Someone I can trust - Isaiah 9:7

Someone I can Trust!

December 18, 2011 - Advent 4

Isaiah 9:7

Introduction

• When I was still little, my dad had a workbench
• In my mind’s eye it was very high up, of course it was only at dad’s waist level
• Later on, at that workbench, I would learn to use a coping saw, and learn some elementary woodwork
• But when I was still little, dad lifted me up and set me on the workbench. It seemed so high up
• Then dad stood in front of me and told me to jump.
• I was scared stiff
• But I jumped, and dad caught me
• I trusted that my dad would not let me fall
• How often in life are we faced with situations and we have to trust someone?
• As I grew up, though, I learned not to trust
• I went through experiences where I learned to expect the worst
• There were benefits to expecting the worst, it enabled me to put up a defense and make preparation, so I could limit the damage
• This was useful in later life when I worked as the personal assistant to an international publishing director
• We would enter into multi-million dollar agreements with major printers
• One of my assignments was to read the fine print in the contracts, looking for the loopholes, anything that could damage us.
• So my defensive stance was a benefit in that area.
• But so often it was not a benefit but a handicap
• It meant that to trust someone was a major issue
• I was a very defensive person.
• Thankfully, Jesus set me free from this attribute, and today I generally believe the best of people
• Though occasionally I still find myself expecting the worst to happen, and later find out this had no substance to it at all, it was that old mistrust coming up again.
• Today is the fourth week of advent. In previous weeks we have examined Jesus as Healer, as Savior, as Baptizer with the Holy Spirit.
• Today we will look at Jesus as our King

Jesus born to be King

• Isaiah 9:6-7
• Jesus was born to be King
• As we go through the Old Testament, we see the record of many kings of Israel and Judah
• Usually, their son would be born to be king
• But that was not enough to determine what kind of king he would be
• A good king was often followed by a bad king
• Occasionally a bad king was followed by a good king
• Jesus was born to be King
• But this prophecy tells us he is going to be a good king
• He will reign with justice and righteousness
• This means that he will be a king you can depend upon
• So often in election campaigns you wonder, which of the names you can trust to follow through on their promises.
• Trust is an issue in politics
• But Jesus is going to be the leader we can trust
• Isaiah 11:1-5
• Jesus will deal with people according to their personal choices
• Those who live God’s way will be blessed
• And those who refuse to allow Jesus to be king will be taught the error of their ways
• Trust is a major issue
• At one level, people will learn by experience that God’s way is best
• As they see the good results of submitting to Jesus’ rule, they will flock to Israel to learn from Jesus
• Isaiah 2:2-5
• All this is yet future

Jesus as our personal King

• But how about today?
• Jesus was born to be King in our life today!
• He is trustworthy
• Isaiah 42:1-7 – a bruised reed He shall not break
• This passage was used by Jesus to characterize his ministry
• Matt 12:20
• Jesus came to give help to those who are weary and downtrodden
• We may feel like we cannot trust people any more
• But Jesus came to give us hope, and when we trust him in our lives, we experience freedom in our lives
• He does not tie heavy loads on our shoulders, but he carries our burdens
• Matt 11:28
• His relationship with us today, and with the whole world when he returns to reign over this earth, is based on love
• Jesus love is sacrifial love – he died to give us freedom
• Rom 5:8
• But it takes personal surrender to Him
• Romans 10:9-10 Confess Jesus is Lord
• We are told faith without works is dead
• We can believe Jesus is alive, but that is not enough
• We have to step out in trust, in surrendering ourselves to Him
• Surrender is a hard word to pronounce if we have been betrayed
• But Jesus is different
• All human beings have feet of clay
• But Jesus is faithful and he will guide and help us achieve the finish line
• Philippians 1:6

Conclusion

• Human beings let us down
• They damage the trust that we were born with as babies
• But Jesus has shown himself faithful and trustworthy
• He showed this by dying for us 2000 years ago
• He showed it by opening our hearts to the gospel
• He shows it each day as He answers our prayers and as He helps us along this journey called life
• And He will show his faithfulness that day when we stand before Him and He tells us “Well done good and faithfull servant, enter into the joy of your Lord
• So let go of your inhibi6tions and choose to surrender to your king
• Jesus is the King who was born to reign in our lives, and who is promised to one day reign as King over the whole earth

The Pilgrim's Progress - Matthew 3:11

The Pilgrim’s Progress
December 11, 2011 - Advent 2 & 3
Matthew 3:11

Introduction
- On June 4, 1783 at the market square of a French village of Annonay, not far from Paris, a smoky bonfire on a raised platform was fed by wet straw and old wool rages.
- Tethered above, straining its lines, was a huge taffeta bag 33 feet in diameter.
- In the presence of "a respectable assembly and a great many other people," and accompanied by great cheering, the balloon was cut from its moorings and set free to rise majestically into the noon sky.
- Six thousand feet into the air it went -- the first public ascent of a balloon, the first step in the history of human flight.
- It came to earth several miles away in a field, where it was promptly attacked by pitchfork-waving peasants and torn to pieces as an instrument of evil!   (Today in the Word, July 15, 1993)
- Often in life something new or different causes fear
- People in general do not like change
- You see it in addiction, the force to stay where you are is almost insurmountable
- When an addict recovers from his addiction and reunites with his family, there is a process called homeostasis
- In short this means that the family continues to see the person as he was rather than as he is now, and expects him to fail
- This is a major temptation for the addict to relapse
- Yet, the way forward involves change – change in actions, change in attitudes
- God gave us laws to live by.  They are outlined in the 10 commandments, and summarized by Jesus when he says we should love God with all our heart mind and soul, and love our neighbor as ourselves
- When we break these laws, God calls this sin (1 Jn 3:4)
- When we look back we see all kinds of sin in our life
- This sin separates us from God
- It doesn’t matter if we accepted Jesus 30 years ago, sin still separates us from God
- It’s because we carry guilt, and when we carry guilt it damages our relationship with the one who was sinned against
- We often don’t want to face up to our sins, because that would be an admission of guilt and loss of face
- But the way forward starts with facing our sin

Jesus comes as Savior – Advent 2
- Jesus came to save us from our sins.  Whether we are Christian or not
- He paid the price that a just God requires for disobedience to God’s higher law
- Because of Jesus dying on the cross for us, we can face our sins, deal with them and move along in our journey with God
- Jesus makes it possible for us to face our weaknesses, and address them
- His will for us is that we move forward, not that we stand still in our spiritual journey
- But when we refuse to face our issues, we are stagnant and ignoring God’s intention for our life.
- Change is needed.  It goes against our nature, we are very happy with homeostasis, and staying where we are at
- Some of the issues to face, are seemingly small things
- But some of our issues are very ingrained
- Some seem almost insurmountable, like a Mount Everest in our life
- So how can we deal with these things?

Jesus comes as our Baptizer – Advent 3
- The Israelites in the old Testament had problems
- They were whiners and complainers and idolators
- They turned away from God, wanting to do things their own way
- But from time to time there would be a revival
- Josiah, for instance
- He cleaned out the temple, he threw away and demolished all the pagan idols
- Revival entered the land
- But after he died, things went back to the way they were before
- His son turned against God and the land relapsed
- To make permanent change we need the power of the Holy Spirit
- Jesus came to send us the Holy Spirit, to give us the power to be obedient to God
- Matthew 3:11
- When a person turns to Jesus, they receive the Holy Spirit
- Acts 2:38, Eph 1:13-14
- The Holy Spirit makes us a child of God
- Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit become a part of our lives, and make their home in us (John 14:16-17, 20, 23)
- We are now a new creation, we are different and we desire to be obedient to God (2 Cor 5:17)
- Jesus breathed on the disciples on Resurrection Day, and said “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22)
- The disciples were now a new creation!
- Jesus had just said, “As the Father sent me, I am sending you” - John 20:21
- But in the next chapter we read that Peter relapsed to his former life – he went back home to Galilee and restarted his old business!  Can you imagine?
- Peter, the disciples who went with him, and all of us, need power to live our Christian life to fullest
- This power come through being filled with the Holy Spirit
- Acts 2:8
- Being filled with the Spirit gives us a boldness that cannot be quenched
- We receive the Holy Spirit in a way that He fills every part of our life
- He is a special gift from God, for us
- Being filled with the Holy Spirit empowers us to live in obedience to our God
- When we receive this gift, He gives us a heavenly language to speak
- It is a language between God and us, which builds us up spiritually and helps us to love others the way God loves them (1 Cor 14:2, 4, 18, 39-40)
- It is a prayer language between us and God, which enables us to pray according to God’s will (Rom 8:26-27)
- This may be something new for us, or it may not
- Don’t be afraid of something new, God only gives us good gifts (Luke 11:9-13)
- Even if we have been filled with the Spirit before, we need to be filled continually (Eph 5:18)
- The experiences of life deplete the spiritual resources the Holy Spirit once gave us
- We need God’s touch again

Conclusion
- The Christian’s journey marches forward
- It was made possible by Jesus coming as our Savior, and as our Baptizer
- Today we will open up the altar for prayer
- If you want to accept Jesus for the first time, if you want to be filled with the Holy Spirit, or if you would like prayer for any other reason, today is the day the Lord has made for you!

Jesus heals today - John 5:8

Jesus Heals Today!

December 4, 2012

John 5:8

Introduction

• Today we are going to talk about the subject of healing, specifically about a miracle Jesus performed 2000 years ago
• Around 9 years ago, Dianne and I vistited Harvest Rock church in Pasadena
• During the worship there was a general expectancy for healing, the presence of the Holy Spirit was totally evident
• I was standing at the front, worshiping, and noticed someone praying with a person who was on his knees
• I joined in and others did too
• This man was leaning on his crutches
• For two years he had been paralyzed and unable to walk without the aid of his crutches
• He had come, expecting healing.
• We prayed and prayed for this man. He would try to pull himself up on his crutches, time and time again.
• He received strength in his legs, gradually, and first he was able to stand, then take one step, then another. Finally he could walk normally! He threw his crutches down, walked on the podium and worshiped God
• The rest of the conference we saw him walking around, carrying his crutches, telling everyone about what had happened
• Today I want to help you understand some principles that are evident in the miracle Jesus performed at the Pool of Bethesda
• John 5:1-9

Background

• This was just before the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus went up to Jerusalem to keep the Feast, in obedience to Deut 16:16
• This is a reminder to us that we should not forsake the assembling of ourselves together – Heb 10:25
• We need these times together in the presence of God to receive encouragement, otherwise we can become isolated and depressed.
• In Jesus day there was a pool at the north side of the temple area
• This pool has been uncovered by archaeologists
• In times past it seems to have been a place where sheep were cleaned before being slaughtered, but in Jesus day it became a place where the infirm would hang out
• John mentions the blind, the lame and the paralyzed
• They would wait here for something special to happen
• Remember that for 600 years there had been no prophets in Israel, no sign of God’s involvement with his people
• But now, at the appearing of the Messiah, God does something special. Periodically, and angel would come and stir ip the waters of this pool
• The first one into the water would be healed
• The disabled who were waiting around the pool were eager to be the first one in

The paralytic

• There was one person there who was paralyzed
• The Greek word here refers to weakness, so he was probably either lame or paralyzed
• He had been an invalid for 38 years
• Time after time he had seen the waters be stirred up by the angel, time after time he had seen people be healed
• But he felt it was not for him because he couldn’t seem to get to the water fast enough
• How many of us have seen healings, maybe many times?
• We have seen God do extraordinary things
• Yet when we are ill ourselves, we feel, it’s not for me
• We can have faith that others will be made well, but we’re not that sure about ourselves
• In some ways we may be like this man
• Maybe it is not physical healing that we need
• Maybe it is some relational issue
• Maybe we have been married for 38 years and we have given up that things could ever be better
• I tell you this morning that God wants to bring healing into your life like a flood of refreshing water
• God wants to pour out His grace and mercy in your life
• Bethesda means House of Mercy
• Come to the waters and be washed and be set free from the shackles that have held you back

The healing

• This particular morning Jesus goes out of his way to visit this man, personally. He did what the Father was saying to Him
• Jesus normally entered the temple area from the east, from the Mount of Olives
• He normally would not go to the area of the Pool of Bethesda, because it was very close to the Roman garrison called Antonia
• This morning he took a side trip to visit this man
• What does this mean?
• This man was special to God
• Despite the years of suffering, disappointment and discouragement, there was a time that this man was going to be healed
• God stepped into his life, told him, “Take up your mat and walk” and performed a miracle
• You may have gone through difficult stuff in your life and you may have despaired that could ever change
• With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible
• All we need to do is to come boldly to the throne of grace to find help in time of need

Conclusion

• So don’t despair
• Believe that God can change your circumstances, he can heal your body, he can make all things new
• Today is the first day of your future
• Are you going to allow your future to stay the same as your past?
• Or are you going to ask God for a miracle this day?

A grateful heart - Psalm 105:1

A grateful heart

November 20, 2011

Psalm 105:1

Introduction

• Gratitude is hard is unusual these days
• When I was in Bible college, I went on a trip through France, together with a friend, Bob.
• We did this trip on a 125cc Vespa which we had rented in London.
• Many things happened on this trip, which was really a formative experience for me
• The Vespa had mechanical problems, and a week later we had a “scooter wreck” I guess you would call it
• The repairs took about every penny we had, I even used the money dad had sent to buy an overcoat for the winter.
• We thought we had enough money to get us back to college, just. But we had to figure out every penny.
• Bob was driving and I would look over his shoulder to see the gas needle steadily getting towards the empty mark
• We stopped about 20 miles from the border, to use our last French coins to buy gas.
• The needle continued its progression toward the red mark on the dial
• We were praying that God would make the gas last
• The gas finally ran out on the top of a hill in Calais, the port where we would take the ferry back to England. I was able to push the scooter onto the ferry. We were saved, we thought.
• When we got to England, we used all our English money to fill the tank up, and then celebrated with a bar of chocolate and some fish and chips. No money left.
• As we drove on towards St Albans something was wrong.
• The gas guage was dropping alarmingly fast. Mile after mile, the needle dropped steadily towards the red zone, and then even further. We were praying as though our lives depended on it
• We were so glad when we finally turned into the College grounds around midnight! We had made it!
• The next morning I looked into the gas tank. It was bone dry!
• We were so grateful to God for taking care of us on this eventful trip!
• But we often experience God’s grace in our lives and neglect to thank him.
• Today we are taking a look at gratitude, especially in view of Thanksgiving this Thursday

Gratitude looks at what we have, not what we don’t have

• James 1:17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows
• Phil 4:8 – look at what we have, not at what we don’t have
• Be thankful for what we have received and God has granted us, not what he seems to have withheld from us, at least for the moment
• I remember one person who lost her child to cancer.
• Year after year she walked around grieving her loss, never seemingly able to move on
• Last night Dianne and I saw the movie Courageous, and the point was made to look at the years God has allowed us to enjoy our child’s presence, and the good times, rather than the things we will miss because they are no longer here
• This gives a different perspective
• Thanks and gratitude help us to move on

Gratitude comes from trusting God

• Mat 6:8 - Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him
• :33 _ needs not wants
• when we trust God to supply, we can be content with what he gives us
• we may wish that we could be somewhere else, but this is where God has placed us
• we may want a better job, but this is what God has supplied us
• If I am trusting God’s hand over my life, I can be content wherever I am
• Phil 4:10-13 - contented
• 1 Tim 6:6 - But godliness with contentment is great gain
• Look at what God has done, not what has not yet been done

Gratitude is expressed

• Psalm 105:1 - Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.
• 1 Thes 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus
• Our thanks needs to be expressed
• Gratitude is not just a warm bubbly feeling inside
• It is something that is expressed, to God, to the one who has benefited us, and to our associates
• Something that is bottled up is dead and stagnant and does not help anybody
• It is when we express gratitude that it makes a change in the way we see things
• When we express gratitude discontent cannot take hold
• When we express gratitude we touch others with God’s benefits on our behalf
• Gratitude is dead without expression
• James 2:18-20

Conclusion

• My granddaughter has been posting on Facebook, something she is grateful for, every day!
• I think this is so awesome!
• This doesn’t mean her life has been easy, on the contrary
• But she has chosen to be grateful
• That is what it comes down to
• Our circumstances do not dictate whether or not to be grateful.
• We choose to be grateful
• So let’s be thankful this Thanksgiving, and every day

We Will Remember Them! - Heb 11:39-40

We will remember them ..

November 13, 2011

Hebrews 11:39-40

Introduction

• Friday was Veteran’s Day
• On this day we remember those who defend our country both today and in the past. It includes those in law enforcement and our firemen
• How many of us have been in the military, in the past, or currently?
• On behalf of this congregation, I want to thank you for your selflessness in choosing to fight for our country and freedom
• Soldiers, sailors and airmen fought for our freedom
• They fought in the trenches of Belgium, they fought on the beaches or Normandy,
• They fought in Vietnam, In Korea, Iraq, Afghanistan
• They put their lives on the line in fighting crime, or in rescuing people from the rubble of the twin towers
• Wherever they fought, there is a character profile that goes along with being a veteran
• Today we are going to look at this character profile
• Because each of us is called to be a veteran

Qualities of a veteran

• Care about others
• Captain Joshua Byers, a West Point man born in South Carolina who died in Iraq. When this son of missionaries was given command of a 120-man combat unit, he wrote this to his parents: "I will give the men everything I have to give. I love them already, just because they’re mine. I pray, with all my heart, that I will be able to take every single one of them home safe when we finish our mission here."
• A veteran cares about others
• Veterans whom we remember did not do it out of a selfish desire for glory or honor
• They did it out of a desire to serve humanity
• When our soldiers go to far off lands to fight for the cause of freedom, there is something more important than self that motivates them
• Each of us has been called as a light in the darkness
• We have not been called for our own salvation
• We have not been called to bank brownie points in heaven
• We have been called to make a difference in a dark and hurting world
• A veteran is a person of faith
• Sergeant Major Michael Stack, who was laid to rest at Arlington, wore the uniform for 28 years and is remembered as a soldier’s soldier. The sergeant major must have been quite a guy. When he was a young platoon sergeant, the recruits gave him a nickname: No Slack Billy Jack Stack. By all accounts, he was the kind of man you want in charge of a tough situation. And by the account of his mother, he finished his goodbyes with these words: "Mom, I’m going because I believe in what I am doing. And if I don’t come back, we will meet in a better place."
• We have been called to be men and women of faith
• Without faith we just won’t cut it
• Faith is an essential ingredient of a veteran’s character
• We must believe in what we are doing
• This means it is not a 30- minute a day exercise in devotions
• No, it is the core of our beliefs, at the center of our being
• Heb 11:6
• It takes real living faith to be a Christian
• There will be obstacles and things in our way
• But the kingdom of heaven is stormed by men of violence, with fire in their bellies and a faith that surmounts every obstacles
• A veteran perseveres
• The veteran perseveres to the end
• The battle is not over until it is won
• Veterans kept fighting under terrible circumstances
• In WW1 – the battles in the trenches were horrible
• But the allies persevered until the war was won
• Christians too, can never surrender
• We are engaged in a war that will only be complete when the last enemy has been vanquished
• 1 Cor 15:50-56

Jesus our veteran

• Jesus went before us and fought every battle that we will ever fight
• Hebrews tells us that Jesus was made perfect through sufferings
• This does not mean he was imperfect before,
• But he was perfected and made complete by the suff3erings he experienced
• Jesus loved us more than we can imagine
• He gave up everything to fight to the death so that we might have freedom
• He believed in his cause so that he persisted in absolute and total obedience to his Commander in chief, the whole of his life
• He never once turned and fled from the enemy
• He stood and fought against terrible odds
• But he persevered to the end
• On the cross his last and final words were, "It is finished"
• He had completed the reason why he came here
• And death was swallowed up in victory the moment that Jesus triumphantly rose from the dead!

Conclusion

• Jesus came so that you and I could have freedom
• This is the message of the gospel
• Have you experienced the freedom that Jesus came to give you
• Do you appreciate that Jesus made freedom possible for you?
• you will have the opportunity to accept Jesus today, and experience the freedom from guilt and sin that he came to bring
• Before he came, you would have had to die in your sins
• But he came to give you a new beginning, a fresh start, free from guilt
• Will you surrender your life to Him, today?

Watch and Pray! - Mark 13

Watch and Pray!

November 6, 2011

Mark 13:1-37

Introduction

• I am sure we would all love to know what is going to happen tomorrow!
• If you know what is coming, you can take precautionary measures
• I remember one day when I was a teenager in Sydney Australia, the sky became an ominous yellow and became darker and darker
• I hurried home to safety, because something bad seemed about to happen
• Colonel Davenport was the Speaker of the Connecticut House of Representatives.
• One day in 1789, the sky of Hartford darkened ominously, and some of the representatives, glancing out the windows, feared the end was at hand. Quelling a clamor for immediate adjournment, Davenport rose and said, "The Day of Judgment is either approaching or it is not. If it is not, there is no cause for adjournment. If it is, I choose to be found doing my duty. Therefore, I wish that candles be brought."
• Today we are going to take a peek at what Jesus tells us about the future, and focus on the underlying message he tells us to remember, and how to make preparat6ion for it

Disciples ask about the temple at Jerusalem

• Mark 13:1-4 What will be the sign?
• The disciples were there in real time
• They saw the magnificent temple built by King Herod 50 years before to appease the Jews during the Roman occupation
• It was awesome!
• It was built of enormous building blocks 50 feet wide, which were quarried from underneath Jerusalem near the northern entrance called the Damascus Gate
• The temple itself was 165 feet tall, as tall as a 16-story building
• It stood on the top of what previously was known as Mount Moriah, where Abraham was told to sacrifice his son Isaac
• But while they were sitting on the mount of Olives, overlooking the temple mount, the disciples asked what he meant by the destruction of the temple, and how would they know when this would happen?
• 40 years later, the Romans destroyed the Temple
• In response to their questions, Jesus tells them a summary of what the next couple of thousand years would be like
• And he gives us a warning, to watch and pray!

The future

• V5-8 Deceivers, wars, earthquakes, famines
• These things have been with us ever since the time Jesus uttered these words
• There have been people saying that they were Christ, and they are easy to spot as imposters
• But there have also been people saying Jesus was Christ, and used this as a vehicle for deception
• There have only been around 2 years of absolute peace in the world since 1900 and if you want to check it out take a look at Wikipedia which lists all recorded wars starting before 1000 ad
• As Jesus says, these are the beginning of birth pains
• What is the birth? It is the birth of Jesus’ rule as king over this whole planet!
• One of our Foursquare symbols is the crown which represents Jesus our Soon-Coming King
• Then Jesus continues
• V9-13 – there will be persecution of Christians
• Many will have to stand for their beliefs, under pain of death
• Hundreds of thousands of Christians have been martyred during the last 2000 years
• But more Christians were martyred during the last century than during the previous 1900 years
• It doesn’t make the headlines in the newspapers, but Christians die for their faith in many countries around the world
• V14-20 - Prophecy tells us there will be a future time of persecution which will be the worst ever in history
• V21-23 – We are reminded to be on our guard against deception, even if it is supported by miracles
• V24-26 – Then there will be miraculous signs in the skies above us – the sun will be darkened, the light from the moon will be extinguished, and there will be meteor showers.
• This is the time of Jesus’ return
• The elect, the Church, will be gathered together with him at the time of the rapture, and Jesus will return with power and great glory

The warning

• V28-37 – we don’t know when Jesus will return
• But we are told to be awake and on our guard not to be deceived
• V5 – watch out that no one deceives you
• V9 – You must be on your guard
• V23 – So be on your guard; I have told you everything ahead of time
• V33 – Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come
• V36 – If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!
• For each of us, the future is uncertain
• We don’t know when we will see Jesus’ return
• Will we experience the things we have been talking about?
• We don’t know, because we may go home to be with Jesus tonight
• The focus is that we should be watchful and praying, and doing the task God has given us
• When we are doing our job, we have nothing to fear

Conclusion

• So be on the job
• I remember someone with whom I used to work while at college, who would literally lie down on the job
• I knew someone else who would take a nap in the waste paper bins at a printing press where I used to work
• Don’t be a Christian who gets tired and lays down on the job
• Be doing what Jesus tells us – occupy till I come

Christian Halloween? - Eph 6:12

Christian Halloween?

October 30, 2011

Eph 6:12

Introduction

• Tomorrow evening, kids and adults all over Susanville will be celebrating Halloween
• We see it as a lot of fun, kids enjoy dressing up, it’s a family thing
• It seems like something wholesome, part of the American way of life
• As a matter of fact, it has become a multi billion dollar industry, second only to Christmas
• Sales of costumes, candy, party supplies, greeting cards, tours of haunted houses, movies
• It is huge
• But do we know how Halloween started, and more to the point, is it something we as Christians should be involved in?
• Is it some kind of demon worship?
• Or is it a harmless offshoot of some pagan ritual?
• Today, we will look at the subject of Halloween, and look at what the Bible has to say about the subject, stripping away all our warm fuzzy thoughts about family and innocent fun

Historical viewpoint

• Over 2000 years ago, the Celts lived in England
• Their religious leaders were known as the Druids, who had an elaborate religious system, complete with special days of worship and rituals
• The most important festival was the Fire Festival known as Samhain
• It was observed at harvest time to mark the Celtic New Year
• The Celts believed that on this night the barrier between the natural world and the supernatural was removed, and the spirits of the dead were able to move freely among human beings
• The observances connected with Halloween are believed to have originated among the ancient Druids, who believed that on the evening, Saman, the lord of the dead, called forth hosts of evil spirits" (Funk & Wagnalls New Encyclopedia, 1979, Vol. 12, p. 152
• In a section entitled Human Sacrifice, Lewis Spencer writes, "We are informed by Keating that the Irish Druids on the eve of Samhain burned their victims in the holy fire" (The History and Origins of Druidism, p. 105). Spencer further suggests, "human sacrifice was a frequent and common element in their religious procedure. No sacrifice might be carried out except in the presence of a Druid
• Wiccans themselves say this about Samhain
• “At sunset on October 31, clans or local villages begin the formal ceremonies of Samhain by lighting a giant bonfire. The people would gather around the fire to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. It was a method of giving the Gods and Goddesses their share of the previous years herd or crops. In addition these sacred fires were a big part of the cleansing of the old year and a method to prepare for the coming new year.
• “During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, and danced around the bonfire. Many of these dances told stories or played out the cycles of life and death or commemorated the cycle of Wheel of Life. These costumes were adorned for three primary reasons.
• “The first was to honor the dead who were allowed to rise from the Otherworld. The Celts believed that souls were set free from the land of the dead during the eve of Samhain. Those that had been trapped in the bodies of animals were released by the Lord of the Dead and sent to their new incarnations. The wearing of these costumes signified the release of these souls into the physical world. 
• The Catholic church brought Christianity to the Celts.
• Pope Gregory IV Moved the Feast of All Saints to November 1 to replace the observance of Samhain. All Saints Day honored believers who had died
• The night before people would meet for a sacred vigil in church, known as All Hallows Eve, or Halloween
• But the old druid practices stayed around , and the Church denounced them, as witchcraft
• Part of the original customs was acts of vandalism, and this was toned down by the practice of trick or treating
• People started doing things to make Halloween safe and fun
• So as time progressed, Halloween became a mixture of pagan, Christian and society customs.
• These days, there is an increase in interest in the old pagan beliefs
• “Buffy the vampire slayer”, “Sabrina the teenage witch” and other TV programs make the occult and witchcraft seem innocent and fun
• But the devil is real!

The Biblical viewpoint

• Eph 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms"
• Halloween honors Satan and demons
• They are our enemies
• 1 Peter 5:8 "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him ..."
• 1 Cor 10:19-21 "Do I mean then that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God, and I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?"
• In other words, you can’t take part in Satan’s things and also God’s
• We may think this is radical. After all, we feel it is harmless
• Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death"
• Satan tries to deceive us, he does not come in a head-on confrontation
• 2 Cor 11:14 "... Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light"
• 2 Cor 10:5 "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God and we take every though captive to make it obedient to Christ"

Conclusion

• We will be having a family movie night Monday evening at 5pm, to provide a fun alternative to the witches and goblins of Halloween
• Where do you draw the line? I am leaving that up to you.
• Candy is not sinful, nor is putting on a costume
• But know that Halloween honors the devil, and not God

How do I start over? - Hosea 11:4

How Do I Start Over?
October 23, 2011

Hosea 11:4

Introduction

• John grew up in a respectable home
• His dad was a hardworking husband and father, his mother took care of the home and the children
• John felt cared for and made a lot of good choices as he was growing up
• He completed High School, went on to college, and graduated with a bachelor of science degree in engineering
• He landed a good job which paid well.
• One evening John met a young lady
• He was instantly attracted to her and as time went on they became engaged, and then were married.
• Everything seemed to have gone well for John
• But there came a day when John started making mistakes
• After work, John would go to have a few drinks with his friends
• He started drinking consistently, always thinking he had it under control
• He ran into a lady friend, and they started seeing more and more of each other
• Eventually, things started unraveling
• John’s marriage of 12 years, dissolved in divorce
• His children now spend one weekend with mom, one weekend with him
• Things are a mess. He is sorry about how things have turned out
• How can John start over?
• We all have areas of our lives where we have been like John
• How can we personally start over?
• Today we are going to look at the beginning of the road back

What stops people from starting over?

• There are many things that hold people back from starting over
• There is the fear of what others will think about us if we turn around
• There is the fear of what God thinks of us, would He really accept me back?
• There is the guilt we feel inside, which makes us feel unworthy of having another opportunity to get it right
• This can be so deeply engrained that we give up on trying
• Hopelessness takes over
• 2 Cor 7:10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death
• Another thing that stops us from starting over, is our pride
• We feel we’ve got it pretty well together
• There are a few aspects of our life that need to change but by and large we are ok
• We compare ourselves to others and think we’re doing fine
• 1 Pet 2:9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

How does God look at us?

• Hosea 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.
• God rescued Israel from slavery and made them a nation which was incredibly blessed
• The Israelites would turn away from him
• God encouraged the Israelites time and time again, to turn back
• He wanted their salvation, not their destruction
• The story of the Old Testament is a story of a backsliding nation, God warning them, them ignoring his prophets, and eventually them going into captivity
• God sees us the same way
• He has extended his hand of forgiveness to us, and offers us the way to holiness
• But often we have become lax and spiritually lazy
• We may have turned away from him for a time, perhaps even most of our lives

The prodigal son

• Now lets turn to the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15
• Luke 15:11-24
• The Father’s attitude was one of welcoming his prodigal son back home
• No matter where we have been or what we have done, God stands ready to welcome us back
• We may have neglected serving him, we may have dabbled in the world’s ways
• We may even have gone completely off the rails, and made a total mess of our lives
• But God stands ready to welcome us back
• More than that, he runs toward the prodigal
• He actively pursues us, and chastens us and encourages us to come back
• The good shepherd goes after the lost sheep and brings it back into the fold
• He does not interfere with our power of choice though
• We have to choose, is this the day I am turning back to God with my whole heart?
• Jer 29:13 And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart
• God is not looking for half-hearted Christians
• He seeks people with a pure heart.

Is this the day you will make a choice?

• God is seeking you
• You may have accepted Jesus a long time ago, but he seeks those whose heart is perfect before him
• Do you want to be one of these?

Whom shall I fear? - Psalm 27:1

Whom shall I fear?

October 16, 2011

Psalm 27:1

Introduction

• The world is ruled by fear
• We are afraid to do one thing, so we do the other
• Fear influences how we react to situations, it leads us in our choice of friends, it affects our relationships with God and man
• As we grow up we grow up with fears
• 5-year old Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn't want to go in alone. "It's dark in there and I'm scared." She asked again, and he persisted. Finally she said, "It's OK--Jesus will be in there with you." Johnny walked hesitantly to the door and slowly opened it. He peeked inside, saw it was dark, and started to leave when all at once an idea came, and he said: "Jesus, if you're in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?" Charles Allen, Victory in the Valleys
• As we said last week, we can ignore the object of our fear, but that does not change reality
• Now our fears may be more serious than a fear of the dark
• Perhaps, even, we are afraid of confronting the enemy
• Today we are going to look at the other side of the coin, and discover more about who we truly are!

The enemy in perspective

• When we look at a picture from up close, our eyes are blinded to the parts we cannot see
• As we take a peek at the devil and his devices, we may forget the big picture
• 1. The enemy is a created being
• Isa 45:7 – God created evil, in the form of Satan
• Satan was created by God
• This means God is bigger than he is
• Satan is a bully, and we are scared of bullies
• But God is in control!
• We sometimes think that there is this massive battle going on for control of man’s destiny
• And I am sure that the enemy sees it that way
• The trouble is that the battle has already been fought, and the enemy lost!
• That battle was fought at Calvary
• 2. The enemy loses at Calvary

• Video about calvary (http://www.gieson.com/Library/projects/animations/walk/index.html)
• The enemy thought he had conquered Jesus when Jesus died
• But what actually happened, is that Jesus went from the cross, down to hell, where he preached to the fallen angels
• And from there he was raised to glory, the third day, and is now in heaven seated at the right hand of the Father
• Today he intercedes for us, he watches over us, he leads us
• The enemy lost the battle
• And so he is a beaten foe

• 3. The enemy has strict boundaries
• He does not have any power that he is not allowed to have
• God puts very strict boundaries on him

• Job 1 – God tells Satan exactly how far he can go and when to stop

The rest of the big picture – God

• God has the power
• Matt 28:18 – Jesus has all power

• This means no matter what the enemy may want to do in our lives, God is bigger than he is
• God gave us power over the enemy
• This means that we can influence how much control the enemy has over us
• Mark 16:15-18
• There are examples of how we do this
• Acts 16:16-18
• Our power is not in ourself, but in the name of Jesus
• We do this by the authority of Jesus, in His name
• John 14:14 – if we ask in Jesus name he will do it
• So we see Jesus’ supremacy over the devil and his associates

• Now sometimes we are a little like this story
• Herbert Jackson told how, as a new missionary, he was assigned a car that would not start without a push.
  
  After pondering his problem, he devised a plan. He went to the school near his home, got permission to take some children out of class, and had them push his car off. As he made his rounds, he would either park on a hill or leave the engine running. He used this ingenious procedure for two years. Ill health forced the Jackson family to leave, and a new missionary came to that station. When Jackson proudly began to explain his arrangement for getting the car started, the new man began looking under the hood. Before the explanation was complete, the new missionary interrupted, "Why, Dr. Jackson, I believe the only trouble is this loose cable." He gave the cable a twist, stepped into the car, pushed the switch, and to Jackson’s astonishment, the engine roared to life.
  
  For two years needless trouble had become routine. The power was there all the time. Only a loose connection kept Jackson from putting that power to work.
• We have been given power over the enemy, but so often we have not used it
• Sometimes we are in the storm and God calms the storm when we cry out to him
• Sometimes God has given us the tools and allows us to learn to use them

I do not need to fear

• Whatever my fears may be, I do not need to live in fear
• God’s purpose for me is that I not live in fear, but in victory
• 2 Tim 1:7 For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind
• He has made it possible for us to live in victory
• He gave us the tools to fight against the enemy and win
• He expects us to live in the reality of who we really are
• I am inwardly fashioned for faith, not for fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so made that worry and anxiety are sand in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. I live better by faith and confidence than by fear, doubt and anxiety. In anxiety and worry, my being is gasping for breath--these are not my native air. But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely--these are my native air. A John Hopkins University doctor says, "We do not know why it is that worriers die sooner than the non-worriers, but that is a fact." But I, who am simple of mind, think I know; We are inwardly constructed in nerve and tissue, brain cell and soul, for faith and not for fear. God made us that way. To live by worry is to live against reality. - Dr. E. Stanley Jones.

Conclusion

• Sure, the enemy is strong and devious
• He may have stolen our joy, robbed us of our purpose, caused sickness and death
• But we can take back the ground that the enemy has stolen
• God’s purpose for us is that we live in victory
• We are able to learn to use the tools God has given us
• Next week we will start to look at the weapons available to us
• So at the start I asked the question, whom shall I fear?
• The answer is no one but a healthy respect for God
• We do not need to live in fear
• Because the Lord is my light and my salvation, and my stronghold

Knowing Your Enemy! - 2 Cor 2:11

Knowing your enemy!

October 9, 2011

2 Cor 2:10-11

Introduction

• Last week I started talking about the enemy, and how he builds strongholds in people’s lives
• Not all of us necessarily believe in a real devil
• Knowing your enemy is threatening
• Looking your enemy in the face means you see him, and you are forced to do something with this awareness
• When we were kids, we sometimes were scared of the dark
• Maybe we used to whistle in the dark to keep our courage up
• Maybe we sang who’s afraid of the big bad wolf
• The unfortunate thing is that whistling in the dark makes no difference to reality
• Similarly, I may believe that the moon is made of green cheese, or that the earth is flat, but that doesn’t make it so
• Today, let’s look, hypothetically, at how the devil works

The enemy is after our destruction

• John 10:10
• The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy
• There is nothing good that the enemy brings to the table
• Sometimes we may think what he offers is desireable
• Just like Eve and Adam eating the forbidden fruit
• Satan wanted to pull Adam down and destroy the purpose God had for Adam
• So the fruit looked good
• This is a key aspect to the enemy, he is a deceiver

Satan the deceiver

• 2 Cor 11:14 – Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light
• Satan tries to lead us astray by placing a counterfeit that appears to be right, in our path
• The difference from the true version may only be slight
• But as we accept that one bit of deception, more comes our way, and gradually we move away from the truth and the simplicity we have in Christ
• 2 Cor 11:3 - But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
• Jesus warns that there would be deceivers in the last days
• Matt 24:24 – they will even perform miracles to deceive even the elect – if that were possible
• You see, what they say will not agree with the Holy Spirit inside us
• If we are walking close with God, we will not be able to be deceived
• But if we are off at a distance, the enemy’s lies can seem attractive
• Here are some examples
• Members of a certain cult come to your door, two by two
• They start to talk and tell you about Bible prophecy, and similar things that you may be interested in
• You invite them in and get them some coffee, and they read some scriptures to you that make you think that maybe you have not heard the whole story
• Little by little your curiosity grows and before long doubts have been sown
• This eventually leads to you no longer believing the simplicity of the gospel
• Deception is one of the enemy’s main tools
• 2 John 10-11 – do not take him into your house, or welcome him
• Someone comes to you and says they have the gift of healing
• They will lay hands on you and you will be made well
• But realize that just as the Holy Spirit gives us gifts, including healing, the enemy also gives power to his workers
• Remember Mat 24:24, they will even do signs and miracles
• But it’s not ablut the miracles, it is about what teaching they bring
• Jesus warns us about this
• Mat 7:21-23 – he says to them – I never knew you

How do you protect yourself from deception?

• Know the truth
• John 8:32 You shall know the truth and the truth shall mae you free
• Where do we find truth?
• In God’s word
• John 17:17 – thy word is truth
• Psalm 51:6 - Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place
• Remember last week we talked about being made holy through and through
• We need to be soaked and marinated in God’s truth
• Then we will know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil
• This is where discernment comes in
• But it starts with two things: Knowing God’s word, and closeness with God

Conclusion

• One of the marks of the enemy, and one of the main ways he gets to us, is through deception
• When we know the truth, Satan won’t be able to deceive us
• But Satan has many techniques he uses
• We’ll talk more about that next week!

What is a stronghold? - 2 Cor 10:4

What is a Stronghold?

October 2, 2011

2 Corinthians 10:4

Introduction

• Hebrews 12:1
• Do we have a sin that "so easily besets us"?
• Does it seem that whenever we stumble on our Christian path, it is usually or often, this one sin?
• There is something about this particular sin which keeps on getting in our way, taking away from the enjoyment of the Christian way of life
• But it is Jesus' purpose for us that we experience freedom in our lives
• He tells us, "The truth shall set you free"
• He tells us he came to preach good news to the poor, to heal the sick, and to set the captives free
• Today we are going to start a journey, together, to discover how we can lay these besetting sins aside, leaving them behind us, and experiencing the freedom Jesus intends for us

We are spiritual beings

• 1 Thessalonians 5:23
• For us to be sanctified or made holy "through and through" involves every part of our being.
• It describes us as a complete person
• Paul then emphasizes this by describing us in different words - "may your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless ..."
• By this we infer that a person is made up of different parts - the spirit, the soul and the body
• The spirit:
• Ecclesiastes 12:7 - when we die, our body our outer shell, is left in the grave. Our spirit, however, returns to God who gave it
• John 14:16-17 Jesus promises us a Helper, Comforter, One who comes alongside (the meaning of the Greek word paraklete)
• He was not yet in the disciples, though He did work with them and empower them to do the works that Jesus did (see Luke 9 and 10)
• It was only at the day of Pentecost, that the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit, with accompanying signs - boldness, speaking in tongues the Holy Spirit gave them, the sound of a mighty wind in the house, and the appearance of tongues of fire, resting on each of them
• Additionally, in verse 23 Jesus says that the Father and Jesus will make their home with the believer
• So now the Holy Spirit, the Father and Jesus came to dwell in each of them, the complete Trinity.
• God is spirit - we find this in John 4:24
• Our spirit is the part of us where God dwells
• Before God comes to dwell in our spirit, our spirit is dead
• Eph 2:1-5 God made us alive with Christ, before that time we were dead in our transgressions and sins
• But it is the Spirit that gives life - John 6:63
• Jesus came to give us life - John 1:4
• This all happens in our human spirit - before Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit take up residence, our human spirit is dead, lifeless. When God comes, he imparts life to our spirit, because He has life in Him
• So now our spirit, which was lifeless, is alive!
• Our body:
• We all know what our body consists of - it is physical, it can be touched and felt. It is the part of us that remains in the grave when we die, as we saw before in Ecc 12:7
• Finally, the soul:
• What is left of our person after we consider our spirit and our body, is what happens in our minds
• This then is the soul
• It can be broadly described as being of three parts - our thinking, our emotions, and our power of choice (or our will)
• It is here that the battles of our life are fought
• 2 Cor 10:1-6
• We are constantly in a battle with our thoughts
• We fight to keep our thoughts obedient to Christ
• But we fall down so many times
• The apostle Paul, great Christian as he was, also had this constant battle
• He describes it in Romans 7:15-25
• He wants to do the right thing but tumbles so often to do the opposite of what he wants
• Isn't this just like us?
• Particularly with this "besetting sin"

We are like a house, from a spiritual perspective

• Matt 12:23-45
• This describes the person as a house, to which this spirit had free access, because the house was unoccupied
• Houses have entry points - doors, windows
• It is through these entry points that people can come into the house
• For Satan, the enemy of our souls, sin provides these entry points
• When we sin once in a particular area, and then repent from the heart, little damage may be done, though some sins do have larger impact than others
• But if we continue to sin in this area, it is as though we are building layer upon layer of sin, and this forms a stronghold where the enemy takes up residence.
• The enemy says he has rights because we invited him in by sinning in this area

Conclusion

• It seems so unfair that the enemy can slip into our lives unnoticed
• We may not be convinced that Christians, who have been filled with the Spirit, could be affected by the enemy in this way
• However, the fact remains that Christians are afflicted by these besetting sins, and can be set free
• In the coming weeks we will examine how we can eradicate these strongholds
• I know we have a lot of questions and preconceptions about this subject
• Please be patient as we dig deeper during the coming weeks