A Healthy Church: In Shape…Prepared for War

Message 3: Full Battle Dress

 Ephesians 6:10-13

 Too many in the Body of Christ live defeated lives. Beat down by Satan…overcome by temptation…stressed out by life…depressed in spirit… Could it be the reason we are defeated so often is because we are not prepared for battle? We are spiritually out of shape and when the battle starts, we are not ready. (Like a soldier sent into battle without boot camp...not ready…not trained…un-prepared for the battlefield. Then you take that soldier and send him against the enemy with out any weapons.) Then we wonder why we can’t live a victorious life as a believer…

As a follower of Christ…1) we must understand that there is a war going on… recognize the enemy, and be prepared for battle. 2) In spiritual warfare, our strength must be “in the Lord and in the power of His might”. If we face spiritual darkness in our own strength we will fail. It is in His strength and His might that we become victorious. To prevail against the forces of evil we must be in “full battle dress”…having on “the whole armor of God that (we) may be able to stand against the wiles (or schemes) of the devil”.

3) We must recognize that the battle is spiritual, not physical. Therefore it requires spiritual weapons and armor. (the flesh will not prevail in spiritual warfare...) Our enemy is not “flesh and blood” but spiritual darkness… principalities… powers… rulers of darkness… and spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6:12 The Message

This is no afternoon athletic contest that we’ll walk away from and forget in a couple of hours. This is for keeps, a life-or-death fight to the finish against the Devil and all his angels.

We are to put on the “whole armor of God” so when the battle comes we will be ready to stand our ground and overcome the assault. When we are fully dressed, armed, and prepared for battle, then stand…not in your own power or might but “in the power of His might”.

 Ephesians 6:13 The Message

Be prepared. You’re up against far more than you can handle on your own. Take all the help you can get, every weapon God has issued, so that when it’s all over but the shouting you’ll still be on your feet.

It is one thing to recognize the enemy…it is another thing to go on the battlefield and take a stand:

Ø     Illus: David and Goliath...the battle belonged to God but David had to go on the battlefield and take his stand…although Goliath presented a great physical presence and strength…David knew that the battle was more spiritual than physical and would be won in the spiritual realm:

1 Samuel 17:41-46

41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was only a boy, ruddy and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the field!”

45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down

Full Battle Dress: Ephesians 6:14-18

Ø     Girdle of Truth: notice that the first item in being dressed for battle is truth. If you start out in falsehood…then it will go downhill from there. We are to worship in Spirit and in truth. Spiritual worship must be girded with truth (illus: girth on saddle…)

Ø     Breastplate of Righteousness: You Must Guard Your Heart!!! If your heart is right…everything else will fall in place…God give us pure hearts and clean minds!

Ø     Shoes of Good News: To those in spiritual darkness, we are to bring the good tidings of the Gospel (ie: our battle is not flesh and blood…the people are not our enemies…we fight against spirits of darkness that have people trapped … we must be prepared to carry to them the good news…Jesus Saves!

Ø     Shield of Faith: the devil here is called “the wicked one”. He is wicked himself and he endeavors to make us wicked. His temptations are called “fiery darts” because of the speed in which they come, the wounds they inflict and the poison they carry. Only the shield of faith is able to protect us from their destructive fire.

Ø     Helmet of Salvation: The helmet secures the head. Our hope in salvation will purify the soul and keep it from being defiled by Satan. It also protects us from his attack on our mind as he would tempt us to despair but our assurance in salvation keeps us trusting in God and rejoicing in Him.

Ø     Sword of the Spirit: “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword…” (Hebrews 4:12) It is our most important weapon against the enemy in personal…hand to hand conflict.

Ø     Artillery of Prayer and Supplication: Prayer and supplication (pleading with God on behalf of others) is our long range artillery. We can pray here and the answer lands there… The enemy doesn’t want the church to develop prayer because he is afraid of its effectiveness.

Closing Thoughts: We can choose to be in full battle dress…filled with the Spirit and armed with the Word of God and covered by His grace…

A Healthy Church In Shape…Prepared for War

Message Two: There is a God in Heaven

Daniel 1-3

Israel was invaded and overcome by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and many of the young men of Israel “in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom…knowledge…and understanding” were taken captive back to Babylon to serve in the king’s palace. Among the captives were Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego who purposed in their heart that they would not defile themselves “with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank.” It was a test of faith and integrity that they passed with flying colors and Daniel and his friends were placed in positions of honor serving the king.

Soon after this victory, King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him greatly. The king called all “the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians and the soothsayers” and required of them to both tell the dream and to give its interpretation. When none of them were able, he sent out a decree that all the “wise men” were to be killed, including Daniel and his companions. Daniel told his friends to pray with him and God revealed to Daniel the dream and its interpretation.

Daniel 2:27-28

27 Daniel replied, “No wise man, enchanter, magician or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries. He has shown King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in days to come.

In the dream, the king saw a great image made of different kinds of metal representing the rise of different kingdoms that would come to power. The image had a head of gold which Daniel proclaimed represented Babylon and the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar.

Chapter 3: Image of Gold...the dedication…the order to bow and worship the image…

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to bow…

Daniel 3:13-18

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar, in rage and fury, gave the command to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the gold image which I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, and you fall down and worship the image which I have made, good! But if you do not worship, you shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?”

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. 18 But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”

Furnace is heated 7 times hotter…the men were bound in their clothes…

Daniel 3:23

And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.

>>From the mountain top experience of victory to being cast down…bound into the burning furnace…

***But there is a God in heaven…”

Daniel 3: 24-25

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”

They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”

25 “Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

There is a God in heaven…and He attends to the affairs of man … especially those who trust in Him…

>>Today, there is much to disturb us and to cause worry and concern about “what will happen in days to come”. There may be things in your personal life, family issues, financial, or health issues that cause distress about the future.

 

“But there is a God in heaven” who is fully aware of all things and He is intricately involved with the affairs of earth and He cares about you and all that concerns you. God is not only in your today…He is in the “days to come” as well. Trust in Him and He will bring it to pass.

Psalms 37:3-5

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good;

Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.

4 Delight yourself also in the Lord,

And He shall give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord,

Trust also in Him,

And He shall bring it to pass.

 

A Healthy Church In Shape…A Body of Believers >Prepared for War<

 Message One: Seize the Moment

 Thoughts on physical health…the need to eat a proper diet and get proper exercise…for most of us it requires will power to make a life change…to change our habits of eating and not exercising…etc. To be a healthy church there is a need for both physical health and spiritual health to be able to complete the purpose God has called us to. We need to recognize that as followers of Christ, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit:

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit  who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

 

In chapter 3…Paul speaks of the local church body as being collectively the temple of the Holy Spirit:

1 Corinthians 3:16-17

16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? 17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.

How many understand…if my body, individually, is the temple of the Holy Spirit…and the church, collectively, is the temple of the Holy Spirit…then it is imperative that we be a healthy church…so that individually and collectively we can “glorify God in…body and in…spirit” because both our body and our spirit belong to God?  (Note: glorifying God in your body has more to do with living holy than “working out”.)

Seize the Moment:

1.     Recognize the Need

Ø     The first step to any area of improvement is to recognize the need.

Ø     Whether it is to lose weight…overcome an addiction…improve your marriage…the first step is the same: recognize the need.

Ø     The same holds true spiritually…we must recognize the need to prepare for war…to be “in shape” spiritually to overcome the enemy who is out to destroy our lives…

Ø     Too many Christians do not even know a war is going on…

Ø     If I am going to be a victorious Christian in every area of my life…I must first recognize the need to seek God with all my heart…to let go of those things that hold me back…to put God first in my life…

Hebrews 12:1 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

2.     Make the Commitment

Ø     Recognizing the need won’t do any good if you don’t make the commitment to get started. (ex. losing weight…exercising…)

Ø     “Oh, I know I need to …” won’t get it done.

Ø     There must be a commitment made to do it…to do whatever it takes to become all He desires me to be.

Ø      A great hindrance to being a healthy church is lack of commitment

Ø     Secret to success: find someone or a group to be accountable to; a prayer partner…a confident…who will tell you the truth…but will not talk behind your back…

Ø     Be faithful to church…we need one another…we need the corporate worship…we need the “body of believers”

Romans 12:1-2 NIV

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

 3.     Experience the Freedom

Ø     Becoming physically “in shape” frees a person to enjoy life so much more…

Ø     Becoming spiritually “in shape” will free you…will free the church…to experience so much more of the abundant life God gives…

Ø     Casting aside those weights that hinder…sins that entangle… being transformed by the renewing of your mind will give you a freedom that you won’t believe

Ø     Freedom from guilt…shame…hurts…bitterness…the past…doubt …worry…etc.

Isaiah 10:27 KJV

And it shall come to pass in that day, that his burden shall be taken away from off thy shoulder, and his yoke from off thy neck, and the yoke shall be destroyed because of the anointing.

Ø     The anointing destroys the yoke…anointing comes only through obedience…

Ø     Mike’s message last Sunday… “The Power of a Moment” … Jesus called Lazarus forth from the grave:

John 11:38-44

38 Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.”

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. 43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!”  44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”

Closing Thoughts: One more step is required to becoming “In Shape”: once you have recognized the need and made a commitment…and even experienced new freedom…you must follow through on your commitment or it won’t be a lasting change.

A Work in Progress

He’s Still Working on Me

 Ephesians 2:9-10

 Getting Started: When I read these words of Paul, I am reminded of a song the children used to sing here at Plum Grove:

He’s still working on me,

To make me what I ought to be.

Took Him just a week to make the moon and stars

The earth, the sun, Jupiter, and Mars;

How loving and patient He must be,

He’s still working on me.

 If I am His workmanship…then I need a “under construction” sign hanging on me somewhere. I feel like Romans 7, where Paul wrote: “For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.”

Paul went on to write: “Now if I do what I will not to do (NIV: do not want to do), it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me.”

In other words: I am trying to change my behavior when the root cause is “sin” living in me that needs to be dealt with. We are saved by grace but somehow think we are to live by works…ie: our own efforts to do good. James declared, “Faith without works is dead” (living faith produces works) but the works are a result of faith…the fruit of God’s grace working in us… good works He has prepared for us to walk in by His grace.

Wisdom from Oswald Chambers;The Utmost for the Highest

“The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not (just) in times of intimate fellowship with God.”

Because of our struggles we see ourselves as small…or insignificant…or a failure…we feel as grasshoppers facing giants…

Book of Numbers…Chapters 12-14

Chapter 12 > the rebellion of Aaron and Mariam

Chapter 13 > the spies sent to search out the land…their report

Numbers 13:27-28

Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there.

Vs. 30 > Caleb’s report

30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.”

Vs. 31&33

31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we…33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.”

Note: Chapter 14 shows what happens when we try to act on our own…Israel is defeated and returns to the desert

Want to quit living a grasshopper lifestyle? Begin to see yourself as the workmanship of God…recognize this truth: “Christ in you…the hope of glory.”

Colossians 1:27-29

27 To them (the church) God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. 29 To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily.

 

His Workmanship

1.     He is the Potter…We are the Clay

>Isaiah 64:8 NIV

Yet, O Lord, you are our Father.

We are the clay, you are the potter;

we are all the work of your hand.

 

2.     He is the Builder…We are the Building

> Hebrews 12:2

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, ( the framer and the finisher…) who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

 

3.     He is the Sculptor…We are the Sculpture

> Ephesians 2:10

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good    works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

 Closing Thoughts: Someone once asked a sculptor how he was able to produce a finished product out of a hunk of stone: “I just cut away what doesn’t look like what I’m working on. The secret to living an overcoming life is to allow God to cut away everything that doesn’t look like Christ…

 

 

Labor Not Wasted

Psalms 127:1-2 NKJ

NLT:  Unless the Lord builds a house,

the work of the builders is wasted.

Unless the Lord protects a city,

guarding it with sentries will do no good.

2 It is useless for you to work so hard

from early morning until late at night,

anxiously working for food to eat;

for God gives rest to his loved ones.

> Our world seems fixated on overpaid sports figures, movie stars, and music performers. Too many times these are elevated to “hero” status and become looked upon as role models for our youth in spite of so many exhibiting lifestyles that are detrimental to character development… immoral…addictions…

We fail to recognize the true heroes in our world…the everyday heroes who are faithful to labor and support their families on a daily basis. Their job may not be the most entertaining or deemed “important” in the eyes of many, but they are willing to work so their family can be blessed and cared for. These are those who are not looking for a government handout but simply a chance to be productive and live a meaningful life. These are most of you here today...workers, business owners, and management personnel…everyday people, faithful to your family and holding to real values in life. To you, we salute, on this Labor Day weekend. 

 To you, I also share a warning: never allow your work or vocation to become your main focus in life. You can work and build a house but it is love that builds a home. A house is a wasted project if the Lord is not involved in the building of the family. A family requires time,…building loving relationships with one another.

Don’t use the excuse…I just want to spend “quality time”, not quantity of time…

All “time” that you put aside for family…your spouse…your children…is quality time. Don’t wait for the perfect situation to present itself, take time for one another and for building your relationship with Christ. Remember the words of the Psalmist: It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat, for God gives rest to his loved ones.

At the end of your life, it will not matter what kind of car you drove…or the house you lived in…or the clothes you wore. All that will matter is your relationship with others and with Christ.

At the same time, none of us care to see our labor be in vain…to be wasted without any lasting benefit. We desire our lives to count… we want to be successful…to be blessed.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 NKJV

9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.” 10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

This is the only mention of the man Jabez in the Bible!

Notice his name: “his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”   > Jabez means: “He will cause pain!” Every time Jabez heard his name he was reminded of the pain he had caused his mother…and that he would be a person who would cause pain for others!

But Jabez would not allow his name to determine his life… he did not want his life to be wasted…to not count…for his labor to be in vain…He did not want his life to cause others pain… so he prayed to God… and God heard his prayer.

 I believe that it is God’s desire to take that which is cursed in your life and make it a blessing…to take your failures and cause you to succeed. God desires your life to be filled with abundance…but too many times we put our trust in the wrong things…and think we can find abundant life apart from putting God first…

God’s Measure of Success is Different From the World’s View of Success

1.    The world’s view of success is “in the abundance of the things we possess”…the car you drive…the boat you own…the house you live in…the position you hold…or the size of your bank account…It’s how cool you dress…how good you look…how much talent you have…etc.

2.    God measures success by your relationship with Him and the fulfillment of His will for your life.  His goal is not to make you comfortable…but to make you holy and righteous in every way…because He knows you will never experience abundant life outside of complete surrender to Him and to His will.

3.    Jesus said, (Luke 12:15) “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

 

Closing Thoughts: Many people today, like the rich man in Jesus’ parable, who put their trust in investments… for retirement…or to gain wealth and “financial security”… are finding out that their “security” is on sinking ground. What once seemed like a secure future has evaporated into thin air because of the economy

Bridge Builders: A Father’s Day Message

Dads Making a Difference

 Getting Started: According to Rob Hoskins, President of OneHope, there’s bad news for dads this Father’s day. A new survey of youth opinion shows that less than half of U.S. teens say they are frequently proud of their fathers. (Attitudes and Behaviors of Youth, OneHope, 2010) Does this surprise anyone? For the past decade, American pop culture had idolized the slacker guy…the video gamer…the non-conformist and the goofball dad over the accountable, respectable, involved family man. One of the results is our kids are suffering from the consequences of having boy-men for role models and fathers.

Ø     The average teen boy now watches 50 porn clips and indulges in video games for an entire work day a week.

Ø     Nearly half of U.S. teens spend less than 30 minutes a week talking with their dads about things that really matter.

Ø     Almost a third spent virtually no time at all conversing with their dads on important life topics.

Ø     And we wonder why teen boys retreat to a world of fantasy games. pornography, and juvenile media.

That’s why it is so important for dads to be engaged in their kids lives. Children have a right to the emotional and physical security that comes from responsible and involved parents. Our primary responsibility as parents and grandparents is to shape lives. It is up to us to model mature behavior and sound morals to our kids and demonstrate the kind of person we want our kids to be when they grow up…and, believe it or not, they are watching:

Ø     80% of teens still say that their parents are their greatest influencers!

Ø     That’s great news for dads…we have the power to make a positive impact on the next generation but only when we show up and show attention.

James Dobson in his book, Bringing Up Boys, states that “a father holds awesome power in the lives of his children, for good or ill. He goes on to state, “Boys are in trouble today primarily because their parents, and especially their dads, are distracted, overworked, harassed, exhausted, disinterested, chemically dependent, divorced, or simply unable to cope”

We as parents and grandparents are raising the next generation of men and women who will one day lead our nation and world. They are the bridges to the future. We need men today who will be bridge builders, to build lasting qualities of character, self-discipline, respect for authority, commitment to the truth, a belief in the work ethic, and an unshakable love for Jesus Christ.

 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 NIV

10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Three Contributions Dads Can Make For Their Children:

1.     A Source of Encouragement

2.     A Source of Comfort

3.     A Force for Good

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Holy Spirit in the Church

Spiritual Enablement

 Acts 2:1-4

God has never intended for church to be dull or boring. The early church in the Book of Acts was filled with excitement and the miraculous. Throughout the book, every chapter is filled with excitement…everywhere the church extended itself, there was excitement… real excitement…not what man did but what God did.

Ø     Chapter 2: Day of Pentecost: sound of wind…tongues of fire… outpouring of the Spirit… speaking in other tongues… accused of being drunk… end result: 3,000 saved and added to the church!

Ø     Chapter 3: Lame man is healed… vs. 6-9…5,000 saved!

Ø     Chapter 4: Peter and John are arrested… threatened… have a prayer meeting… vs. 29-31

Ø     Chapter 5: Aninias and Sapphira lied to the Holy Spirit and drop dead in church… signs and wonders confirm the word: vs. 12-16;

Ø     Throughout the book of Acts exciting things continued to take place.

Ø     When God began to move…lives were being changed… persecution began: the apostles were arrested: 5: 17-20; Steven became the first myrtyr of the church (ch. 7) and the church was scattered throughout the land…but everywhere they went, they preached the gospel: 8: 4-8 (may we never allow the fear of persecution or ridicule keep us from allowing the Holy Spirit to empower His church…)

Today we have seen the phony, “canned” excitement and have been miss-led so many times that we are afraid to get excited. We don’t know what to get excited about and are fearful of being disappointed again. But be reminded …Jesus is still on the throne…He is still the King of Glory…and it is still ok to get excited about Jesus and His church!

God has given to the church spiritual enablements to ensure that His church will never be without life or powerless. We refer to these “spirituals” as “gifts of the Spirit” or “manifestations of the Spirit”.

A list of nine of these spiritual enablements, given to the church, are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:

1 Corinthians 12: 7-11:

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

If God gave these as gifts to the church why would we think He would take them back and no longer make them available to us today? Just think what church would be like if we experienced these “manifestations of the Spirit” in the church on a regular basis? We would never know what to expect when we come to church…will this be the day a miracle takes place…or a healing...or a prophetic word from God? Will this be the Sunday that God gives a word of wisdom or a word of knowledge that comes only through the Spirit and not from what we have learned or studied? Perhaps this will be the service when God speaks through an unknown tongue and uses someone to interpret the message He wants us to hear… WOW!

Excitement would be present…and we would be afraid to miss because of what might take place that we would miss out on. This is church as God intends for it to be…filled with excitement, worshipping in His presence, and empowered by His Spirit.

Closing Thoughts: We need the empowerment of the Spirit in the church today. It is the difference between working with a hand saw and a power saw. (Illus: trimming limbs…using my trimmer and my neighbor’s powered trimmer…)

The Holy Spirit in the Believer

Waiting for the Promise

 Following His resurrection from the dead, Christ appeared to many of His followers at various times before He ascended back to Heaven. In the days preceding His ascension, over 500 witnesses saw the resurrected Lord.

Just before He left He gave His disciples their (our) marching orders:

Matthew 28:18-20

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,  20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Then, as He prepared to depart, He gave an interesting command: He told them to “wait”. He first told them to “go”…and then He told them to “wait”!

Acts 1:4

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father,…

Illus: I don’t know about you but I have a problem with having been told to “go”…to hurry…to be somewhere…and then have to wait…. (ex: Dr’s office)

Yet, that is exactly what God told His disciples…”Go” ( there is a great sense of urgency in the command…the whole world needs to hear…every nation…every tribe and ethnic group…all need to hear the good news of Jesus Christ!

Then, perhaps the same day…perhaps some time later…He instructs His disciples: before you go…I want you to wait…

If Jesus thought it was important enough for the followers of Jesus then, how much more important is it for us today?

>Why did He tell them to wait?

Acts 1:5 > to be baptized with the Holy Spirit

>Why was it so important for them to be baptized with the Holy Spirit before they ventured out to change the world?

Acts 1:8 > to receive power to be witnesses

Two weeks ago, on Family Worship Sunday, I preached on being “Too Busy to Listen” using Jesus’ teaching about the good shepherd as our text:

John 10:3-4 NIV

The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

 How do they know His voice? > Because they listen to his voice…

The question we asked was, “could it be that we can be “too busy” to listen and therefore unable to hear what He is saying?”

We “listen” when we have our personal time in His presence…He speaks to us through His Word and by His Spirit.

God also speaks to us in church…when we gather together as the corporate body of believers to worship Him….He speaks to us through the songs…through spiritual gifts…through the message preached…through a lesson taught…He speaks to us in church and it is important for us to be here so we can “hear” His voice.

Listening may require “waiting”. Not a passive, do nothing kind of waiting…but waiting in His presence…with anticipation to hear His voice…to receive His promise…

Too many Christians are “weary” today…too many are “burned out” in their service for God…could it be that we have tried to do the work of the kingdom without being endued with power from on high? We start out great…but because we are operating in our own strength we soon run out of momentum.

Question: How many believe we need the empowerment of the Spirit to affect our world today?

John 14: 15-18 (esp. vs.17)

1.     Who has the Holy Spirit?

Ø     All born again believers have the indwelling Holy Spirit

Ø     When we receive Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us

2.     What is the “baptism in the Holy Spirit”?

Ø     Being endued with power from on high. (you shall receive power…)

Ø     It is also referred to as being “filled with the Spirit” (Acts 2:4)

Ø     All born again believers have the indwelling of the Spirit but not all are filled with, or baptized into, the Holy Spirit.

Ø     John 20:19-22: They received the Holy Spirit but were “filled with the Spirit” on Pentecost.

3.     Why do believers need to be baptized in the Spirit?

Ø     To receive power to be witnesses to Christ

Ø     To be used by God in the “gifts of the Spirit”

Ø     To be empowered to live a Spirit-filled life.

 

Closing Thoughts: “Oh, God, stir us again with your power…with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit …that we may accomplish our task here on earth! Come Holy Spirit…fill our hearts and lives with your presence. Let there be a fresh Pentecost in our church and in our lives …oh, God, we pray!”

The Precious Blood of Christ

1 Peter 1:13-21

 Getting Started: Memorial Day is a time to reflect and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the freedoms we enjoy today. It is also a time when we need to be thankful for our veterans who have served our nation as well as those who are actively serving in the armed forces today. I don’t know what your plans for this weekend are ( lake, park, picnic, etc.) but the reason we can enjoy these activities is because someone’s son or daughter paid the ultimate sacrifice on a foreign soil to preserve a freedom they would not be able to participate in themselves. They felt those freedoms were worth dying for. There may be a lot wrong with our nation but it is still the greatest place to be on earth.

Thought: If America is so bad why is it that we require no laws, walls, or guards to keep people in?”

Even as we honor those of past wars who have preserved our freedom…we must recognize that our nation is at war today and give thanks and offer prayers for those who presently serve in the war on terrorists. Our troops deserve our prayers and support.

For several years we were privileged to have two veterans of World War II as part of our church family…Steve Dore’ and Bill Curry. These men fought and lived through the atrocities of war and reminded us of the price of freedom. Wars are not won by proclamations…or by news correspondents. Victory is not accomplished by dignitaries…kings…or presidents. These all have a part…most are necessary…but the enemy is conquered by the man with weapon in hand…the soldier in the field who fights…bleeds…and dies for the cause.

Wars are won at the cost of man’s most precious possession…wars are won with the shedding of blood.

Even as wars are won by the shedding of blood…likewise, God, in His war on sin and evil…destroyed the works of Satan through the shedding of blood …the precious blood of Jesus!

The reason you can enjoy the benefits of salvation and be set free from sin and its penalty is because His Son paid the ultimate sacrifice on “foreign soil” so you and I can enjoy the ultimate freedom of being a Christian!

I thank God for our political freedom…but true freedom is not determined by what government you live under – but by your relationship with Jesus Christ!

You can live in America and be bound…or you can be locked in a prison cell in an oppressed nation and yet be free…if Jesus Christ lives in your heart!

Even as we in America must not forget the sacrifices paid for our freedom as a nation…even so – you and I must never forget the price that was paid for our redemption:

Vs. 18-19

Because of the “precious blood of Jesus” we have been:

Ø     Redeemed from the slavery of sin

Ø     Reconciled unto God

Ø     Re-born and cleansed from our sin

Ø     We are now “justified” before God (i.e. declared just… “just as if I had never sinned”)

All because of the “precious blood of Jesus Christ”!

Redemption: person owed a debt he couldn’t pay…put on auction as a slave …the price paid would be used to pay off his indebtedness. But a “near kinsman” could offer to pay off the debt and set the person free. This was called “redeeming”.

Spiritually: I was a slave to sin…I owed a debt I could not pay…Christ became my “near kinsman” and redeemed me from my indebtedness and set me free.

Song: I owed a debt I could not pay, He paid a debt He did not owe:

          I needed someone to wash my sins away.

          And now I sing a brand new song: Amazing Grace.

          Christ Jesus paid the debt that I could never pay.

 Closing Thoughts: If you are away from God…His desire is to redeem you and set you free…to give you a freedom that the world cannot provide.

Memorial Day: A Time to Remember

As I reflect on this year’s Memorial Day I am reminded of three men who became my heroes:

Steve Dore’ joined the National Guard in 1939 and was called up to active duty on April 10, 1942. While on guard duty in Chicago, Steve tried his hand at boxing. During one bout, the other boxer stepped on his foot and hit him under the chin, messing up his knee so that his leg had to be put in a cast. When the orders came for his outfit to ship out, the doctor refused to allow him to leave with his company because of the cast. Not wanting someone else to fight in his place, Steve appealed all the way to the top and obtained permission to go with those he had trained with….cast and all! Along with the other members of his company, he boarded a “Liberty” ship for the European theater, where they went into training for D-Day. With the cast removed and his leg healed, he landed on the Normandy beach in the 3^rd wave of the assault during the darkness of early morning. When the Higgins landing craft reached their point of departure, the ramp opened and they unloaded to wade in chest high water toward the beach with back packs on… and their rifles held above their heads…. As he moved forward he kept feeling things bumping against him…finally glancing to see what it was, he found it to be the bodies of those killed floating in the water. When he reached the shore, he dug his first foxhole between two fallen soldiers. He could hear the bullets hitting the bodies until he moved out to the next location….At one point Steve was penned down in a foxhole for 14 straight days. The only time they could leave was under the cover of darkness when they would crawl to the latrine area. On one such night, he was cut on his stomach by barb wire…he wrapped the cut, but continued to fight. Later, when he was able to see a medic, the wound was infected and the flesh had begun to rot because of lack of treatment. Another time…while on a reconnaissance mission behind enemy lines with his captain and two other soldiers, they were pinned down by enemy fire. Jumping a hedge row, he was able to keep from getting hit, but he could hear someone moaning on the other side of the hedge, so he went back over and found the two men dead and the captain wounded. Quickly he pulled the captain to safety and got him back to the medic behind allied lines. He was told by the captain that he would receive a medal for bravely but it was 40 years later when he was awarded the bronze star for his actions. The assault continued until Paris was liberated and in control of the allied forces. Because he could speak French, he was transferred to the military police to work with the French police to uncover the black market and to capture Germans trying to pass off as French civilians. Throughout his stay in France, he was his outfit’s interpreter. At the end of the war, he returned to Camp Shelby, Miss. where he received his honorable discharge.

His Life Was Changed

> He met Myrtle…and his life would never be the same again.

> Everything wasn’t perfect….he loved to drink,…and she had a temper

> Illus: night when he came home after drinking….wouldn’t allow him in bed…dumped him out of the couch….. “Now, why do you do me like that?”

> He met Christ…. and his life was changed forever! From that time on he stopped drinking….and smoking! …. God’s grace came into his life and Steve Dore’ became a new creation!

> If you have ever doubted the grace of God, or the power of the Holy Spirit to change a person’s life, or the ability of the blood of Jesus to wash away sin….when you have heard the testimony of Steve Dore’…all doubt should  disappear.

He Was Still A Soldier…. Only He Had A New Commander in Chief

> He became a “good soldier of Jesus Christ”…a member of the Lord’s army.

Bill Curry joined the U. S. Marine Corps. on January 16, 1940 at the age of 20. During his time in the service, he served at two navy shipyards and two Naval Air Stations as a military policeman. He first went to Guam on October 31, 1940 and on November 3^rd of that year, a typhoon hit the island and destroyed the Marine barracks and much of the island. He was promoted to PFC in 1941 while in Guam. He earned the sharp shooters medal in 1940 and the expert shooters medal in 1941. He was promoted to corporal in 1942 while serving in Sitka, Alaska.

On July 21, 1944, Bill was one of the Americans who fought to liberate the people of Guam from Japanese rule. During the retaking of Guam, Bill fought in three major battles and his unit was awarded several citations. It was during this time that Bill was promoted to Sargent. In 1946 he was awarded the good conduct medal for six years of faithful service.

In 1994, the governor and people of Guam invited all liberators back to Guam for the 50^th anniversary to be honored as heroes. Bill was able to go and take part in those celebrations.

Bill said, “I stood on the same beach where we landed on July 21,1944, only this time a Japanese sniper wasn’t trying to kill me.”

After over 50 years, the people of Guam are still thankful for the sacrifices made by the Americans and July 21^st is a day of parades and celebrations.

When asked about those days, Bill would say, “Remember Pearl Harbor. Remember the death march of our troops who surrendered on the Philippine Islands to the Japanese Army in 1941.”

George L. Skypeck wrote a tribute to soldiers entitled simply,

“Soldier”

I was that which others did not want to be,

I went where others feared to go and did what others failed to do.

I asked nothing from those who gave nothing, and reluctantly accepted the thought of eternal loneliness…should I fail.

I have seen the face of terror, felt the stinging cold of fear, and enjoyed the sweet taste of a moment’s love.

I have cried, pained, and hoped…but most of all, I have lived times others would say were best forgotten.

At least someday I will be able to say that I was proud of what I was….

A soldier.

 

 

Bill McCarver joined the army during a time when our nation was divided over an unpopular war in Viet Nam. While many others marched in the streets protesting our country’s policies and still others fled to Canada to escape the draft, Bill chose to serve his country because, “It was the right thing to do.” He once said, “I was brought up to believe that if we are to enjoy the freedom that America provides then we must be willing to fight for these freedoms if called on.” One of the hardest things to do is get a veteran to talk about his war experiences. Bill was no exception. But by listening, keeping my ears open, I was able to gather fragments of information. There was the time when he was on patrol setting up an out base when they endured 14 straight days of steady rain. Then there was the time, after 50 days in the field and several “fire fights”, that his squad came under fire. An R.P.G. was fired at his position and Bill was wounded in the neck by the explosion. Although wounded, he continued to fire against the enemy until his comrades could pull back and were out of danger. Wounded and unable to be lifted out by helicopter, he and his squad began the long march back. On the way he became unable to go on and lay down and waited to die…alone. When he woke up a buddy was setting guard over him and together they managed to return to base. Bill received the bronze star, two army accommodation medals, the air metal, purple heart, national defense medal and the South Viet Nam service medal.

As pastor of Plum Grove Assembly, it was my honor and privilege to have each of these men attend and serve in the church. They are truly missed by all who knew them. They served their country and church with honor.

2 Tim 2:1-4

You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. 3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. 4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

NKJV