February 24, 2013 - Who do you imitate?

This week’s scriptures are: Genesis 15: 1-12, 17-18, Psalms 27, Philippians 3:17-4:1, Luke 13:31-35 Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

I am only human and yet, I am tired of seeing people who claim to be Christian act like everybody else.  I am tired of seeing people who speak words that make them sound "holier than thou" and then I watch them turn around and their ACTIONS look like the rest of the world's.

Years ago Jim and Tammy Baker had a popular tv show.  The raised MILLIONS of dollars "for God".  Of course, a lot of it ended up in their bank account. 

During their reign on tv they condemned a lot of actions and people.  They talked about God and His glorious ways.  They told people to imitate them (Jim and Tammy), because they were such "God fearing people" and they lived such "Holy lives".

Unfortunately many people believed them.  Many people sent money they couldn't afford to send.  Only to find out that Jim and Tammy were not who they said they were.  Jim was having an affair and they both were spending money that was supposed to be going to do "God's work".

Let's bring this a little closer to today.  You have pastor's in pulpits encouraging people to do bodily harm to others.  Their justification is the fact that those who they wish harm upon have a different skin color than theirs.  Sadly, we have people in this country who sit in the pew week after week, and listen to this hatred. 

We have people who were elected to political office because of their "religious beliefs".  They claimed to be Christians, yet once they get to Washington the evil comes out.  For that matter, some of them never get to Washington.  Some of these people were elected to office here, in El Paso, Texas.  Now, they face prison time because they were imitating Satan and not Christ.

In today's reading from Philippians, we are told to follow the example set for us.  To stand firm in the Lord.  It is my belief, that if we read and study the word of God we will walk in the way of the Lord.  It is my belief that we are not to imitating the people around us, but imitating Christ.

The Bible tells us what is right and what is wrong.  Does the Bible tell us that what was right in Christ's time is now wrong?  How can something that WAS right, now be wrong?  Has God changed?  Has right and wrong switched places?  I don't think so.

Humans keep finding ways to give in to the Devil.  To encourage others to follow along.  Look back ten to fifteen years ago.  How many people were living a homosexual life style back then?  Let's go back even further.  How about going back to the 1960's?  How many people were pushing "Pro Choice"?

Is it RIGHT to live a homosexual life style?  Is it RIGHT to kill an unborn baby?  Is it RIGHT to steal?  Is it RIGHT to cheat?  Is it RIGHT to have sex outside of marriage?  Is it RIGHT to do something, just because "everyone else is"?

When it's our turn to stand before the throne of God and explain how we lived, will God except your answer of, "I was just doing what everyone else was doing"?  I don't think so.  Will God accept your answer that is was only wrong centuries ago, but in today's "enlightened world", it's ok?  I don't think so.  Will God accept your answer that "you're not hurting anyone but yourself"?  I don't think so.  What about your answer of, "it's nobody's business what goes on behind closed doors, between two consenting people"?  Believe it or not, God's behind that closed door, too.

Me, I want to imitate Christ.  I'm not saying I'm perfect.  I'm not saying I CAN be like Christ.  I'm just saying that is my goal in life, to be LIKE Christ.  That when others see me, they SEE Christ.

Who do YOU want others to see when they see you?  Do you want them to see the world and what has become the accepted things?  Or do you want the world to see Christ and what GOD has accepted?

I'm trying to imitate Christ.  Who do you imitate?

Amen.  Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen.  Amen.

February 17, 2013 - Don't Tempt Me

This week’s scriptures are: Deuteronomy 26:1-11, Psalms 91:1-2, 9-16, Romans 10:8-13, Luke 4:1-13

Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Have you ever been tempted?  I mean REALLY tempted?  I’m not talking about seeing a piece of chocolate that looked good to you at the time you’re on a diet.  I’m talking about maybe being deep in debt and someone offers you a large sum of money to do something you wouldn’t normally do because you know it’s wrong, type of temptation.

In today’s reading Jesus was being tempted by Satan.  We’ve all read this scripture before.  We know the “Man shall not eat bread alone” and “Don’t tempt the Lord your God”.  But do we REALLY know what it’s like to be tempted?

Can we put ourselves in Jesus’ shoes and say that we would have done the right thing?  Would we have turned that stone into some type of food?  Or maybe we’d have jumped off of the temple, just to shut that Devil up.

I remember being an assistant manager at a video store.  I had hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars in cash that I would have to count.  To me, it was just paper.  It didn’t matter.  But to another person, it was something that they wanted to have for themselves.

You hear all the time about people accepting bribes.  Why, because they were tempted and gave in to that temptation.

There are little temptations everywhere.  In our everyday lives we are often tempted.  The question becomes how do we handle those temptations.

When you’re driving down that long, lonely road and the speed limit is posted at 55, do you do 60?  65?  You don’t see any cars for miles and miles and you just want to “get there”.  What do you do?

When you walk out of the store behind someone and you see them drop a quarter or some other amount of money, what do you do?  I’m not talking about just finding money on the ground with no one around.  I’m talking about you SAW IT FALL.  What do you do?  Do you stop them and give them their money?  Do you just quietly put that in your pocket?  That’s temptation.

I think a lot of our responses to temptation has to do with our relationship with God.  I think the closer we are to God, the better we handle that temptation. 

Think about the person who robs the bank.  Do you think that person is down on their knees praying about their financial issues or anything else for that matter?  What would have happened had they prayed about their lot in life?  Would things have improved?  Maybe.  Would things have seemed so bleak?  Maybe not.

What about the stripper?  Do you think he or she is doing that because they like to be naked in front of people?  Or are they doing it because they see that as their only means to make some quick money?  Was that their childhood dream?  To grow up and get naked in front of strangers?  Or did they find themselves in a situation and someone came along and took advantage of that.  Satan used someone to TEMPT that person with “easy money”.  A way out of whatever situation they’re in.

The problem is once you give in to temptation that first time, then it becomes easier and easier to give in the next time.  A few miles over the speed limit this time can lead to a few more miles over the speed limit next time.  The next thing you know, you’re driving as if you were trying to win the Daytona 500. 

We see no harm in giving in, as long as “no one gets hurt” or “I didn’t get caught”.  But did you REALLY get away with it?  God is everywhere.  He sees everything and knows everything.  God has a way of reminding us about what we’ve done wrong.

The person who agrees to smuggle money or drugs across an international border and no one stops them, did someone get hurt?  Not directly.  All they did was take a walk.  But those drugs or that drug money could lead to the death of someone.

Christ had an opportunity to create food from a rock!  This after going 40 days without food.  Sorry, I think I would have made an entire meal out of that rock.  But not Christ.

Jesus was perfect.  He was close to God, because He WAS God.  The closer our relationship with God, the easier it is to avoid temptation.  Take that temptation away from me.  I am but a human.  All I can do about temptations is to pray and walk away.  So don’t tempt me, I may be weak.

Spending more and more time with God will not remove all temptation from our lives.  However, it MIGHT just make it easier to turn and run the other direction when temptation shows it’s ugly head.

Pray every day.  Spend a little time alone with God.  Spend time in His word.  Get to KNOW God.  He all ready knows you, He’s just waiting for you to know Him.

Try this the next time you are tempted to do something (that is not legally or morally right), stop everything.  Without hesitation, pray about it.  Say, “God, I’m in a situation where I want to do something that I know I should not do.  Please take this temptation away from me and use this situation to bring me closer to you, Lord.  Amen.”

Amen.  Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen.

February 13, 2013 - Create In Me Reconcilliation

This week’s scriptures are: Joel 2:1-18, Psalms 51:1-17, 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10, Matthew 6:1-6,18-21

Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Today is Ash Wednesday.  I know this message is being posted late in the day, but please bear with me.  You see, I was at work today when I remembered the importance of today.  I gave thoughts to just skipping this message, but I read the scriptures and knew that I must write.

Two portions of today's scriptures stand out to me.  The first one is 2 Corinthians 5:20.  From the New Jerusalem Bible: "So we are ambassadors for Christ; it is as though God were urging you through us, and in the name of Christ we appeal to you to be reconciled to God."

"In the name of Christ we urge you to be reconciled to God." 

The other one that stands out to me is Psalm 51:10-12.  From the New Revised Standard Version: "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.  Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit."

In the name of Christ we urge you to be reconciled to God......Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit...........

As we travel through life, there are times of darkness.  We're in a dark mood.  No matter what we do, we just cannot shake the dark.  Sometimes we blame it on others.  We may blame it on the situations we find ourselves in.

Maybe we should look closely at our relationship with God during those times.  Maybe, just maybe, we've pulled away from God.  Maybe we've strayed and don't realize it.

Maybe we just need to be reconciled to God.

Have you ever noticed that when we are right with God it doesn't matter what bad things happen?  We could lose our homes or a close family member and we can still praise God.  Life may be sad, but it's not DARK.

But then go through even the slightest troubles when we're not right with God and it seems as if all of the light in the world couldn't lighten our day.  We may be going through something as simple as not getting a payment in the mail in the morning.  It still got mailed that same day, just not when we wanted it.  The bills not late, the power is still going to be on tomorrow. 

And yet, there is darkness in our heart.  No light in sight.  Reconcile to God......

For years one of my favorite tunes during church service was when we sang, "Create in me a clean heart, O God and renew a right spirit within me...."  It was a simple melody, but the words were powerful.

Today when I read Psalm 51 and read these words, I knew that I had to write. 

How can we be reconciled, if we don't have a clean heart?  How we be reconciled without a right spirit?  How can we be reconciled without a willing spirit?

If our heart is not clean, we will continue in our ways of sin.  If we don't have a right spirit, we will continue in our ways of darkness.  If we don't have a willing spirit, we will continue to struggle with our relationship with God.

Restore to me the JOY OF YOUR SALVATION.  WOW!  Remember the first time you realized that you do not need to fear Hell?  You knew that God was your father and He was going to keep you safe?  What joy!

You almost felt like you could take on the world and Satan himself!  Of course, God was behind that excitement.  God's salvation brought that joy to us.

If we're excited about our salvation, how can we possibly go through dark time?  How can we struggle with earthly things?

We need to reconcile with God.  Be excited about our salvation.  Have a clean heart and a right and willing spirit.

So create in us clean hearts, O God, and put a new and right spirit within us.  Do not cast us away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from us.  Restore to us the joy of your salvation, and sustain in us a willing spirit.  Lord bring us reconciliation with you.  Help us to walk with you the rest of our days.

Amen, Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen, Amen.

February 10, 2013 - Oh, To Have Faith

This week’s scriptures are: Exodus 34:29-35, Psalms 99, 2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2, Luke 9:28-43

Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Oh, to have faith.  I don't mean "lip service" faith.  I mean FAITH!  The kind of faith that can move mountains.  That can heal the sick.  Make the blind see and the cripple walk.

But faith like that brings responsibility.  I mean if I had the faith that could move a mountain, I'd probably play tricks on people.  As some poor hiker is about to start on his long journey up, ready to take that first step.......WHAM!  Mountain, MOVE!  Oops.  Sorry.  (As he or she goes sprawling to the ground).

As the news crew tries to report on the mountain moving from place to place all day..........I'd stop.  Have a quick laugh and wait for them to leave.  Then start all over again.  It's over here!  No wait, it's over there!  OOPS!  Here comes the news people again, time to stop.

In today's reading, a father is distraught.  He brings his son to Jesus and asks him to heal his son.  He says he asked the disciples, but they couldn't do it.  For this, they are rebuked by Jesus.  How little faith they had.  Jesus calls them "faithless".

I don't want to be "faithless".  I want to be "faithful"

You see, if we are faithful, we CAN do great things.......through Christ.  If we are faithful, we will live the life that we were meant to live.

I'm not saying our lives will be easy, just better.  Think about it.  A person who we think is faithless may seem to have everything in life we want.  They may have more money, a nicer house or car.  Maybe even a job that we'd like to have.  But are they TRULY better off?

How many times have we read in the paper or seen on the news how someone who seemed to "have it all", did something stupid.  They get caught doing drugs or drinking and driving or they kill someone (or even themselves.  Why?  Because their lack of faith left them empty. 

If they had only had the faith of a child, how wonderful would their lives have been?  How happy would they have been.

How many times have you seen an unhappy child?  I'm not talking about a child who's upset because they got caught doing something they shouldn't done.  I'm talking about a child who NEVER seems to be happy.  A child who never smiles.  Never laughs.  A TRULY unhappy child.

I've seen children living in squalor, laughing.  Why, because they have FAITH that things will be ok.  They have FAITH that maybe not today, but tomorrow, they will have everything they need.  NOT what they want, but what they NEED.

The faith of child is a pure faith.  The faith of a child will heal scars that run deeper than the eye can see.

If everyone of us had the faith of a child, there WOULD be peace on earth.  There WOULD be no more wars.  There WOULD be enough for everyone to eat.  There WOULD be no more disasters.

Imagine having the faith to be able to stop a storm in its tracks.  NO more hurricanes.  No more tornadoes. 

Imagine having the faith to heal the lame.  Hospitals would be empty.  Doctors would be out of business. 

If only I had the faith that Jesus wants us to have............I'd stop the crime.  I'd heal the sick.  I'd help the lonely.  I'd never be done, but I'd be doing the work of Jesus, so it wouldn't matter.

Oh, to have FAITH.  I could have healed that child had I been there and had the faith. 

I KNOW that God so loved the world, that He sent Jesus.  I KNOW that Christ died on the cross to pay the debt He dis not owe.  I KNOW that Jesus rose from the dead.  BUT it's my lack of FAITH, the prevents me from doing the things that I ought to do.  Oh, to have FAITH.

This week, let's all work on our faith.  Let's try to go from faith to FAITH.  The big faith that let's us move mountains, even if they're only the mountains of some one's loneliness.  Have the FAITH to be a friend to someone who needs a friend.  Have the FAITH to live the life that God wants.  That alone could be a mountain being moved.

Oh, to have faith.........

Amen, Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen, Amen.

February 3, 2013 - Turn to God

This week’s scriptures are: Jeremiah 1:4-19, Psalms 71:1-6, 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, Luke 4:21-30

Please pray with me:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that the words of this sermon are YOUR words, and not mine.  I pray that the message here touches those that need to be touched.  I pray that those receiving this sermon remember that all Honor and Glory are yours, Lord, both now and forever.  Amen and Amen.

Grace and Peace to you, from our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

Last night as I was drifting off to sleep I kept thinking of George.  He was a wonderful man.  A holy man.  I don't mean a "religious man" or a minister or anything like that.  He was a HOLY man.

This man, during my lifetime, was a holy man.  He was WHOLLY committed to God.  He was WHOLLY committed to his wife, Lillian.  He was WHOLLY committed to being an example of what a HOLY man looked like.  How a HOLY man acted.  How a HOLY man lived.  Not just on Sundays, but EVERY day.

You see, when I was in the second grade, I had the privilege of living next door to George and Lillian.  I went to school in the school district where George was the Head Custodian.  So I saw him when he was at home and at work.  I saw him when he didn't know I was watching him.  I have fond memories of watching him read the Word of God.

He kept a Bible in the stand, next to his chair.  Some times he'd be watching TV and suddenly just reach in the drawer and pull out his Bible and start reading.  Sometimes it seemed that maybe he "planned" to read.  Often, it was just a spur of the moment type of thing.

As I was drifting off to sleep, I remembered George tell me more than once, "turn to God."  That phrase, "Turn to God", kept playing over and over in my head.  I thought I knew why the phrase was playing over and over, but I wasn't sure.

This one simple phrase, "Turn to God", was the basis for the life that George lived.  So how was this going to matter to me today?  Why am I bringing this up this morning?  As I was preparing to write this sermon, I wasn't sure.  Then I read the scriptures for today.

When I read the selection from Jeremiah, I thought, WOW, before I was even conceived in the womb, God knew me.  How comforting is that!!  I mean, if we're down, lonely, going through troubles or just having a GREAT day, how comforting is it that GOD knew us from before we were in the womb?  He knew where we'd be and what we'd be doing RIGHT NOW!!!  Amazing.

And then I read from Psalms.  "In you, O Lord, I take refuge...".  How comforting.  God knew us before we were in the womb.  Where ELSE should we take refuge?  Where ELSE can we find comfort in times of trouble?  Where ELSE can we find hope or trust?  Where else can we turn?

In Luke we read that Christ was not accepted in His "hometown".  Where ever He travelled, He did wonderful things and everyone was amazed.  Yet in Nazareth, where "He was brought up", they just turned on Him.

How could Joseph's son be able to do anything?  He's just a carpenter's son.  He's not a priest or a priest's son.  Yet He's supposed to be able to do all of these miraculous things?  How silly.

And God knew this would happen, before any of them were in the womb.  And Christ was able to take refuge in His father.  And so can we.

You see, no matter how tough things get or how great things are, we can always Turn to God.  Take refuge in Him.  Let Him be our rock.

Today, more than most days, I miss George and Lillian Penley, my grandparents.  But God knew this before I was in the womb.  God is my refuge in my times of sorrow and despair.  He is my rock and anchor in good times and bad.

Today, like every day, is a good day to Turn to God.  No matter the situation, Turn to God.  He knew us and our situation before time.

So this week, and every week, Turn to God.  You see, God knew us before we were in the womb and even knowing the bad things we'd do or go through, He still loves us.  So Turn to God.  It just might be what you're looking for.

See, Poppa, I WAS paying attention all those years ago. 

Amen, Amen.

May the reading of this sermon bless you.  May God be with you and you with Him, until we meet again.

Amen, Amen.