New Beginnings - Rev 21:5

New Beginnings
December 30, 2012
Rev 21:5

Introduction

• As people gathered in churches on the night of Dec. 31, 1862, they held hope against hope that their prayers finally would be answered.
• When midnight struck, congregations caught their collective breath, and it wasn’t until a man ran into the church waving the awaited telegram, that the crowd erupted into cheers: President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, which freed slaves in the Confederacy, had become law.
 
• A fatal blow against slavery, it led to the 13th and 15th Amendments, which outlawed slavery, and granted blacks American citizenship, respectively.
• Blacks were given freedom and equality with whites and they now had a new beginning in life
• This is how the practice of watch-night services on New Years Eve, started
• We all need new beginnings
• This is the start of a new year and an opportunity to make a fresh start in life

When Jesus came into our life something changed

• Eph 2:1-10
• Suddenly, we became alive!
• Lifesavers story
• Something happened inside, the dead became alive
• But more than that, we became a new creation!
• That new creation happened in our spirit. That which was dead, now became a new creation
• Unfortunately, our mind was not yet recreated
• That happens over a period of time, as we follow the Holy Spirit and are obedient to Jesus
• Paul tells us in Romans 7 about the battle that goes on in his mind, between his spirit which is now under Jesus' control, and his carnal mind which pulls him down
• It is because of this struggle between good and evil, that we need new beginnings

We need periodic new beginnings

• The first thing is to recognize that we need a fresh start
• Very few of us have it all together, and don't need to exclaim with Paul, "Who will rescue me from this body of death!"
• We need periodic new beginnings
• On a daily basis we need to refresh our commitment to our Lord Jesus, because on a daily basis, we sin and fall short of God's intention for us
• Derek Prince wrote an excellent short book titled "Surrender"
• After I read that book, I surrendered all to Jesus
• It changed my life, and I periodically consciously surrender everything to Him
• A ship sailing through the ocean gathers barnacles and seaweed, which slow it down in the water.
• Periodically, it needs to go into dry dock and have these impediments scraped away
• We too need to ask Jesus to clean us up
• Exodus 12:2 This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you.
• The month God was speaking of was the Hebrew month Nisan, which means green ears. In other words it was around Passover or Easter time
• At that time, the Hebrews commemorated the Passover lamb that was slain so the Israelite firstborn could escape death in Egypt.
• At Easter time we commemorate the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is referred to in Revelation as the lamb slain from the foundation of the world

We ask God to show us where to change

• There are many areas in our life that need changing, it is a lifelong process
• But where does God want us to focus?
• That is the important question
• This requires hearing from God and knowing what His answer is to that question
• The most important thing to God is not how many verses we have memorized, how many meals we have served to the homeless, how much we have donated to charities, how many people we have visited in hospital
• The most important thing is our relationship with Him
• Prayer is obviously a key in this
• If we don't pray we do not have much of a relationship
• Listening to Him speak to us is just as important
• He speaks to us in many ways, but one important way, is through the pages of the Bible

Reading through the Bible together

• This is why I have placed a bookmark in each bulletin
• These bookmarks will be handed out each month, giving the scripture verses we will be reading each day
• On the other side I have listed the books of the Bible so we can easier find things in God's Word
• I encourage us to journal each day about what the Lord says to you from these passages
• This will become a precious time for each of us as we spend this time in close communion with God

Conclusion

• At the start of this year, let's make a fresh start, a new beginning
• When we reach December 31, we can look back and say, I did it! I have drawn closer to God in my relationship
• It is not about having read right through the bible, that can be legalistic
• But it is about a fresh surrender, a new beginning in our walk with God

Got Joy? - John 8:12

Got Joy?

Bill Loucks

December 23, 2012

John 8:12

 

Introduction

• Christmas joy?? It’s why some go to church…
• Some feel it as they give gifts to others
• Some feel it walking in the snow
• Some feel it listening to Christmas songs
• Joy to the world…joyful and triumphant…joyful all ye nations rise…
• How many of us feel joy this morning?
• Some find joy in a Christmas tree.  
• Lisa and I struggled with this concept.

Testimony

• Lisa’s Testimony
• Lights were symbolic of Jesus, Light of the World. 
• John 8:12, 9:5
• Story of the Three Trees
• Tree can be symbolic of whatever we choose
• Joy…How do we get it if we don’t feel it

Follow the Light

• Read Luke 2:10-11. "But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ”
• The angel announced the most joyous and important event in the history of mankind. 
• A way to a joyous life forever.
• Luke 2:1-19 Story of birth of Jesus
• Mary and Joseph were betrothed…custom says: married but not having physical relations for 12 months.

Many references to “light” surrounding the birth of Jesus

• Glory of the Lord “shone” all around the shepherds. Light
• The 3 wise men (kings, magi) followed a star. Light
• Matt 2:1-10 The chief priests and scribes knew where Jesus would be born
• They chose not to follow the star…didn’t want a disruption to their rituals? 
• Didn’t follow the Light

It’s not so much what you know as what you do with what you know.

• Go back to Luke ch2
• Look who God chose to reveal the birth of His Son to…shepherds
• Shepherds considered outcasts, thieves, nomads, unclean.
• Our Lord came for the forgotten people of the earth…most of the time they are the most ready.
• It’s the outcasts in the Bible and today who make the greatest contribution to the Kingdom.
• Sometimes it takes living in darkness before we really see the Light

He came for us

• Jesus came to be our Savior…for those who turn to Him
• He also came to be Lord of the Universe
• Today He is Lord of Heaven…some day – soon – He will return to set up His Kingdom on earth
• Between now and then, we are called to confess with our mouths that He is Lord of our lives (Rom 10:9)
• Surrender…let Him lead

Invitation

• True heart and joy of the Christian
• He loved us enough to send His only Son. He sent Himself. Immanuel “God is with us.”
• Are you ready today to follow the light? 
• Confess Jesus as Lord?

Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven - Matt 19:14

Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven

Matthew 19:14

December 16, 2012

Introduction

• This last week has been horrific
• During this past week there have been three mass shootings
• One was in Portland, OR, when a 22 year old shot two people and himself
• Friday 20 young children and 6 adults were shot at the Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, CT
• And yesterday there was another shooting in a parking lot outside a mall in Newport Beach near Los Angeles, but with no fatalities
• This is a crazy world
• Today we are mourning all those who lost their lives in these events this week
• As we do so we wonder, how could this happen?
• Why would God allow things like this to happen to such innocent young lives, in particular
• Today we will take a look at this question which has been asked so many times this week, why does God allow such terrible things to happen?

The core of the question

• During this week, particularly after the Conneticut shooting, I have heard this question so many times
• And this question needs to be considered at two levels - mentally and emotionally
• First of all we need to understand what brought this about
• We don't know all that much about Adam Lanza
• Police have been delving into his past in an attempt to discover why this happened
• My comment at this time is only, that this has become a violent society
• Video games our children and grandchildren play have become more and more gruesome and sadistic
• The bible tells us about this in a description of our society
• 2 Tim 3:1-3 perilous times will come
• This society has become like this
• Life is about self-gratification, about taking care of self
• 2Timothy 3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
• Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
• Society has become like this, emotions have been shut down, and people have become desensitized to other peoples feelings
• But not all of us go around shooting people
• This is something deeper, something which causes people to overstep all boundaries

How it all started

• Let's go back to Gen 3
• Here we see the account of how things went bad
• This is why it is in the Bible, to show us the origin of things
• God gave man some instructions - the principle was, be obedient, do what I say and all will be cool
• God had every right to say this!
• He had just taken red earth and created a statue in the shape of a man, and then he breathed into him the breath of life, and man became a living soul
• Man was God's project, God had the right to tell him hopw to conduct himself
• But man chose to rebel against God
• He ate from the forbidden fruit, he tried to evade responsibiliy, and he hid from God
• As a result a curse came upon the world
• The nature of things changed
• Vegetation changed, and weeds and painful stuff took over
• The nature of animals changed and some became predators and carnivores
• And mankind's nature changed to become hostile to God
• As a result of this, he became a fallen being, unable to please God, even if he wanted to
• Being hateful towards God, put him totally under the sway of satan the devil
• God's intention for man was that he would inherit all things, but by choosing for satan, the world became a painful place
• This world is now under the sway of the devil
• I believe these crazy incidents are because people have surrendered to the devil
• John 10:10 He is the one who wants to kill, steal and destroy
• He shares this nature with the whole world
• Ephesians 2:2 Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:

But what happened to these little children?

• Mat 19:13-14 Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
• When these children died, their spirit went to heaven
• Ecclesiastes 12:7 - spirit returns to God who gave it
• They are now with Jesus, in safekeeping, until; the day that we are reunited with them on the day Jesus returns
• They are not little angels, as one pastor said on the web, God has a higher calling for them than to be an angel
• But we will see them again
• Even if they had not yet formally accepted Jesus, we are told, of such is the kingdom of heaven
• They had not yet reached an age where they were accountable, and they still lived in relative innocence

How about our emotions in the face of these events

• Emotionally this is hard
• We particularly find it hard when these things happen to children
• As a result, we grieve, there is a sense of loss, an emptiness
• Today, Foursquare chaplains have flown to Conneticut to minister to the grieving parents and the children who were so brutally shocked
• We will pray for them and ask the Holy Spirit to bring them comfort in this time of loss

Prayer

The Peace-Bringer - Luke 2:14

The Peace-Bringer

December 9, 2012

Luke 2:14

Introduction

• Peace
• We live in a world that does not know the way to peace
• Peace is an elusive commodity
• Ted Turner, founder of the Turner Broadcasting System & the Cable News Network, & owner of the Atlanta Braves. He is rich & powerful, & he is also strongly opposed to Christianity
• Some time ago in Atlanta, he told a gathering of contributors to CNN’s World Report that he wanted to see if anybody had a real vision for a world at peace & in harmony with the environment. So he bankrolled a competition to find & produce a book that would present a workable plan for world peace.
• He reported, "Out of 10,000 manuscripts submitted, we did not find one plausible treatise on how to get to a sustainable, peaceful future." Then he added, "Without a feasible plan, the prospects of creating peace are grim."
• And he is right. Man doesn't know the way to peace.
• On a personal level as well, people are plagued with anxiety, their lives are in turmoil
• They don't know the way to peace
• Even in the church, we are afflicted by similar things as the world experiences
• And we too, worry about how it will all turn out!
• But at the time of Jesus' appearance in Bethlehem as a baby boy, the angels sang "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men"
• Today we are going to take a look at three ways in which God wants to give peace in our lives

Jesus brought us peace with God

• At the root of our lack of peace, lies the unfortunate events of Genesis 3, when man rebelled against God and sided with the enemy
• That day a process was set in motion, which continues to the present time
• Each person, when they are born, has an inbuilt rebellion against God
• Romans 8:7 - "The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God"
• There was no way in which man can rectify this in-built rebellion. We refer to this as the depravity of man
• No matter what I do to rectify this, the core reason always remains, I hate God
• The only way in which this can be overcome, is through Jesus forgiving us for our sins and our sinful nature
• He desires to change us and mold us into people who are no longer rebellious, but are at peace with Him
• Jesus came in the flesh, to make it possible for us to have peace with God!

Jesus gives us peace with each other

• James 4:1-3 "What causes fights and quarrels among you?"
• We are continually faced with situations where people cannot get along
• It usually has something to do with one or the other wanting to get their own way, instead of trusting God to take care of their needs
• Even in the church we have quarrels, and gossip and slander
• This is not God's intention for his people
• God intends for us to live in peace
• Once we have invited Jesus into our life as our Savior and Lord, we are to allow him to do his work inside us, rather than give in to our fleshly desires
• But so often we allow our inner man, that sinful nature, to get the upper hand.
• Jesus makes it possible for us to have peace with each other
• When we don't, we are listening to our carnal nature, not God

 

Jesus gives us peace inside

• The Bible is full of references to fear and anxiety
• But Jesus teaches us to be anxious for nothing
• Phil 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus"
• When we make our requests known to God, they are in the best hands possible
• God has promised to supply our needs, as we walk in synch with Him, putting Him first in our life
• We may not understand how he will do this, but that is what the walk of faith is all about
• We can have peace inside, no matter what the storm may be around us.
• God takes care of his children
• Matt 7:9-11

Conclusion

• So be of good cheer
• God's heart is for us, he sent Jesus his son, to this earth, to reconcile man with himself, so that man no longer needs to live in rebellion
• He gives us a new heart, a soft heart like His, so we can live at peace with those around us, by putting to death the heart of stone, our sinful nature
• And he gives us peace inside, a deep peace that conquers turmoil and anxiety
• John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid

Ministry

There is hope, through Jesus - 2 Thes 2:16-17

There is hope, through Jesus

December 2, 2012

2 Thes 2:16-17

Introduction

• Last week we took a look at world events, particularly in the Middle East, and how things could be shaping up for the prophecies of Revelation and Matthew 24 to go into fulfillment
• This could make us scared
• I remember one time when the church I used to attend thought that the Great Tribulation could be starting in a couple of months time
• We may think, that's crazy, that's scare-mongering
• But Jesus does tell us to watch for the events of prophecy that are being fulfilled, and he tells us to be awake and doing the task to which he has called us
• I remember being scared that I would not be accounted worthy, and I tried to get my spiritual life in order
• But we do not need to be scared, so long as we are walking in relationship with our heavenly Father
• It is when we walk away from him, that we are in danger, and yes, then we would have reason to be scared
• Today I want to share with you the hope that Jesus gives to all those who look forward to his appearing

Lamb slain from the foundation of the world

• Rev 13:8 - the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world
• Some things were set in motion right at the beginning of time
• Today we have a new courthouse here in Susanville.
• It looks beautiful, especially when the lights are all turned on
• When did that courthouse start its existence? When the construction company moved in its heavy equipment? When the mayor turned over a spadeful of soil? When the architect presented his plans to the committee?
• It started when the first thought arose in some one's head, we need a new courthouse. A plan was set in motion that day, which resulted in a beautiful building on Riverside Drive
• There was a day in heaven when Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit sat down together and thought about a plan
• They thought about creating a race of beings who would have relationship with God
• These beings would be created with some of God's own qualities inside of them, and through their relationship with God, he would open up the realm of the supernatural to them
• They would have the power of choice, and could choose to have this relationship or not
• God's intention and plan was that all men would have this relationship, and move into God's purpose for them - 2 Pet 3:9
• But not all would make this choice

Predestination

• Eph 1:11-14 We were chosen according to God's plan
• By looking into the future, God knew who would choose for Him and who would choose against him
• All men were offered this but not all accepted it
• But those who accepted this relationship, are incredibly blessed
• Eph 1:3-10
• God has called us to be a part of his purpose to bring all things in heaven and earth together under one head, even Christ
• But God does not throw his lambs before the wolves, unprotected and unprepared
• He has given us power, the power that raised Jesus from the dead
• Eph 1:18-23
• So the church is the extent of his kingdom on earth today, but his intention is that all things come under the Lordship of Christ
• This gives us hope for the future
• Despair means we think there is no future for us
• Hope says we do have a future
• Jer 29:11 - for I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
• We may be facing hard times today, struggles that we don't know how we will get through them
• But there is a future and a hope and a purpose for our being
• We are part of God's plan to bring all things under Jesus dominion

We have been enabled, empowered and prepared for his purpose

• In God's plan, put in motion at the foundation of the world, each of us was discussed by name
• God knew what kind of home we would grow up in
• He knew the events that would shape our lives
• He knew how someone would tell us about the gospel, and we would be purchased for his kingdom by the blood of his precious Son
• He knew we would receive the Holy Spirit of promise, guaranteeing our inheritance
• He planned thousands of years ago, what gifts he was going to plant inside us
• He knew the purpose he had for us and what gifts would be necessary for us top walk in this
• So he gave us gifts, gifts of service for others
• He gave us not just a future, not just a hope
• He gave us the means to make that future and hope a reality
• So that his kingdom could grow, for his glory and so that many sons and daughters could be harvested for him

So what if I feel hopeless?

• First of all, we are not without hope
• Eph 2:12 There was a time when we were without hope
• But that picture changed when we accepted Jesus, and surrendered our lives to him
• We now have a hope and a future
• God desires us to work in partnership with him, in reconciling all thin gs and all people to Jesus
• He came to dwell in us to make this possible
• We now need to take steps of faith, one after the other as we walk this out
• We live in hope, and in faith
• And we will not be disappointed in this
• Rom 5:5 Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts, by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us
• The work he has started in us he will bring to a successful conclusion - Phil 1:6
• Just as the Susanville Courthouse is now finished, a beautiful building, he will finish the task that started that day in heaven when Jesus and the Father and the Holy Spirit sat down and planned our future, way before the start of time
• He is working in us today, and will do so till the day we meet him face to face
• 2 Thesssalonians 2:16-17 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word

Storm clouds are gathering - Zech 14:2

Storm Clouds are Gathering ...

November 25, 2012

Zechariah 14:2

Introduction

• The Middle East is on tenterhooks
• Hamas in the Gaza strip came to a truce with Israel which seems to be holding
• But they have not given up
• The Hamas charter says that Israel is an occupying force and has no right to existence, and Hamas is dedicated to Israel's destruction
• When the Hamas military leader was killed by an Israeli air strike this month, Hamas threatened Israel with you comment, you have opened the gates of hell
• Hamas has schools and hospitals in the Gaza, in the middle of civilian areas. Their military installations have also been located in the middle of civilian areas, and they use their civilians as a human shield
• The Jerusalem Post is saying that Iran is rapidly re-arming Hamas with missiles, via Sudan
• At the same time, attention has been diverted from Iran's nuclear program, and Iran too has stated its intention of wiping Israel off the map
• Israel has been forced to focus its attention on the immediate threat from Gaza, to protect its citizens, using the Iron Dome anti-missile system
• The Egyptian president helped broker the ceasefire, but he is being attacked verbally and by demonstrations by religious extremists in Egypt
• Hamas is using the ceasefire to rebuild and recover from the Israeli airstrikes

Reading

• Zech 14:1-9

What does the Bible say about all this?

• It has been said that 1/3 of the Bible is prophetic, speaking about the future, and that most of this has yet to happen
• Jesus was described by Moses as a Prophet - Deut 18:15
• Jesus was a prophet in the sense of speaking God's words to the people, but he also gave a key prophecy in Matthew 24

The Olivet prophecy

• Matt 24:1-3
• Jesus and the disciples had left the magnificent temple and were on the Mount of Olives just east of Jerusalem
• They looked out over the Kidron Valley and the disciples asked Jesus to explain what he had just said
• This prophecy is the key to understanding what is to happen in the end times
• Verses 4-8 -
  • Religious deception, sounding Christian, but being deceptive
  • Wars
  • Famines
  • Earthquakes
• These verses largely tie in with the seals of Rev 6.
  • v.2 - 1st seal - White horse, crown, bent on conquest - counterfeit religion
  • v.3 - 2nd seal - Red horse - war
  • v. 5 - 3rd seal - Black horse - famine
  • v.7 - 4th seal - Pale horse - death and hell - severe earthquakes usually bring with them destruction and sickness
• Matt 24:8 - these things are the beginning of birth pains. They lead up to the time of the end. They have been with us ever since Jesus spoke these words.
• Jesus now continues - Matt 24:9, Rev 6:9 - Religious persecution, apostacy, martyrdom, false prophets - religious persecution has been with us for a long time, as have martyrs
• But a future martyrdom is prophesied before Jesus returns
• The love of many would grow cold, society would become extremely selfish and all about me Matt 24:12
• The gospel will be preached throughout all the world, and then the end will come
• Then Jesus describes the events that will happen in Jerusalem
• He speaks about the Abomination that causes desolation
• An occupying power will do something to desecrate a future temple in Jerusalem
• Daniel refers to it in Dan 11:31, and this had an initial fulfillment when the Syrian king Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 BC offered swines flesh on the altar of the temple
• But there will be a latter day fulfillment of this prophecy
• The temple in Jerusalem will be rebuilt, and then it will be desecrated again
• Once this happens, a count down is on to Jesus' return - Dan 12:11

How doers this relate today?

• The Middle East is volatile, and events there can easily suck in the United States, Europe, and Russia
• Zechariah tells us that Jerusalem will hbe occupied and downtrodden at the time Jesus returns
• Things are shaping up in Israel which could lead to these things being fulfilled
• It means that the time of the end could be coming upon us

Do we need to fear?

• Do we need to be afraid?
• No, but it is important that we be awake and watch and be aware of what is happening
• Matt 24:42 Watch and pray
• We have a job to do
• Matt 24:45-51
• God expects us to be at our post, doing the job he has given us
• That job is to witness to the entire world
• People who are not saved will go to hell, unless we reach them with the gospel
• We have limited time available
• Events are shaping up, we need to repent of sleeping and get on the job of preaching the gospel

Conclusion

• So, events are shaping up that could mean we are now very close to Jesus' return
• Jesus when He comes wants to find us doing our job, reaching the world with the good news of the gospel
• We have a job to do, let's be serious about doing it!
• Lives depend on it!

Moving Forward, with Thanksgiving - Eph 5:20

Moving Forward - with Thanksgiving

November 18, 2012

Ephesians 5:20

INTRODUCTION

• This week we will celebrate Thanksgiving Day
• Gather round the table, carve the turkey, cranberry sauce, these are images we think about
• Those who landed here from the Mayflower, gave thanks for having survived a harsh new England winter
• When thanksgiving was instituted as a national holiday by Abraham Lincoln after the end of the civil war, it represented thanksgiving that slavery was abolished and the nation was once again united
• To us, perhaps thanksgiving relates to appreciating the freedom God has given us, the blessings he was showered on us, the peace of God in our life
• Today I want to highlight an approach to thanksgiving that is of a higher order, and less popular than only thanking God for our freedom and blessings

READING

• Eph 5:15-20

A LIFE JOURNEY

• As we start our Christian journey, we are so blessed
• We ask the Lord to forgive us of our sins, and a weight is lifted from our shoulders
• Then we are baptized, and the Lord gives us a peace and joy inside, which we can hardly contain
• Now we have a friend and a companion who is with us all thye time, every day
• God gave us his Word to show us his heart for mankind, his love and compassion
• God desires relationship with us and the Bible shows us how we can be in synch with God's heart
• I have programs on my phone, which allow me to synch what I am writing with another program on the internet, which I can access from my computer
• I can edit this document on either my phone, or the computer, it doesn't matter
• Because they are synched
• We are synched with God, and the way we relate is through the Holy Spirit praying for us and speaking to us
• So we can be on the same page as God
• This is something awesome, a special thing to treasure, and be thankful for

HOW DO WE DEAL WITH THE NEGATIVE THINGS?

• Life is not a bed of roses, however
• As Christians we have a special relationship with God, and he watches out for us
• Some think that because of being blessed like this, nothing bad will happen to us, they may judge us if things go wrong
• But the Bible gives plenty of examples of people who hurt while still being in relationship with God
• Hebrews 11 gives a long list of some who experienced this
• Heb 11:32-40
• One of the people who is a good example for us is Job
• Job was a man who had a really good relationship with God
• He did all the things he was supposed to do, and God blessed him
• He was profoundly blessed!
• Then suddenly, in one day, it all was wiped out
• One day he was the greatest man in his society, the next all has turned upside down and he ends up sick, in excruciating pain, with boils all over him, sitting in an ash heap because it seemed the softest place around.
• Job had no idea what was happening
• He didn't know Satan was trying to destroy him
• All he knew was that He had God and God had him
• Job tells us in Job 1:21 - Naked I came from my mothers womb and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, may the name of the Lord be praised
• Paul tells us in Ephesians 5:15-19 to always give thanks to God, for everything
• In our thanksgiving, God seeks hearts that are grateful for all He has allowed in our life
• Job was allowed to go through this enormous and painful trial, and God blessed him more at the end than at the beginning.
• But its not about the good things or the bad things, it is about resting in the hand of God
• It is about trusting God, wherever we are at

CAN WE BE ANGRY AT GOD?

• Sometimes we become frustrated and in our frustration we become angry at God for what we are going through
• But God never promised us easy street
• What God promised us was Jesus living through us
• Jesus was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief
• He knew what it was like to be homeless and cold
• He was on the move all the time and he says to one man the Son of man doesn't know where he will lay his head
• Jesus experienced pain beyond anything we have experienced
• He experienced pain and betrayal and rejection, and persecution and actually being spit upon
• If Jesus lives in and through you you dont know where that will lead
• But God is with us, through this all

BE THANKFUL FOR THE HARD PLACES

• This thanksgiving, think about who you are, how far you have come in your walk with God
• And then think about how much of this growth came through the good times and how much was molded in the crucible of fire
• Be thankful to God that he is doing his work in you and hat he will bring your journey to a successful conclusion
• Phil 1:3-11

CONCLUSION

• God has a long term view
• He wants us to establish the most intimate, most rewarding and precious relationship possible, with Him
• He wants our hearts to echo with his song, he wants our words to express his heart
• He has called us to be his spokesmen on this earth, his light that shines, his encouragers and helpers and servants
• And one day we will receive our reward as he says to us, well done good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your Lord
• There will be no more pain, no more suffering, because the former things have passed away (Rev 21)
• All we will have to look forward to is everincreasing joy, everincreasing satisfaction, everincreasing love
• Because of the increase of his kingdom, there will be no end

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

We honor you - 1 Peter 2:17

We honor you ...

November 11, 2012

1 Peter 2:17

Introduction

• Today we honor our veterans
• Some of them are among us, some of them are our friends, some of them are unknown to us yet we honor them.
• Some are alive, some have passed away - Friday I will take part in a memorial service for a Vietnam veteran
• We honor veterans because they stood and still stand for the cause of freedom
• Today we thank you for your selfless sacrifice so that we may live and worship in peace
• We honor you
• Veterans Day video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpWUQ53qRcw 

Reading

• 1 Pet 2:13-17 Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme;
• :14 Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.
• :15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men:
• :16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
• :17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.

What does it mean, to honor someone?

• Honor all men - Timao (Gr)
• 1) to estimate, fix the value of something belonging to one's self
• 2) to honor, to have in honor, to revere, venerate
• So we can honor or value something belonging to ourselves
• Or we can honor or value others in the sense of respect and gratitude
• How does this work in practice?
• Today we are honoring those in uniform, whether past or present
• We honor them for their dedication to duty,
• for their selfless sacrifice for their brothers in arms
• for love of their country
• and for protecting our freedom
• We honor you

Honor in the Bible

• God honors mankind, did you know that?
• When we do not honor someone, we tend to belittle and control them
• Mankind chose to disobey God, and so God would have had every right to react negatively to us
• Instead, he set in motion a plan for the redemption of mankind, which had been set in place since the foundation of the world
• This shows us how God honors mankind rather than condemning us and relegating us to hell
• God created man with the power of choice,
• Man can choose, does he want to continually eat the fruits of rebellion, going his own way?
• Or does he want to choose to accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior
• God does not force us to make one choice or the other
• He honors our choice, without forcing or controlling us
• He draws us with cords of love, he does not impose himself on us
• This principle applies to so many aspects of our Christian walk

Called to honor by serving, not by controlling

• Jesus says he has come to serve, not to lord it over us
• He tells us we are to be each other's servants, not masters
• Phil 2:3 - esteem others better than your self, this means we honor and value others
• Today we honor those who fell and those who still serve today, whether in the military, our firefighters, or those who serve in our correctional facilities
• Here are some other ways in which we honor by serving:
• We honor our children and those less able to take care of themselves
• Matthew 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
• More than a glass of water, our children need encouragement and honoring, rather than punishment
• Honoring brings out the best in people
• We honor and serve our spouses
• Eph 5:21-24, 28 Submit to each other in love, the same way Jesus loved the church, honoring it over his own life
• Honoring my wife means I love her, I encourage her, I trust her and I believe in her
• Being her husband does not mean I am a dictator, but instead, I lead her the way Jesus draws us, with cords of love
• These cords are not physical cords but intangible emotional bonds
• We serve those less fortunate than ourselves
• Matthew 25:43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
• When we serve them, we honor them

God honors us when we turn to Him

• God honored us first by offering us an opportunity to get it right
• Eph 2:4-6 By doing this he elevated us to be seated at his right hand with Christ
• God honors each of us
• In the same way, we should honor each other, and the community around us
• 2 Peter 3:9 God's heart is that no one should perish, he wants all men to be saved
• But he does not force it upon any one of us
• God honors our free will and our ability to choose
• We each have to make that choice individually

Invitation

• Is there someone here today who desires to make that commitment to Jesus, voluntarily, not because you are forced but because you are sick of your own way and you are choosing to follow Jesus?
• Is anyone here would like to dedicate their life back to Jesus?

Prayer

• Lord, I pray that would would make us an honoring people, who are honored by You, and who honor each other, and the community around us. In Jesus Name, amen.