannot keep us in the midst of such trials. He can deliver us from such trials but his most often way is to sustain us in His Word through such trials. Let us go forth into this new year with the confidence that the sovereignty of God will keep us, for he who commanded he light to shine out of darkness has shined into our hearts and he has already given us the knowledge of God in the face of Christ our Savior. If we have such a treasure like this then let us face the future with unwavering confidence.
Facing the Future under the Sovereign God’s Care,
Pastor Phil
28 O Sovereign Lord, you are God! Your words are trustworthy, and you have promised these good things to your servant.
How shall we face the coming year with all of it uncertainties and trials? Let us take courage from the text of Scripture in front of us today. Our God is sovereign and he controls everything in his universe, nothing, not even evil can occur without his divine permission and direction. Such thoughts are perhaps too marvelous to us to grasp and yet they are true nonetheless. Whatever God has promised will come to pass no matter how many forces are aligned against such truths.
It was this confidence in the Word of God that would compel Adoniram Judson to cross the thousands of miles of ocean to set his course toward India and Burma. He would leave his homeland and family and travel with his wife, Ann and together they would give birth to several children that would all die under the harsh tropical climate. Along with the loss of his children, Adoniram would see his own beloved wife, Ann, taken by the same diseases.
How shall one fare when faced with such hardships? Hear in his own words how Adoniram viewed the sovereignty of God which would sustain him on the foreign field for decades while he would tarry for the Master often alone on foreign soil. "If I had not felt certain," he says, "that every additional trial was ordered by infinite love and mercy, I could not have survived my accumulated sufferings." Judson joined with Paul in declaring: "The love of Christ constraineth me ... Therefore I will glory in reproaches, in persecution and in distresses for Christ's sake."
We all face many trials in this life but none so hard that the sovereign God cannot keep us in the midst of such trials. He can deliver us from such trials but his most often way is to sustain us in His Word through such trials. Let us go forth into this new year with the confidence that the sovereignty of God will keep us, for he who commanded he light to shine out of darkness has shined into our hearts and he has already given us the knowledge of God in the face of Christ our Savior. If we have such a treasure like this then let us face the future with unwavering confidence.
Facing the Future under the Sovereign God’s Care,
Pastor Phil
What God can Do With One Man Totally Committed to Him.
January 3: Philippians 3:12-14 (RSV)
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
In this day of success driven ministries and church growth conferences and principles of how to grow large churches and build thriving ministries I find some things very disturbing, something of vital importance is being neglected. I just finished reading a brief biography of Dwight L. Moody and found things in his life that were very visible at the outset that never left his ministry.
At the beginning of his ministry Mr. Moody heard a preacher raise the question, “The world has yet to see what God can do with one man that is totally committed to him.” Upon hearing that it is told that D.L. Moody said to himself and a few gathered around him that he wanted to be that man. It would be his practice from then on to rise early every morning for prayer and serious Bible study. Most mornings would find him up before 4 a.m. studying in his small prayer room.
This practice of significant Bible study would be the foundation on which God would build a worldwide ministry. Out of his commitment to serious Bible study he discovered the regular discipline of intercessory prayer. It would become his lifelong thrill to take every concern to his Heavenly Father and seek to prove the reality of God by his own prayers. He would often call many of those who supported his ministry to times of prayer and fasting for specific meetings in the cities he would travel in.
Out of his continued walking with God he came upon the commitment to not let a day go by where he did not talk with at least one person about their need for Christ. There would be some days when he would be preparing for bed and realize that he did not speak with someone about their need for Christ and he would get up and go about the city seeking to find one person whom he could share his Savior with.
I suppose if you were to travel with Mr. Moody you have been somewhat embarrassed by his constant pleading with people to put their faith in Christ. The conversation would not cover the topics of the day but would often turn to the truths of Scripture. Gossip would not do around Mr. Moody for there was too little time and too many lost persons around to spend it in trivial conversations.
May we set our course like that of Mr. Moody and set our sights much higher because of the path he has set for us, which in reality is only the path that our Savior has set before us. Let us seek to study and pray and share as if we had no more time before our Savior would come for us.
God give us the same spirit that was given to Mr. Moody, in our day,
Pastor Phil
12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect; but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
In this day of success driven ministries and church growth conferences and principles of how to grow large churches and build thriving ministries I find some things very disturbing, something of vital importance is being neglected. I just finished reading a brief biography of Dwight L. Moody and found things in his life that were very visible at the outset that never left his ministry.
At the beginning of his ministry Mr. Moody heard a preacher raise the question, “The world has yet to see what God can do with one man that is totally committed to him.” Upon hearing that it is told that D.L. Moody said to himself and a few gathered around him that he wanted to be that man. It would be his practice from then on to rise early every morning for prayer and serious Bible study. Most mornings would find him up before 4 a.m. studying in his small prayer room.
This practice of significant Bible study would be the foundation on which God would build a worldwide ministry. Out of his commitment to serious Bible study he discovered the regular discipline of intercessory prayer. It would become his lifelong thrill to take every concern to his Heavenly Father and seek to prove the reality of God by his own prayers. He would often call many of those who supported his ministry to times of prayer and fasting for specific meetings in the cities he would travel in.
Out of his continued walking with God he came upon the commitment to not let a day go by where he did not talk with at least one person about their need for Christ. There would be some days when he would be preparing for bed and realize that he did not speak with someone about their need for Christ and he would get up and go about the city seeking to find one person whom he could share his Savior with.
I suppose if you were to travel with Mr. Moody you have been somewhat embarrassed by his constant pleading with people to put their faith in Christ. The conversation would not cover the topics of the day but would often turn to the truths of Scripture. Gossip would not do around Mr. Moody for there was too little time and too many lost persons around to spend it in trivial conversations.
May we set our course like that of Mr. Moody and set our sights much higher because of the path he has set for us, which in reality is only the path that our Savior has set before us. Let us seek to study and pray and share as if we had no more time before our Savior would come for us.
God give us the same spirit that was given to Mr. Moody, in our day,
Pastor Phil
The Greatest Promise
January 2: Matthew 28:18-20 (RSV)
18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."
How shall this year fare when the calendar is finalized at the end of 2010? What promise can we take with us into this coming year that will sustain us and give us hope in the midst of challenging times? I suggest we take this verse from Matthew with us for it has been the foundation and the support of two of my favorite missionaries of all time, John Paton and David Livingstone.
David Livingstone was often heard to say, that this text is the word of a gentleman and I shall trust the word of such a gentleman. John Paton learned early on in his young childhood that he could take this promise and live off of it because he had witnessed his father living off such a promise every day of his life as he led his family in worship at the start and end of each day.
It would be this promise that would sustain John Paton as he went to minister among cannibals in the New Hebrides islands in the middle to late 1800’s. For our consideration today let me share one day in the life of John Paton as he jived among violent cannibal tribes.
The tribes that Paton had gone to minster among had circled around him several times to take his life. The following is one such record. “On one occasion when Paton was preaching in one of the villages, three sacred men stood up and declared that they could kill him by Nahak or sorcery, if only they could get possession of any piece of fruit or food of which he had eaten. Being thus challenged, he resolved, with his Lord's help, to strike a blow at the tremendous power for evil wielded by the sorcerers. After taking a bite out of three plums, he handed one of them to each of the sacred men. The natives were astounded at his action and momentarily expected to see him fall over dead, as the sorcerers proceeded with their incantations. With many gesticulations and mutterings, they rolled up in leaves the three plums, kindled a sacred fire and burned them. "Stir up your gods to help you," urged Paton. "I am not killed. In fact I am perfectly well."
At length the sorcerers said that they would call all the sacred men together and that they would kill Missi before the next Sabbath arrived. Paton told the people he would meet them at that same place the next Sabbath morning. Great excitement prevailed on the island. Every day messengers came from different quarters inquiring if the white man was ill. Sabbath morning he appeared before the people in sound health and said: "Now you must admit that your gods have no power over me and that I am protected by the true and living God. He is the only God who can hear and answer prayer. He loves all human beings, despite their great wickedness, and He sent His dear Son, Jesus, to save from sin all who will believe and follow Him." (Copyright 2009 www.WholesomeWords.org)
There would be many other times in Paton and Livingstone and countless other missionary lives that would stake all their hope on this one text. It served the faith of those who have gone before us well so let us take this text and set our affections on it as well as we seek to make the gospel known in our day.
Staking My Claim on his promise, “I am with you always.”
Pastor phil
18 And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age."
How shall this year fare when the calendar is finalized at the end of 2010? What promise can we take with us into this coming year that will sustain us and give us hope in the midst of challenging times? I suggest we take this verse from Matthew with us for it has been the foundation and the support of two of my favorite missionaries of all time, John Paton and David Livingstone.
David Livingstone was often heard to say, that this text is the word of a gentleman and I shall trust the word of such a gentleman. John Paton learned early on in his young childhood that he could take this promise and live off of it because he had witnessed his father living off such a promise every day of his life as he led his family in worship at the start and end of each day.
It would be this promise that would sustain John Paton as he went to minister among cannibals in the New Hebrides islands in the middle to late 1800’s. For our consideration today let me share one day in the life of John Paton as he jived among violent cannibal tribes.
The tribes that Paton had gone to minster among had circled around him several times to take his life. The following is one such record. “On one occasion when Paton was preaching in one of the villages, three sacred men stood up and declared that they could kill him by Nahak or sorcery, if only they could get possession of any piece of fruit or food of which he had eaten. Being thus challenged, he resolved, with his Lord's help, to strike a blow at the tremendous power for evil wielded by the sorcerers. After taking a bite out of three plums, he handed one of them to each of the sacred men. The natives were astounded at his action and momentarily expected to see him fall over dead, as the sorcerers proceeded with their incantations. With many gesticulations and mutterings, they rolled up in leaves the three plums, kindled a sacred fire and burned them. "Stir up your gods to help you," urged Paton. "I am not killed. In fact I am perfectly well."
At length the sorcerers said that they would call all the sacred men together and that they would kill Missi before the next Sabbath arrived. Paton told the people he would meet them at that same place the next Sabbath morning. Great excitement prevailed on the island. Every day messengers came from different quarters inquiring if the white man was ill. Sabbath morning he appeared before the people in sound health and said: "Now you must admit that your gods have no power over me and that I am protected by the true and living God. He is the only God who can hear and answer prayer. He loves all human beings, despite their great wickedness, and He sent His dear Son, Jesus, to save from sin all who will believe and follow Him." (Copyright 2009 www.WholesomeWords.org)
There would be many other times in Paton and Livingstone and countless other missionary lives that would stake all their hope on this one text. It served the faith of those who have gone before us well so let us take this text and set our affections on it as well as we seek to make the gospel known in our day.
Staking My Claim on his promise, “I am with you always.”
Pastor phil
Friday, January 1, 2010
Pressing On The Upward Way
January 1: Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV)
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
With the new year in front of us and the past year over what shall be our first thought for this new year? Let me suggest one from Scripture from our text this morning. We have not yet arrived for there is much still to do so we press on to take hold of Christ. Though we have walked with Christ for years we have not yet reached our full maturity so we press on. We may have faltered many a time in the past but we will not give up we will press on. We may not have all that others have but still we press on not for ourselves as much as for those who have yet to hear the gospel of our Lord.
We come to this new year with thousands of people groups still untouched by the gospel of Christ so we press on for their sakes. There are those in our families and friendships that are still without his knowledge so we press on for them. There are places where our Lord is not glorified so we press on, not considering that we have attained anything for there are still millions who have not heard so we press on.
Let this new year be the year that you press on toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters that high calling is to be found in him declaring his glory when he comes for you. Let us labor so to speak and live that the last words that form the breath of our mouths be words of praise and adoration so the nations can see that he is faithful to the end just as he promised.
Still Pressing one the Upward Way,
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
13 Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,
14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
With the new year in front of us and the past year over what shall be our first thought for this new year? Let me suggest one from Scripture from our text this morning. We have not yet arrived for there is much still to do so we press on to take hold of Christ. Though we have walked with Christ for years we have not yet reached our full maturity so we press on. We may have faltered many a time in the past but we will not give up we will press on. We may not have all that others have but still we press on not for ourselves as much as for those who have yet to hear the gospel of our Lord.
We come to this new year with thousands of people groups still untouched by the gospel of Christ so we press on for their sakes. There are those in our families and friendships that are still without his knowledge so we press on for them. There are places where our Lord is not glorified so we press on, not considering that we have attained anything for there are still millions who have not heard so we press on.
Let this new year be the year that you press on toward the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Brothers and sisters that high calling is to be found in him declaring his glory when he comes for you. Let us labor so to speak and live that the last words that form the breath of our mouths be words of praise and adoration so the nations can see that he is faithful to the end just as he promised.
Still Pressing one the Upward Way,
Longing for His Appearing?
December 31: 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (NIV)
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
As we come to the end of another year and look back over the past months we must ask; Have we grown any in our walk with our Savior? Are we any better off this year than last in our fight against sin and evil? Perhaps some have made progress that they can see, but there are many others who look back over the past year and see nothing but more of the same; many frail attempts at remaining stedfast in the faith, few opportunities taken to further the gospel of Christ, many times of weakness and frailty.
Do not allow these times of failure to drag you down, even these times will be used by our God to grow in us a desire to depart this life and be with Christ. Paul says that he finished the race and kept the faith. Just what did this mean to him as he approached the end of his life? Did it mean that he never faltered from the course, he never wavered from his appointed task, he never sinned against his Lord after his conversion? Certainly this cannot be what Paul means for he writes in the same letter that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom he was the chief.
If it does not mean these things then what can it mean for us? Notice the phrase, “to all who long for his appearing.” Who is it that longs for his appearing? It is only those who face the constant struggle against sin and evil and find that they grow weary of such battles, they really long to be free from such struggles but God has deemed it necessary for them to endure hardships and pain and difficulty so that they will love his appearing when it comes.
So as you look back over this year take careful stock of all the sin that you have been guilty of and let it mount up. Then take all of this and turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in his wonderful face and you will find that the things of this world will no longer hold the power over you. You will find yourself longing for heaven so you can be done with sin and be in your Saviors presence for the rest of forever.
Go ahead and drink deeply of his grace this last day of 2009 and then turn your eyes toward the future with the great expectancy that it may be this year when we will all be gathered around the throne in worship without any sin to hinder our love for God ever again. O what a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see. Until then we walk with God through the pain and through the struggle. Let us be faithful as was Paul to always long for his return.
Looking Upward Until He comes,
Pastor phil
6 For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
As we come to the end of another year and look back over the past months we must ask; Have we grown any in our walk with our Savior? Are we any better off this year than last in our fight against sin and evil? Perhaps some have made progress that they can see, but there are many others who look back over the past year and see nothing but more of the same; many frail attempts at remaining stedfast in the faith, few opportunities taken to further the gospel of Christ, many times of weakness and frailty.
Do not allow these times of failure to drag you down, even these times will be used by our God to grow in us a desire to depart this life and be with Christ. Paul says that he finished the race and kept the faith. Just what did this mean to him as he approached the end of his life? Did it mean that he never faltered from the course, he never wavered from his appointed task, he never sinned against his Lord after his conversion? Certainly this cannot be what Paul means for he writes in the same letter that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom he was the chief.
If it does not mean these things then what can it mean for us? Notice the phrase, “to all who long for his appearing.” Who is it that longs for his appearing? It is only those who face the constant struggle against sin and evil and find that they grow weary of such battles, they really long to be free from such struggles but God has deemed it necessary for them to endure hardships and pain and difficulty so that they will love his appearing when it comes.
So as you look back over this year take careful stock of all the sin that you have been guilty of and let it mount up. Then take all of this and turn your eyes upon Jesus and look full in his wonderful face and you will find that the things of this world will no longer hold the power over you. You will find yourself longing for heaven so you can be done with sin and be in your Saviors presence for the rest of forever.
Go ahead and drink deeply of his grace this last day of 2009 and then turn your eyes toward the future with the great expectancy that it may be this year when we will all be gathered around the throne in worship without any sin to hinder our love for God ever again. O what a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see. Until then we walk with God through the pain and through the struggle. Let us be faithful as was Paul to always long for his return.
Looking Upward Until He comes,
Pastor phil
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The Real Way to Life and Happiness
December 30: When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When he heard this he became very sad because he was a man of great wealth. Luke 18:22-23
The rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked how to inherit eternal life and the formula was given yet he refused, thinking he knew where life came from. How sad for the rich young ruler to refuse the advice of the Savior of the world, the richest man who had ever lived and yet he left it all in Heaven to come for us. Does not his coming to earth demonstrate for us how to find true wealth and riches? If he gave up his home in heaven and all the wealth and position and power and fame among the angels to come to this fallen sin cursed world to rescue his redeemed ones then would we fare better if we chose to live some other way?
Notice the text indicates that the rich young ruler went away sad because he was a man of great wealth. How significant to see that it is not riches that make happiness but the surrendering of our riches that brings us great joy. O if the world could only see and hear these words of our savior there would be much joy in the house of the Lord. But who will go to them and tell them of such truth? Who will go to them and wrest them from the enemy’s poisonous treats?
Just this morning I was reading a biography of C.T. Studd, missionary to China and Africa in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. How he responded to the call of Hudson Taylor to China and left with the famous Cambridge seven. They were all men who had great promise in business and medicine and other interests but they left them all behind in England for the riches of China and the gospel treasure they would find there.
C.T. Studd was the son of a very wealthy merchant in England and news arrived that he was going to inherit a large fortune soon. Attempting to decide what to do with the large sum he decided to find out what would have happened to the rich young ruler if he had given it all away as his Lord had directed, so he began to send large sums of money to Hudson Taylor for the work in China and sent another large sum of money to George Mueller in England for the work among the orphans and a significant sum for mission work in England. After his attempt to give away all his inheritance he had 3400 British pounds left to his name. He would propose marriage to his soon to be wife with this sum and she replied, “C.T. God told the rich young ruler to give it all away so let us make sure we start clean with the Lord.” They entered their marriage penniless and quite happy.
They served together in China for another ten years until ill health required that they return to England. In England they spent their time speaking to students about the missionary call of God, both in England and America. Hundreds of students responded to their influence to go to the mission field. In 1900 they set sail for India and served there for six years. They once again returned to England, this time completely penniless and in ill health, they were refused treatment because they were without the means to pay for the care. The group of businessmen refused to continue to support them as they were speaking of going to Africa, even though they were in ill health.
After four years in England, C.T. and his wife thought it best for him to go to Africa, even though they had little prospect of survival there. They agreed to leave his wife and children in England because the dangers of Africa were only too well known. Many predicted that C.T. would not survive his journey to Africa and they were right, he only lived another twenty one years serving the Lord in Africa, when doctors had said he would not survive the journey let alone the hostile climate in Africa.
C.T. would coin a phrase that has been quoted often since his death, "Some wish to live within the sound of Church or Chapel bell; I want to run a Rescue Shop within a yard of hell."
One missionary biographer writes these words of C.T. Studd “ "C.T.'s life stands as some rugged Gibraltar — a sign to all succeeding generations that it is worth while to lose all this world can offer and stake everything on the world to come. His life will be an eternal rebuke to easygoing Christianity. He has demonstrated what it means to follow Christ without counting the cost and without looking back.
May our lives be so influenced to give of our wealth and go with our lives to the places where the gospel has yet to be heard. Let us be found in giving, praying and going to the gospel poorest places on the earth.
Here We are Lord Send us!
Pastor phil
The rich young ruler came to Jesus and asked how to inherit eternal life and the formula was given yet he refused, thinking he knew where life came from. How sad for the rich young ruler to refuse the advice of the Savior of the world, the richest man who had ever lived and yet he left it all in Heaven to come for us. Does not his coming to earth demonstrate for us how to find true wealth and riches? If he gave up his home in heaven and all the wealth and position and power and fame among the angels to come to this fallen sin cursed world to rescue his redeemed ones then would we fare better if we chose to live some other way?
Notice the text indicates that the rich young ruler went away sad because he was a man of great wealth. How significant to see that it is not riches that make happiness but the surrendering of our riches that brings us great joy. O if the world could only see and hear these words of our savior there would be much joy in the house of the Lord. But who will go to them and tell them of such truth? Who will go to them and wrest them from the enemy’s poisonous treats?
Just this morning I was reading a biography of C.T. Studd, missionary to China and Africa in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. How he responded to the call of Hudson Taylor to China and left with the famous Cambridge seven. They were all men who had great promise in business and medicine and other interests but they left them all behind in England for the riches of China and the gospel treasure they would find there.
C.T. Studd was the son of a very wealthy merchant in England and news arrived that he was going to inherit a large fortune soon. Attempting to decide what to do with the large sum he decided to find out what would have happened to the rich young ruler if he had given it all away as his Lord had directed, so he began to send large sums of money to Hudson Taylor for the work in China and sent another large sum of money to George Mueller in England for the work among the orphans and a significant sum for mission work in England. After his attempt to give away all his inheritance he had 3400 British pounds left to his name. He would propose marriage to his soon to be wife with this sum and she replied, “C.T. God told the rich young ruler to give it all away so let us make sure we start clean with the Lord.” They entered their marriage penniless and quite happy.
They served together in China for another ten years until ill health required that they return to England. In England they spent their time speaking to students about the missionary call of God, both in England and America. Hundreds of students responded to their influence to go to the mission field. In 1900 they set sail for India and served there for six years. They once again returned to England, this time completely penniless and in ill health, they were refused treatment because they were without the means to pay for the care. The group of businessmen refused to continue to support them as they were speaking of going to Africa, even though they were in ill health.
After four years in England, C.T. and his wife thought it best for him to go to Africa, even though they had little prospect of survival there. They agreed to leave his wife and children in England because the dangers of Africa were only too well known. Many predicted that C.T. would not survive his journey to Africa and they were right, he only lived another twenty one years serving the Lord in Africa, when doctors had said he would not survive the journey let alone the hostile climate in Africa.
C.T. would coin a phrase that has been quoted often since his death, "Some wish to live within the sound of Church or Chapel bell; I want to run a Rescue Shop within a yard of hell."
One missionary biographer writes these words of C.T. Studd “ "C.T.'s life stands as some rugged Gibraltar — a sign to all succeeding generations that it is worth while to lose all this world can offer and stake everything on the world to come. His life will be an eternal rebuke to easygoing Christianity. He has demonstrated what it means to follow Christ without counting the cost and without looking back.
May our lives be so influenced to give of our wealth and go with our lives to the places where the gospel has yet to be heard. Let us be found in giving, praying and going to the gospel poorest places on the earth.
Here We are Lord Send us!
Pastor phil
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
To the Hard Places for the Glory of God
December 29: "Cannot the love of Christ," he asked, "carry the missionary where the slave trade carries the trader?" (David Livingstone, missionary to Africa)
“Now compelled by the Spirit I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there I only know that in every city the holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships await me.” Act 20:22-23
I don’t recommend reading the biographies of missionaries unless you want to be convicted of the smallness of your faith and the lagging zeal you have for Christ. But if you desire to be convicted of how much you still need to grow in godliness and holiness then by all means pick up a good biography and read away.
For the past two weeks we have been considering the lives of those who have set the path for us over the last two thousand years of missionary endeavors. Today I want to consider with you for a brief moment the life of one such missionary, David Livingstone.
As a young man he had chanced upon the service where Robert Moffatt, the great missionary to Africa, was speaking and heard him utter these words, "I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been."
It would be these words that would compel a young doctor to leave everything behind and go to the dark continent of Africa to carry the message of Christ. He would suffer great discomforts and face grueling hardships for almost forty years on the African continent as he sought to carry the message of Christ to those villages where the gospel had never gone He would face lions that would tear his shoulder out of joint and leave his one arm almost paralyzed for the rest of his life. He would face the challenges of leaving to return to the comforts of England when circumstances would tell him that he was finished. He would lose the wife he loved to tropical disease eleven years before he would meet her in glory. He would see his children leave Africa and not see them for many years due to the rigors of his missionary endeavors and he would experience the ridicule of those who were at first his best supporters. He would travel through places where deadly pestilence was rampant, and eventually he would die on the soil he came to reclaim for his Savior.
When asked why he followed Christ into such hard and difficult places his only answer was "Cannot the love of Christ," he asked, "carry the missionary where the slave trade carries the trader?"
I leave you with this quote for your consideration today. We live in a nation that has more freedom to share the gospel than any other nation at any other time in history. I wonder how we shall fare when we stand next to these our brothers and sisters who have gone before us at that great day when we shall all stand before our Lord to receive the rewards for our labors. I can almost hear the questions of these who have gone to the hard and the difficult places, “Tell me, with such freedom surely you told everyone you saw about the glories of our great God! Surely you spoke often of his magnificent grace to all who came your way. Surely there were many who heard from your lips and life of his redeeming love. Surely you have some scars to show for your labors here below.
I can almost see Doctor Livingstone revealing the scars on his shoulders and scarred feet of his as he walked across deserts that left his feet burned and scarred because he loved his Savior so much and he loved the lost to whom he was sent as well. I wonder what scars we shall have to show for our love for the Savior, I wonder what names we can speak of that we shared our Lord with.
Should we not begin our day each day with these words, “O Love of Christ, carry the feet of this missionary to the places where the Drugs flow free and the terrorists run with boldness and the unbelievers are enslaved. Carry the feet of this missionary to those who do not yet know of the redeeming love that I have so richly been given.”
Let us set our course again for the hard places of our occupations and our neighborhoods and our cities and villages. Let us labor as Livingstone did until our Savior comes for us.
Following the path of those who have gone before us,
Pastor Phil
“Now compelled by the Spirit I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there I only know that in every city the holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships await me.” Act 20:22-23
I don’t recommend reading the biographies of missionaries unless you want to be convicted of the smallness of your faith and the lagging zeal you have for Christ. But if you desire to be convicted of how much you still need to grow in godliness and holiness then by all means pick up a good biography and read away.
For the past two weeks we have been considering the lives of those who have set the path for us over the last two thousand years of missionary endeavors. Today I want to consider with you for a brief moment the life of one such missionary, David Livingstone.
As a young man he had chanced upon the service where Robert Moffatt, the great missionary to Africa, was speaking and heard him utter these words, "I have sometimes seen, in the morning sun, the smoke of a thousand villages where no missionary has ever been."
It would be these words that would compel a young doctor to leave everything behind and go to the dark continent of Africa to carry the message of Christ. He would suffer great discomforts and face grueling hardships for almost forty years on the African continent as he sought to carry the message of Christ to those villages where the gospel had never gone He would face lions that would tear his shoulder out of joint and leave his one arm almost paralyzed for the rest of his life. He would face the challenges of leaving to return to the comforts of England when circumstances would tell him that he was finished. He would lose the wife he loved to tropical disease eleven years before he would meet her in glory. He would see his children leave Africa and not see them for many years due to the rigors of his missionary endeavors and he would experience the ridicule of those who were at first his best supporters. He would travel through places where deadly pestilence was rampant, and eventually he would die on the soil he came to reclaim for his Savior.
When asked why he followed Christ into such hard and difficult places his only answer was "Cannot the love of Christ," he asked, "carry the missionary where the slave trade carries the trader?"
I leave you with this quote for your consideration today. We live in a nation that has more freedom to share the gospel than any other nation at any other time in history. I wonder how we shall fare when we stand next to these our brothers and sisters who have gone before us at that great day when we shall all stand before our Lord to receive the rewards for our labors. I can almost hear the questions of these who have gone to the hard and the difficult places, “Tell me, with such freedom surely you told everyone you saw about the glories of our great God! Surely you spoke often of his magnificent grace to all who came your way. Surely there were many who heard from your lips and life of his redeeming love. Surely you have some scars to show for your labors here below.
I can almost see Doctor Livingstone revealing the scars on his shoulders and scarred feet of his as he walked across deserts that left his feet burned and scarred because he loved his Savior so much and he loved the lost to whom he was sent as well. I wonder what scars we shall have to show for our love for the Savior, I wonder what names we can speak of that we shared our Lord with.
Should we not begin our day each day with these words, “O Love of Christ, carry the feet of this missionary to the places where the Drugs flow free and the terrorists run with boldness and the unbelievers are enslaved. Carry the feet of this missionary to those who do not yet know of the redeeming love that I have so richly been given.”
Let us set our course again for the hard places of our occupations and our neighborhoods and our cities and villages. Let us labor as Livingstone did until our Savior comes for us.
Following the path of those who have gone before us,
Pastor Phil
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Going When Others refuse to go
December 25: Genesis 25:8 (NCV)
8 He breathed his last breath and died at an old age, after a long and satisfying life.
Such could be said about this man named William Carey. Born to a poor family in England, he possessed no possibilities from the human side of ever making much of his life. But not being one to believe the statistics he set himself to the business of learning why he worked. By the age of 31, even though he could not afford a formal education, he had taught himself several languages and learned to translate them all the while he was busy making shoes as a cobbler.
As he began to experience God’s call to the nations unreached he would challenge the churches in England to take up the missionary call but he was often prevented by some well meaning senior member who would say such things as , “Young man sit down when God chooses to save the heathen he will do it without your help or mine.”
Not being one to give up he would follow God’s call to India at the age of 31. He would leave England never to return. In those early days of missions there were no such things as furloughs, when you left for the field you left knowing you would not return. Many missionaries would pack all their belonging in caskets they had made so they would have something to ship their bodies back in when they died on the foreign field.
The lives of those who set the pace for us to follow were not lives of ease but rather the exact opposite. They faced hardship in their own country as they prepared to leave, made to listen to the words of many caring believers who warned them they were not doing God’s will; being laughed at in their voyage to the foreign fields by others who were travelling the same ship; being laughed at or prevented from even landing on solid ground due to the refusal of many foreign rulers who refused the gospel a hearing; being persecuted by pagan religions who saw their ministry an offense to their pagan deities. The late 1700’s and early 1800’s was not of a picnic. No one in their right mind would choose such a calling
William Carey lived a life of selfless service to our Master. He set the pace for all who would follow him. As the time drew near for his departure he would the one who would preach his funeral, "Mr. Duff, you have been talking about Dr. Carey, Dr. Carey; when I am gone, say nothing about Dr. Carey,-- speak about Dr. Carey's Savior!"
May we follow such steps as those that Dr. William Carey laid out for us in this coming year.
Pastor Phil
8 He breathed his last breath and died at an old age, after a long and satisfying life.
Such could be said about this man named William Carey. Born to a poor family in England, he possessed no possibilities from the human side of ever making much of his life. But not being one to believe the statistics he set himself to the business of learning why he worked. By the age of 31, even though he could not afford a formal education, he had taught himself several languages and learned to translate them all the while he was busy making shoes as a cobbler.
As he began to experience God’s call to the nations unreached he would challenge the churches in England to take up the missionary call but he was often prevented by some well meaning senior member who would say such things as , “Young man sit down when God chooses to save the heathen he will do it without your help or mine.”
Not being one to give up he would follow God’s call to India at the age of 31. He would leave England never to return. In those early days of missions there were no such things as furloughs, when you left for the field you left knowing you would not return. Many missionaries would pack all their belonging in caskets they had made so they would have something to ship their bodies back in when they died on the foreign field.
The lives of those who set the pace for us to follow were not lives of ease but rather the exact opposite. They faced hardship in their own country as they prepared to leave, made to listen to the words of many caring believers who warned them they were not doing God’s will; being laughed at in their voyage to the foreign fields by others who were travelling the same ship; being laughed at or prevented from even landing on solid ground due to the refusal of many foreign rulers who refused the gospel a hearing; being persecuted by pagan religions who saw their ministry an offense to their pagan deities. The late 1700’s and early 1800’s was not of a picnic. No one in their right mind would choose such a calling
William Carey lived a life of selfless service to our Master. He set the pace for all who would follow him. As the time drew near for his departure he would the one who would preach his funeral, "Mr. Duff, you have been talking about Dr. Carey, Dr. Carey; when I am gone, say nothing about Dr. Carey,-- speak about Dr. Carey's Savior!"
May we follow such steps as those that Dr. William Carey laid out for us in this coming year.
Pastor Phil
A Life aflame for the glory of God
December 24: Acts 20:24 (NIV)
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
“A life aflame for God.” This was David Brainerd’s desire. That his life be lived as a flaming example of a life devoted completely to his Lord. No other hero of the faith writes with such complete transparency as does David Brainerd. It would be his journals that would be used by God to fuel the missionary fires of the greatest missionary movement to hit Christendom.
He did not know that he was writing for anyone other than himself but it has been the writings of David Brainerd that inspired the Wesley’s and the Carey’s and the Judson’s and many others to take the risk of selling all and following their master to the dark regions of the unreached peoples of the world.
David Brainerd lived more in the short twenty nine years than most live in three to four times that many years. It seemed as if every minute was spent in either proclaiming the gospel or praying for its advance among pagans who had no access to it.
As a young man in his twenties he sought to take the gospel to the Indians of New York near the fork of the Delaware river. These Indians were known for their cruelty to outsiders. Once in his travels to share the gospel with a tribe he had not been to before he spent several hours making his way through dense forested woods. Often he would stop and pray for God to lead him, having no knowledge of how to connect with these he was going too minister to.
Without his knowledge several Indians had followed him for hours through the forest and watched from a distance. Once as he began to pray the Indians watched as a rattlesnake made its way close to Brainerd’s body that was prostrate on the ground interceding for the Indians. These Indians watched as they were sure this snake would certainly strike him, but at the last moment the sake just slithered off into the woods.
The next day these same Indians gave testimony to their tribe of this occurrence and the tribe listened with great curiosity to one who risked such travel to come to them. They had met white men before but hey had only encouraged them to drink fire water and sell their lands at a pittance. They had never known a white man who would demonstrate such love and selfless compassion.
David Brainerd would spend the rest of his short life traveling to many remote areas to share the gospel with the Indians who had been abused by white men for years and left without any hope of the gospel. David Brainerd went against the tide of his day and gave his life to reach the unreached Indian populations of New York.
Somew3her in his mid twenties he contracted tuberculosis and would spend the rest of his life in a constant state of pain due to the complications of such a disease. When the disease was beginning to take its toll a church for white folks offered him a nice comfortable salary and a place where he could rest and enjoy some comforts but Brainerd not to be sidetracked refused and continued his work among the Indians, knowing the time of his departure was drawing close.
Jonathan Edwards would say at his funeral that no man had so influenced his life for good as the life of David Brainerd who was half his age. .
In answer to the question, "What can be done to revive the work of God where it has decayed?" John Wesley said, "Let every preacher read carefully the life of David Brained”
Among those who followed his advice were William Carey, the father of modern missions; Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Persia; Robert McCheyne, the first modern missionary to the Jewish people.
Would to God that every one who reads this story be so moved to give their lives to the great missionary enterprise of taking the gospel to all corners of the world.
Send us Out O God,
Pastor Phil
24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
“A life aflame for God.” This was David Brainerd’s desire. That his life be lived as a flaming example of a life devoted completely to his Lord. No other hero of the faith writes with such complete transparency as does David Brainerd. It would be his journals that would be used by God to fuel the missionary fires of the greatest missionary movement to hit Christendom.
He did not know that he was writing for anyone other than himself but it has been the writings of David Brainerd that inspired the Wesley’s and the Carey’s and the Judson’s and many others to take the risk of selling all and following their master to the dark regions of the unreached peoples of the world.
David Brainerd lived more in the short twenty nine years than most live in three to four times that many years. It seemed as if every minute was spent in either proclaiming the gospel or praying for its advance among pagans who had no access to it.
As a young man in his twenties he sought to take the gospel to the Indians of New York near the fork of the Delaware river. These Indians were known for their cruelty to outsiders. Once in his travels to share the gospel with a tribe he had not been to before he spent several hours making his way through dense forested woods. Often he would stop and pray for God to lead him, having no knowledge of how to connect with these he was going too minister to.
Without his knowledge several Indians had followed him for hours through the forest and watched from a distance. Once as he began to pray the Indians watched as a rattlesnake made its way close to Brainerd’s body that was prostrate on the ground interceding for the Indians. These Indians watched as they were sure this snake would certainly strike him, but at the last moment the sake just slithered off into the woods.
The next day these same Indians gave testimony to their tribe of this occurrence and the tribe listened with great curiosity to one who risked such travel to come to them. They had met white men before but hey had only encouraged them to drink fire water and sell their lands at a pittance. They had never known a white man who would demonstrate such love and selfless compassion.
David Brainerd would spend the rest of his short life traveling to many remote areas to share the gospel with the Indians who had been abused by white men for years and left without any hope of the gospel. David Brainerd went against the tide of his day and gave his life to reach the unreached Indian populations of New York.
Somew3her in his mid twenties he contracted tuberculosis and would spend the rest of his life in a constant state of pain due to the complications of such a disease. When the disease was beginning to take its toll a church for white folks offered him a nice comfortable salary and a place where he could rest and enjoy some comforts but Brainerd not to be sidetracked refused and continued his work among the Indians, knowing the time of his departure was drawing close.
Jonathan Edwards would say at his funeral that no man had so influenced his life for good as the life of David Brainerd who was half his age. .
In answer to the question, "What can be done to revive the work of God where it has decayed?" John Wesley said, "Let every preacher read carefully the life of David Brained”
Among those who followed his advice were William Carey, the father of modern missions; Henry Martyn, missionary to India and Persia; Robert McCheyne, the first modern missionary to the Jewish people.
Would to God that every one who reads this story be so moved to give their lives to the great missionary enterprise of taking the gospel to all corners of the world.
Send us Out O God,
Pastor Phil
A Life Given to the Flames
December 23: Acts 20:25-31 (NIV)
25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
As the life of the apostle Paul was being taken in Rome under Nero another life was being born into the world that would continue to carry the flame of the gospel to those in the Roman Empire after Paul’s death. God never allows the world to go without a witness to his saving grace and the one we turn our attention to this day is the one by the name Polycarp. He was born in 69 a.d.. The details of his birth no one knows but the story goes that this young man was turned into a common slave
The story goes that a wealthy woman of the church in Smyrna noted for her works of charity among the poor was directed in a vision to go to the city gate and redeem a young man who was a slave of two men. This she did and promptly brought the young boy she had purchased into her home and gave him a Christian name and began to train him in the way of Christ. She formally adopted him and gave him a strong education.
Soon after he entered Callisto’s home he began to give evidence of God’s Spirit at work in his life. He lived a life of much self sacrifice caring for those less fortunate and was very diligent in witnessing to others about his faith in Christ.
Polycarp soon became a deacon in the church at Smyrna and it was to this work he gave much of his time. Due to persecution there were many widows in the church who had lost sons and husbands to the Romans sword. Polycarp soon became a very notable leader at the church in Smyrna. He served as a means of keeping the church unified during many difficult years of persecution.
Somewhere around 161 A.D. the persecutions by the Roman Empire grew to empire wide. Christians were not safe anywhere and the cry for the blood of Christians grew empire wide. Polycarp went into hiding but was discovered by a young child. Several Roman soldiers were dispatched to arrest Polycarp. When they found him he begged them the privilege of serving them a meal before they took him away. After the meal he asked for one more pleasure and that was to spend one hour alone in his prayer room, to which they granted him.
His prayers were of such nature that many of the guards were moved to repentance. After his hour of prayer he rose and met his guards and they took him to the proconsul who then urged him, saying, "Swear, and I will release thee; -- reproach Christ."
Polycarp answered, “You threaten me with fire that burns but for a moment and are ignorant of the fire that burns forever. Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never once wronged me; how then shall I blaspheme my King, Who hath saved me?" At the stake, to which he was only tied, but not nailed as usual, as he assured them he should stand immovable, the flames, on their kindling the fagots, encircled his body, like an arch, without touching him, and the executioner, on seeing this, was ordered to pierce him with a sword when so great a quantity of blood flowed out as extinguished. the fire.” (Foxes Book of martyrs)
So it is as we read of those who have gone before us that our way has been lighted by the flames of persecution through the centuries. We have a very bright path to walk due to those who have not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God to those they have lived around. May we do nothing less in this our time in history.
God help us light the way for all those who need our Christ.
Pastor phil
25 "Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
26 Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of all men.
27 For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole will of God.
28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.
29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock.
30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them.
31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears.
As the life of the apostle Paul was being taken in Rome under Nero another life was being born into the world that would continue to carry the flame of the gospel to those in the Roman Empire after Paul’s death. God never allows the world to go without a witness to his saving grace and the one we turn our attention to this day is the one by the name Polycarp. He was born in 69 a.d.. The details of his birth no one knows but the story goes that this young man was turned into a common slave
The story goes that a wealthy woman of the church in Smyrna noted for her works of charity among the poor was directed in a vision to go to the city gate and redeem a young man who was a slave of two men. This she did and promptly brought the young boy she had purchased into her home and gave him a Christian name and began to train him in the way of Christ. She formally adopted him and gave him a strong education.
Soon after he entered Callisto’s home he began to give evidence of God’s Spirit at work in his life. He lived a life of much self sacrifice caring for those less fortunate and was very diligent in witnessing to others about his faith in Christ.
Polycarp soon became a deacon in the church at Smyrna and it was to this work he gave much of his time. Due to persecution there were many widows in the church who had lost sons and husbands to the Romans sword. Polycarp soon became a very notable leader at the church in Smyrna. He served as a means of keeping the church unified during many difficult years of persecution.
Somewhere around 161 A.D. the persecutions by the Roman Empire grew to empire wide. Christians were not safe anywhere and the cry for the blood of Christians grew empire wide. Polycarp went into hiding but was discovered by a young child. Several Roman soldiers were dispatched to arrest Polycarp. When they found him he begged them the privilege of serving them a meal before they took him away. After the meal he asked for one more pleasure and that was to spend one hour alone in his prayer room, to which they granted him.
His prayers were of such nature that many of the guards were moved to repentance. After his hour of prayer he rose and met his guards and they took him to the proconsul who then urged him, saying, "Swear, and I will release thee; -- reproach Christ."
Polycarp answered, “You threaten me with fire that burns but for a moment and are ignorant of the fire that burns forever. Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never once wronged me; how then shall I blaspheme my King, Who hath saved me?" At the stake, to which he was only tied, but not nailed as usual, as he assured them he should stand immovable, the flames, on their kindling the fagots, encircled his body, like an arch, without touching him, and the executioner, on seeing this, was ordered to pierce him with a sword when so great a quantity of blood flowed out as extinguished. the fire.” (Foxes Book of martyrs)
So it is as we read of those who have gone before us that our way has been lighted by the flames of persecution through the centuries. We have a very bright path to walk due to those who have not shunned to declare the whole counsel of God to those they have lived around. May we do nothing less in this our time in history.
God help us light the way for all those who need our Christ.
Pastor phil
Compelled by theSpirit
December 22: Acts 20:22-24 (NIV)
22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
Who can ever tell the impact of one life? Consider this, one man who was set against the Christian faith at its very outset. He did everything he could to rid the world of those who claimed the name of Christ. HE only saw them as an obstacle to true religion that he had grown up with. The sacrificial system of the Jewish faith was the only way to see life, to vary from this teaching was certain death and to allow anything other than this teaching to exists was seen as a denial of the true faith if Israel.
This young man had been trained in the best Jewish schools and he had learned the law well. He could debate with the best of them and he was skilled in argumentation and debate. He could argue circles around anyone who would oppose him. He had one of the best teachers of debate to train him in logical argumentation and he was good at it.
His ability to convince others of his viewpoint led him to be accepted as the leader of the group that made its existence to be to rid the world of those who followed Christ. He had obtained permission to go to Damascus with the intent of destroying those in Damascus who held to the way of Christ and taught others to do the same.
Little did he know that he was on the road to his own conversion. ON the way to Damascus he encountered this Christ he was persecuting and found himself blinded by the light of this one he sought to rid the world of.
Enter a man named Ananias who came to visit him and proclaimed to him the whole counsel of God. As this man was proclaiming to him the gospel his eyes were opened and he saw the truth. This new revelation completely overhauled his life. Instead of persecuting those who belonged to Christ he became their greatest advocate. What eh had experienced on the road and now in the hearing of the gospel from this man named Ananias would change everything about his life.
Instead of taking others lives he would now give his life for the very thing he sought to rid the world of. SO began the great missionary imperative of the church, led first by the one who sought her destruction. We know this man by the name of Paul the Apostle, the one who would be used by God to write over half of the New Testament.
Think of it, the once enemy of Christ now becomes the vessel from which we have over half of the New testament. Without Paul we would not know of many of our great doctrines of the faith. We would not understand Justification by faith, we would be lost as to how secure we are in Christ; we would not have much an understanding of our sinful nature or how to be set free from such a nature.
This one man faced more encounters with death before his own it would seem insanity to continue to go through such persecution, unless of course what he believed was really true? SO we see the first missionary force led by one man who was convinced in spite of all his arguments against the truth. From the writings of this one man thousands of missionaries in the history of the church would be encouraged to go to difficult and hard places because they too had been compelled by the same Spirit that compelled him to go to Jerusalem and beyond.
May we join these noble ranks and find ourselves living for the difficult and hard places where the gospel has not yet penetrated.
Send us O God to those places where the Gospel has not yet gone,
Pastor phil
22 "And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. 23 I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.
Who can ever tell the impact of one life? Consider this, one man who was set against the Christian faith at its very outset. He did everything he could to rid the world of those who claimed the name of Christ. HE only saw them as an obstacle to true religion that he had grown up with. The sacrificial system of the Jewish faith was the only way to see life, to vary from this teaching was certain death and to allow anything other than this teaching to exists was seen as a denial of the true faith if Israel.
This young man had been trained in the best Jewish schools and he had learned the law well. He could debate with the best of them and he was skilled in argumentation and debate. He could argue circles around anyone who would oppose him. He had one of the best teachers of debate to train him in logical argumentation and he was good at it.
His ability to convince others of his viewpoint led him to be accepted as the leader of the group that made its existence to be to rid the world of those who followed Christ. He had obtained permission to go to Damascus with the intent of destroying those in Damascus who held to the way of Christ and taught others to do the same.
Little did he know that he was on the road to his own conversion. ON the way to Damascus he encountered this Christ he was persecuting and found himself blinded by the light of this one he sought to rid the world of.
Enter a man named Ananias who came to visit him and proclaimed to him the whole counsel of God. As this man was proclaiming to him the gospel his eyes were opened and he saw the truth. This new revelation completely overhauled his life. Instead of persecuting those who belonged to Christ he became their greatest advocate. What eh had experienced on the road and now in the hearing of the gospel from this man named Ananias would change everything about his life.
Instead of taking others lives he would now give his life for the very thing he sought to rid the world of. SO began the great missionary imperative of the church, led first by the one who sought her destruction. We know this man by the name of Paul the Apostle, the one who would be used by God to write over half of the New Testament.
Think of it, the once enemy of Christ now becomes the vessel from which we have over half of the New testament. Without Paul we would not know of many of our great doctrines of the faith. We would not understand Justification by faith, we would be lost as to how secure we are in Christ; we would not have much an understanding of our sinful nature or how to be set free from such a nature.
This one man faced more encounters with death before his own it would seem insanity to continue to go through such persecution, unless of course what he believed was really true? SO we see the first missionary force led by one man who was convinced in spite of all his arguments against the truth. From the writings of this one man thousands of missionaries in the history of the church would be encouraged to go to difficult and hard places because they too had been compelled by the same Spirit that compelled him to go to Jerusalem and beyond.
May we join these noble ranks and find ourselves living for the difficult and hard places where the gospel has not yet penetrated.
Send us O God to those places where the Gospel has not yet gone,
Pastor phil
Joyous Giving is Contagious
December 21: Joyous Giving is Contagious
1 Chronicles 29:6-9 (NIV)
6 Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly. 7 They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron.8 Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite.
9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.
Spirits are contagious. If you are negative those around will be infected with your negative spirit. If you are joyful you may just possibly begin a contagion that sets the church ablaze with great joy.
This was the case with King David. When the people saw his willing response to give to the Temple project they were stirred to give as well. Notice the spirit of those who gave was not a result of manipulated emotions they were genuinely moved by David’s example and they gave freely and willingly. There was great rejoicing on that day of great giving.
Joyful giving to God’s work by God’s people will always lead to great rejoicing among God’s people. How about it why not start a great spirit of joyful giving to the cause of the gospel through our international mission offering this month. Let the others see our joyful response to God’s call to the nations. I do want you to notice the characteristic of these gifts, they were given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, which led to the leader of the people being filled with great joy.
The greatest gift Lakeland could give this pastor is by letting me see your free and willing response to God’s call to give to his missionary call to reach the nations. Lead me to great joy by giving freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord this month of Foreign Missions.
Expecting to be led to rejoice by your gifts,
Pastor phil
1 Chronicles 29:6-9 (NIV)
6 Then the leaders of families, the officers of the tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds, and the officials in charge of the king's work gave willingly. 7 They gave toward the work on the temple of God five thousand talents and ten thousand darics of gold, ten thousand talents of silver, eighteen thousand talents of bronze and a hundred thousand talents of iron.8 Any who had precious stones gave them to the treasury of the temple of the Lord in the custody of Jehiel the Gershonite.
9 The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly.
Spirits are contagious. If you are negative those around will be infected with your negative spirit. If you are joyful you may just possibly begin a contagion that sets the church ablaze with great joy.
This was the case with King David. When the people saw his willing response to give to the Temple project they were stirred to give as well. Notice the spirit of those who gave was not a result of manipulated emotions they were genuinely moved by David’s example and they gave freely and willingly. There was great rejoicing on that day of great giving.
Joyful giving to God’s work by God’s people will always lead to great rejoicing among God’s people. How about it why not start a great spirit of joyful giving to the cause of the gospel through our international mission offering this month. Let the others see our joyful response to God’s call to the nations. I do want you to notice the characteristic of these gifts, they were given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord, which led to the leader of the people being filled with great joy.
The greatest gift Lakeland could give this pastor is by letting me see your free and willing response to God’s call to give to his missionary call to reach the nations. Lead me to great joy by giving freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord this month of Foreign Missions.
Expecting to be led to rejoice by your gifts,
Pastor phil
Providing for the work of the Lord
December 20: Providing for he Work of God
1 Chronicles 29:2-5 (NIV)
2 With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God--gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble--all of these in large quantities. 3 Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple:4 three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, 5 for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?"
As leaders we set the pace for those who will follow us. We must lead by example. See how David sets the pace for those he leads. I am so convinced that this is a work of God that I will invest in it personally in great measure. Listen as David proclaims for all to hear, “With all of my resources I have provided for the temple.”
I am not just talking about it but I am leading the way. Here now is my retirement account and I am giving it to the Temple project. I am not only giving out of my surplus but out of my own personal storehouse. We see in this picture that the resources for the temple are already in the hands of God’s people, they just have to be willing to turn lose of them so God can use them for his glory.
We are at a time in our culture when funds are drying up for missionary workers, but we are also at a time in our culture when our houses are overstuffed with stuff that we should get rid of so the nations can hear. I believe one of the reasons that funds have dried up is because God wants to help us empty our homes of stuff so we will be lighter and freer to give to God’s purposes. Take a good look around your home and ask yourself the question can I get along without this for the sake of the glory of God?
Let us be like David who emptied his storehouse for the Temple project and empty our stuffed houses for the Gospel of Christ. Let us give until we feel lighter and let us give until we experience God’s joy in giving.
Pastor phil
1 Chronicles 29:2-5 (NIV)
2 With all my resources I have provided for the temple of my God--gold for the gold work, silver for the silver, bronze for the bronze, iron for the iron and wood for the wood, as well as onyx for the settings, turquoise, stones of various colors, and all kinds of fine stone and marble--all of these in large quantities. 3 Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple:4 three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver, for the overlaying of the walls of the buildings, 5 for the gold work and the silver work, and for all the work to be done by the craftsmen. Now, who is willing to consecrate himself today to the Lord?"
As leaders we set the pace for those who will follow us. We must lead by example. See how David sets the pace for those he leads. I am so convinced that this is a work of God that I will invest in it personally in great measure. Listen as David proclaims for all to hear, “With all of my resources I have provided for the temple.”
I am not just talking about it but I am leading the way. Here now is my retirement account and I am giving it to the Temple project. I am not only giving out of my surplus but out of my own personal storehouse. We see in this picture that the resources for the temple are already in the hands of God’s people, they just have to be willing to turn lose of them so God can use them for his glory.
We are at a time in our culture when funds are drying up for missionary workers, but we are also at a time in our culture when our houses are overstuffed with stuff that we should get rid of so the nations can hear. I believe one of the reasons that funds have dried up is because God wants to help us empty our homes of stuff so we will be lighter and freer to give to God’s purposes. Take a good look around your home and ask yourself the question can I get along without this for the sake of the glory of God?
Let us be like David who emptied his storehouse for the Temple project and empty our stuffed houses for the Gospel of Christ. Let us give until we feel lighter and let us give until we experience God’s joy in giving.
Pastor phil
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