Grosey's Messages

Thoughts about TD Jakes

2012-01-27T21:20:00.001+11:00

http://praisegodbarebones.blogspot.com/2012/01/quick-thoughts-about-td-jakes-and.html

Dr. Bart Barber has offered a thoughtful analysis of TD Jakes conversion to trinitarianism and Christianity here.

I copy it for your encouragement.

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Quick Thoughts about T.D. Jakes and Trinitarianism

No time to blog well here. I'm just going with a laundry-list

Jakes's statement satisfies me that he is a Trinitarian. I read him differentiating his present view from his previous view of the Godhead. He affirmed not only "three persons" but also the concept that the three persons are to be distinguished from one another. The Father is not The Son is not The Holy Spirit, although all three are the One True God. In his first reply to Driscoll, Jakes seems to have affirmed that these attributes are eternal, not just matters of assignment or appearance.
It is certainly possible that I am just not qualified enough to see the nuance that is missing here. I do not claim to be an expert in theology. And yet, I would count what Jakes has affirmed as Trinitarianism.
Jakes's statement makes it perfectly clear that he used to be a modalist. He himself characterizes his embrace of Trinitarianism as a movement away from something else. Driscoll characterized it similarly, with no rebuttal from Jakes. When did the change take place? We don't have data on that, but we do know that Jakes has never clearly articulated Trinitarianism in public before yesterday.
This is something for all of us to celebrate. When Jakes became a Trinitarian, he became a Christian. His eternal destiny changed at that moment. Now he needs to be baptized. Again, this is something to celebrate.
This is a complete vindication of those who criticized Jakes's earlier theology. As noted above, Jakes himself has now acknowledged that he used to be a modalist (not that that's news to anybody who has paid attention). There will be people who will perform a lot of self-congratulatory chest-thumping over this—people who have been defending Jakes—along the lines of "See, we were right all along, you muck-raking, ruckus-loving, slander-throwing watchbloggers!" If you're somebody who has held Jakes's feet to the fire on this issue in the past, it's really important for you not to pay attention to the minions of atheology on this question and to become defensive. Close their blog and open your Bible to James 5:20. Rejoice.
The Trinity is a big, big deal. It's a heaven-or-hell deal. Minimizing the doctrine of God is not helpful. Anyone who has pretended that this is not important is hurting, not helping. Jakes is certainly one of those people. Although he has espoused Trinitarianism, he certainly is minimizing the importance of that, both by trying to avoid specifically Trinitarian language where he can and by calling for unity between Trinitarians and modalists. Unity between us and Oneness folks would be wrong. It would be sinful for us to be one with them. Jakes must be rebutted at this point.
But I would not say that it is the same level of sin to fail to condemn modalism as it is to espouse modalism and reject Trinitarianism. Both are wrongful, but only one is heretical, I think. If a failure to condemn modalism is damnable heresy, then T. D. Jakes isn't the only person we have to worry about. If you say that T. D. Jakes has to have condemned modalism as heresy in order to be a Trinitarian, then we have good grounds to question the Trinitarianism of every other participant in the Elephant Room. From what I've seen in transcripts, none of the people there condemned modalism. Perhaps some of them would, in some other context, but with the topic right up there on the table, nobody said a single word of condemnation against modalism.
This makes them all wrong, and embarrassingly so, not only in my book but also along the lines of everything that historic orthodox Christianity has stood for. But it doesn't make them people who are going to Hell. I think, if you're going to condemn Jakes on the basis of his desire for greater unity between Trinitarians and modalists, you're going to have to condemn every other person on that platform (unless you believe that they all really do condemn modalism and are just cowards).
This is no complete vindication of T. D. Jakes. Yes, there are still massive theological problems with Jakes. He's a prosperity preacher. He's one who still desires ecumenity with modalists, even if he no longer is one. He's a terrible expositor. I wouldn't say that he's qualified to serve as a pastor. I certainly wouldn't support his presence preaching at anything at my church, anything in my denomination, or anything I was at all associated with.
But all of that, serious as it is, can take a back seat for at least a moment. He's not presently being proposed to preach at my church, at anything in my denomination, or at anything I'm associated with. I don't even have to think about that right now, and there's something better to think about in its place. A man who has preached heresy has, on a worldwide stage, recanted from it and has espoused Trinitarianism. He has become a Christian. Surely, whatever other problems are attendant, THAT is something worthy of rejoicing in and of itself.

Or maybe I'm just being naïve.”

Several Sharp outlines mainly from Adrian Rogers

2012-01-04T11:33:00.001+11:00

I have these outlines printed in my Bible for emergencies.

1. The Challenges Of Cruelty

A. The Stress Of Cruel Corruption Eccles 3:16-21 Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, even there was wickedness, and in the place of righteousness, even there was wickedness. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work. ICAC

B. The Stress Of Cruel Companies Eccl 4:1-3 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them. 2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive. 3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.

C. The Stress Of Cruel Competition 4-8 4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. 5 The fool folds his hands and eats his own flesh. 6 Better is a handful of quietness than two hands full of toil and a striving after wind. 7 Again, I saw vanity under the sun: 8 one person who has no other, either son or brother, yet there is no end to all his toil, and his eyes are never satisfied with riches, so that he never asks, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vanity and an unhappy business.

D. The Stress Of Cruel Criticism 13 Better was a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knew how to take advice. 14 For he went from prison to the throne, though in his own kingdom he had been born poor. 15 I saw all the living who move about under the sun, along with that youth who was to stand in the king’s place. 16 There was no end of all the people, all of whom he led. Yet those who come later will not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

2. The Comfort of Companionship

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10 For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11 Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? 12 And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

A. An Eternal Companion Isa 40:28 the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. 29 He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. 30 Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; 31 but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

B. An Earthly Companion

Mutual Encouragement when we are Weak Stabilizing One Another 9,10

Mutual Support when we are Vulnerable Supporting One Another 11 Paul Simon 1969 Vietnam War. “When you’re down and out, when you’re on the street, When evening falls so hard, I will comfort you, I’ll take your part. Oh when darkness comes and pain is all around, Like a bridge over troubled waters, I will lay me down.”

Mutual Protection when we are Attacked Strengthening One Another

Mutual Achievement when we are Stressed Sustaining One Another

Mutual Development When we are Shallow Sharpening One Another Prov 27:17 As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.

The Best Is Yet To Be I Thessalonians 5:1-11
What a glorious time this is ... to be between two mountain peaks of history -- the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the coronation of Jesus Christ!.

1. Learn Of His Coming The Thessalonians learned two things about Jesus' coming ─ the certainty of it and the uncertainty of the time. Anybody who sets a date for the second coming of Jesus Christ is approaching (if he hasn't already crossed it) the line of blasphemy (see Matthew 24:36 and Acts 1:7). Many people ask why Jesus hasn't come yet. I believe it is the mercy of God that holds Him back (see 2 Peter 3:9). Even now the raging waters of God's wrath are furiously pounding against the dam of His mercy. And one of these days, that dam of God's mercy will give way to God's judgment and the day of the Lord will come. The second coming of Jesus isn't an incidental truth in Scripture, it is fundamental. Over and over the Bible teaches this. This bursts aflame in your heart, in your life ─ learn about His second coming.

2. Look For His Coming "The day of the Lord" is going to be a solemn day (see Joel 2:1-2, Jeremiah 30:7-9, Daniel 12:1-2, and Matthew 24:21). You can combine all the horrors this world has ever known and you will have a faint description of what the day of the Lord will be for those who are left behind.

It will also be a surprising day. The Bible compares it to the time of Noah (see Matthew 24:36-39). People were going about the normal routine of life when the fountains of the great deep were broken up, the heavens were emptied, the flood came, and carried them all away. We are to be ready.

Lastly, it will be a sure day. As surely as a birth follows labor pains, God's judgment is going to come upon the earth. Indeed, our world is on a collision course with judgment. We are to live today as if Jesus was coming back today.

3. Live For His Coming

Be aware and wise up. We are the only ones who can make sense of what is happening all around us. Dr. Vance Havner said, "You can give a Bible and a candle to a child of God then put him in a dungeon. Even there, he will know more about what is going on in this world than all of Congress and the Pentagon put together."

Be awake and get up. Do you know the problem with many churches today? They are not preaching the second coming of Jesus Christ. Instead, many are teaching bedtime stories that lull congregations to sleep. We must wake up! Can't you hear it? God's alarm clock is going off all over this world.

Be alert and dress up. First Thessalonians 5:8 teaches we are to put on the breastplate of faith and love to protect our hearts. At the same time, we are to put on the helmet ─ the hope of salvation. And this "hope" is a divine certainty based on the Word of God (see Titus 2:13 and 1 John 5:13).

4. Long For His Coming First Thessalonians 5:11 teaches us that Christ's second coming is a comforting truth. The church is going to be raptured before the great tribulation. And here are three reasons why:

Explanation. Verse 9 tells us that God has not appointed us to wrath (see 1 Thess 1:9-10). Now, that is different from His chastisement which God's children will experience

Expectation. Paul writes that he was expecting Jesus in his lifetime. Was he wrong? No, he was right. Every Christian should be expecting Jesus to come in his life.

Exhortation. There is comfort for us in knowing that as we wait for His second coming that we will be spared the great tribulation. And the Apostle Paul tells us to exhort others with this truth. "even so come Lord Jesus."

Unwrapping Your Spiritual Gifts 1 Cor 12, Rom 12
So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. Romans 12:5b-6 You are a gifted child. God has equipped you in a special way for a special purpose. And you are to discover that gift (you've got at least one), develop it, and deploy it for the glory of our Lord.

The Description of the Gifts You may have talent and thought it was a gift - and in a way it is. All talents are given by God. But talents are not unique to the saved - unsaved people have talents, as well. Spiritual gifts, though, are supernatural, grace gifts - not earned or learned. Some people also confuse the gifts of the Spirit with the fruit of the Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 (love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance) is to be manifested in every believer. The gifts, on the other hand, are uniquely distributed as God sees fit for the building up of His Kingdom.

The Diversity of the Gifts First Corinthians 12:4 tells us that there are "diversities of gifts." God has given His children a variety of gifts, "but the same Spirit." There are also different administrations and operations of these gifts. In the Body of Christ we exhibit unity in diversity. And what is unity? It is not unison. Have you ever heard a choir? Then, you know that they sing different parts. That's what makes it beautiful. God doesn't want us all to be alike. God has made each of us different. When we come together in one Spirit, our work is a harmonious symphony of loving service to our King!

The Distribution of the Gifts The gifts are distributed by the Holy Spirit (read First Corinthians 12:8-11). You don't decide which one of the gifts you would like. He sovereignly chooses the gift for you. And, there's no need for you to ask God for a spiritual gift. When the Holy Spirit entered your life and placed you into the Body of Christ, He didn't come in empty-handed; He came in with a gift. All you need to do is discover the gift and develop the gift that God has already given you. First Peter 4:10 says, "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God."

The Design of the Gifts What is God's design for your spiritual gift? First Corinthians 12:7 says: "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal." Many people think their spiritual gift is for their enjoyment. But, it is not for your enjoyment; it is for your employment. If I have a gift, it's going to bless you. If you have a gift, it's going to bless me. Together, we're going to bless each other. The Phillips 7 says, "Each man is given his gift by the Spirit that he may use it for the common good."

The Discovery of the Gifts The first step in discovering your spiritual gift is to present yourself to God (see Romans 12:1). Once you've done that, spend some time in God's Word. Day after day, He will transform you more and more into His likeness, then you can realize your gift in Christ.

Next, I suggest you spend time serving others. You see, the Body of Christ affirms each other and helps surface our gifts. May God bless you in all your endeavors as you step out in faith to use your spiritual gift for His glory.

It Is Decision That Determines Destiny
"... I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days... ." Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a What would happen to you if you were in the same valley of decision between these two mountains? Let me help by giving you some principles of choice.
1 you are free to choose. Every day, God gives us the freedom to make choices about what we think is going to be good, or even best for us.
2 you're not free not to choose. To decide not to choose is a choice. Am I making any sense? Let me make it very clear - to decide not to choose good is always a choice to choose evil. Jesus said, "He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30). If you do not crown Jesus, you crucify Him. There is no middle ground.
3 - you're not free to choose the consequences of your choice. Let me illustrate. Stand beside an open window on the tenth floor of a building. You're free to jump. Now, that's a foolish thing to do, but if nobody is there to restrain you, you can choose to do so. Stay in the room or jump out. Now, if you decide to jump, then you must be ready to face the consequences of that choice.
4. you are free to choose, but you're not free to achieve. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, suppose I chose to achieve as a professional basketball player. Well, you look at my frame and you say to yourself, "How can he even hope of achieving success?" And you're probably right. You see, I can make all the choices I want. I can even have all the hopes and dreams I want. But, I have to be realistic to see that I might not achieve success simply because I have chosen to do something.
5 - a big choice will take care of a lot of little ones. I am a man who has made up his mind that I am going to be loyal to my wife. You see, I don't have to worry when I check into a hotel whether to watch pornography or not. I don't have to be concerned whether I am going to flirt with another woman. I don't have to keep making that decision to be loyal to my wife. I've made that decision and that one big decision takes care of a lot of the other little decisions.
6 God has already chosen you, that you might choose Him. That's why we're called His elect. "We love him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Had God not first chosen us, we would never have the inclination to choose Him. Thank God for His sovereignty!
7. the day of choice is passing away. Don't think that you have forever to make up your mind whether you're going to be a follower of Jesus Christ or not. Make your eternal salvation secure today. CHOOSE JESUS BECAUSE ...
You can know immediate joy. Why wait to have joy when you can have it right now? I'd be a Christian if there were no heaven or hell for the joy that I have today in Christ. You may die tonight. These may be the last words you ever read about salvation in Jesus Christ. After you die, there are no second chances to get saved. Choose life. Jesus Christ is coming back. Matthew 24:24 says, "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." If you don't think He's coming, then that is a fulfillment of this verse because He's coming when you least expect Him. Each time you decide against Him, you harden your heart. Hebrews 3:7-8 says, "Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts." A person becomes proficient at anything he does for a long time. You can become a professional Christ-denier.

FINDING GOD'S WAY IN A DARK DAY
A Plan And A Promise God has a promise for us in Isaiah 58:11: "And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not." Here's another promise from God: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10). God isn't simply interested in the course of nations or congregations; He has a plan for you!
A Trusting Confidence Proverbs 3:5-6 tells us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts. This is a complete, trusting confidence. And it is trust in the Lord - not in a purpose or a plan, but a Person. To trust a person, you must love him. Most of us are unlikely to trust a stranger. Would you trust him with your wallet? Of course not. You don't know him well enough. But you would hand your wallet to a good friend and never worry that you would see it again. To know God is to come to love Him; and to love Him is to trust Him; and to trust Him is to begin to obey Him and to be blessed by Him. How does this process begin? Are you spending time every day with God? It is the only way to come to know Him - that we may love Him, trust Him, obey Him, and be blessed by Him. How did you come to love your spouse or a good friend? You spent time with that person. We cannot love or trust strangers. The latter part of verse 5 says not to lean on one's own understanding. Does that mean not to have any understanding in the first place? Of course not. This is not an excuse for sanctified ignorance.
A Total Commitment Proverbs 3:6a tells us about total commitment: "In all thy ways acknowledge Him." It is a total commitment of our ways to God's way. And how do we acknowledge Him? As Lord, as sovereign God - the rightful Ruler of life. We hand a signed, blank check to God and ask Him to fill it in. Have you ever handed someone a blank check? It takes ultimate trust, a total commitment. But it's the only way to find God's way on a dark day. When we know and love God, we realize His will is not to be feared. It is not a burden we have to bear; it is a gift God lavishes upon us. God chooses for us what we would choose for ourselves if we weren't so prone to failure.
A Thrilling Consequence Out of a trusting confidence and a total commitment comes a thrilling consequence: He will direct our paths (Proverbs 3:6b). Divine direction means that God will lead us into His will. How will He do it? First, through His Word. "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psalm 119:105). In a dark day, we need a little lamplight and the Bible shines brilliantly. What if a man asked you to pray with him about whether he should leave his wife for another woman? Do you need to pray for guidance on that one? Of course not! God's will is already revealed through His Word. He will never direct a spouse to get romantically involved with someone else outside of the marriage relationship. In that case and so many others, God's will is already revealed for us. If you seek to know God's way, you'd best know God's Word.
Clearing The Path The Hebrew word for "direct" in Proverbs 3:6b is yashar and it literally means "to cut a path or clear the way." The exciting thing about this concept is that God will not only lead you, but He will clear the way. Take some time to read Isaiah 40 - it contains the same idea. There is no itinerary for the journey of life. It is filled with surprises. But you will find God's will for the rest of your life by finding His will for the next fifteen minutes. Do what you know He wants you to do today. Be faithful in the small things, and the greater things will come. He will lead the way through a dark day.

Genesis 39:20-23

Joseph was placed in prison not for doing anything wrong, but for doing something right.

DON’T DEMAND TO UNDERSTAND Proverbs 3:5-6 Isaiah 50:10-11

You can come to a time of perplexity even though you have done nothing wrong.

Job was perplexed at times. Habakkuk was perplexed at times.

John the Baptist was perplexed at times. Luke 7:28 John 1:29 Matthew 11:3

Paul was perplexed at times. Isaiah 55:8-9

DON’T FAIL TO BE FAITHFUL (Genesis 39:21-23) Genesis 39:2

The same God who was with Joseph in the good times was with him in the bad times.

DON’T BOW TO BITTERNESS (Genesis 40:14-15)

1 Peter 2:20 One of the greatest tests in life is this: Not how you react when you’re punished for doing wrong, but how you react when you’re persecuted for doing right.

DON’T BE UNWILLING TO WAIT (Genesis 40:23) Genesis 41:46

Psalm 37:5-9

1 Peter 5:6

DON’T LET DREAMS DISSOLVE (Genesis 41:37-44)

Joel 2:28 Joseph never forgot the dream that God gave him and God never forgot the dream either.

James 1:19-20

The real question is not whether or not we’re going to have conflicts; the real question is how do we settle them? Here are some practical ways to handle conflicts in our relationships.

TUNE IN BE QUICK TO LISTEN (James 1:19-20) When we listen, we encourage the other person to talk. Listening also helps us to understand the other person. Reasons many of us do not listen: We’re defensive.

We assume we already know what they’re going to say.

We’re thinking about what we’re going to say next.

How do we listen?

With observation listen not merely with our ears, but listen with our eyes.

With concentration focus on what the other person is saying.

With consideration think about the meaning behind the words without jumping to conclusions. With clarification think it through until we get it straight.

TONE DOWN BE SLOW TO SPEAK (James 1:19) Proverbs 10:19 Proverbs 17:27 Proverbs 21:23 Ecclesiastes 5:3 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Destructive games we play:

The judge we blame our mate.

The professor we act superior.

The psychologist we assume we understand everything about the other person.

The historian we keep a record; we want every detail correct.

The dictator we want to rule, sometimes by a show of force.

The critic we compare our mate with other people.

The preacher we act “holier than thou”.

LIGHTEN UP BE SLOW TO WRATH (James 1:19) The Bible does not say that we should never be angry. Ephesians 4:26 Mark 3:5

how can we be angry and sin not?

Be angry for the right reason be angry only at sin.

Be angry at the right things not at the sinner, but at the sin.

Be angry in the right way our anger should move us to do something about a situation that is wrong.

If we have an uncontrolled temper: We are very foolish. Ecclesiastes 7:9

We have a very weak character. Proverbs 16:32 Proverbs 29:22

If your mate is prone to anger: Do not practice avoidance. Do not practice appeasement. Do not practice aggression.

When you have an argument: Have it at the right time not before a meal or a social event. Have it in the right tone keep words soft and sweet; you may have to eat them. Have it on the right turf just the two of you.

We should practice accommodation. We should practice acceptance.

We should practice adjustment.

Family Fun Psalm 128:1-6

WHAT IS A FAMILY?

A God-ordained unit related by marriage, blood or adoption.

God created the family to satisfy the deepest longings of our hearts and to give us a means to give and receive love, to propagate the human race, and to provide a safe and secure environment in which to nurture, to teach and to love our children.

God describes the ideal family in Psalm 128: A godly husband (Psalm 128:1-2) A faithful wife (Psalm 128:3) Happy and productive children (Psalm 128:3)

The idea of a happy family is often made fun of today. We need to bring fun back to the family. This does not mean irresponsibility or failing to do what we should because of carelessness. Laughter is a gift from God. Psalm 126:2 Genesis 21:6

Jesus was a man of great gladness. Psalm 45:7 Ecclesiastes 3:4 Luke 6:21

FAMILY FUN REFRESHES (Psalm 128:2) Psalm 127:2

This verse literally means that God “giveth his beloved inhis sleep.”

We need not be so busy making a living that we forget to live.

FAMILY FUN REPAIRS (Psalm 128:2) Joy and laughter are medicine to our bodies and souls. Proverbs 17:22 Proverbs 12:25 Proverbs 15:13-15

Three things to remember when raising children: Be firm have some rules.

Be fair be honest. Be fun.

FAMILY FUN REMAINS (Psalm 128:4-6)

We build for our children a museum of memories.

Memories bring a sense of security and belonging to a child’s life.

God desires for all of us to have three homes.

A church home A family home A heavenly home

Jesus Christ is the key to all three.

The fear of the Lord is love on its knees.

Family Finances 1 Timothy 6:5-10, 17-19

Many families are in financial bondage. The following are questions to consider when determining whether or not you and your family are in financial bondage:

Are you charging daily expenditures because of a lack of funds?

Do you put off paying a bill until next month?

Do you borrow to pay fixed expenses such as taxes or insurance?

Does your annual debt retirement on a long-term debt exceed 20% of your annual income? Are you unaware of how much you owe?

Are creditors and bill collectors writing you about past due bills?

Are you taking from savings to pay current bills? Are you making new loans to pay off old loans? Have you thought about being dishonest concerning money?

Are you having difficulty returning your tithe to God?

Do you and your spouse argue over money?

THE LACK OF WEALTH (1 Timothy 6:6-8) The lack of wealth cannot take away genuine contentment. Contentment is an inner sufficiency that keeps us at peace in spite of outward circumstances. Ecclesiastes 5:10

Contentment is found with godliness. (1 Timothy 6:6)

Your personal value is revealed by godliness.

Your personal virtue is revealed by godliness.

Your personal victory is revealed by godliness.

Worth cannot be measured by money. Psalm 23:1 We need to get our families together and confess the sin of discontent.

THE LOSS OF WEALTH (1 Timothy 6:7) The loss of wealth is inevitable. Proverbs 23:4-5 Job 1:21 Prosperity is posterity. What are we leaving behind in the hearts and minds of our children?

THE LOVE OF WEALTH (1 Timothy 6:8-10)

The love of wealth is dangerous.1 Timothy 6:9 “they that will be rich”.

This passage literally means those who determine to be rich. Prov 28:20 Mat 6:33

THE LUXURY OF WEALTH (1 Timothy 6:17-19) The luxury of wealth brings responsibility. Be humble. 1 Timothy 6:17 Be trustful. 1 Timothy 6:17

Be joyful. 1 Timothy 6:17 Psalm 84:11 Be generous. 1 Timothy 6:18

We are stewards; God is the owner. Psalm 24:1

FINANCIAL BONDAGE OF THE WEALTHY The wealthy can encounter financial bondage when: They seek satisfaction in their money.

Their wealth increases their worries. Proverbs 15:6

They become slaves to their money. Proverbs 23:4

They have no treasure in Heaven. Proverbs 11:4

Cultivating Contentment in the Home Psalm 128

WHAT IS CONTENTMENT? Contentment is an inner sufficiency that keeps us at peace in spite of outward circumstances. Philippians 4:11 The Bible is not opposed to having material possessions. Deuteronomy 8:18 Psalm 35:27 James 1:17

WHAT DESTROYS FAMILY CONTENTMENT?

Covetousness destroys contentment. Exodus 20:17 Covetousness is unlawful desire that comes out of discontent. Why is covetousness so bad?

Covetousness is deceptive. Romans 7:7

Covetousness is debasing. Mark 7:21-22 Covetousness comes out of the heart. We are covetous by nature. John 8:44 Isaiah 4:14

Covetousness is destructive. 1 Timothy 6:6-10

A discontented man is never rich, and a contented man is always rich. Eccl 5:10

The Bible refers to covetousness as idolatry. Colossians 3:5

Anytime we put God in second place, we commit idolatry. Luke 16:13 Matthew 6:33

WHAT DEFINES FAMILY CONTENTMENT?

Faith for the family. Psalm 128:1 Hebrews 13:5 Psalm 73:25-26 1 Timothy 6:6

Fellowship for the family. Psalm 128:2-3 Psalm 127:3

Food for the family. Psalm 128:2 Philippians 4:19 Proverbs 15:16-17

WHAT DEVELOPS FAMILY CONTENTMENT?

Learn to trust God. Psalm 128:1

Learn to thank God. Psalm 128:3-4

Learn to love. Psalm 128:5-6

Learn to give.

THE VALUE OF A SOUL (Mark 8:35-38)

(could you lose something and not know what it is? Beryl’s Saratoga)

THE FABULOUS TREASURE Your soul is a priceless treasure.

It’s the Essential part of you

It’s the Eternal part of you

It’s the Expensive part of you (cost the Son of God)

A FOOLISH TRANSACTION (Mark 8:36-37) Three reasons why this is a bad bargain: i. Nobody gains the whole world.

ii. The part of the world you gain, you can’t keep.

iii. The world will never satisfy you.a.Acts 17:28

To lose your soul would be a tragic loss:

i. It is an irreversible loss Hebrews 9:27 Ezekiel 18:4

ii. It is an immeasurable loss.

iii. It is an irreplaceable loss.

iv. It is an inexcusable loss. You don’t have to lose your soul

THE FATAL TRAGEDY

Many of us are engaged in bargaining away our souls for pieces of this world, and we’re not even gaining the pleasures of the world. Surrender your soul to Jesus.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the wholeworld, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36)

Planning Your Future James 4:13-17

Failure is succeeding at the wrong thing. This passage in James tells of three major mistakes often made when planning for the future.

BEWARE OF SELF-CENTERED PLANNING (James 4:13)

This man was planning the future of his business.

He planned the period of time. He planned the places he would go.

He planned the procedure. He planned the profits.

The Bible does not discourage planning. The problem was that this man left God out of his plans; he did not seek the will of God. Psalm 32:8 Isaiah 30:21 John 16:13

Romans 8:14 God has a plan for every area of your life. The following will help you in finding His will: Confession confess your sins. Get your heart right with God. Psalm 66:18 1 John 1:5-6, 9 Ezekiel 14:3

Consecration Do you really want to know the will of God, or do you just want God to help you in your plans? Proverbs 3:6

Concentration listen to God.

BEWARE OF SELF-CONFIDENT PRESUMPTION (James 4:14-15)

Life is but a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Proverbs 27:1

Time is fleeting; be careful not to waste time. Do not presume upon the time that you have. Luke 12:16-20

BEWARE OF SELF-COMPLACENT PROCRASTINATION (James 4:15-17)

Procrastination may be the biggest problem most of us face today.

The sin of omission, or procrastination, is a very deceptive and dangerous sin.

The reason a person is not saved is because he has failed to do what he ought to do. No longer is a man condemned to Hell because he’s a sinner, because those sins have been paid for by Jesus’ death and resurrection. A person is lost because he has not believed. John 3:18

The sin of omission is the reason why many homes are falling apart; we’re simply not doing what we know we ought to be doing. What do you have to do to harm your home? Nothing, just neglect to do what you ought to do.

The reason many of our churches fail is due to the sin of omission; we neglect to do what we ought to do. Numbers 32:23

Fortify Faith

Build up each other in the faith. Ecclesiastes 4:12 says "a threefold cord is not quickly broken." A three-fold cord is a man, a woman, and God. Lorelle knows that she is not first in my life because God is first in my life. She doesn't mind being second. Why? Because she knows I can love her more by putting her second than I ever could love her by putting her first.

Remember Roles God made us different that He might make us one (see 1 Peter 3:1, 7). He made the husband with a hard exterior and the wife more gentle, but not inferior. The husband is the head of the home, as Jesus is the head of the church and gave Himself for the church (see Ephesians 5:23-25). Most women don't mind submitting to a man who loves her enough to die for her, and lives for her.

Cultivate Contentment "To whom little is not enough, nothing is enough." If you're not careful, your marriage is going to be until debt do us part. Learn to be content (see Philippians 4:11-13).

Banish Bitterness There are no problems too big to solve, just people too small to solve them. If we would just banish bitterness and attack the problem rather than one another, our families would be a lot better off. Don't go to bed angry with your backs to each other. Ephesians 4:26 says, "Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath."

Continue Communication Communication is so important because it is truly what builds intimacy in a marriage. 1Peter 3:8-10 has much to say about the communication a couple needs to have in order to enjoy a lasting love. One way we can build communication is to have a good date life and there are four kinds of dates that everybody needs to make. First, each spouse needs to have a daily date with God. Second, if the couple has children, each needs to have a regular date with their kids. Third, couples need to have a date by themselves. Fourth, have a date with each other.

Refresh Romance Try to keep your "courtship" going. To the husband, never cease flirting with your wife and never flirt with any other woman. Second, God's Word tells husbands to give honor to their wives, that means to respect and be courteous to her at all times. Open the door for her – and not just when other people are looking.

Practice Prayer 1Peter 3:7 tells the husband to "dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honor unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." I implore you to humble yourself and get down on your knees with your wife and practice prayer. Let her know you are praying for her, let her hear you pouring out your heart before God. It will give her great confidence and comfort.

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Genesis 2:24

Genesis 2:21-24 tells about the first marriage. It tells about God's plan for the home and for a magnificent marriage. And verse twenty-four sums up all of marriage: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." This one verse speaks so clearly of the priority, the permanence and the purpose of marriage.

The Priority of Marriage The highest priority of human relationships is not parent to child or child to parent, but mate to mate. Therefore, as parents we must be preparing our children to leave us. Like the eagle, we must stir the nest, so they can go out and have homes of their own. Now the little eagles may not want to leave the nest, but there comes a time when they must fly. Many moms and dads don't want to have the empty nest, so they keep it feathered and make it easy for the little baby eagles and never really teach them how to fly. What a mistake!

The Permanence of Marriage This verse further instructs the man to "cleave unto his wife." The Hebrew wording has the idea of welding or gluing. It's not people who put themselves together; it's God. And Mark 10: 9 says, "What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Marriage is permanent; it is "till death do us part." All marriages have problems. People who stay married and those who get divorced have basically the same kinds of problems. The difference is not in the problems but in the commitment. Just get rid of the idea of divorce. Take your scissors and cut that word out of your dictionary.

The Purpose of Marriage Genesis 21:24 says that the two will be one flesh. This deals with more than a sexual union - though that is included. It means they will be one flesh physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Marriage is a romance, and in the first chapter both the hero and the die heroine, so they can become one new person. God takes two and makes them one. You may say that's old-fashioned. Yes, it is old-fashioned, but it's still mighty good.

When all else has failed, we need to simply go back and read the directions. But if you've failed, remember God is a God of forgiveness. He's the God of a second chance, a third chance, and a fourth chance. If you have a broken heart or a broken home, bring it to Jesus. He can put it back together if you'll give Him all the pieces.

The first miracle Jesus performed was at a wedding when He turned water into wine (John 2:1-11), and He is still performing miracles. When you get right down to it, every magnificent marriage is a miracle because it is a union of man, a woman, and God. It won't always be easy, but it will always be worth it.

Confrontations are unavoidable in marriage. But the most important factor in marital harmony isn't whether you get into a confrontation, but how you handle the confrontations. James gives us God's formula for handling marital debates: "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath" (James 1:19).

THREE DON'TS OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION Here are three things from which to steer as you find yourself in inevitable marital conflicts.

Don't Practice Avoidance. Do you avoid all conflict with your spouse? Perhaps you are frightened of your spouse's anger. Perhaps you don't want to lose an argument or you're afraid an argument will ruin your marriage. Could it be that you're terrified you'll have to admit something about yourself that you'd rather keep silent. Or are you so afraid of seeing a problem inside yourself, that you just retreat?

Avoiding conflict never solves conflict; it only postpones the inevitable. You may stuff it and repress it, but your stomach will keep score. Don't practice avoidance. "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:6).

Don't practice appeasement. Some people don't avoid conflict; they appease. They automatically concede, in every discussion. One person always wins; one always loses. One person always dominates; the other simply gives in and gives ground. Godly compromise happens when both spouses give a little. But appeasement is something else. Appeasers may think they solve problems, but they don't.

Appeasement smolders in the heart like oily rags in a closet. They can break out and burn the house down. What's more, appeasers are given to self pity. They develop martyr complexes. They feel trapped because they know they'll never win. And while marriages with appeasers may stay together, they often suffer from emotional divorce, which is as tragic as physical divorce.

Don't practice aggression. You must face your partner, but don't attack. There are few problems husbands and wives can't solve if they will attack the problem, rather than each other. The Bible says, you must speak the truth in love (see Ephesians 4:15). To attack the problem, choose your time wisely. Psychologists say that 90 percent of family arguments begin just before mealtime, when your blood sugar is low. Another time not to bring up problems is on the way to a social event or to church. "A soft answer turneth away wrath" (Proverbs 15:1). The right time. The right tone. The right turf. All three are so important.

THREE DO'S OF CONFLICT RESOLUTION

Practice accommodation. We all want our partners to change. But we need to focus on ourselves. The most effective way to change your partner is to change you. Because when you change, your partner has to react to someone different. To change yourself, practice accommodation. Suppose a wife says, "My husband and I don't spend enough time together. He doesn't give me enough time." How can she accommodate her husband? She could learn a sport he loves – that they can play together. That way she gets what she deeply desires: time with her husband, but she does so by accommodating herself to him.

Practice acceptance. By practicing accommodation, you say, "I change." By practicing acceptance, you say, "My spouse might never change. I accept it. I accept my partner." There are simply certain things we have to accept about others. We're different

Practice adjustment. This is the best "do" of all. In accommodation, I change. In acceptance, I make up my mind to love my spouse despite the fact that he or she can't change. But in adjustment, we both change together. And when that happens, it's wonderful. Now what do you do when you have a lark and an owl married to each other? You practice adjustment.

Let's look at some of the differences between men and women. But before we do, let's note the following qualification: These differences are generalizations. They aren't judgments. They're general differences between the sexes that God built into creation to help men and women be better partners.

Provider/Encourager God made man to be the provider; He made woman to be the encourager. Adam was to "dress and keep" – to cultivate – the Garden of Eden. Eve was to be his fitting helper, to encourage him and stand by his side. These differences are there, regardless of our culture's silly efforts to minimize them – or even to eliminate them.

Protector/Nurturer According to Genesis 3:16, the man is to be the protector, and the woman is to be the nurturer: "Unto the woman [God] said, 'I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.' " The husband is to be in charge and the wife is to bring forth and nurture the next generation.

The man is to lead, guide, protect. That's why God made the man physically strong. But God made the woman to be soft, gentle, and tender because she is the life giver.

Logical/Emotional men and women think differently. Men think logically – with their heads; women think emotionally – with their hearts. Now, that doesn't mean women can't think with logic. They just approach the world differently. A man by nature is goal oriented. He will see the goal and the steps to get there. Feelings are not his primary consideration. That's just the way his mind works. On the other hand, a woman sees not only the goal but beyond the goal. She is more concerned with how actions will affect the feelings of others.

Risk/Security Men are risk takers. God built this tendency into men because risk taking is the only way to achieve new and great things in life. But the woman, being the homemaker and nurturer God intended for her to be, is much more interested in creating beauty, gentleness, and security. Most women would choose security before success because God has given them that instinct. But God has given men a productive instinct. So men take risks; women desire security.

Big Picture/Details Men have a propensity for seeing the big picture, while women focus on details. If you want irritate your husband discuss nitty tiny details with him while he is trying to watch the news.

Insensitive/Sensitive

Men tend to be insensitive compared to women. Now insensitivity taken to an extreme is bad. But men tend to have a thick skin, which is vital in certain situations. Life is tough, and there are tough decisions to be made, so he has a certain measure of insensitivity. On the other hand, a woman is empathetic. God made her very sensitive, so that she could be a fitting helper for a man who might get hardened out in the jungle. While the man tends to be more defensive and suspicious, the woman tends to be more trusting and open. She's the nurturer, the life giver. She knows better how to forgive, because she's more sensitive to the feelings of others.

Ephesians 5 magnificent marriages

Many couples today do not have this. Many do not even have a mediocre marriage. In fact, many have a miserable marriage. And the devil knows that if he can hurt us at home, he can hurt us everywhere — in the church, in the school, in society, and in the nation. So Satan levels his biggest artillery at our homes.

What Can the Husband Do? You are to be to your wife what Jesus is to the church.

Give Leadership "For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church" (verse 23). Now be careful. Jesus Christ is the Lord and Master of the church, but He is not the Dictator. Jesus never makes me do anything. And you are going to be have difficulty if you take this to mean you are the boss or dictator. You're to be the head. It's not so much a chain of command as it is a chain of responsibility. To be the head means that you accept the responsibility.

Give Love In addition to giving leadership, in verse twenty-five the husband is told to love his wife as Christ loved the church. What kind of love is that?

It is a passionate love. He loved the church enough to die for her. You ought to love your wife that much.

It is a purifying love. Jesus cleanses the church (verse 26). Your chief assignment is to make your wife a more radiantly beautiful Christian.

It is a protecting love. Men should love their wives as their own bodies (verse 28). If you allow your wife to be hurt, you will hurt yourself.

It is a providing love. "For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it" (verse 29). See to it that her needs are met — physical, emotional, and spiritual.

Give Loyalty He is to "... be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh" (31) literally means "welded" or "fused" to his wife

What Can the Wife Do? Now, let's look at the relationship of a wife to her husband. She is to be as the church is to Christ.

Submit 22 Now, this is opposite from the world's advice of, "Demand your rights." As a Christian, you don't have any rights. What rights does a dead man have? You're crucified with Christ. You are not our own. And when you refuse God's plan to submit, you are only hurting yourself.

Support Jesus has given His work to us. He has no hands but our hands. He has no feet but our feet. You need to exalt His name. You need to advance His cause. Just as the church supports the work of Jesus, you are to support the work of your husband.

Share "For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." (verse 30). What a wonderful relationship Christ and the church share, the most intimate of all relationships. There is nothing that Jesus doesn't share with the church. How the Lord manifests Himself to us. And therefore, husbands and wives are to share together.

What If? Now some couples leave divorce as an option if problems arise. But couples that get divorced and those that don't have basically the same kinds of problems. The difference is not in the problems but in their commitment. Others rationalize, "I owe it to myself to be happy." There's a Greek word for that: bologna! When you were at the marriage altar, you made a vow. You owe it to God, your spouse, your children, and yourself to keep that vow. Or maybe it's too late for you — your marriage is already broken. I'm not trying to heap more sorrow and pain on your head. You can't unscramble eggs. Take the broken pieces and give them to God. He can and will forgive and restore. I'm simply trying to tell couples that are married to find a way to work your marriage out in the grace of God. You owe it to yourselves and to God to have a magnificent, Christ-honoring marriage.

Foundations For Marriage

From the very beginning, we learn that God created men and God created women (see Genesis 1:27). He made them different that He might make them one. Why is this important? Because any society that blurs the distinction between male and female is headed for disaster. And if you study history, it bears that out as well.

The Bible says that after each creative act, God said it was good. But when we read about His last act of creating man, it was "very good" (see Genesis 1:31). Read a little bit further and you learn something that wasn't good - man was alone: "And the LORD God said...I will make him an help meet for him" (Genesis 2:18).

But before Adam got his helpmate, God gave him a task. First, He wanted Adam to name the animals. God had a purpose in this order. He wanted Adam to realize that animals came in sets of two. Each one had a companion. So after Adam named the animals, then the Lord created Eve. "Adam then said, 'This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.' " (Genesis 2:23). I am certainly not a Hebrew scholar, but those who are tell us that Adam said (loosely translated): "Wow! This is what I have been looking for! You did it right God. This is what I want." And now for the key verse: "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh" (Genesis 2:24, emphasis mine). And there you have an outline for preparing a young person for marriage.

The Priority Of Marriage – Leave The relationship of parent and child is wonderful, but the Bible teaches that there is a higher human relationship and that is of husband and wife. Do you know what your job is as a parent? To prepare your child to leave. A parent's job is to build character into their children so they can mature and be the individuals that God intended for them to be. The tighter grip you hold on your kids, the more they're going to want to get away. Your job is to work yourself out of a job but not out of a relationship. You remain in their lives as a friend for a lifetime.

The Permanence Of Marriage – Cleave Cleave means to fasten together in an unbreakable bond. Mark 10:7-9 says, "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." Parents need to teach their children that divorce is never an option. Show me two people who begin their marriage with the idea that if it doesn't work out, they can get a divorce, and I'll show you two people who are highly likely to get a divorce. When you get on this airplane, you throw away your parachute.

It is not love that sustains a marriage so much as it is marriage that sustains love. Commitment sustains love and keeps it growing. Divorce is the only game people play where both sides lose.

The Purpose Of Marriage - One Flesh When God says that the man and woman are to become "one flesh," He means that man and women will join as one - physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Sex is a wonderful gift of God. It is a way of saying "I love you" that cannot be put into words. And when God tells us to flee fornication and not commit adultery, He is not trying to keep sex from us; He is trying to keep sex for us. There is to be a marriage of our bodies, but there is also to be a marriage of our souls. Our egos, minds, wills, and hearts, are to be joined in love. And not only should we love one another; we ought to like each other. There is to be a blending of spirits where the woman who loves Jesus joins the man who loves Jesus and together they praise the Lord. Together, they study the Word of God, pray and worship God.

The Bible says, "...a threefold cord is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:12b). There is no higher communion than a couple who is of one flesh physically, psychologically, and spiritually.

Maximum marriage

I am sure you would agree that the old ship of matrimony is sailing some troubled seas these days with couples jumping overboard by the thousands every day. Many will stay chained to the mast for the children, business, social pressure or even the church, but they won't enjoy the trip.

Faithful Followship Of The Wife Ephesians 5:22-24

In the family, the Lord teaches that wives are to submit to their husbands - in an outward manifestation and an inner attitude. Now, why does God instruct women in this way? Because He has a chain of command. The head of Christ is God, the head of the husband is Christ, and the head of the wife is the husband. Is this order to punish women? No. Does this mean that women are inferior to men? No. This kind of subjection is similar to the way Christ and the Father are equal and yet Christ submits to the Father (see Philippians 2:6-8). Everybody knows that a woman is infinitely superior to a man when it comes to being a woman. And a man is infinitely superior to a woman at being a man. And in the sight of God men and woman are complete equals (see Galatians 3:28). When a wife chooses not to submit to her husband, she is going to have serious problems. First, she is going to have a spiritual problem with God because He is the One who told her to submit. Second, she is going to have problems with her husband because he will not be able to assume his God-given role as initiator if his wife isn't in her God-given role as responder.

Third, she is going to have problems with her children. The woman who refuses to be under a husband's headship will never have authority over her children.

Finally, she is going to have trouble with herself. Every wife has certain needs that will never be met until she frees her husband to meet those needs by assuming his role as her provider, protector, priest, and prayer warrior.

When a wife submits, she will experience true freedom - just like a train is most free when it stays on the tracks. A train will accomplish far more on the tracks than it will ever accomplish by trying to go through a meadow.

Loving Leadership Of The Husband Ephesians 5:25-31

What does it mean for the husband to be head of the wife? First of all, it doesn't mean that he's to be her dictator. Any husband who thinks this needs to learn how Jesus made His Bride submissive by loving and dying for her.

If you are a husband, then when you got married, you gave up all rights to yourself. No longer can you make decisions based simply upon what you want. Her welfare must be considered. You are to love your wife selflessly.

Second, husbands are to love their wives sacrificially. Christ died for the church. You do not love your wife as the Bible teaches unless you have died for her (notice the past tense in this sentence). Sir, you do not love your wife as Christ loved the church unless you have died for your wife by dying to yourself.

Thirdly, husbands are to love their wives sanctifyingly (26). Husbands are to make their wives beautiful by helping them become all God wants them to be! You are to be her prophet and priest with intercessory prayer and teaching from His Word.

Fourth, husbands are to love their wives satisfyingly (5:28). Husband, you are to anticipate your wife's needs and please your wife as you please your own body. The more you give, the more you're going to get. Be good to yourself; love your wife.

Finally, husbands are to love their wives supremely (30-31). A husband is to love his wife above all earthly relationships including his own parents and children. A husband is to love his wife above his business and hobbies, as well. The relationship between husband and wife is compared to the relationship of Christ and the church. Marriage is the highest of all human relationships.

Psalm 23

1. There Is An Appointment WE ALL MUST FACE “The valley of the shadow of death”
Eccles 3 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
Centrelink Notice “Your payments will be stopped effective May 1992 because we have received notice that you have passed away. If your circumstances change you may reapply at any time.
Woody Allen : Death doesn’t scare me I just don’t want to be there at the time.

Plato :”Oh that there was some sure, certain word, upon which we might cast our hopes as we cross this vast sea of death”.
Roy Rogers: The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power
To tell just when the hands will stop at late or early hour,
Careless soul , heed the warning for your life will soon be gone,
Oh how sad to face the judgement unprepared to meet thy God
Greta NSW AUSTRALIA graveyard: Richard Grose May 1882 79 years
Weep not for me my children dear, Because I die and leave you here
My end you know my grace you see Prepare yourselves to follow me
Someone wrote at funeral of grandson in same grave and on same gravestone:
To follow you I’m not content Until I know which way you went.

Or in the UK “Pause now as you pass by, As you are now, so once was I, As I am now so you shall be, therefore prepare to follow me.” “To follow you I’m not content Until I know which way you went.”

2. There Is An Assurance WE ALL CAN FIND
Personally

The Good Shepherd Sympathises with us.
The Good Shepherd Slain for us. John 10:11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
The Good Shepherd Seeking us 14“I am the good shepherd. I know My own sheep, and they know Me, 15 as the Father knows Me, and I know the Father. I lay down My life for the sheep.

Practically vs 6

Committal : Forasmuch as it has pleased Almighty God to take out of the world the soul of our dear friend etc…….We therefore commit his body to (the ground) (be cremated) earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, remembering the grace and mercy of our Heavenly Father demonstrated to us in our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:1-16
• Heaven is real. Sigmund Freud explained heaven as a human fantasy rooted in man’s instinct for self-preservation. Harvard philosopher Alfred North Whitehead once said, “Can you imagine anything more appallingly idiotic than the Christian idea of heaven?” Freud was wrong and Jesus was right. Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.
• No more sea (v. 1) — nothing that separates. • No more tears (v. 4) — nothing that saddens. • No more death (v. 4) — nothing that grieves. • No more pain (v. 4) — nothing that hurts. • No more sin (v. 27) — nothing that defiles. • No more night (v. 25) — nothing that frightens. “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him” (1 Cor. 2:9). An elderly Christian woman was grief-stricken after the death of her daughter. To adjust, she boarded a ship from England to New York City to visit her other daughter. While at sea a severe storm struck. Passengers frantically raced for lifeboats. The elderly lady showed no signs of panic. A young man excitedly said, “Lady, don’t you know we may sink and all die?” “Young man,” she quietly replied, “I have one daughter in heaven and one daughter in New York City, and it doesn’t make any difference to me which one I see first.”
• Heaven is ready. Hebrews 6:20 Jesus is called our “forerunner.” In the Roman army the forerunners were the reconnaissance troops. That is what Jesus did. He blazed the way to heaven and to God that we might follow in his steps. He has gone ahead to make things ready for us. “No more patients can be accepted.” Sometimes we want to buy tickets to concerts and discover that every seat has been sold. Periodically we want to take a certain flight and learn that it is overbooked. There was no room in the inn for Mary and the child, Jesus. This experience is commonplace on earth, but it is not in heaven nor indeed on the pathway that approaches heaven. “Whosoever will, may come! . . . and yet there is room.” And, there’s room for you. John, in the book of Revelation, pictures heaven as a city with twelve gates “On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates” Rev. 21:13
• Heaven is restricted. It is an “exclusive” place. But its exclusion is not a matter of race or face or place. Jesus made this abundantly clear when he said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the father, but by me.” Suppose we are in a strange town and ask for directions. Suppose the person said, “Take the first road to the right, then the second to the left, cross the square, and go past the church, then take the third road to the right and the fourth road to the left, and you’ll be there.” Chances are you and I would get lost before we were halfway there. But suppose the person we asked said, “Come, I’ll take you there.” In that case the person would be to us the way, and we could not miss it.
That’s what Jesus does for us. As Peter declares, “Christ died to bring us to God.” He not only gives us directions, he takes us by the hand and leads us safely there.
Robert Frost wrote a poetic masterpiece entitled, The Road Not Taken. The poem concerns a traveler who comes to a fork in the road and must decide which way to go. After evaluating the options, he makes his choice. Yet, even as he begins his trip down the road of his own choosing, he remarks: I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in the wood, And I . . . I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference! There are two roads in life. One is broad and easy. The other is straight and narrow. One leads to life. The other leads to destruction. The difference is heaven and hell. Choose Christ and heaven can be yours. Life is short, Death is sure, Sin, the curse, And Christ, the cure.

Psalm 121

1. You Have A Problem You Can’t Solve
Enemies Israel.. over the side of the mountains enemies.. Middle east even George W can’t solve.
Emptiness Solomon vanity, vanity, all is vanity Eccles 1:2“Absolute futility,” says the Teacher. “Absolute futility. Everything is futile.” Pascal: God shaped vacuum that only God Himself can fill Jesus : John 6:31 Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, just as it is written: He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” 32 Jesus said to them, “I assure you: Moses didn’t give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the real bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said, “Sir, give us this bread always!” 35 “I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to Me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in Me will ever be thirsty again
Eternity Centrelink Notice “Your payments will be stopped effective May 1992 because we have received notice that you have passed away. If your circumstances change you may reapply at any time.”
Woody Allen : Death doesn’t scare me I just don’t want to be there at the time.
Plato :”Oh that there was some sure, some definite word, that might bear him across this vast sea of death”.

2. You Have A Preserver Who Can Save You “Keeper” “Preserve”
One of my favorite stories is about the preacher who was talking about being prepared to die. He said, “Every member of this church is going to die!” A kid on the front pew laughed out loud, so the preacher repeated his statement a little louder. He said, “I said, EVERY MEMBER OF THIS CHURCH IS GOING TO DIE!” At that, the kid laughed even louder. The preacher stopped and said, “Young man, how can you laugh at that?” The kid replied, “Because I’m not a member of this church!” Well you and I have to deal with the prospect of death. In the 14th century, the Italian poet, Dante Alighieri, wrote a trilogy of books tracing his imaginary journey through hell, purgatory, and then heaven. His first book in the trilogy was called The Inferno. In it, he described hell as seven circles of increasing punishment, based on the seven deadly sins. His descriptions are fictitious, but he does get one detail of hell completely correct: Hell is a completely devoid of hope. Dante’s inscription above the entrance to hell stated, “Through me the way into the city of woe, / Through me the way to eternal pain, / Through me the way among the lost… / Abandon all hope, you who enter here.” But that need not be the consequence for any one of us. Many years ago Queen Victoria wrote upon the tomb of her dead husband, “Here at last I shall rest with thee–with thee in Christ to rise again.” mausoleum of the Prince Consort at Throgmore. The Lord promises to be the Preserver of those who trust in Him. John 3:16
3. You Have A Person To Possess You need to make the One your God.
Procrastination is putting off today what you can do tomorrow. But true procrastination is putting off today what you can put off again tomorrow. Scarlett O’Hara from “Gone with the Wind” is the matron saint of all procrastinators. Her mantra was, “I’ll think about that tomorrow.” “Procrastination is my sin. It only brings me sorrow. I know I ought to change my life. In fact, I will, tomorrow.”
Bertrand Russell 1927 wrote Why I am not a Christian. When he was 81, he was interviewed by the BBC. The interviewer asked him, “What do you have to hang onto when death is obviously so close?” Russell’s answer was: “I have nothing to hang onto but grim, unyielding despair.” You don’t have to be like that. You can receive the life that Jesus offers each one of us. Let Him be your Lord, your Keeper Preserver, Your Saviour. Jn 1:10,12

Raising Young Christians
"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart form it" (Proverbs 22:6) It's issuing a challenge. which of these do you want in your home - Christians or prodigals? Webster says to train means "to prepare for a contest; to instruct by exercise; to drill; to form to a proper shape; to discipline for use." Training is not the same thing as teaching.

Training Commences With Childhood little babies, newly weaned are learners. The word way in Pr 22:6 implies a bend in a branch, bow or river. You can bend a branch when it's tender and a bow when it's green. You can change the bend in a river when it trickles into a stream. But when the branch is hard, the bow sturdy, and the river broad and raging, it's too late. Their shape and course are already set.

Training Communicates With Creativity The phrase train up implies, putting something in the mouth to be tasted. It means literally, to touch the palate. Try touching your own palate now. It makes you swallow. In other word, parents need to create a hunger and thirst in their children for the things of God. They cannot be force-fed the Word of God.And as parents, we cannot put anything in our child's heart that is not first in our own, any more than we can come from where we've not been. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 says, "And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up."Isn't that exactly what Jesus did? Walking along with His disciples, He would see someone planting a field, and He would say, "Behold, a sower went forth to sow his seed...." Or if He saw some beautiful flowers, He would say, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow..."

Training Corrects With Consistency Not pc! Too many people have the idea that their little darlings don't need to be corrected. But the Bible disagrees and gives three reasons why children need discipline.

First, it is proof of our love. "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes" (Proverbs 13:24).

Second, it is the only way to set our children free from foolishness. Proverbs 2:15 says foolishness is found in the heart of a child and is driven out with "the rod of correction," something that stings but does no damage, such as a switch.

Third, correction helps keep our sons and daughters out of hell. Proverbs 23:14 says, "Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell." In addition to giving chastisement when necessary, we need to set limits for our children. Without them, children feel unloved and rejected. Finally we need to assign responsibility for our children and hold them accountable.

Training Consummates With Conversation The ultimate purpose of training our children is to bring them to Jesus Christ. The moment your child can understand that sin is not just naughtiness but rebellion against God, he or she is ready to accept Christ. You need to lead your children to Christ as soon as possible. I often hear people say, "I just don't believe in childhood conversions." Fortunately, God does not agree. Three out of four Christians today were saved before they turned 14! It's also very important to remember that Proverbs 22:6 is a principle, not a promise. A parent cannot override a child's will. You can do everything right, and your child can still rebel again God.

But if you want to do everything right and give your child the best way, you have only to follow the clear plan God laid out for you in His Word.

The Avoidance of Financial Bondage

The Principle of Priority
God is our priority, and we shouldn't let possessions get in the way. When this priority is maintained, life is successful. What do Deuteronomy 26:2 and Matthew 6:33 say about our priorities?

The Principle of Industry Many people want more money so they won't have to work anymore. But God created us to work. As His workmanship, we have the need to work built into us. To cease being productive in life is disastrous. Even retirement simply means more time to serve God. What do Proverbs 10:4 and Proverbs 20:4 have to say about God's attitude towards laziness?

The Principle of Generosity God blesses us when we learn to share. The more we share, the more we have. The more we hoard, the less we have. What do Proverbs 11:24 and Luke 6:38 say about generosity?

The Principle of Reliability God is reliable. As we handle our possessions and our industry, we can, and must, trust God at all times. We know He will provide and care for us. What does God say in Philippians 4:19 about relying on God?

The Principle of Integrity We must be faithful in what we have. Luke 16:10 tells us to be faithful even in the little. What is integrity? What warning does 1 Timothy 6:9-10 offer?

The Principle of Sufficiency God is far more than sufficient to care for His children. What does Ecclesiastes 5:19 says “Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them, and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil—this is the gift of God.” If we will honor God with what He has already given us, He will pour out more blessings than we have the ability to handle (Malachi 3:10). Poverty is no sign of godliness, and wealth is no sign of wickedness. God wants us to have wealth with godliness. Prosperity is simply having what we need to do what God wants us to do. Now you are armed with what God's word says. Why not start now and evaluate your finances based on what you've read and if necessary, take some immediate steps to find the financial freedom that God promises and desires for you

“Who are you and what are you doing here?”

Romans 1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

The story is told of the philosopher Schopenauer that he was walking in a local park one day, deeply anxious and depressed about his philosophy of life. Lost in thought he inadvertently walked right into one of the municipal flower-beds. A grounds-man nearby seeing this shouted at him ‘Who are you and what do you think you are doing here?’ ‘Ah my friend’, replied the philosopher, ‘if I only knew the answer to those two questions’. Those are still the great questions of life for every human being: Success?

Fame? Fortune? Power? Pleasure? Solomon all is vanity.

Know who you are and know what it is that you do?

Know who you are: a bondservant of Jesus Christ. Ex 21: 5 But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ 6 then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever. When I survey

Know What You Do

A debtor to the Lord,

to the lost,

to the learned,

to the locals.

The Three Stooges?

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I contend that the 3 wise men were not so wise.

Matthew 2: Wise Men from the East
1    Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem,
2    saying, "Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
3    When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.
4    And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
5    So they said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet:
6    ' But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, Are not the least among the rulers of Judah; For out of you shall come a Ruler Who will shepherd My people Israel.' "
7    Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared.
8    And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, "Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also."
9    When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was.
10    When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy.
11    And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
12    Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.

16    Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men.
17    Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying:
18    " A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted, Because they are no more."

Please Note… They were late!! Possibly up to 2 years late.

Now, being from the region of Babylon, where Daniel had prophesied of the birth of Christ, they could have figured the year of the birth of the Lord.

Daniel 9:21 yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering.22 And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, "O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you skill to understand.23 At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision:24 " Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy.25 " Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times.26 " And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary.

And yet, they were still 2 years late.

Well I guess this tells us that its not too late for you to come to Jesus! You may have been as silly as stooge in delaying coming to Christ, but its not too late for you to come to Christ right now. You can come to Him and find Him as your Saviour and redeemer. You can come to Him and have the forgiveness of all your sins past present and future. You would be really silly to put it off any longer though wouldn’t you!

The Good News is that even if you are late you can still come to Jesus. But come now before its too late!

Please Note.. They were Odd Folks.

These wise men were from Persia, Iran! They weren’t Jews. They were stargazers! They may have been into horoscopes! well .. guess what.. Many odd people have come to Jesus. the Good news is that even if you are odd you can still come to Jesus! He wont reject you! “Whoever comes to me I will not cast them out!” (John 6:39)

And if you are not sure of this, just take a look around you. There are plenty of odd people in this church! The good news is that if you are odd you can still come to Jesus.

Please Note: They went to the wrong person. They went to Herod. You may have gone to the wrong person. You may have gone to worship Mary. What a waste. Its Jesus who is the Saviour. You may have gone to a church! Church folk won’t save you. Sometimes we make real mistakes in finding our way to Jesus. What really matters is that you come to Jesus!

Matthew 1:21 And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." 22 So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: 23 "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us."

Only in Jesus is there saving from sin, forgiveness for our sins. Only in Jesus can God be with us, for us, and even indwell us!

The Good News is that whatever mistakes you make in coming to Jesus, you should still come to Jesus! He will receive you and give you eternal life.

John 3: 16    For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
17    For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18    "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
19    And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
20    For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21    But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."

Mark 13 Watching And Working

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Mark 13 Watching And Working

24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

28 "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.

29 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near --- at the doors!

30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.

31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

32 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is.

34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch.

35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming --- in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning ---

36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!"

A zealous college student was doing summer mission work where they don’t use the familiar religious terms we do. He went out to share his faith in a neighborhood and saw an old man sitting on his front porch. He walked up and said, “Excuse me, sir, but are you a Christian?” The man said, “No, we’re the Smiths. The Christians live two doors down the street.” The kid continued, “You don’t understand. I mean, are you lost?” The man said, “No, sonny, I’m not lost. I’ve been living right here for 25 years.” Getting a little frustrated, the student pressed on, “So let me ask you, are you ready for the Judgment Day?” The man asked, “When’s it going to be?” The kid said, “Well, it could be today, or it could be tomorrow.” The old man replied, “Well, don’t tell my wife; because she’ll want to go both days!” When it comes to end times and the judgment day, a lot of people are confused.

What is this world coming to? People both religious and secular sense the fact that our world is changing rapidly. Even the secularists have fearful expectations. People who have no allegiance to the Scripture realize the potential for the end of the world, as we know it. Potential nuclear war, a nuclear accident, energy crises, ecological disasters, killer viruses, earthquakes, droughts, the depleting ozone layer or even a cosmic collision are events we are being challenged with.

1. We Should WATCH!

Because The date is UNKNOWN

“No one knows about that day or hour…only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36) I should say it is unknown to US. Only the Father knows. And Noah didn’t know the day when the flood would come, only God knew the day.

Because The return will be UNANNOUNCED

Actually, it won’t be announced BEFORE it happens, but it will certainly be announced AFTER it happens. Newspapers have a certain large typeface reserved for only the most important headlines. Do you know what it’s called? Second Coming type. Even journalists realize the return of Jesus will be the biggest news event in history. But there will be no prior announcement. He will come like a thief in the night. The Bible says, “You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night…But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2, 4) In the New Testament, Christ's second coming is often likened to the coming of a thief (Luke 12:35-40; 1 Thess. 5:2; 2 Pet. 3:10; Rev. 3:3; and 16:15). That's not because Christ is like a thief; it's because He will come suddenly and unexpectedly. And when a thief breaks into a home, he generally takes everything. That's what will happen when Christ returns. He will burn everything that cannot stand the test of judgment.

A good thief never announces when he’s coming. (“Good thief” is an oxymoron.) In fact the

M.O. of a thief is to slip in and slip out without being detected. Now when some people hear that Jesus will return like a thief in the night, they are confused, because they read passages where it says Jesus will come in great majesty and every eye will see Him. Which one is it? Yes. When Jesus comes to Rapture the church, it will be sudden and secretive, like a thief in the night. It will happen in the twinkling of an eye. But after the seven years of Tribulation, Jesus will return as the leader of a mighty army and every eye will see Him, so both of those pictures are correct.

The Lord is coming unexpectedly. He will come suddenly at a time when no one will be watching for Him. It's hard to imagine that because you would think that after the rapture, people would anticipate Christ's return. But sin blinds people. "The mystery of iniquity" (2 Thess. 2:7) will reach its apex in the end times. People will try to explain away the signs preceding Christ's coming. They will become very hostile toward God. Some people who initially said, "Christ will come soon" will eventually change their mind and say, "He isn't coming." It's possible that once the signs are over with, things will settle into some modicum of normality long enough for people to think nothing else will happen. And that's when Christ will come--when people least expect Him. However it happens, people won't be ready for the moment.

This is a true story; you can Google it. In the spring of 1980, the blue skies above Oregon were obscured by steam rising from Mt. Saint Helens. Geologists warned an eruption was imminent and residents living near the area were ordered to evacuate. State troopers and forest rangers entered the area with loudspeakers blaring, “Danger! Evacuate the area immediately.” Flashing road signs were erected that said, “Warning, Warning, Warning. Evacuate immediately.” An 83- year-old man named Harry Truman (no relation to the President) operated a lodge at Spirit Lake only five miles from Mt. St. Helens. He laughed at the warnings. Officials argued with him to leave, but when he stubbornly refused, he was granted permission to stay. He said, “Nobody knows more about this mountain than old Harry—and it wouldn’t dare blow up on me.”

On the morning of May 18, 1980 Harry woke, and probably followed his habit of feeding his 16 cats, then fixing breakfast for himself. At 8:13 a.m. Mt. St. Helens exploded with the force of a 23-megaton nuclear bomb. The top 1,500 feet of the mountain disappeared. The sound of the eruption was heard 600 miles away. The eruption heated the air to 600 degrees. Old Harry never heard a thing because a shock wave of energy traveling faster than the speed of sound slammed outward from the volcano. It was followed by a fifty-foot tall wave of mud and dirt that flattened everything within 150 square miles. It destroyed over half a million trees. The eruption was followed by a cloud of ash that covered everything to a depth of fifty feet. They never found a trace of Harry, his cats, or his cabin. I wonder what went through old Harry’s mind in that millisecond that he had gambled with his life and lost. He had heard the warnings, but he did not heed them.

All that remains from Harry’s life is a testimony to his refusal to heed the warnings. Fifty feet above the remaining molecules of Harry’s incinerated remains, there is a crooked path named Harry’s Trail. My advice to you: Don’t follow Harry’s trail. The Bible says at any moment, the Lord Jesus could return in a flash, in a twinkling of an eye. God has placed warning signs all along the road. Warning! Repent immediately. This message is just another warning. For those of us who have heeded His warning, and put our faith in Jesus, we will escape His judgment against sin. But some people like Old Harry, just laugh at the Bible and refuse to heed God’s Warning.

Because His Coming Will Be Unrivalled

24 "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light;

25 the stars of heaven will fall, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

There have been plenty of rapture jokes lately. Unbelievers have been making fun of all this talk about the rapture. They say, “You Christians have been talking about the second coming of Jesus for thousands of years.” Well God even predicted that. Listen to these words from 2 Peter 3: “In the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, ‘Where is this “coming” he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation’…But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:3-4, 8-9)

Richard Baxter: "My knowledge of that life is small, The eye of faith is dim, But it's enough that Christ knows all, And I shall be with Him."

There is an old legend of a swan and a crane. A beautiful swan alighted by the banks of the water in which a crane was wading about seeking snails. For a few moments the crane viewed the swan in stupid wonder and then inquired: "Where do you come from?" "I come from heaven!" replied the swan. "And where is heaven?" asked the crane. "Heaven!" said the swan, "Heaven! Have you never heard of heaven?" And the beautiful bird went on to describe the grandeur of the Eternal City. She told of streets of gold, and the gates and walls made of precious stones; of the river of life, pure as crystal, upon whose banks is the tree whose leaves shall be for the healing of the nations. In eloquent terms the swan sought to describe the hosts who live in the other world, but without arousing the slightest interest on the part of the crane. Finally the crane asked: "Are there any snails there?" "Snails!" repeated the swan; "No! Of course there are not." "Then," said the crane, as it continued its search along the slimy banks of the pool, "You can have your heaven. I want snails!"

Because The Result Will Be Unavoidable

For those who are caught up in the trivial things of this life, who refuse to surrender to Christ, their future is judgment.

26 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in the clouds with great power and glory.

27 And then He will send His angels, and gather together His elect from the four winds, from the farthest part of earth to the farthest part of heaven.

2. We Should WORK!

There is no question about whether or not Christ is going to come. The only remaining question is, “Will I be ready when Jesus returns?” And only you can answer that question. Jesus said, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:44)

Let me tell you two ways to make sure you’re prepared for the return of Jesus.

Decide today to trust Christ and invite Him into your heart!

Have you ever turned from your sins and placed your faith in Jesus? That’s the only way to know for certain you’ll be ready to meet Jesus. Becoming a Christian isn’t hard—it’s as easy as opening the door of your heart. Jesus says, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”

(Revelation 3:20) The door is the door of your heart. Jesus isn’t going to barge into your life.

He’s a gentleman. He is knocking and tenderly calling your name. It is God’s Will for you to be saved, but He won’t override your will. You have a choice in the matter.

Done that? Then live in a way so you can meet Him with confidence

We Should Work!

If you’re already trusted Jesus you may think you’re ready. But you may not be as ready and you need to be. There’s a powerful verse in 1 John 2:28 which talks about being ready for the return of Jesus. It says, “And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.” (1 John 2:28) Do you see there are two possibilities of how a Christian may meet the Lord? We may be ashamed or we may have confidence.

Because We Won’t Be ASHAMED

Is there anything you do or say or think that if the Lord Jesus Christ came back at that moment you might be ashamed? Imagine you’re in the process of uttering that profane word you sometimes say, and in that moment the Lord returns. Or imagine you’re involved in some activity you know is wrong. That might cause shame, don’t you think? What about some unfinished business for the Lord? God has led you to share your faith with a lost person, or He’s led you to serve in some ministry, but you’ve been putting it off. Suddenly you’re face to face with the Lord—and it’s too late. “I’m sorry Lord. I’m ashamed I didn’t follow through on what you led me to do.”

But you can face the Lord with confidence if you understand what John wrote. He said,

“Continue in Him.” In other words, daily surrender your life to the Lordship of Christ. Don’t fall away, don’t give up. Continue to walk daily with the Lord. Keep on praying, keep on serving, keep on feeding on His Word, keep on sharing your faith and you can meet Him with the kind of confidence John had that allowed him to say, “Even so, Lord Jesus, come quickly!

Because We Won’t Be INCOMPLETE

Work – In verse 34, Jesus describes Himself as a house owner who leaves his business in the hands of his servants. This man assigns each of his servants a specific task and then he takes his journey. The servants do not know when their master will return, so they are encouraged work at their tasks diligently, so that they will not be found shirking their duties when their master comes back.

When Jesus saved us, He saved us to go to work for Him, Eph. 2:10; James 2:18. When He saved us, He gave each of us a specific assignment, 1 Cor. 12:7, 11. In other words, Jesus gave you a job to do and He gave me a job to do too. Our duty to Him is to faithfully do those things He has called us to do until He comes for us.

In light of that truth, there are a few questions we need to ask and answer for ourselves.

· Do you know what the Lord wants you to do?

· Are you doing what He wants you to do?

The church is made up of just two kinds o folk No matter how closely you view it

The ones who will talk about what should be done

And those who get in and who do it!

John Wesley was once asked how he would spend his last day if he knew he were to die that night; he replied “

I would spend it exactly as I will spend it today…I would preach in Gloucester toniht, get up early and preach in Tewkesbury then go to the Martins house in the evening a pray with them as they expect me to do, retire placing myself in the father’s care and wake up in heaven.”

So We Will Not Be UNCERTAIN

30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away. 32 "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

This day is coming as assuredly as the Lord’s Word is true, as assuredly as the Lord is true. And the Lord wants you to live a life of certainty about that fact. this is what we call the Christian Hope.

And the christian hope has an effect upon us.

1 John 3:3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.

Titus 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Because the Lord Will Approve Your Work

And the Lord here in Luke chapter 12 is also concerned in warning people about His Second Coming. He says, "Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning, and you yourselves like men that wait for their lord when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks you may open unto him immediately." I mean, be ready so that when he comes back, everything is as it ought to be. "Blessed are those servants whom the Lord when He comes shall find watching. Verily I say unto you, you shall...that He shall gird himself and make them to sit down to eat and will come forth and serve them. vv. 35-37.

When the Lord comes back, if you've been faithful, He will sit you down to eat and serve you. The faithful Christian may not know when He's coming, but he's ready.

Here Christ gives a parable. The lord represents God, and the servant represents every man and woman in the world. We have all been given a great responsibility. It's as if the Lord said, "Manage everything I gave you in creating you in My image--your intellect, will, emotions, and talents-- and all the other good things I have given you. Use them all for serving Me." We are like the servant who is told to manage all the goods in a house and to dispense food to everyone at the right time and place.

Everything we have was granted to us by God. We are accountable for how we manage all those things. Hell will be populated not only by the devil and his angels, but also by those who wasted the privileges God gave them. And those who misuse what God has given them will be condemned, as was the man who embezzled the king's money in Matthew 18.

"Blessed is that servant, whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing."

When the Lord returns, He will bless the servants who are doing what He wanted them to do. Those who are obedient give evidence of being believers. Doing the will of God is always the mark of true salvation. True Christians will be found making the most of their stewardship.

"Verily I say unto you that he shall make him ruler over all his goods."

When the Lord returns, He will allow His faithful servants to manage over everything He possesses. Have you ever wondered what we will be doing in the millennial kingdom and in eternity? We will sit with Christ on His throne and rule over everything He possesses (Rev. 3:21). So what a person does during his short life on earth will determine whether he will rule in eternity with Christ or be dominated by the demons in hell. The person who is proven faithful to God will be rewarded.

Jesus will come for you in one of two ways. Either you’ll meet Him in death, or He will return before your death. So you need to be prepared. Your death may happen suddenly or slowly, you don’t know. But for sure, His return will be sudden and surprising.

"There is a fable which tells of three apprentice devils who were coming to this earth to finish their apprenticeship. They were talking to Satan, the chief of the devils, about their plans to tempt and ruin men. The first said, `I will tell them there is no God.' Satan said, `That will not delude many, for they know there is a God.' The second said, `I will tell men there is no hell.' Satan answered, `You will deceive no one that way; men know even now that there is a hell for sin.' The third said, `I will tell men there is no hurry.' `Go,' said Satan, `and you will ruin them by the thousand'" (Barclay, W. The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 2 [Philadelphia: Westminster, 1975], p. 317).

Philippians 3:1-11

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Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you.
2 Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh.
3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh—
4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more:
5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee;
6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless.
7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ.
8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—
10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.

Dr. Seuss wrote a children's story called Yertle the Turtle that illustrates the dangers of pride: In the story, Yertle is ruler of a little pond on the faraway island of Sala-ma-Sond. Dr. Seuss tells us:

The turtles had everything turtles might need.

And they were all happy. Quite happy indeed.

They were...until Yertle, the king of them all,

decided the kingdom he ruled was too small.

"I'm ruler," said Yertle, "of all that I see.

But I don't see enough. That's the trouble with me.

With this stone for a throne, I look down on my pond,

But I cannot look down on the places beyond.

This throne that I sit on is too, too low down.

It ought to be higher!" he said with a frown.

If I could sit high, how much greater I'd be!

What a king! I'd be ruler of all I could see!"

In his quest for greatness, Yertle ordered some of the turtles in the pond to stand on each other's backs so that they could become his new and higher throne. Soon he had a wonderful view and could see "most a mile." Yet Yertle wasn't satisfied. He ordered more and more turtles to become part of his throne so that he could be exalted to even greater heights. From his lofty perch, Yertle swelled with stupid pride and feelings of self-importance;

"All mine!" Yertle cried. "Oh, the things I now rule!

I'm king of a cow! And I'm king of a mule!

I'm king of a house! And, what's more beyond that,

I'm king of a blueberry bush and a cat!

I'm Yertle the Turtle! Oh, marvelous me!

For I am the ruler of all that I see!"

Then something happened at the bottom of his turtle throne. One insignificant subject named Mack decided that he and the other turtles had taken enough abuse. He didn't organize a rebellion, however; he merely burped. Yet the tremors from that burp brought down the mighty Yertle and plunged him into the place reserved for all who think they are something special: "And today the great Yertle, that Marvelous he, is King of the Mud. That is all he can see."

Luke 18: 9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’
13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

A dear friend, Louie, gave me a book a couple of years ago that, he said, had detailed his experience for many years. He had been a zealous churchgoer, witnessing for Christ in the streets of Ashfield. And then, after a distressing time, he wound up at our church in East Hills. Later he discovered that for most of his life he had been an almost Christian. He had thought he was saved, but he discovered he had never been saved. I think that is the experience of many, and may even be your experience here today. The book my friend gave me was by an old Puritan; Matthew Mead, The Almost Christian Discovered. He wrote the book because he wanted to address a very significant problem. The problem he wanted to address was the fact that there were many people who thought they were saved and weren't. There were many people who claimed to be saved, and weren't. So he was addressing the problem 300 years ago that Paul was addressing nearly 2,000 years ago that we are now addressing today.

Matthew Mead has a long section in the book of about 120 pages in which he addresses how far a person can go and still not be a true Christian...how far a person can advance toward heaven, toward Christ, toward God and still not truly be saved. And these are the things he suggests:

"A man may have much knowledge about Christ and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may have a great and eminent gift, yet be but almost a Christian." He means by that a speaking gift, a leadership gift.

"A man may have a high profession of religion. He may be much in external duties of goodness and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may go far in opposing his own sin and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may hate sin and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may make great vows and promises, strong purposes and resolutions against his sin and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may maintain a strife and a combat against sin and yet be but almost a Christian.

"A man may be a member of the church and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may have great hopes of heaven and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may under visible changes, altered life and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may be very zealous in matters of religion and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may be much in prayers and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may even suffer for Christ's sake and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may outwardly obey the commandments and yet be but almost a Christian. A man may perform external worship yet be but almost a Christian. And a man may have faith and yet be but almost a Christian."

Louie’s experience was similar to Paul’s.

Paul’s pride in ritual (v. 5) I was “circumcised the eighth day.” Paul was born a Jew and therefore was automatically a member of the covenant nation. He was a Jew by birth and he bore the sign of the covenant on his body. He was reminded every day of that covenant with God. Modern day circumcision has nothing to do with that ritual sign of the covenant with Israel. But when he added it all up and placed it against the righteousness of Christ he could only say, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Paul’s pride in relationship (v. 5) I am “of the nation of Israel.” He could point back with pride to his ancestry in the patriarch Jacob (Gen. 32:28). But then Jesus said it is “not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, or the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (v. 12).

Therefore Paul says, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Paul’s pride in respectability (v. 5) I am “of the tribe of Benjamin.” The Benjaminites were respected for their allegiance to God and the covenant when the majority was disloyal.

Paul came to realize that God does not accept your family heritage as merits for salvation. “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Paul’s pride in his race (v. 5) I am a “Hebrew of Hebrews.” I am a descendent of Abraham, a pure Jew. Both of my parents were Hebrews and they taught me Aramaic.

To which Paul could only say, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Paul’s pride in religion (v. 5) “As to the Law, a Pharisee.” Moreover, his father was also a Pharisee (Acts 23:6). You couldn’t be more religious than a good Pharisee.

But Jesus drew a line in the sand saying, “For I say unto you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 5:20). Therefore, Paul could only conclude, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Paul’s pride in reputation (v. 6) As to my “zeal, a persecutor of the church” (cf. Acts 9:1). Saul of Tarsus was an honest, sincere protector of the Jewish religion. He even murdered Christians in the name of God and loyalty to God. He worked hard at his religion, but in all his zeal he was a lost man going to hell.

He could only conclude, “But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

Paul’s pride in his righteousness (v. 6) “As to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.” He could say with the young ruler, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up” (Mark 10:20). Paul was as righteous as you can get in the eyes of fellow religious men. He was sincere and honest in his religious convictions.

But Paul had to conclude differently when he met the risen Christ on the road to Damascus. There he saw the pure perfect righteousness of the risen Jesus Christ and had to conclude with Isaiah, “all our righteousness is filthy rags” (Isa. 64:6). He realized that his own works would burn up when it came into the presence of a holy and righteous God. But yours and mine will, too. All our robes of self-righteousness will burn up under the wrath of God who is perfect in His righteousness. In exchange for his self-righteousness Paul received a right standing with God which is by faith in Christ. “He [God] make Him [Christ] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21).

What else could Paul declare, “But whatever things were gain to me, those I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.”

PRIDE BLINDS PEOPLE TO THEIR NEEDS. (Pharisee was so full of himself that He didn't realize he needed God.

To all my faults my eyes are blind;

mine are the sins I cannot find.

But your mistakes I see a plenty;

For them my eyes are twenty-twenty.

After a minister had preached a searching sermon on pride, a woman who had heard the sermon waited upon him and told him that she was in much distress of mind, and that she would like to confess to a great sin. The minister asked her what the sin was.

She answered, "The sin of pride, for I sat for an hour before my mirror some days ago admiring my beauty."

"Oh," responded the minister, "that was not a sin of pride-that was a sin of imagination!"

“I put men to death in war, I fought duels to slay others. I lost at cards, wasted the substance wrung from the sweat of peasants, punished the latter cruelly, rioted with loose women, and deceived men. Lying, robbery, adultery of all kinds, drunkenness, violence, and murder, all were committed by me, not one crime omitted, and yet I was not the less considered by my equals to be a comparatively moral man. Such was my life for ten years. (ibid, Ch. VI) Tolstoy

PRIDE TEACHES PEOPLE TO DESPISE. (v.9) It's very easy to look down on others - it comes naturally. (Whether it's because of someone's race, gender, socio-economic status, religion, etc. We are all created by God and equal in his sight. We are to love - and if not, we are not saved. 1Cor.13:2; 1Jn.3:14).

Count Leo Tolstoy was a man who unashamedly called himself ‘Christian’. He once penned these words into his diary: ‘I have not yet met a single man who was morally as good as I. ... I do not remember an instance in my life when I was not attracted to what is good And was not ready to sacrifice anything to it’.

Time and time again Tolstoy proved this statement a lie. He was a constant womanizer and he often neglected his family. Tolstoy's diary goes on to say that he felt in his soul, ‘immeasurable grandeur’ and he was baffled by the failure of other men to recognize his qualities: ‘Why does nobody love me? I am not a fool, not deformed, not a bad man, not an ignoramus. It is incomprehensible’.

PRIDE POLLUTES PEOPLE'S PRAYERS. It makes them stink in the nostrils of God. This man's prayers were just dripping with pride, arrogance, self-sufficiency and sanctimony. His prayers were very much like the little boy who was trying to quote the Lord's prayer for his class who slipped and said, "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed by MY name...." There is no more sure-fire way to guarantee that your prayers are ignored and rejected by heaven than to fill it with an attitude of pride and self-worth.

1. to receive forgiveness is to RECOGNIZE YOUR FALLEN SHORTEDNESS AND YOUR NEED TO BE FORGIVEN.

2. we need to REPENT.

Paul showed that before he was saved he was religious. He was religious enough to get into the Synagogue, but this is different than being righteous enough to get into heaven! Salvation is NOT knowing about Christ, it is KNOWING Christ!

Its more than knowing about, its decision for the truth.

7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

3. We Need to RECEIVE.
9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

It is Christ who saves. The Lord Jesus is the Saviour. Come to Him tonight.

Available for preaching

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Pastor Steve Grose is available weekends for teaching missions in churches or halls throughout Australia.
Steve's Bible talks are available on his other blogs.
<a href="http://stevegrose.tripod.com/" title="SteveGrose" target="_blank">http://stevegrose.tripod.com/</a> <a href="http://grosey2.blogspot.com/">http://grosey2.blogspot.com/</a>
You may contact him directly on 0245787308.

The Mark of Greatness Is to Invest In People. Mark 9 Receive them. Perceive them

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Mark 9: 30 They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, 31 for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” 32 But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him. 33 And they came to Capernaum. And when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” 34 But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. 35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” 36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.” 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward. 42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.
44
45 And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.
46
47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, 48 ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ 49 For everyone will be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

Have you ever flown? Do you like it? After awhile you start to notice that plane flyers are ranked. Have you noticed those people who regard themselves as better than others.. they call that first class.. I fly herd class…I mean third class… up in first they seem so much more superior don’t they?

The disciples may have felt that way. Some of them had had a special experience that the other 9 did not have; they had been to the mountain!! They had been there and seen Elijah and Moses speaking with the Lord Jesus! They had seen the cloud! They had hears the voice “this is my beloved Son hear him!” Mark 9:7 This is my beloved Son; listen to him.”

And now as they go down the mountain, they are discussing important stuff; the pecking order!

Who is on first!!

Funny, whenever the Lord talks about something important, His death and resurrection, these guys lose the plot and wander off into something very selfish!

I was required to attend a three hour lecture on altruism at Teacher’s college.

Altruism is the opposite of selfishness.

Altruism can be distinguished from feelings of loyalty and duty. Altruism is a motivation to provide a value to a party who must be anyone but the self, while duty focuses on a moral obligation towards a specific individual (for example, a god, a king), or collective (for example, a government). Some individuals may feel both altruism and duty, while others may not. Pure altruism is giving up a value (a reward or benefit) with no expectation of any compensation or benefits, either direct, or indirect (for instance from recognition of the giving).

During the 3 hour lecture, I learnt something: I have a big mouth!

We were asked to ask questions of this altruistic person about altruism.

I couldn’t stand the silence. No one asked anything.

I stood and asked “Why are you altruistic?”

“Because it makes me feel good!”

“So you are altruistic for selfish reasons? You do get a pay out in the end?”

How opposite to what is important to the Lord!

When asked what was the greatest commandment the Lord replied (Mark 12: 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

What is our essential motive for the ministry of reaching and teaching people in Christ’s name? I like to use the term Great Commandment love. In one of the most defining moments of his ministry, Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest. He answered, “ ’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 22:37-40, NASB). This Great Commandment to love God and love people defines the true identity of those who are called his church. Great Commandment love is at the heart of who we are and what we do.

Compare Christ’s Great Commandment with the equally important Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB). The Great Commission to declare God’s truth on the vital issues of sin, Scripture, and salvation, and to call people to bow in obedience to God, relates more to the mission of the church. The Great Commandment to love God and others defines our identity orheart as a church. The Great Commission capsulizes what we do while the Great Commandment embodies who we are. What I refer to as the Great Commandment Principle is the accomplishing of the Great Commission within the context of the Great Commandment.

Both are vital to our ministry to the churched and unchurched. We cannot effectively do what we have been called to do unless we embrace and live out our identity as people who love God and others. In fact, when we adhere to the Great Commandment Principle of loving God and one another, we can “do” church effectively because we are “being” his church.

As the Great Commandment Principle comes to more clearly define who we are, it will be God’s love that prompts our activity, empowers our work, and becomes the explanation for any “success” we might have. This principle will bring the evidence of his love into every relationship we enjoy and every message we share. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you” (Ephesians 5:1-2, NASB).

Embracing the Great Commandment Principle does not mean we are soft on the vital issues of sin, Scripture, and salvation. For example, Jesus compassionately said to the woman caught in the act of adultery, “I don’t condemn you,” but he also said, “Go and sin no more.” Great Commandment love connects us to the very heart of God, where we are empowered to minister truth to people whose lives are scarred by sin, disobedient to Scripture, and spiritually lost. Indeed, only when the truth is spoken in love will people be moved to conform to the truth.

A 1994 Josh McDowell Ministry study of 3,795 church-attending youth reveals:

Fifty-three percent of our church-attending youth feel alone in trouble or crisis.

Fifty-two percent say they don’t want a marriage like their parents’.

Fifty percent say they are stressed out.

Fifty-five percent say they are confused.

Forty-four percent do not believe their church is relevant to their lives.⁵

If our church-attending youth find themselves lonely, stressed out, and confused, can it also be true that a comparable segment of adults are also lonely, stressed out, and confused? Research confirms it. A staggering 74 percent of today’s Christian adults claim that the church is not sensitive to their needs.⁶

The Mark Of Greatness Is To Receive People

Jesus was willing to be inconvenienced by people.

He received people

35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”

He received a child with welcoming arms

36 And he took a child and put him in the midst of them, and taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me, receives not me but him who sent me.”

He received a near disciple with welcoming arms

38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. 40 For the one who is not against us is for us. 41 For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.

Just as I am without one plea but that Thy blood was shed for me,

and that Thou biddst me come to Thee O lamb of God I come,

Just as I am, Thou wilt receive, Wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve;
Because Thy promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

Sometimes when I go to a church and just watch the interactions between people, I wonder how I as a young, non Christian would have perceived prideful behavior. I wonder if the young man some are rejecting were me, would I have stayed in a church? Would the church have lost a preacher? I am very careful now to be kind towards all that come.

As we begin to restore Great Commandment love to our personal lives and ministries, we will be increasingly attractive to the hurting, needy people around us. Two critical questions must be answered in order to effect this vital restoration. First, what does Great Commandment love look like in our lives and ministry? Second, how does restoring Great Commandment love to our lives and ministry make our message relevant? In the pages ahead, I will attempt to paint a word picture of Great Commandment love in action. I will show how this kind of love results in relevant ministry without compromising God’s truth about sin, the absolute authority of Scripture, and man’s fundamental need for God. And I will share with you the dramatic difference Great Commandment love has made in my own life, marriage, and ministry.

In order for our lives to demonstrate Great Commandment love and impact our world in a relevant way, three things must happen.

1. We must identify and meet the real needs of people.

Receive on another even when it is inconvenient

He was interrupted at prayer, at meals, on vacation, in times of privacy, when it was suited to His schedule.

We can only have an outgoing love when we know we are loved.

1 John 4 :19 We loved because He first loved us.

We can only receive people for Jesus’ sake when we know we ourselves have been received by Jesus.

The Mark Of Greatness Is To Take The Initiative With People

Jesus took the Initiative With People

The parable of the Good Samaritan reminds us that we must:

See the need

Sympathise with people’s pain

Seize the moment when it comes along to help

Spend whatever it takes, particularly when there is no hope of recompense

Do you love others and seek to serve them, and not yourself?

Again the example of Jesus is key, who loved more than we ever could, and “having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”

In the parable there was a man going from Jerusalem down to Jericho. And Jerusalem sits high on Mount Zion, while Jericho is situated near the Dead Sea, the lowest spot on Earth – 1388 feet below sea level.

“So this is a picture that when humanity moves away from God, it moves from the heights to the depths. I was moving farther down into that valley the first 16 years of my life.

“And as this man was going from Jerusalem to Jericho, he fell among thieves. They beat him, stoned him, kicked him, stripped the clothes from him, took all his money, and left him there in a pool of blood—dying. This man is a picture of humanity apart from God, battered and robbed by the devil.

“Sadly, we live in a world of people who are going from Jerusalem to Jericho. They’re on their own path, away from God, heading down into the valley of the shadow of death; and many have been beaten and robbed by Satan. Ours is a hurting world! Hearts are crushed, bruised, bleeding, and broken.

“The amazing thing in this parable is that Jesus reveals that religion is not the answer. Did you hear that? Religion is not the answer. A priest and a Levite passed right by this hurting man.

“The priest represented religion with its rituals and rules. The Levite represented the law, which can describe us and condemn us; but can’t save us.

“When your neighbor is hurting, he doesn’t need religion with its rituals and rules. He doesn’t need a course on theology. He need compassion. He needs Jesus!

“The Good Samaritan who ministered to this man, is really a picture of Jesus. The Good Samaritan bound up this broken man. He soothed him with oil, a symbol of the Holy Spirit; and He cleansed him with wine, a symbol of the blood of Jesus Christ.

“And then Jesus, the Good Samaritan, sat this man on his own donkey and brought him to an inn. Out of love, Jesus comes to us in the midst of our sin and rebellion, and He is moved with compassion. We live in a hurting world that needs help. We can’t wait until they come to us. We must go to them with hearts of mercy and love.”

The Mark Of Greatness Is Be Interested In People

Jesus Was Interested In People

Billy Graham wrote

The human soul is a lonely thing. It must have the assurance of companionship. Left entirely to itself, it cannot enjoy anything. God said in the beginning, “It is not good that man should dwell alone” (Genesis 2:18). The creation of Eve was the beginning of human companionship. God’s people are a body, not intended to function separately, not intended to be unconcerned for one another. The only true body in the world is the Church. The world may talk grandly of brotherhood, but in reality its philosophy is “each man for himself.” God’s children are guaranteed the richest and truest friendship, both here and hereafter. Only in a true friendship and a true love do we find a genuine basis for peace. Only God can break down the national and racial barriers that divide men today. Only God can supply that love that we must have for our fellowman. We will never build brotherhood of man upon earth until we are believers in Christ Jesus. The only true cohesive power in the world is Christ. He alone can bind human hearts together in genuine love

‎"Our prayer must not be self-centered. It must arise not only because we feel our own need as a burden we must lay upon God, but also because we are so bound up in love for our fellow men that we feel their need as acutely as our own. To make intercession for men is the most powerful and practical way in which we can express our love for them. " — John Calvin

The Mark Of Greatness Is To Perceive People

Jesus Was Careful With People.

42 “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.

A Great Commandment follower of Christ enjoys the presence of God in his or her life and ministry. Why? Because in order to love God with heart, soul, and mind and love our neighbor as ourselves, we must be in touch with the loving heart of God. We cannot love at all apart from God’s love. The apostle John stated, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Great Commandment love cannot be manufactured; it is God’s love and compassion flowing in and through his people to draw a hurting world to himself. And as you deepen your love relationship with God, the most immediate benefit is the intimacy you enjoy with him.

Our world needs a relevant, vibrant body of believers who will serve as a shelter in the storm, a refuge from the pressures of life, a sanctuary of hope where hurts can be healed and spiritual needs can be met. Christ is the answer—we sincerely believe it. But the needy world has every reason to question the relevance of the answer if our lives and our ministries fail to exude Great Commandment love.

Are you aware of people in your community, in your circle of ministry, and perhaps even in your own home who are in need of a shelter, a refuge, a sanctuary? Do you long to provide solutions that are real, relevant, and revolutionary? Do you believe that God is the answer and that he desires to use his people as his ambassadors for communicating the answer to a hurting world?¹⁵

Core Group discipleship

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Try this website for free discipleship resources http://coregroups.org/core3strand.html

C3 Discipleship Process

Jesus did it. Wesley did it. You can too.

Jesus' 3-Strand Discipleship

The most effective manner to train and equip people for any skill is by providing effective models and opportunities to practice the skill itself. Jesus used a show, tell, release, and supervise model of training. Jesus ministered to the multitudes (crowd), the 12 (cell), and the inner circle of 3 (core). After calling the disciples, He took them along with Him, teaching and healing the sick as He went. Then, after He thought the disciples had seen and learned enough to try for themselves, He commissioned, empowered, instructed, and sent them out to do the same things. This discipleship process should be no different for those desiring to bring others into a complete understanding and walk in Christ-likeness.

John Wesley’s 3-Strand Discipleship

In 1743 John Wesley created a 3-strand discipleship model, a company of people having the form and seeking the power of godliness, united in order to pray together, to receive the word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love, that they might help each other to work out their own salvation. The 3 groups were called societies (crowd), classes (cell), and bands (core).

C3 Discipleship Process

The C3 discipleship process can be integrated into any church using all 3 strands or by launching stand-alone Core Groups. It can be used by any Christian church as a roadmap and adapted to fit any church expression or in small groups or for individual study. In addition to the process, we also provide free resources to assist you in equipping the saints.

Strand 1: Crowd

Size: 50+ people; this is typically the large gathering of people for corporate worship
Purpose: To bring about a change in knowledge
Focus: celebration - worship.

Wesley's society or crowd group included those in a geographical area, much like a typical, congregational meeting in today’s church. These large groups of people met once a week to pray, sing, study scripture, and to watch over one another in love. However, as is true of today's corporate church gathering, there was little or no provision made at this level for personal response or feedback.

Strand 2: Cell

Size: 5-16 people
Purpose: To bring about behavioral change; conduct
Focus: community - fellowship.

Wesley's class or cell group was the most basic group structure of the society. The class was composed of 12-20 members, both sexes, mixed by age, social standing and spiritual readiness, under the direction of a trained leader. It was not a gathering for academic learning. They met weekly in the evening for mutual confession of sin and accountability for growing in holiness. This group provided the structure to more closely inspect the condition of the flock, to help them through trials and temptations, and to bring further understanding in practical terms to the messages they had heard preached in the public society meeting. Membership in a class meeting was non-negotiable. If you wanted to continue in the society you had to be in a class. In 1742 in one society in London there were 426 members, divided into 65 classes. Eighteen months later that same society had 2,200 members, all of whom were in classes. Every week each class member was expected to speak openly and honestly on the true state of his or her soul. This strand closely resembles today's cell groups, small groups, life groups, etc.

Strand 3: Core

Size: 3 or 4 people
Purpose: To bring about a change of direction, heart and position; knowledge, character and conduct
Focus: committment - discipleship.

Wesley's band or Core was made up of 4 members, all the same sex, age, and marital status. This was a voluntary group of people who professed a clear Christian commitment, who desired to grow in love, holiness, and purity of motive. The environment was one of ruthless honesty and frank openness. There were specific rules about punctuality and order within the meeting. He introduced accountability questions which everyone answered openly and honestly in the meeting each week. Bands became the training ground for future leaders. This group held to extreme confidentiality in a “safe place”, mutual submission where matters of indifference were yielded to the released leader, and godly stewardship. This was the group that could intensively pursue goals and vision together. There is a strong case to be made for churches to review, adapt and integrate a 3-Strand Discipleship Process into their expression. It begins with the Bible, is supported by sociological evidence, makes sense from an organizational standpoint, and has been proven successful for thousands of years.

Biblical Evidence

"One standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer; three is even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:12)

Biblical Evidence for 3-Strand Discipleship

Scripture paints a clear picture of a God who not only lives in community but embraces and seeks after it. First, with Adam (Gen.1:26), then with the people of Israel (Deut.6:4) and finally in the Godhead itself (John 1:1-3). There is power in a cord of three and this concept runs throughout God's Word. Since God Himself lives and works in community, and we are made in the likeness of God, then we too are created to live in and for community. To be human is to hunger for community.
Additionally, Jesus and the disciples modeled a closely knit community. Christ Himself came to provide community and live with us (Mth. 1:23) and then He called a small group of disciples to live and walk with Him (Mark 3:7-10,13-14). Jesus knew that the multitudes had great needs, but chose to minister to the twelve and especially the three (Peter, James and John). By walking with and training a few, He ultimately transformed many lives.
This cord of three strands is Christ’s highest dream for His Church. It is seen in His prayer for us that we may be one as He and the Father and Holy Spirit are one (John 17:11). Additionally, Christ sees our unity and community as our message to the world that He came and that He is love, and if we, the Church, fail at community, we fail our mission (John 17:21, 23).

Relational Evidence for 3-Strand Discipleship

There is relational evidence that God created us to crave relationships and community:
• God wants us to seek a relationship with Him (Acts 17:24-27)
• God wants us to have relationships with others (Genesis 2:18)
• God reveals His emotions to us (Ephesians 4:30; Zephaniah 3:17)
• God intervenes when we can’t communicate (Romans 8:26-27)
There is also blessing that comes from community:
• Strength for storms of life (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
• Wisdom for making good decisions (Proverbs 15:22)
• Confidentiality and accountability for spiritual health (Proverbs 27:17)
• There is strength, reliability and assurance in community (Proverbs 18:24)

Structural Evidence for 3-Strand Discipleship

As churches are planted to accomplish God’s work in the world, organization becomes a necessity to ensure community. The Core Discipleship process and groups are a way to ensure that this done in a life-giving manner by “doing life together” - everyone is cared for and no one cares for too many (not more than four). Just as is true in a natural family, the Core Discipleship Process enhances spiritual parenting to ensure that no one stands alone, struggles alone, serves alone, develops alone, seeks alone, or grows up alone.
The Core Discipleship Process and groups are a God-ordained way to provide infrastructure within any church to assure the development of disciples (Matthew 28:18-20), where the workload is shared (Exodus 18:9-22), where everyone receives care (Acts 6:1) and where leadership can be determined, equipped and repeated (Titus 1:5).
Finally, the Core Discipleship Process provides a structure for “mutual membership” to promote unity in the body (Ephesians 4:1-6, 11-16), a sense of belonging to one another (Romans 7:2-4) and a place to edify, bless, grow, serve and challenge each other through the exercise of each person's spiritual gifts (I Corinthians 12:12-27).

Next: The Core Discipleship Process: The Master's Discipleship Plan

Church: 3-Strand Discipleship Process

Strand 1: Crowd

Size: 50+ people; typically large gathering
Population: Mixed gender
Purpose: To bring about a change in knowledge
Focus: Celebration/worship

Strand 2: Cells (Life, Home, or Small Groups)

Size: 5-16 people; typically in homes
Population: Mixed gender usually
Purpose: To bring about behavioral change; conduct
Focus: Community/fellowship

Strand 3: Core Groups

Size: 3 or 4 people
Population: Same gender (see process)
Purpose: To bring about a change of direction, heart and position; knowledge, character and conduct
Focus: Commitment/discipleship - intentional, relational, reproducible

Core Groups specifically embrace the Great Commandment and the Great Commission by focusing on the imperative to make disciples found in the Great Commission as they are taught to "...observe all that I commanded you"(Mth. 28:20). This is accomplished as we build life-long relationships in the context of safe and confidential groups of no more than four disciples, men with men and women with women. Core Groups are not accountability groups or smaller, small groups. Core Groups develop students and adults who commit their lives to Jesus Christ and are willing to follow Him as presented in the pages of God's Word. From the very beginning, Core members are held accountable to begin praying for two to come to Christ and for someone they are called to disciple.

Core Key Values

There are 5 key values emphasized within a Core Group: Matthew 22:37-40(Great Commandment); Matthew 28:19-20 (Great Commission); Acts 2:42;Ephesians 4:11-16, and 2 Timothy 2:2.

1. Love: Great Commandment

The first foundational value of a Core Group is the pursuit of the Great Commandment - our vertical relationship with God and our horizontal relationship with others (Mth. 22:37-40).

2. Christ-likeness: Great Commission

The second foundational value is the pursuit of Christ-likeness as we observe the Great Commission (Mth. 28:18-20). It is our desire to be genuinely conformed to the character of Jesus. We believe God’s vision for man is to make us in the image of Christ (Gen. 1:26; Rom. 8:29). We believe that all spiritual progress is the result of God’s grace. We believe that humility is the pathway to Christ-likeness. In seeking to truly become like Christ, we remember His command to, “Learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Mth. 11:29).

3. Devoted: Acts 2:42

The third foundational value of Core is a commitment to the four fundamental devotions of the church as recorded in Acts 2:42: devoted to God's Word, fellowship, communion, and prayer. It is learning to be a doer of the Word.

4. Equipped: Ephesians 4:11-16

A Core Group outfits the saints for the work of ministry - the privilege and enterprise of each member of the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-16).

5. Faithful: 2 Timothy 2:2

A Core Group is facilitated by a more spiritually mature person who prayerfully selects others whose faithfulness and gift have been evidenced (‘faithful men, teach’) as presented by Jesus (Luke 6:12,13) and by Paul (2 Timothy 2:2): "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." Discipleship as "spiritual parenting" is a life-long process and those we prayerfully select are those we will invest a significant portion of our lives.

Discipleship And The Great Commission

From Matthew 28:19-20 we learn: "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (bold mine).
The Great Commission has three participles: "go," "baptizing," and "teaching” and one imperative verb, a command: "make disciples." The main idea is to make disciples. The participles tell us how to do that: we make disciples by going, baptizing, and teaching. So the goal of a Core Discipleship Group is to make disciples, teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded.
There appears to be a lack of consensus regarding the Biblical definition of discipleship as it appears in the Gospels and the Epistles (theology and methodology). It appears from Scripture that the main verb, 'make disciples,' does not really explain the means of discipleship, but its goal. To make disciples according to Jesus' Great Commission is accomplished by going (first participle), initiating people into the life of discipleship by 'baptizing' (second participle), and achieved by 'teaching' (third participle) which is the continuous obligation of the church in the life of a new convert as they develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as both Savior AND Lord. Teaching then is the process of getting the person to know Him in a life-long, deeper, and more intimate way. Scripture is an absolute essential element in the process of Holy Spirit-inspired, transformation of knowledge, conduct, and character. Discipleship is the corporate responsibility of the church. Discipleship is a life-long process, beginning at the point of salvation, and participated in by a variety of individuals within the church, each as the Lord directs, from his or her own unique gift set and way.
Making disciples does not refer to some formal structured program intended only for the super-spiritual. It is God’s imperative for every believer in His church. It involves the initiation and the instruction of every believer into an ever deepening relationship with Jesus Christ. It seeks to make every person a follower of Christ.

The Promise

The last phrase of Matthew 28:20 contains an incredible promise: "And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." In context, this verse is primarily talking about making disciples. What Jesus is saying is that when we make disciples according to His plan and process, He will be with us. When Jesus sees a disciple making church, He gets involved there. When He sees disciples going out to make new disciples, then baptizing and teaching them, He is very present. According to Romans 12:1-2; Romans 8:29, God wants disciples to be conformed to Christ's image, and according to His Commission, He promises to help us make disciples to accomplish His plan.

Discipleship And Salvation Mark 8:31-34

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Before I became a Christian there was no way that I would enter a church! I knew what church was like! I had attended a church service once when I was 5. There were 700 people crammed into a small building seating 300. It was hot! It was boring! It was crowded! It was boring and it was boring!

As a young man, growing up in a non-christian family, I was invited by friend to attend a church service. The problem was that my friend stood well over 2 metres tall. He had to crouch to get through doors! And big! His dad was a concreter and my mate Dave was (and is) a mass of muscle!

Dave said to me, “Grosey! If I got to go to church Sunday night, you can come too!” There wasn’t a whole lot of choice in it. Well Dave and I went to church. The third Sunday night that we went along there was this short elderly man in his eighties who was preaching about Eternity. I was interested! But.. we were invited to go along and have a cup of coffee and cake at one of the church members;’ house after church. And there was this little fellow. And he spoke. Again! After he spoke about eternity or something again, he said “Right. Every head bowed, every eye closed! Now! If you want to get to heaven, just put your hand up.”

Well I thought about that for awhile. To get to heaven you just put your hand up.

‘Okay. Sounds easy. Maybe.’

After another five minutes or so (in the mean time three or four people put their hand up, and the preacher said softly and deeply “I see that hand, God bless you!”) I decided to raise my hand. ‘Couldn’t hurt,’ I thought. ‘And , well he said if you put your hand up you go to heaven! Sounds like a good deal!’

“I see that hand! God bless you!”

Another five or ten minutes went bye with the 30 or so people in the room solemnly with bowed head and closed eyes sitting on the floor. I wondered what would happen if I opened one eye and took a peak. Finally the elderly gentleman invited us to open our eyes. Then came words I never expected to hear;

“All those who put your hands up, come out into the back room!”

‘Uh oh… what is this? Didn’t he say of you want to go to heaven just put your hand up? Now he’s adding something extra? I’ve been conned! What are they going to do out there; circumcise me?’

Well we weren’t going out to be circumcised! I placed myself at the tail end of the line of 9 young men aged between 15 and 25 who had raised their hands. Whatever was going to happen, they could all go first!

The elderly man came to where I was standing, stretched out his hand to shake my hand and said the magic words; “What are you?”

I stood there stunned. He said it again “What are you?”

I heard a voice in my head… “Well what are You?”

Discouraged he turned to the next guy and repeated the question; “What are you?”

‘Ha! This guy won’t know!’ I thought, and he answered “Saved!”

I thought to myself ‘What a dumb thing to say.. ‘saved?’ saved from what? How? Who? Him? Why?’

“Well praise the Lord!” The elderly fellow then turned to the next young man in the line.

“What are you?” and he answered “Saved!” Well Praise the Lord, as he shook the young man’s hand.

And to the next “What are you?” and he answered “Saved!”

And then the next “What are you?” and he answered “Saved!”

I thought to myself ‘Hey I get it now, I am supposed to say “saved!” I can do that!’ I waited for the elderly man to finish inquiring of each of the nine men standing in line, so he would return to me. AND HE DIDN’T! I was gypped again! I knew the expected answer now, and there was no one to ask me!

Well my mate drove me home in silence. Dave asked me what had happened in the back room. I told him, “We all got saved, and you better get saved too!” that night those words struck home to Dave, and before he went home he knelt at the side of his mini minor and prayed to receive Christ as His Saviour! And I was just plain confused!

(I did come to know the Lord as my own Saviour over the next 6 months as I read the Bible and trusted the Lord Jesus as my Saviour!)

Have you ever been confused? Have you ever felt gypped? Every felt that you couldn’t figure out this God thing, and when you think you have, you suddenly cop a twist in the story and wind up confused again?

Some people read these words of Jesus and think, “Whoa there, this discipleship thingy isn’t part of the deal! I am saved by grace, I don’t have to DO anything to be a Christian!”

But Jesus did say these words:

Mark 8: 34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul?

Is it a con? How are we “saved by grace”, but we are expected to lay down our loves to get it?

The Truth about Discipleship

Discipleship and Salvation

Christ’s invitation to salvation is, “Come unto me” (Matthew 11:28) His call to discipleship is, “Come after Me” (Mark8:34).

Salvation is about the Cross of Christ (Mark 8:31) while discipleship is about your own cross (Mark8:34).

At salvation, you receive a gift, eternal life; in discipleship, you give a gift, your body (Mark8:35).

Look at this chart:

1. Discipleship and Salvation

Is Discipleship the same as becoming a Christian? Can you be a Christian but not go all the way and be a disciple? Well let’s think about some basic truths first:

Discipleship doesn’t save; God does

Jonah 2:9 “Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

John 1:11-13 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Salvation is found in a person, not in a formula!

Matthew 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Taking your cross doesn’t save; Christ dying at the cross does

Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

2 Cor 5:21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

But, if you are not a disciple you are not a Christian!

If you are not obedient to the faith, you have never experienced saving faith.

Because Salvation is found in a Person and not in a theory, when a person comes to that Person, the Lord Jesus Christ, a whole new relationship begins. Repentance is turning from our ways and turning to Him as the Saviour and Redeemer. It is turning from the mess we made of our lives, and inviting Him to take over that mess and lead our lives in the best way He knows how, and He does know the best way how!! When a person turns to the Lord Jesus Christ, they can NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN!

They become a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). Old things pass away, everything becomes new!!

I remember the day I was really “saved!” I woke up the next morning singing “Everything is beautiful!” and it was! I was surprised at the beauty of the creation around me! Why? Because I had a whole new way of seeing life. I was Forgiven! I was pardoned! I was a child of God! I had peace with God through what the Lord Jesus had done at the cross! Heaven above was softer blue, earth below a sweeter green, something lived in every hue, Christless eyes had never seen, Since I knew as then I knew I was Christ’s and He is mine!

DL Moody a famous evangelist had a similar experience :

“I remember the morning on which I came out of my room after I had first trusted Christ. I thought the sun shone a good deal brighter than it ever had before. I thought that it was just smiling upon me, and as I walked out upon Boston Common and heard the birds singing in the trees, I thought they were all singing a song to me. Do you know? I fell in love with the birds. I had never cared for them before. It seemed to me that I was in love with all creation. I had not a bitter feeling against any man and I was ready to take all men to my heart. If a man has not the love of God shed abroad in his heart he has not yet been regenerated."

Now that brings us to a bigger chart:

2. Discipleship and Sanctification

Discipleship and Sanctification are the work of God the Father God the Son God the Holy Spirit and the Believer.

Sanctification is the big word that means make holy and different. When you come to jesus you can never be the same again. That is because first of all;

There is the work of God the Father in Sanctification

Method	Bible	Application
*Chosen to holiness*	he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. Ephesians 1:4	God chose that you should be holy right from the foundation of the world. He chose that you should be a disciple of Jesus. Better get in on His plan!
*Recreated heart*	Jer 31:33 I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. Ezekiel 36, Eph 4:24	Do you feel bad about your sin? God has put His law in your heart and He wants you to change.
*Raised from spiritual death to new life*	Ephesians 2:1-10	You were dead in your sin! God raised you from Spiritual death and put Spiritual life into you!
*Change heart and mind granting repentance*	2 Tim 2:25 God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.	Phil 2: 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. It is God’s work! He will do it! Phil 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.
*Chastising and trials*	Romans 8:28,29	Heb 12:1-18 participate willingly in God’s discipline. If you kick against it, it will only hurt you more!

There is the work of God the Son in your sanctification;

*Method*	Bible	Application
*Union in death*	Read Romans 6 Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Rom 6:11	Somehow, when the Lord Jesus was on the cross your old sin nature was nailed with Him there. You were united with Him in death, and that old you is now gone!
*Union in resurrection*	1Peter 1:3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,	It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead that is at work inside you!
*Motivation to Love*	1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.

There is the work of God the Holy Spirit in you.

Did you notice that his name begins with “Holy”. That is what He intends to make you!

*Method*	Bible	Application
*Regeneration/* *Spiritual life*	2Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
*Renewal*	Titus 3: 4But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, Rom 8: 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
*Indwelling*	“to enlighten the eyes of the understanding” (Eph 1:18), that we may know the things freely given to us of God (1Cor 2:12)
*Fruit of the Spirit*	Gal 5:22,23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
*Filling With Spirit*	Eph 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
*Strengthened*	Eph 3:16-19 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith

Why don’t you fill in the application box for what that will mean for you!

And there is your work in you.

The work of the believer in sanctification and discipleship.

It is a cooperative partnership to make you a holy sanctified disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Phil 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

*Method*	Bible	Application
*Renewing the mind*	Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, Col 3: 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.	Read God’s word! Let it renew your mind!
*Taught by fellow believers*	Ephesians 4:11-16	That us what we do at church! We build each other up in love.
*Serving the people of God*	Heb 10:24,25	Don’t forsake going to church. We need one another
*Bible*	John 17:17 “Sanctify them through thy truth,” Col 3:10 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.	Get God’s Word into you. It is life changing. Read it each day!
*Apply Scripture to heart* *Rom 8: 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.*	Phil 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.	Submission, confidence, self-denial, patience, and meekness, as well as faith, hope, and love, are called forth, or put to the test, more or less effectually every day the believer passes on earth.
*Conversion, Repentance and obedient Discipleship*	Rom 1:5 to bring about the obedience of faith	Mark 8:34, And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
*Abiding in Christ*	John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
*Put off* *the old man and put on the new man*	Col 3:1-17

It is as you walk with Him that you become holy!

Mark 8:34, And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.

So how does all this work out when Jesus calls you to become a disciple?

3. Discipleship And Its Seriousness

Discipleship is serious business.

1. Discipleship involves self-denial.

If any man would come after me, let him deny himself,

Denying yourself means that you deny that you can sort out your life. Jesus calls you to turn from your mess and turn to Him. He is the only One who can take out your trash!

2. Discipleship involves servanthood.

If any man would come after me, let him deny himself,

Denying yourself means that you are letting Him be the boss.

There were Old Testament rules for when someone got into debt. There can be crushing debt that you cannot get out from under. Proverbs tells us that the borrower is the slave to the lender, and we experience that every day with our banks: the bank loans us money for a house, and we spend all the rest of our days worrying about repaying that debt. We wear the slave mark that says “Owned by the CBC!” or “NAB” or “ANZ”.

In Old Testament times, if things got bad, someone could sell himself out to a boss as a slave on one third the wages of a normal hired hand. But the boss would look after his food, clothing, shelter and family. It really wasn’t such a bad deal for a Jewish “slave’. Not only did he get looked after for 6 years, but at the end of it, he got to keep some of the stuff he had earned!

Deuteronomy 15: 12 “If your brother, a Hebrew man or a Hebrew woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall let him go free from you. 13 And when you let him go free from you, you shall not let him go empty-handed.

And if he got a good master.. some folks wouldn’t want to leave! Why leave if your boss looks after food, clothing, work and healthcare? It sounds a bit like the Army, or the Public Service!

Well if the slave liked the new deal, he could arrange to stay past the 6 year time limit.

Deuteronomy 15:16,17 But if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he is well-off with you, 17 then you shall take an awl, and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your slave forever. And to your female slave you shall do the same.

So if you saw someone walking down the street with a hole in his ear, you would have said “Man he must have a good master! I better remember that guy’s name! I may need a job one day!!”

Have you got a good Master? Is Jesus a good master? Hasn’t He loved you and cared for you and lead you along the way as your trusted in Him? That was why Paul loved to call himself “A bond-servant of Christ Jesus (Rom 1:1). He knew where to get a good deal! Will you serve Him?

3. Discipleship involves sacrifice.

If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross.

It costs to be a Christian!

The word sacrament comes from the Roman legion’s “sacramentum” a yearly ritual of a soldier offering incense to a bust of Caesar and declaring “Caesar is Lord!” It was understood that by offering that incense the soldier was vowing faithful service to Caesar even to die for him.

This sacrifice and oath was later required of every person within the Roman Empire. Of course, that brought Christians into conflict with the Empire. For a Christian the only declaration that could be made was “Jesus is Lord!” and all others are pretenders to the throne! He alone was worthy.

Have you made that sacramental vow to the Lord Jesus? As we share in communion, the Lord’s Supper, there is a sense in which this Sacrament is our opportunity to say “Jesus is Lord! And I will follow Him even until death!”

4. Discipleship involves sharing.

If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

The word sharing, means fellowship, communion, a getting to know one another at the deepest of levels. Jesus invites you to such a fellowship. Jesus said “And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”. (John 17:3)

He wants you to experience fellowship with Him as you walk along following Him.

Will you be a disciple of Jesus? If you are a Christian you are a disciple. You have entered a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, and you can never be the same again!

What Only the Elite Know 1Peter 1v6-9

2011-08-26T13:00:00.001+10:00

1 Peter 1: 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 8 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 receiving the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls.

Peter is writing to these members, the sojourners of the Diaspora of the six provinces Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia. The occasion of the writing of it is very apparent. When Nero, mad, insane emperor Nero accused the Christians of burning the Imperial city of Rome in order to take away the blame and suspicion from himself, he violently persecuted, decimated, hounded the followers of our Lord, these are the ones that have burned the city and they literally took those Christians -- this is about 64 A.D., he literally took those Christians and daubed them with pitch and used them, hung them up and used them for burning torches to line the streets of the city of Rome, while he furiously drove his chariot through the streets.

It was a vicious thing that happened under Nero. Now the provinces always copied the manners and the attitudes of the imperial city; only to an extremity. They did it more so. And when the provinces saw that the Caesar and the capital city persecuted and martyred the followers of Christ, they immediately followed example; only more viciously. So the trial by fire, the testing by fire that the Christians were undergoing in Rome became even more vicious in the provinces: Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia.

In that terrible persecution, the Apostle Paul was beheaded and Peter was crucified with his head down. Both of these great representatives of Christ lost their lives in this trial by fire. Simon Peter, before he was martyred, and he speaks of it in the second epistle, Simon Peter knowing he was going to be martyred, he writes these letters -- two of them -- here to these in the diaspora. The disciples of Christ that are scattered abroad in what we know today as Asia Minor. He wants the bbelievers to be Survivors in their faith. Are you a Survivor?

1. The Pain of Trial

A. Trials Are Real

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials

distressing

The historian Tacitus wrote concerning the trials believers were undergoing in those years “Mockery of every sort was added to their deaths. Covered by the skins of beasts they were torn by dogs and perished, or they were nailed to crosses, or they were doomed to the flames and burned, to serve as a nightly illumination, when daylight had expired. Nero offered his gardens for the spectacle, and was exhibiting a show in the circus, which he mingled with the people in the dress of a charioteer, or stood aloft in a carriage. Hence even for criminals who deserved extreme and exemplary punishment, there arose a feeling of compassion; for it was not as it seemed for the public good but to glut one man’s cruelty that they were being destroyed.”

The word used here, grieved… tells us that a trial is something that causes us grief and sorrow.

B. Trials Are Remarkable

poikilois: manifold trials, various trials …..Varicoloured

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials

PIERASMOS.. temptation vs 6

And trials dokimos vs 7

The word for temptation in verse six and for trial in verse seven, synonymous, they are alike with this little exception. The word translated temptation is pierasmos and the word translated trial is dokimos. Pierazo, the verbal form of it is a trial, a testing that could be neutral or have either connotation. A testing and the outcome may be bad. But dokimos or the verbal form dokimazo is a testing and the outcome is going to be good.

The trials may be a tempting by Satan to do wrong. They may be a testing that God allows that is neutral. But they come. And they are varicoloured. It may be a financial reversal, or it may be a financial windfall. It may be in the form of sickness, or persecution, or marital disharmony, or accidents or tragedies of one type or another, or loneliness. The testings come in all shades and are as varied as the people they occur to. Every person has a different personality, and some testings are peculiar to our personality. They are so varied.

C. Trials Are Required

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials

The words, if need be, tell us that sometimes trials are necessary. They don’t come by accident. They come “if need be.”

As we look back over Christian history, many of the people God has used mightily have been afflicted deeply. CH Spurgeon, of whom I seem to make mention weekly, was afflicted with deep, deep periods of depression, probably severe bipolar depression. Yet God used him to win thousands upon thousands to Himself. Perhaps you need to see today that the trial that so upsets you has come as need be. God knows what He is doing. He is purposeful. He never wastes a trial. He is seeking to achieve His purpose in your life through trials. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose, For whom he foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.

When a disaster happens, I have a habit of calling it “one of those things” Its actually one of those “All” things.

D. Trials Are Restricted

6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials

The time of a christian’s testing is short; you don’t have to endure it forever. The word here oligon means “a little, small , few” even though the period of testing may seem like forever for you right now, even though it may last for a lifetime, (although most trials rarely do) compared to eternity it a passing fleeting and quick.

2Corinthians 4:(16) Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (17) For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (18) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

E. Trials Are Refining

7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

tested… dokimos… approved… tested for improving and approving. Impurities rise to the surface, for pure gold is a heavy metal. They are then scraped off the top.

The Smelter knows it is done when he can see His face in the molten metal.

Gold is put to the fire, not to destroy it, but to purify it.

Hebrews 12:(5) And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, (6) because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son." (10) Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

The gold is then approved. It is proved to be real gold.

Your faith is proved to be genuine for the way in which you go through temptation and trial.

i.e. Jimmy Bakker, in his book, signifies that the trial of adultery, the temptation he didn’t resist, proved to him he didn’t have a genuine faith and relationship with God, and so was a blessing, that led him to the Saviour.

He was a Fake without A Foundation.

Luke 6:43 "For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 For every tree is known by its own fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. 45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

46 "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say? 47 Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. 49 But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great."

F. Trials Are Revealing

7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

James 1:(2) Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

(3) because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. (4)

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking

anything. (12) Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

2. The Power Of Trust

God loves faith. Faith is our believing in God and our trusting in God. When we have faith we are showing that God is good, God is trustworthy, God is dependable, God is supernatural and God is great. God loves faith so much that he gives it to us.
Illustration: When we put money in an interest bearing account we get more money. If you are fortunate enough to get 7% interest your money will double in 10 years. If you get 10% interest your money will double in 7 years. The bank just keeps giving you more and more money. It is the power of compounding.
God does something like that with faith. We believe in God and he compounds our faith. He grows it bigger and stronger and better. God loves doing this because God loves being trusted.

Faith is really valuable. It’s better than money. It’s worth more than gold or any other assets. All other assets eventually wear out and disappear but faith just keeps going and growing. It’s fabulous.
But sometimes you need to audit your account. Auditing is checking to make sure your asset is there and that it really is what it is supposed to be. The way to test faith is to see if it works when life is tough. Do we still trust God when we are disappointed, when we are sick, in pain and facing circumstances we would never choose?

Don’t worry, your faith will work! I’ve seen Christians worry that they won’t trust God and that they will cave in when life gets really difficult. My experience is that this seldom happens. Christian faith really works. Christians really believe in God and depend on God. Faith gets Christians through indescribable hardships.

1 Peter 1:7 These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Here’s what happens. Christians face problems. Christians trust God. Faith works. God takes care of them. It really works. We pass the test. We get a great audit report. It’s a wonderful reason to rejoice!

Unseen by our natural eyes. Like an artist picture of his personal conceptions of the picture he is to draw. So we see with eyes of faith and trust.

2. Would think this a great loss, but no, for our present time, place, it is best. John 16:7, II Cor 5:16. If Jesus was here, as we are now, in bodies of weakness our lives are now sensuous. I Peter 1:27, Luke 11:28. We are now so earthy, Acts 1:6 Before ascension, before Pentecost, disciples never got beyond an earthy Judean kingdom.

A. Trusting Produces Love

We are introduced to a spiritual love.

It is a spiritual love...sometimes adoring silence, other times irrepressible tears. Often time the Lord speaks to us in Scripture, and in our prayers, at times, acts of mercy in His Name. Witnessing and confessing and always an expression of love. Breaking an alabaster box, glorifying God in praise, in prayer, and in song.

B. Trusting Produces Joy

C. Trusting Produces Assurance

Trusting =Receiving Salvation

Like a mariner describing the ocean, some parts of the ocean surface, the currents going one way, but in the depths, the currents are going the opposite way.

It is like a pilot in his airplane, the clouds at differing levels, some moving in one direction, some moving in an opposite direction. But whatever the trial. I Peter 1:5 we're kept by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation. I Peter 1:9 receiving the end of you faith, even the salvation of your souls.

John 10:28

i. But we cry, but Lord, if in affliction we grow faint and we cry out, shall we not then perish? No, He says, "I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish."

ii. But Lord, the pain grows unbearable. Our senses begin to wander, but the Lord answers that same marvelous way, "I give unto them eternal life".

iii. But Lord, the temptations of the world and the enticements of the world are so great. But the Lord answers, " I give eternal life".

iv. But Lord, in this hour of extremity, all Hell , the devil, and his angels, finally beast, we have no power against such an onslaught. But God answers just the same...He gives us eternal life.

You remember the old song, WHEN THE STORMS OF LIFE ARE RAGING stand by me. When the world is tossing me, like a ship upon the sea. Thou, who loosed wind and water, stand by me. In trials and tribulation, stand by me. When the host of Hell assail and my strength begins to fail, thou who never lost a battle, stand by me.

The suffering of God's people is an everlasting stumbling block for many. That is the whole book of Job, why do the righteous suffer? The book never answers. Just the portrayal of the suffering. Job 29, 42.

The suffering of Christ. The prophets never understood, the disciples had to be taught. Luke 24:46

So the pattern for our lives.

a. We misunderstand. We suppose be a Christian now, there are no longer troubles and disappointments. But, actually we are fiercely assailed and called into sacrifice.

We come to understand, first the cross, then the crown. Remember the hymn, MUST JESUS BEAR THE CROSS ALONE.

Down in South American, at the big Wycliffe camp at Ruinacocha, two missionary girls from the jungle, who had won the chief Tairi to the Lord. Came to the camp to be healed, they were covered with sores. Their sacrifice was so evident, but they had won that tribe, with it's chief to Jesus. First the cross, then the crown.

Jesus, the very thought of Thee With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see, And in Thy presence rest.

Nor voice can sing, nor heart can frame, Nor can the memory find
A sweeter sound than Thy blest Name, O Savior of mankind!

O hope of every contrite heart, O joy of all the meek,
To those who fall, how kind Thou art! How good to those who seek!

But what to those who find? Ah, this Nor tongue nor pen can show;
The love of Jesus, what it is, None but His loved ones know.

Jesus, our only joy be Thou, As Thou our prize will be;
Jesus be Thou our glory now, And through eternity.

O Jesus, King most wonderful Thou Conqueror renowned,
Thou sweetness most ineffable In Whom all joys are found!

When once Thou visitest the heart, Then truth begins to shine,
Then earthly vanities depart, Then kindles love divine.

O Jesus, light of all below, Thou fount of living fire,
Surpassing all the joys we know, And all we can desire.

Jesus, may all confess Thy name, Thy wondrous love adore,
And, seeking Thee, themselves inflame To seek Thee more and more.

Thee, Jesus, may our voices bless, Thee may we love alone,
And ever in our lives express The image of Thine own.

O Jesus, Thou the beauty art Of angel worlds above;
Thy Name is music to the heart, Inflaming it with love.

O most sweet Jesus, hear the sighs Which unto Thee we send;
To Thee our inmost spirit cries; To Thee our prayers ascend.

Abide with us, and let Thy light Shine, Lord, on every heart;
Dispel the darkness of our night; And joy to all impart.

Jesus, our love and joy to Thee, The virgin’s holy Son,
All might and praise and glory be, While endless ages run.

Our reward and crown, is given us, at the coming of Christ.

Only in eternity will hope be in perfect fulfillment and weeping ended. A century ago the song-writer George Matheson understood this well and expressed it in the third verse of his magnificent hymn, O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go:
O joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain That morn shall tearless be.

Personal Revival

2011-08-26T12:56:00.001+10:00

1Peter 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. 10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: 11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. 12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: 15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

1. God's Precept For Holiness

A. A Command That We Must Obey

B. A Demand That We Must Observe

The Problem Of Impurity

The Problem Of Idolatry

The Problem Of Immorality

2. God's Pattern For Holiness

A. God Is Holy In His Person

B. God Is Holy In His Purpose

3. God's Process For Holiness

Because Of Your Spiritual History(2), Hope (3) and Heritage

A. We Must Be Determined To Be Holy

B. We Must Be Directed To Be Holy

C. We Must Be Devoted To Be Holy

1Peter 1:1-5 Live With Hope

2011-08-26T12:54:00.001+10:00

Soul Survivor Series 2

1 Peter 1:1-5 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

1. THE ESSENTIAL BIRTH OF YOUR LIVING HOPE

A. THE MERCY

B. THE MEANING

C. THE MIRACLE

D. THE MUST

2. THE ETERNAL BENEFITS OF YOUR LIVING HOPE

A. YOUR LIVING HOPE IS NOT DESTROYED

B. YOUR LIVING HOPE IS NOT DEFILED

C. YOUR LIVING HOPE IS NOT DIMINISHED

D. YOUR LIVING HOPE IS NOT DEPLETED

3. THE EVERYDAY BLESSINGS OF YOUR LIVING HOPE

A. YOU ARE COVERED

B. YOU CAN BE CONFIDENT

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

The series Australian Survivor is becoming one of the most popular series on television. It is even displacing Blue Healers for the number one show on Wednesday night TV. They are now up to day 26 and the contestants are showing weariness. They are slimming down, finding food able to sustain them being the major task of each day. What makes a person persevere under difficulty? What causes a person to keep on going? Viktor Frankl was a survivor of the Nazi death camp at Auschwitz. He was a Jewish psychiatrist from Vienna who concluded that the way people survived and kept their sanity was that they had hope. The people without hope committed suicide or just died.
Viktor Frankl endured years of unspeakable horror in Nazi death camps during World War 2, and partly because of his suffering, Frankl came to believe that the primary motivational force is man’s search for meaning. He said that there was a case for “Tragic Optimism.” That is, that one is and remains optimistic in spite of the “tragic triad” of pain, guilt and death that circumscribes human existence. It is saying “Yes to life in spite of everything.” That life is meaningful under even the most miserable of conditions. Frankl maintains that war time conditions in the death camps could lead a person to giveupitis; where, instead of getting up in the morning a soldier in a prison camp would just role over, lay there in the straw, urine and feces, then reach down to some hidden place and take out a cigarette. He said that then the others present knew that they had about 48 hours in which they would watch this person die. The bottom line issue was the issue of Hope. A person could live for a couple of months without food, a few days without water but only 2 days without hope. We all need hope to go on. We need hope when we lose our jobs. We need hope when our marriages break apart. We need hope when our lives seem to go nowhere. We need hope when our hearts are broken.

I saw a “Far side” comic in enjoyed. It showed a deer during hunting season with a strange birth mark of a target etched on its body. Another deer was looking at it and remarked “Bummer of a birth mark Harold.” In other words ..you got no hope boyo.

The hope that the contestants on the Survivor’s show have is that maybe they may win the $500, 000 prize money by outlasting the others. The other hope they have is that it will all be over in a couple of weeks, and they can go back to a nice warm bed, nice food and a shower.

How do you have hope when you are in the most miserable of conditions? What if there is not going to be any improvement?

Like the government geologist who had been authorized by the government to go around and conduct some seismographic tests at certain locations. He approached a farmer and said, “I need to go out into your pasture and take some readings.” The farmer looked at the government man and said, “You can’t go out in my field.” The worker got a little irate and pulled out an official government document signed by the Secretary of the Interior. He showed it to the farmer and said, “This piece of paper says I can go wherever I need to in order to conduct these tests.” The farmer said, “I don’t care what the paper says, you can’t go out in my field.” Well, the govt. employee was getting tired of this, so he just ignored the farmer and climbed over the fence. He walked out into the middle of the pasture and set up his equipment while the farmer was leaning on the fence. In a few minutes the ground began to shake and the geologist thought there was a minor earthquake—that is until he looked up and saw a huge angry bull charging across the pasture at him. The bull had his head lowered and was zeroed in on the poor geologist. The terrified guy forgot his equipment and started running toward the fence screaming to the farmer for help. The farmer hollered out to him, “Show him your papers!”

Where are you going to have hope when life comes barrelling down on you like a ton and a half of bull? How can a person have this Tragic Optimism, when truly all of life is circumscribed by pain, guilt and death? You and I need a hope that presses on beyond the conflicts of this life. We need an optimism that is not tragic, but one that is real. There is real hope that can undergird the life of a Christian! The Good News Is There is HOPE!!

1. THE ESSENTIAL BIRTH OF YOUR LIVING HOPE

A. THE MERCY

B. THE MEANING

John 1:(10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, {even} to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

C. THE MIRACLE

The reason he can talk to them about a "LIVELY HOPE", is because Jesus, who came, died, was buried and was raised to life again, made this promise in John 14:19: "…Because I live, ye shall live also."

When I ws in teacher's college at Wollongong, the Steelers were not known as powerful football team. Every week, there would be a little banner. For instance, when they were playing Cronulla, they put a big banner up that said, "Kill Cronulla." They lost. They were playing Manly Warringah. They put up a big banner that said, "Whip Warringah." They lost to Manly Warringah. They were playing Newcastle. I mean, we’re talking about Newcastle, that great football team. So the bookstore put up a banner in the window that said, "Maintain dignity against Newcastle" You know what they were saying? They’re saying, "It’s hopeless. I mean, there’s just no for us to win this game. We hope we’ll win, but we’re not real sure." We have a far better hope than that. It is based on the irrefutable fact of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

"While there's life, there's hope is an ancient Roman saying still quoted today and, like most adages, it has an element of truth but just having life gives no certainty about life.

Peter is saying, "Where there's Christ, there's hope.

On one occasion Michel Angelo turned to his fellow artists and said with frustration in his voice, " Why do you keep filling gallery after gallery with endless pictures on the one theme of Christ in weakness, Christ on the cross, and most of all, Christ hanging dead?" he asked. "Why do you concentrate on that passing episode as if it were the last word, as if the curtain dropped down there on disaster and defeat? That dreadful scene lasted only a few hours. But to the unending eternity Christ is alive; Christ rules and reigns and triumphs!"

Before His death, Jesus told the crowds that he must die, and be raised to life again, but they simply did not believe He could do such a thing.

The reason we have a "LIVELY HOPE" is because we have a "LIVING SAVIOR!" The Lord’s resurrection is proof that He is who He said He was.

(Ephesians 1:(19) and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, (20) which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, (21) far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. (Romans 8:(10) But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. (11) And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.

D. THE MUST John 3:7 You should not be surprised at my saying, `You must be born again.' You must have this living Hope. It is found in Jesus. You must be born again to have hope. The Lord Jesus explained John 3:3-5 "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

2. THE ETERNAL BENEFITS OF YOUR LIVING HOPE

Scottish preacher and hymn writer Horatius Bonar told about an unbeliever who said scoffingly, "It is upon an empty tomb that Christianity is founded." That critic felt he was making a damaging remark, but he was actually stating a powerful proof for Christ's claims. Christianity is what it is because of that empty tomb. As believers in Christ, we know that our faith has a solid foundation because He arose from the dead. The angelic announcement "He is not here but is risen" confirmed the fact that sin's penalty had been paid in full. As a result, salvation can be offered to all men everywhere.

Bonar also told about a certain man who wanted to destroy Christianity and replace it with a religious system of his own. When he failed to interest anyone in following him, he went to the French statesman Talleyrand for advice. Talleyrand replied, "Go and be crucified, and then raise yourself from the grave the third day."

All that He said and claimed is vindicated by His resurrection. All that Christ urged on his disciples is vindicated by His resurrection. The resurrection is God's way of saying, in language the world can understand, that Christ is all he claimed to be.

An agnostic professor once said to a little girl who believed in the Lord Jesus, "There have been many who have claimed to be Christ. How can you be sure who told the truth? Which one do you believe?" Without hesitation the youngster replied, "I believe in the One who rose from the dead!"

As a result we have the assured eternal benefits of that living hope:

We have A Lasting Inheritance.

A. YOUR LIVING HOPE IS NOT DESTROYED It's Death Proof. " incorruptible"

PACKAGED 2CO 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (NIV)

CORDED HOS 11:4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them. (NIV)

LABELLED EPH 1:13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, (NIV)

PAID FOR 1CO 6:20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

WAITING Revelation 21:(1) Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. (2) I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. (3) And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. (4) He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." (5) He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."

B. YOUR LIVING HOPE IS NOT DEFILED It's Sin Proof. "undefiled"

The word amianton is used to describe a mineral that was made into a fire resistant cloth. Whenever this material got dirty, the folks back then would throw the cloth into the fire which would turn it pure white without destroying it. The romans used it to wrap the bodies of their deceased loved ones in preparation for cremation. The fire would penetrate it, burning the remains, but the cloth was not affected by the heat, keeping the ashes intact. The fire of judgement cannot affect the believer’s inheritance.

Revelation 21:(21) The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass. (22) I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. (23) The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. (24) The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. (25) On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there. (26) The glory and honor of the nations will be brought into it. (27) Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb's book of life.

C. YOUR LIVING HOPE IS NOT DIMINISHED It's Time Proof. " fadeth not away"

The Greek word here amaranton signifies that its beauty and loveliness are not affected by the passing of time. The Christians inheritance does not wither and die.. it is eternal as God Himself is eternal.

D. YOUR LIVING HOPE IS NOT DEPLETED It is Eternal. "reserved in heaven"

Peter teaches that not only is the inheritance of the Christian safe for time and eternity, but so is the believer himself kept eternally secure. The word “kept” here is a military term meaning to garrison to guard and protect. This is in the perfect tense, signifying that the work having been once begun, will be brought to completion.

Phil 1: 6 being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

“The work which wisdom undertakes, Eternal mercy ne’er forsakes.”

“Determined to save, he watched o’er your path,

When Satan’s blind slave, you sported with death:

And can he have taught you to trust in his name,

And thus far have brought you to put you to shame?”

3. THE EVERYDAY BLESSINGS OF YOUR LIVING HOPE

A. YOU ARE COVERED

’My name from the palms of his hands

Eternity will not erase;

Impressed on his heart it remains

In marks Of indelible grace.

Yes, I to the end shall endure,

As sure as the earnest is given;

More happy, but not more secure,

Are the glorified spirits in heaven.”

ROM 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? (38) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, (39) neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

JOHN 10:(27) My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (28) I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. (29) My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all ; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. (30) I and the Father are one."

PHI 1:6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. (NIV)

Psalms 121:(1) I lift up my eyes to the hills; where does my help come from? (2) My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (3) He will not let your foot slip; he who watches over you will not slumber; (4) indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. (5) The Lord watches over you; the Lord is your shade at your right hand; (6) the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. (7) The Lord will keep you from all harm; he will watch over your life; (8) the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

B. YOU CAN BE CONFIDENT

Rom 15:13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

“Forget thee, I will not, I cannot; thy name

Engraved on my heart doth for ever remain;

The palms of my hands whilst I look on, I see

The wounds I received when suffering for thee.”

When the harbour Bridge was being built, I understand that the construction of the first half of the Bridge was extremely slow. There were about a dozen deaths as workmen fell from the bridge, and the whole process seemed so slow. Around the half way mark someone got the bright idea of building a safety net to catch falling workmen. Only one or two lost their lives in the remaining construction on the bridge, and the work went ahead at a great pace. What made the difference was confidence.

“Millions of years my wondering eyes,

Shall o’er thy beauties rove;

And endless ages I’ll adore

The glories of thy love.”

To use an old figure: be sure that you take a ticket all the way through. Many people have only believed in God to save them for a time; so long as they are faithful, or so long as they are earnest. Beloved, believe in God to keep you faithful and earnest all your life: take a ticket all the way through. Get a salvation which covers all risks. There is no other ticket issued from the authorized office but a through-ticket. Other tickets are forgeries. He that cannot keep you for ever cannot keep you a day. If the power of regeneration will not last through life, it may not last an hour. Faith in the everlasting covenant stirs my heart’s blood, fills me with grateful joy, inspires me with confidence, fires me with enthusiasm. I can never give up my belief in what the Lord hath said, “And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.”

“His honor is engaged to save The meanest of his sheep;

All that his heavenly Father gave, His hands securely keep.”

Mark 7:1-23 Cleaning Up Your Act

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External Cleansing

Outside-in Cleansing Doesn’t Work

•Political Cleaning Doesn’t Work

•Educational Cleaning Doesn’t Work

•Social Engineering Doesn’t Work

•Religious Cleaning Doesn’t Work

Sin Is

•A Spiritual thing not a Physical thing

•An Internal thing not an External thing

•A Potential thing before it becomes an Actual thing

Inside-out cleaning is what we need
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

You Need

Forgiveness

Acceptance

Inward cleansing

Transformation

How?

Inside Out Living

Mark 8:17-38 Seeing things God’s Way

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I had fallen asleep in the coffee shop of Denver airport very early one morning awaiting my connecting flight (I had slept on the airport floor that night). I awoke to see a lady sitting at my table opposite me, AND she had HER hand in MY cookie packet! (I had earlier bought two packets at the coffee shop, and had fallen asleep at the table as I waited for my flight). Shocked and surprised at the lady’s forwardness, I immediately asserted my ownership of the cookies by silently putting my hand into the bag and taking a cookie from the bag that sat between us on the table. SHE took ANOTHER! I took another! SHE took ANOTHER! I took another! She took another, and then, still in silence, left the table, as the cookie bag was now empty. I thought to myself “What a hide!! Some people!!” I walked to my plane, sat in my seat and reached into my travel bag to retrieve my Bible to read during the flight and found my TWO packets of cookies UNOPENED inside my bag! I had been eating HER cookies! She must have felt upset with the man stealing HER cookies! The lady was nowhere to be seen, but my face lit up the plane for embarrassment!

Have you ever made a stupid mistake like I did? Have you ever seen something, but not really understood what you were seeing?

Peter did! Mark (Peter’s Gospel) records for us how Jesus shook his disciples up for seeing, but just not getting it!

Mark 8: 17 And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” 20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” 21 And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

Then Jesus heals a blind man at Bethsaida, on the North side of the Sea of Galilee;

22 And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

Have you ever wondered why there is this imperfect miracle recorded here? It is the only imperfect miracle Jesus has ever done! And Mark is the only one who records it. Matthew, Luke and John pass over it. I guess it is an enacted message to Peter, “Peter, you are like that blind man! You now see Jesus, but you see Him so imperfectly. You just don’t get it!”

Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ! He saw who Jesus was!!

27 And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that I am?” 28 And they told him, “John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.” 29 And he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.” 30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

There are little statements in these passages that show that they are linked.

Mark often expresses a change of theme by a change of place. However, with each new place there is a common idea: it ahs something to do with confessing Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

26 And he sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”

30 And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.

38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

While the scene shifts, the common theme is that those who do not perceive clearly should not speak about Him, but that when you really perceive who Jesus is, then you should confess Him as your Saviour and Lord.

When Jesus foretells His death and resurrection, Peter just doesn’t see it! He just doesn’t get it!

31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33 But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” 34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

There are a lot of people who see that Jesus is the Son of God. The last census said that 65% of Aussies knew that Jesus was the Son of God! But so few really get it! They just don’t see.

1. Peter saw that Jesus was the Son of God!

Peter had seen his miracles! Feeding 5,000 and then later 4,000 with just a few loaves of bread an picking up afterwards tons of spare left overs from what had been left over!

Peter had seen Jesus perform miracles right there on the Sea of Galilee, stilling storms, walking on water, catching loads of fish when there weren’t any to be caught!

Peter had seen Messengers speak of Jesus. He had been right there when john the Baptist had declared that Jesus was the lamb of God come to take away the sins of the world! He had heard the voice of God the Father as Jesus was baptized, ““You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Peter had seen madmen healed (Mark 5); lame men walk (Mark 2) and mother-in-laws mended (Mark 1).

You Need To Move From A Popular Opinion About Jesus To A Personal Opinion About Jesus.

“Who do you say that I am?”

The popular opinion is that what counts with God is leading a decent life.

The popular opinion is that what counts with God is not what you say but how you live.

The popular opinion is that what counts with God is not being a hypocrite.

The crazy part if that that is not what counts with God. What counts with God is what you believe about Jesus!

John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.

John 5:24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36 But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Now this is so unpopular that this may be getting right up your nose! But its what God says!

In fact, believing something about Jesus was so critically important that Jesus said to Peter Matthew 16: 17 “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven”.

Peter knew Jesus was the Son of God, but he still didn’t get it!

Peter Didn’t See The Purpose Of Jesus’ Death. “Jesus was the Messiah, the King! He’d set up a kingdom! Dying as a martyr had nothing to do with it. Besides, if Jesus died, so might his disciples! Including..Me!!”

Peter Needed To See The Purpose Of Jesus’ Death Jesus rebuked him! Same word for casting out demons. WOW Jesus gave it to Peter. Full dose! WOW.. no half measures here. Jesus was serious about this!

Perhaps you are like the 63% of people in Australia that acknowledge that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, but you still don’t get it. You haven’t seen that He has come into the world to be your Saviour!

An elderly man said to me once, “I watched Mel Gibson’s Passion of the Christ. I was struck by the words at the start of the movie “Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.” (from Isaiah 53). He said, “I knew Jesus died for the world, but I didn’t know He died for my sins! Now I know it, and it is overwhelming!” He broke down in tears as the emotion of what he had finally seen made sense to him.

That is what Peter did not see at the time, but came to see later: 1 Peter 1:19 you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

You Need to See The Necessity Of Jesus’ Death 31 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things

He must suffer John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

Why MUST Jesus die? Was He going to be the victim of circumstances? No he was saying that in the plan of God, He MUST die, there was a necessity to it that He had chosen. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but has appeared for your sakes. He MUST die. Jesus had to die on the cross for your sins and mine or we could not go to heaven, we could not be ransomed. Jesus is the ransom , the atoning sacrifice for you! His precious blood was like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. His precious blood was poured out on the alter of the justice of God to atone for your sin and mine.

There was none other good enough to pay the price of sin, he only could unlock the gate of heaven and let us in.

For what you have done His blood must atone: The Father hath punished for you His dear Son.
The Lord, in the day of His anger, did lay Your sins on the Lamb, and He bore them away.

He dies to atone for sins not His own; Your debt He hath paid, and your work He hath done.
Ye all may receive the peace He did leave, Who made intercession, My Father, forgive!

For you and for me He prayed on the tree: The prayer is accepted, the sinner is free.
That sinner am I, who on Jesus rely, And come for the pardon God cannot deny.

You Need to See The Misery of Jesus’ Death the Son of Man must suffer many things…

But none of the ransomed ever knew How deep were the waters crossed;

Nor how dark was the night that the Lord passed through Ere He found His sheep that was lost.

He was made sin for us, He who knew no sin… He was not only despised and rejected by men, but He cried out, “My God my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?”

You Need To See The Victory Of Jesus’ Death “and after three days rise again.”

Jesus Calls You to A Serious Decision

34 And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37 For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”

Jesus Calls You to A Sensible Decision

Until Peter saw this, Peter could not respond to Jesus’ call to discipleship with a whole heart. When I first heard the words of Jesus “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” I responded in a legalistic manner “Well Lord, I guess so, but what are you really wanting from me? Does He want me to take a vow of poverty and have nothing all my life?” When I discovered the wonder of Jesus’ sacrifice at the cross for me, then I could respond “If Jesus Christ be God, and He died for me, then no sacrifice is too great for me to make for Him!”

Have you truly seen Jesus properly? Have you seen that He truly loved you and truly died for your sins at the cross? Then you will respond with gratitude too, and anything Jesus wants for your life will be fine by you too!

Behold his head His hands His feet, Sorrow and flow mingling down

Did ere such love and sorrow meet Or thorns compose so sweet a crown

Were the whole realm of nature mine that were an offering far too small

Love so amazing so Divine demands my soul my life my all.

If you have never seen what Jesus did for you at the cross, ask Him in prayer to show you. One young lady was asked to pray “Lord show me my sin!” After life became dismal as she saw her sins, her friend said to her, “Now pray, Lord show me my Saviour.” And her life was revolutionized as she saw what Jesus had done for her!

Jesus Calls You To A Satisfying Decision

Outlines on Mark’s Gospel

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Lesson 1. How It All Began Mark 1:1

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God

The Gospel of Mark (as narrated to Mark by the apostle Peter) is very modern in its style. It speaks to us of the breaking in of a whole new reality into a world that had become unreal.

The Matrix movies speak of a similar thing: the world as we know it is not the real world, and Neo (the “new” man) is given a new vision of what the world really looks like, and it is not good! Neo’s real world is not the day to day city life that he had grown up with, it was in fact a dream inculcated by machines that kept humans suppressed and narcotised in bubbles as the machines consumed their vital energies. Neo emerges to confront this whole new world.

In a similar manner the Beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the son of God, signals the breaking into our lost and confused sinful world of one who is unrivalled in His power and authority and who can set straight all that is broken in us and in our world. This Person who now breaks into our world and is Announced, Annointed and Approved to be the Son of God.

Announced

Jesus is displayed as the son of God by Prophetic Predictions:

As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3the voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight”

Jesus is displayed as the son of God by Historic Pronouncements:

John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John was the forerunner or herald for Jesus.

John understood who he was and what he was supposed to do.

Annointed

Jesus’ purpose as the Son of God is Displayed by His Human Identification

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.

10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

Jesus’ purpose as the Son of God is Displayed by His Heavenly Consecration

Approved

Jesus’ power as the Son of God is Displayed by His testing in the wilderness

12The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. 13And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.

Jesus’ power as the Son of God is Displayed by His command to the world.

14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

What keeps you from obeying Him?

Are you Unconcerned?

Are you Unbelieving?

Lesson 2. Mark 1:14-20

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” 16 Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. 17 And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” 18 And immediately they left their nets and followed him. 19 And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. 20 And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

The Jesus boat in Galilee

This is the sort of boat (some think perhaps even the same boat) that Jesus and his disciples used by the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus Knows Who You Are

(Fishermen and Failures)

And Offers You Fellowship

Jesus Knows Where You Are

(Family, firm securities, your planned future)

And He Offers to Take You Where He Is

Luke 9:23 "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.”

Jesus Knows What You Are Doing

(Fortune Fame Power Pleasure)

Ecclesiastes 1:1-2:1-11 Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity.“ What advantage does man have in all his work Which he does under the sun?

And Invites You To Take Part In What He Is Doing.

1 In pairs, imagine you are to recruit four friends to join you in tidying and rebuilding a play area in your town that has been vandalised.

• Which four people would you choose?

• What qualities would you look for in your helpers?

Explain why you have chosen these four.

2 Who are these first four to follow Jesus?

3 What was their job before he took them away?

4 What were his words to them?

5 What do you think it was about Jesus that made them join him?

6 In groups of three, role-play an interview between a reporter, Simon and Andrew. They are leaving town to work with Jesus.

Lesson 3 Jesus’ Immediate Authority Over Your Life Mark 1:21-45

"For the great enemy of truth is very often not the lie --deliberate, contrived and dishonest --but the myth --persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic," President John F. Kennedy told the 1962 graduating class of Yale University.

The myth has arisen that you could meet Jesus and yet be unchanged

Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee

Have you experienced Jesus’ authority to teach?

Have you experienced Jesus’ authority to deliver?

Have you experienced Jesus’ authority to heal?

Have you experienced Jesus’ authority in your life?

Lesson 4. Mark 2:1 You Need To Be Forgiven

Guilt shatters the personality

Guilt paralyzes the body.

Guilt paralyzes the human spirit

Guilt paralyzes the relationships marriage

He Can Forgive

Not what these hands have done Can save this guilty soul;

Not what this toiling flesh has borne Can make my spirit whole.

Not the labor of my hands Can fulfill Thy law’s demands;

Could my zeal no respite know, Could my tears forever flow,

All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone.

Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to the cross I cling;

Naked, come to Thee for dress; Helpless look to Thee for grace;

Foul, I to the fountain fly; Wash me, Savior, or I die.

I. He Releases the Sinner (Aphiemi)

II. He Announces the Sinner Released!

–The Accusation

–The Answer

–The Act

–The Acknowledgement

III. He Receives the Sinner

Lesson 5 Mark 2 and 3 Upsetting The Applecart

Real Christianity Annoys The Religious

Religion Brings A Funeral Jesus Brings A Feast

19And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.

Religion Brings A Burden Jesus Brings A Blessing

24And the Pharisees said to Him, "Look, why do they do what is not lawful on the Sabbath?“ 25But He said to them, "Have you never read what David did when he was in need and hungry, he and those with him:

27"The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath. 28Therefore the Son of Man is also Lord of the Sabbath

•The Laws Of The Sabbath •The Limits Of The Sabbath

Matthew 12 6Yet I say to you that in this place there is One greater than the temple.

7But if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice, 'you would not have condemned the guiltless.

11 Then He said to them, "What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift It out? 12 Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath."

Real Christianity Annoys The Rebel

The LORD Of The Sabbath is

•Greater than the Temple

•Lord Of The Sabbath

Religion Brings Barrenness Jesus Brings Bounty

4Then He said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they kept silent. And when He had looked around at them with anger, being grieved by the hardness of their hearts, He said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." And he stretched itout, and his hand was restored as whole as the other.

Joy

•For Pardon from God

•For Power For God

•For Presence Of God

•For Purpose For Life

Lesson 6. The Unforgivable Sin

Mark 3

They sinned against redemption.

They sinned against reason.

–Isaiah 1:18

They sinned against revelation

(1) Satan is strong, but Jesus is stronger!

27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work…the one who is in

you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 John 3:8, 4:4)

(2) It’s impossible to be neutral about Jesus

25And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

(3) God graciously forgives every sin except one

28“Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter,

(4) The only unforgivable sin is finally saying, “NO” to the Holy Spirit’s call to repent and be saved

29but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—

The Unforgiveable Sin

The deceiving power of this sin.

The deadening power of this sin.

Hebrews 3: 7,8

The damning power of this sin.

Hebrews 6:4-6

Lesson 7 Definitely Converted? or Deceptively Close? Mark 4:1-20

soil types

The Definitely Converted

Mar 4:8 "Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."

A Committed Mind

Root

Shoot

Fruit

The Deceptively Close

Matthew 7: 21“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

15And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them.

A Closed Mind

No Root

No Shoot

No Fruit

A Cloudy Mind

Little Root

Some Shoot

No Fruit

thorny ground

And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.

A Cluttered Mind

Root

Shoot

No Fruit

18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word,

19but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Mark 4:7 "Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop.”

“But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

•The seed is the Word

•Hear it

•Receive it

•Rejoice in it, (meditate on it, chew it over, apply it to yourself)

•Reproduce it

Lesson 8 Mark 4 :35 What You Can Learn In A Storm

35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. 38 But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” 39 And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” 41 And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

God’s Purpose Includes Storms

35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."

God’s Purpose Includes Stretching

38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow

God’s Purpose Includes Stupidity

"Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?"

God’s Purpose Includes Surprises

Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!"And the wind ceased and there was a great calm

God’s Purpose Includes Strengthening

40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?"

God’s Purpose Includes Shuddering

"Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!"And they feared exceedingly,

Lesson 9 What Are You Doing With Jesus? Mark 5:1-20

Decapolis literally means The Ten Cities

With the conquests of Alexander the Great (300BC) there had been a Greek penetration into Palestine and Syria.

Semi-independence down until the time of the Maccabees(200BC -63BC)

Greek styled cities, inhabited by Jews and Gentiles

There Was Disorder in This Community

•A Miserable Soul

Demon-possessed

Demented

Defeated

Dead

•Some Miserly Souls

There Was The Display Of Christ

•An Adequate Saviour

•An Authoritative Saviour

–Changes us

–Controls us

There Was The Dismissal Of Christ

· An Inexcusable Tragedy

–“Don’t Disturb My Comfort”

–“Don’t Disturb My Possessions”

· An Inescapable Testimony

–Converted

–Called

–Commissioned

Lesson 11 Walking on the Water. Mark 6:45-56

45 Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. 46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them. And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded, 52 for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened. 53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

A friend had the opportunity to take a great holiday yachting around the WhitSunday islands in Queensland. As often happens to my friend, he was there for the unexpected and momentous event of a cyclone. At first the captain of the vessel headed out to sea to attempt to ride out the storm (as on Gilligan’s island), and later decided that it was way too dangerous for their small catamaran, so he sought anchorage in a small creek on an island. The yachties (who were not yachties at all, just holidaymakers) secured their vessel by 6 ropes to mangrove trees on opposite sides of the bank, ensuring that their boat would not be able to move in any direction whichever way the wind would be blowing upon them. When life becomes tumultuous, when sorrows and tragedies blow into our lives, then we need some good anchor points to hold our life in place.

The Lord Jesus has given us those six anchor points in this passage of Mark’s gospel.

When you are blown about by storms in life you can always have:

God’s Providence to Govern You

He made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side,

God’s Plan to Grow You

Rom 8:2828 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

The Scope of your growth “in all these things” “all things”

The Source of your growth “through Him who loved us”

Christ’s Prayer’s to Grace You

46 And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray. 47 And when evening came, the boat was out on the sea, and he was alone on the land. 48 And he saw that they were making headway painfully, for the wind was against them.

Christ’s Presence to Gladden you

And about the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. He meant to pass by them,

God’s Power to Guard You

He meant to pass by them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and cried out, 50 for they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” 51 And he got into the boat with them, and the wind ceased. And they were utterly astounded,

God’s Purpose to Guide You

53 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. 54 And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him 55 and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.