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Be Courageous and Wait

3/30/2017

7Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! 8My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” 9Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation! 10Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. 11Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. 12Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence. 13Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Psalm 27 (NLT)

“My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” Wow Just… Wow. These heartfelt words from the psalmist reflect the strong emotions that we all encounter as we turn ourselves to face a Holy and wholly awesome God. One we have tasted of His goodness and experienced His love and His grace; once we have experienced HIM and His personality and had that first prayerful conversation with Him – we never want to be out of His sight or His thoughts. We experience Him in relationship as we grow in the understanding that there is no safer place we will ever be than in God’s will; and this is how we are “confident [we] will see the Lord’s goodness while [we] are here in the land of the living”

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The Careful Farmer

3/23/2017

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23Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Manl to enter into his glory. 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives. 25Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity. 26Anyone who wants to be my disciple must follow me, because my servants must be where I am. And the Father will honor anyone who serves me. John 12:23-26 (NLT)

I just preached Dick’s funeral and it was AMAZING looking out over generations of family and friends – all of whom were affected in a positive way by the why Dick lived. It was indeed “a plentiful harvest of new lives.” Every Sunday from the pulpit at Churchtown I look out over generations of people who gather in the name of the Lord and I hope that I am, as Dick was, a careful “farmer” – One who plants the seeds well and then tends them intentionally and lovingly. We can all learn from our brother Dick – not only can we learn from the WAY he lived, but WHY he chose to live that way. He chose to live that way because he turned his life over to Christ. He is where Christ is, as the scripture says, and I am happy for that; and I am a better person for having loved this disciple of Christ while he was here on earth.

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I will......... Will You?

3/16/2017

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Ezekiel 2:6-8 (NLT) 6“Son of man, do not fear them or their words. Don’t be afraid even though their threats surround you like nettles and briers and stinging scorpions. Do not be dismayed by their dark scowls, even though they are rebels. 7You must give them my messages whether they listen or not. But they won’t listen, for they are completely rebellious! 8Son of man, listen to what I say to you. Do not join them in their rebellion. Open your mouth, and eat what I give you.”
Who in the world would want to preach this message and receive this reaction? Who would follow the Lord KNOWING, as the scripture teaches, that nobody will listen? Knowing that they will threaten you? Knowing that they will not choose to be saved? I will. Will you?

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The Cart Before the Horse

3/8/2017

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“19Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. 20For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. 21But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. 22We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. 23For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.” Romans 3:19-25 (NLT)

So we build these churches and join in these congregations that say good things and do good works. As we hear these good things and do these good works and our churches become more successful and full of people, two very curious things happen – we forget why we are doing them; and we believe that we are saved because the church and the people are so awesome. Do not be fooled… NONE of our works are counted as righteousness and NOTHING nice that we can do for another person counts toward our salvation. As the scripture teaches, “People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.” The things that we do as individuals and as churches do not lead us TO salvation – they should be a result OF our salvation… the fruit of the Holy Spirit within us.

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I'm Not Special - And Neither Are You...

3/2/2017

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24But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles,f Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. 26Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthyg when God called you. 27Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28God chose things despised by the world,h things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 30God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”

I really have a problem with folks who think I am special. I am not. Because I have been called to this office, pastor, does not mean that I have some special Godly resource or connection that others do not. This teaching from 1 Corinthians chapter 1 (NLT) makes it very clear. God has chosen the “common” folks of the world to share His message and convey the truth about Jesus as the Christ of God. In this regard I am, as you are also, one of the “CHOSEN” of God! As the Holy Spirit abides in you, so you abide in Him – together, yes, we walk through the world living and spreading the Gospel – even using words – when absolutely necessary.

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Be Courageous and Wait

The Careful Farmer

I will......... Will You?

The Cart Before the Horse

I'm Not Special - And Neither Are You...

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