"Don't be Trapped by Fear and Doubt"

When we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we can do great things. But do you have that kind of faith to step out on God's Word when it makes no sense to you? Well, until you do, you'll never see God do great things in your life! The problem with most of us is that sometimes we think too much & when we examine all of the obstacles to see if something is possible or not, we do God a disservice because nothing is too hard for God! Therefore, we must repent for doubting Him.

Now when you decide to step out on faith, make sure it's not misplaced because stepping out on misplaced faith is dangerous. If you trust in your own ability or someone else's ability you'll soon find yourself in trouble; but when you put your faith in God you can step out on His Word and stand on a sure foundation.

We all have doubts every now and then because we tend to focus on our circumstances rather than the Lord and if we're not careful we'll be overcome by these doubts & fears. I've learned to trust God to do the impossible for me. So when you find yourself in despair and full of doubt, just call on Jesus & He will save you. When the storms of life are raging all around you, just look to Jesus; sometimes He'll calm the storm, at other times He lets the storm rage while He calms you...He'll give you peace and fill you with the calming assurance that everything will be alright!

Remember

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" and it's by faith that we are free from being trapped by our fears!

"We Are God's Living Epistles"

Paul said to the church that we are living letters. Let me just add that we Christians are the only Bible that some people will ever see. Therefore, the only way that some folk will ever hear about somebody who is able to save anybody is that you tell them; the only way that some folk will ever know a Savior that's able to pick them up & turn them around is that we introduce them to HIM!

God uses His pastors, preachers, teachers & evangelists as instruments to write His letter upon the hearts of His people. His letter is written to be read, therefore every Christian must let his christianity be visible before the world. But in order to read something, it must be legible. When a Christian lives contrary to God's Word, his/her letter, to the world, becomes illegible! What I'm saying is this...folk can't hear what you're saying for looking at what you're doing! You live one way at church yet another way at home; you may sing/shout on Sunday but cuss like a sailor the rest of the week; and you act one way around your church family but act completely different around your so-called friends.

When a Christian's life is inconsistent, he sends mixed messages to people in the world (who are already confused). The Bible calls Christians to be steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Still, many Christians have messages that can't be read because there are too many blots in their lives. And, they have become the greatest handicap to the growth of Christ's church becasue of the unsavory lives they live before the world.

Every born-again Christian is an advertisement for the Kingdom of God; we are to be messages of hope for people in hopeless situations, therefore, we must let them know that there is still hope in Jesus Christ. Selah (Think on these things) and realize that...

The world judges every church by the disciples it creates!

What kind of Disciple are you?

Are You Spiritually Healthy?

With the change of seasons, comes health issues for most of us. November begins that time of the year when colds/flu affect healthy bodies, and we find ourselves going to the doctor who, after thorough examination, determines the appropriate medication to prescribe for the pharmacist to issue. But how can you tell if your spiritual health is good? One way is to assess how you're living. Are you dissatisfied (always wanting more) or have you learned to be content with your situation knowing, that in God's time, things will get better? Warning...your answer will reveal the soundness of your faith!

Another indicator of your spiritual health is by the soundness of your speech. When you speak to others, is your conversation usually uplifting and posititve? A spiritually healthy person is careful not to let unwholesome talk come out of his/her mouth, but only that which is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29). Negative talk is bad for your spiritual health; gossip, backbiting, mean/harsh/profane words do nothing to build anyone up so why use them?

Sometimes our spiritual health grows weak because we're pulled down by all the discouraging things around us, so we also need sound doctrine. When we read the Word, listen to & follow sound doctrine, we become spiritually healthy which is evidenced by sound faith, which in turn, determines how we live! Don't you think it's time for a check-up? Do this quick exam to see if your spiritual health is good:

• Do you listen to sound doctrine/more importantly, do you follow it?
• Do you have sound faith (is your life producing the right kind of works)?
• Do you exhibit soundness of speech?

If you're like most people, you might not be quite there yet, so here's what you can do. Go to God's Pharmacy (read your Bible; pray to Dr. Jesus) and The Bread of Life, The Lamb of God, The Living Word, will give you just the right dosage of the medicine you need for good spiritual health!

Let's Get Healthy!!!!!!!!!

Do you suffer from Heart Trouble?

Let me answer this question for you...YES, we all suffer from heart trouble! I'm not talking about the muscle that pumps blood throughout your body. I'm talking about the real heart, soul, mind & spirit that makes up who you really are. Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things & is depesperately wicked...the Lord searches the heart & gives every man according to his ways & according to the fruit of his doings".

Some of you reading this have an enlarged heart. From a spiritual perspective, someone with a big heart is a giver, not a taker (the first to volunteer and the last to leave). God loves people with a big heart. But then there are others reading this who are more like the Grinch who stole Christmas...your heart is so small that you have no room inside of it to love anyone (you're self-centered, taking all you can get, yet giving nothing in return).

In life, many couples experience heart trouble because once the inital excitement of being in a relationship subsides, they often discover that their heart really isn't in it! A man marries a lady who is beautiful in his sight but then one morning he wakes up & can't stand the sight of her! Then there's the young lady who is swept off her feet by her "Knight in Shining Armor" because she senses fire & passion in his heart. But one morning she wakes up to realize that he's no knight...but he does stay out all night; his armor is rusted & that fire and passion she sensed was nothing more than the burnt oil on his car motor. Thus, in just a few short years a transformation takes place and if the couple's hearts aren't woven together in true love, then the eyes/mind/body will start to wander!

Still, in church there are plenty of diabetics (those who have too much or too little sugar in the blood) who have heart trouble! In the spiritual realm we can develop diabetes also. It's caused by Pastors not feeding you a balanced diet of the Truth of God's Word but choosing to preach to "itching ears" who only want to hear good things (too much sugar in the sermons!). God knows we all need to hear the meat/vegetables of the Word, even though sometimes hearing it is like swallowing bitter herbs. As a Pastor, let me remind you that everything that's good for you in the Bible doesn't always go down easily! And sometimes, in order for you to swallow/digest these things, you need the water of the Holy Spirit to help it go down so the Word can help you!

Bottom line is that everyone born into this world has heart trouble and we all need a spiritual rebirth to obtain the new heart that God promised to give us. Along with our new heart, God gives us the Holy Spirit who teaches us His ways, reminds us just how good He is, what Jesus has done for us, and most of all convicts us every time we fail to keep God's Word... all of which is necessary to strengthen our hearts.

So, let's get rid of our heart trouble (as the cheerleaders say, "Pump, pump, pump it up, let God's Spirit pump it up!") for HE WILL STRENGTHEN THINE HEART!!!

What's your view on Grace?

Having been brought up in the church and now enjoying the priviledge of pastoring a church for the past five years, I've observed and listened to people's views on what GRACE is and its relevance to their lives. Thus, I've categorized church folk into four types:
1) GRACELESS - The goal of people in this category is to fulfill all desires; their motto is "It's all about me". Whether or not they can afford things, they buy them simply because they feel they deserve it. These people live it up, thinking "if it feels good, do it!" If you are that type of person, please read Romans 1:18-32. In these verses you're warned that there is no excuse for the things you do. It also says that if you don't bother to acknowledge God, He'll let you do what you want but eventually all hell will break loose in your life. 2) GRACE-ROBBERS - The goal of people in this category is to be better than others are not afraid to let them know it! They're always comparing their lives to others (I'm prettier, more handsome, bigger, or smarter than you!). They are quick to point out another's short-comings. You might even say that these people are "stuck up!". And even if they admit their faults, they will justify it by saying that they're not as bad as others. And I can't leave out that they like to make others feel guilty. Now if you fall into this category, please read Romans 2:1-11 and my question to you is, "Who gave you authority to judge your brother?". As you read these verses you can clearly see the warning that when you point fingers at others, criticizing them, you condemn yourself!
3) GUILTY-GRACE - The goal of people in this category is to convince God that they're good, thus they deserve to go to heaven. Theses people stress themselves out thinking they never do enough good or have enough time to do good things. And if they find something they like to do, they immediately stop because they feel it's sinful because they're full of guilt and fear. For those of you in this category, please read Romans 2:17-3:20. The summation of these verses is that you can't earn your way into heaven. If you have faith/trust God and are obedient to His Word, this is credited to you as righteousness...and that's God's gift to you. Heaven will be your reward!
4) GRACEFUL - People in this category live by the strategy, "In Christ alone I place my trust and I want to know Him better"! These people love the Lord with their whole heart, mind, and soul. They are often described as follows: calm & peaceful, not perfect just forgiven, were lost but now found, and are saved by grace! That's the kind of person I'm striving to be...full of grace and trying to live according to God's Word. Others of you who fit into this category already know the summation of Romans 1:16-17, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ for it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes and the righteous man will live by faith".

All of the above types of people are found in every church...WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

"It's hard to stay clean when you live in a Pigpen"

As I get older, I find myself reflecting on things involving my children at a young age. I remember my wife & I always got frustrated when we got them dressed to go to church & by the time we finished getting dressed, they were "tore up from the floor up!". As adults living in this sin-sick world, we often pick up some its dirt because it's hard talking, acting, & living like a child of God under these difficult conditions. The majority of the people we encounter on a daily basis don't view this world as we Christians do. Let's face it, for us, the world has become a spiritual pigpen & it's hard to stay clean when you live in a pigpen!

Yet, Christians have experienced this problem from the beginning; that's why we have to read our instructional manual on living...the Bible. The Word tells us not to become unequally yoked w/unbelievers. Certain things are just fundamentally incompatible (oil/water don't mix). This principle applies to Christians/non-Christians. That's why Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:17, "If anyone is in Christ He is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come". God knows that association brings on assimilation which is why He has called us out to be set apart from the world. This means that we are to separate ourselves from the evil desires, motives & behaviors of the past so that we can spend time with Him, serve Him & do His will.

Christians are the light of the world, the salt of the earth & as ambassadors for Christ we've been given the job of influencing the world for Him. Herein lies our dilemma; in our mission to lead others to Christ, we run the risk of being so close to the world that we become just like it! But we can't have a positive impact on non-believers if we adapt their habits, language & appearance. The old adage says, if you hang around sick people long enough, you'll catch what they've got! In other words, we can't walk with God & run with the devil at the same time! Because if we play w/fire long enough, we will get burned! So we must continually do the things which lead to a life of holiness, i.e., repent of our sins, reverence God & spend more time with our Bros/Sis in Christ.

Finally, since we are commanded to share the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we must learn to master the art of making contact with the world without being contaminated by it. Just as when you work with hazardous waste materials you must wear protective clothing, Christians must wear protective clothing too (the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation & the sword of the spirit). Although we've been given a tough job, we can do it and stay clean in the process. All we need to do is read & listen to God's instructions; this can be accomplished by being consistent in our attendance at church, Sunday School & Bible Study, so that our swords will stay sharpened. And by helping one another,
God will help us to stay clean!

Are You Thirsty?

I was reading John 4:7-30 this morning as I sipped some of the best coffee I have ever made. When I finished the coffee, I drank a glass of water and it also tasted good. Then it dawned on me that my water softner had just been serviced and now has a new filter which accounted for the improved taste. Immediately, the Holy Spirit connected my experience to what the scriptures addressed in the story of Jesus and the woman at the well. Jesus brought up the fact that she had 5 ex-husbands & the current man in her life was a live-in boyfriend! Thus, Jesus invited her to let Him become the 7th man in her life. Now Christians should know that the number 7 means "spiritually complete". Therefore, it's easy for you to understand that Jesus was offering to provide the perfect relationship & completely satisfy the needs in her life, which she so desperately searched for in all the wrong places. And, unlike the water in the well, she needed the water that Jesus was offering.

What kind of water have you been drinking lately? If you're trying to find satisfaction in life through anything or anyone besides Jesus Christ, you'll always walk away thirsty. That's why Jesus said that the water He gives will quench your thirst eternally. Sadly, though Christians have the pure water from Jesus Christ, many times we choose to drink the sewer water! And for many, it's difficult to get the taste of sin (sewer water) out of our mouths. That means whatever that habitual sin is that you have tried to quit a million times, yet keep going back to, must be dropped off at Jesus' feet & left there! But I've come to realize that, for some, it's not that you can't let it go as much as you don't want to let it go...you feel you just can't make it without__________(fill in the blank with your favorite sin)!

So, if you're thirsty for pure water, read your Bible for the water is in the Word. If you want to drink of this water, go to a church where the true Word of God is spoken for drinking comes by listening. The Bible is our source of true refreshment and quenching of our thirst. One last thing about this story, after speaking to Jesus the woman at the well went back to town to tell about her experience. What did she do with her water jar? She left it with Jesus!

Maybe it's time you left the sewer water of your life with Jesus and be comforted by His words, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink!" For the Lord will always guide you; He'll satisfy your needs in this sun-scorched land, and you'll be like a well-watered garden. And moreso, He will fill you until you become an overflowing river of living water that will bless others as you speak of His goodness!