Why I Believe

Introduction: post 1

Not everyone believes in God. If I am going to base both my philosophy and my theology on the existence of God, it makes sense that before I write on those topics, I should present an argument for the existence of God. This is biblical. I Peter 3:15 says: “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”.

The series of posts that will be grouped under Why I Believe will seek to do just that, to ‘give a reason for the hope that is in me’.

Historically, this defense of the faith has been called apologetics. There is a difference between defending the faith and seeking converts through rational argument. Logical, persuasive arguments may remove obstacles to faith, but they do not produce faith. At it’s heart, faith is a response to the Word and the Spirit of God which takes place in the spirit, or heart of a person, not in the mind.

I present my defense of the faith as an inductive argument. That means that it leads to a probable conclusion, not a certain conclusion. This type of argument can be weakened, but not completely destroyed. It can be strengthened, but there is always a need for a final ‘leap of faith’.

The Teacher

Yesterday, at our men’s breakfast we discussed the will of God. The scripture that we were looking at was Romans 12:1-2

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

We agreed that the acceptable will of God is only a starting point. As new Christians, the bare minimum is difficult enough both to grasp and to execute. As we grow in the Lord, we can do better. As we reach maturity, we can strive for the perfect. This does not mean that we reach it, but we are slowly becoming more the people that God means for us to be. 

I. Bethlehem: Micah 5:2-5

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Though you are little among the thousands of Judah,
Yet out of you shall come forth to Me
The One to be Ruler in Israel,
Whose goings forth are from of old,
From everlasting.”

Therefore He shall give them up,
Until the time that she who is in labor has given birth;
Then the remnant of His brethren
Shall return to the children of Israel.
⁴ And He shall stand and feed His flock
In the strength of the Lord,
In the majesty of the name of the Lord His God;
And they shall abide,
For now He shall be great
To the ends of the earth;
⁵ And this One shall be peace.

In a week we will be celebrating the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem. This portion of Micah is the location of the prophecy that foretold the birth of the Christ at Bethlehem. It is one of many prophecies fulfilled by Jesus Christ. 

Today I would like to focus on verse four. He will feed his flock. This reminds me of John 10:11 where Jesus refers to Himself as the good shepherd. It also reminds me of Psalm 23 where we identify that the Lord is our shepherd. (Homework assignment-read Psalm 23)

God will take care of us, like a shepherd takes care of his sheep.

I grew up in a Lutheran church. Then for a few years I attended an independent Pentecostal church. While I was in the Marines Corp I attended a Methodist church. There was a period when I was a little confused by the various teachings. Which one was the right one?

II. A Simple Truth: Micah 6:8

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

To do justly basically means to do what is right. Now, it is not always easy to know what is right and it is not always easy to do what is right, but it is a starting point. 

To love mercy means to forgive others as we believe that God will forgive us. 

To walk humbly with God is a wonderful calling. Jesus calls to each of us to come, follow him. We can be his disciples, which means students. He is our teacher. 

III. Teach Me: Psalm 143:9-10

Deliver me, O Lord, from my enemies;
In You I take shelter.
¹⁰ Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness.

It is God who will teach us to do His will. 

  A. The Word: II Timothy 3:16-17

 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We should be reading the Bible again and again. We should study it, memorize it, meditate on it. God will use it to change our lives.

  B. The Spirit: John 16:12-13

“I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. ¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

The Spirit will lead us. It is the Word of God together with the Spirit of God that forms the people of God. 

God reaches out to us, just as we are. He calls us to faith in Jesus, to walk humbly with Him, to learn from Him, to do His will.

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These are the sermon notes from the message that I preached 12/17/23. All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible. The memory verse for this week is Psalm 143:9-10. If you would like to view this message as it was preached you can watch it at: https://www.facebook.com/100064322333786/videos/387530717050940 

Drawn to the Light

I. Descent Into Darkness: Judges 16:16-21

 And it came to pass, when she pestered him daily with her words and pressed him, so that his soul was vexed to death, ¹⁷ that he told her all his heart, and said to her, “No razor has ever come upon my head, for I have been a Nazirite to God from my mother’s womb. If I am shaven, then my strength will leave me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.”

¹⁸ When Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the lords of the Philistines, saying, “Come up once more, for he has told me all his heart.” So the lords of the Philistines came up to her and brought the money in their hand. ¹⁹ Then she lulled him to sleep on her knees, and called for a man and had him shave off the seven locks of his head. Then she began to torment him, and his strength left him. ²⁰ And she said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” So he awoke from his sleep, and said, “I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!” But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.

²¹ Then the Philistines took him and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza. They bound him with bronze fetters, and he became a grinder in the prison.

²² However, the hair of his head began to grow again after it had been shaven.

Samson should have known better. He had confided once before to a woman who pestered him until he gave in and it did not end well. We should know not to give in to pressure to do something that we know is not right. We should be able to stand our ground and hold true to our convictions.

Samson also missed the point. It was not his hair. It was the Spirit of God that gave him his strength. The Nazirite vow included three parts. The hair was only a part of it and it wasn’t the most important part. The most important part is the dedication of oneself to the Lord.

When he says that he will go out and ‘shake himself free’ it shows that he has given in to pride in his own abilities. One of the saddest lines in scriptures is verse 20 when he does not realize that the Lord had departed from him.

The Philistines put out his physical eyes. He had descended into darkness.

However, his hair began to grow. Again, the hair is not important. It has more to do with his faith in God and his devotion to Him.

II. Drawn to the Light: John 3:12-21

If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. ¹⁴ And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. ¹⁷ For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

¹⁸ “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. ²¹ But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

I have always thought it odd that Jesus would be compared to a snake. Perhaps you remember the story. The Israelites had been grumbling and God sent snakes among them that killed quite a few. When the people cried out for help God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and place it on a pole. Whoever looked at that snake on a pole in faith was healed. The comparison to Christ is obvious, if a little odd.

Jesus came to earth to deal with the sin problem. It is only through Jesus that we are saved. In Christ we have an opportunity for a new start, a new life. II Corinthians 5:17 tells us that “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” In Christ we can begin anew.

Jesus is the light that has shown into the darkness. Sadly, some people prefer the darkness. Others are drawn to the light. Once Christ has entered our hearts through faith, then the light of Christ can shine through us as well. Matthew 5:16 says “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” It is important that we allow the light of Christ to shine through our lives, through our actions, our words and our attitudes. God has use us to bring others to Christ.

There is a lot of darkness in the world. Many people have descended into darkness. Some of them desperately want to escape.

Let the light of Christ shine through you.

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These are the sermon notes from the message that I preached on 5/5/24. The sermon contains additional material. If you would like to listen to it as it was preached at the 8:30 service it can be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/100064322333786/videos/818893646793648

All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Any adds that appear are placed by WordPress. I have no control over them.

Go!

In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel was sent into the promised land to conquer the inhabitants and take possession of the land.

In the New Testament, Jesus sends his disciples into the world in a different way.

I. The Promised Land: Joshua 1:8-9

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. ⁹ Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

A. The Law: At this time the only scriptures that they would have had would be the Pentateuch, which is Genesis through Deuteronomy. Yet they were told to meditate on it and observe it. It also came with the promise that if they did so, then they would prosper.

B. Be Strong: As they go into the promised land, they are going to have to fight. It was dangerous. They are encouraged to be strong and courageous and to do what needed to be done.

C. God is With You: This promise is particularly important. If God is with us, then we have nothing to fear.

II. The Great Commission: Matthew 28:18-20

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

A. Make Disciples: The apostles were not sent out to conquer in a military fashion. They were sent to make disciples. They were to share the good news of the love of God expressed through Jesus Christ. It was not just to one physical location, but to all the world.

B. Baptize: They were to baptize these new converts in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. It would be a demonstration to those around that the old man had died and that they were to be a new creation in Christ.

C. Teaching Them: Conversion is not the end, but rather the beginning of the Christian walk. They are a new babe in Christ and should be taught how to represent Christ to the world. We now have both the Old and New Testaments. We are to continue to read the scriptures, study the scriptures, memorize the scriptures and meditate on the scriptures. And of course, we are to live out the scriptures.

D. Christ With Us: Just as the Lord promised to be with the nation of Israel, so Jesus promises to be with his disciples. We are not alone.

Conclusion: The nation of Israel was sent into the promised land to conquer it and establish the earthly kingdom of God. The disciples are sent to convert the world, teaching them about the promised land to come, which is heaven. For both, they had a mission from God. They both had the Word of God. They both had the promise of God’s presence with them.

We are a part of the Great Commission. We are to proclaim the gospel. We are to study and keep the Word. We are to look forward to the Promised Land.

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These are the sermon notes from the message that I preached on 4/21/24. All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible. There is additional material in the message. If you would like to listen to it as it was preached at the 8:30 service, you can view it at: https://www.facebook.com/100064322333786/videos/793060739066066

Any ads that might appear are placed by WordPress.

Happiness

A few years ago Will Smith made a movie called The Pursuit of Happiness. I personally think it should have been titled The Pursuit of Money! There was a definite correlation between the accumulation of wealth and happiness.

I believe that movie was wrong on two counts. First, I do not believe that money is the key to happiness. Secondly, I do not believe that happiness is the proper choice for the primary goal of our lives.

I suggest a better goal. ”  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. ” Matthew 6:33

I. Blessed: Luke 11:27-28

And it happened, as He spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, “Blessed is the womb that bore You, and the breasts which nursed You!”

²⁸ But He said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

The word that is translated ‘blessed’ can also be translated as happy. I do not believe that we should pursue happiness. I believe that, as we pursue God, we will be happy.

Hear the Word of God. I seek to be diligent to preach the Word of God. However, you should be reading your Bibles on a regular basis.

Do what it says. It is not enough to know the Word of God. We must apply it to our lives.

II. Hear: Deuteronomy 30:11-14

“For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. ¹² It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹³ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ ¹⁴ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

We can know what God wants us to do. We are no longer required to follow the Mosaic Law. That does not mean that we are not to follow God’s law. The ethical teachings still apply. We are to love God. We are to love people.

We do not do this in our own wisdom or strength. The Spirit of God will help us to understand. The Spirit will help us to apply the Word of God to our lives. The Spirit of God will give us the wisdom to know what to do and the strength to do it.

III. Do: Deuteronomy 30:19-20

 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; ²⁰ that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”

We have a choice. We can serve God and live our lives His way, or we can reject God and do what we want to do. In Deuteronomy the choice is described in stark contrast. Serve God and be blessed. Reject God and be cursed.

I prefer to be blessed.

It begins with faith. But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6

We are called to love God and to love our neighbor.

For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. I John 5:3

So, true happiness is found by a life of faith, love and obedience.

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These are the sermon notes from the message that I preached on 4/7/24. The message contains additional material. If you would like to view the message as it was preached, you can view it at: https://www.facebook.com/100064322333786/videos/457922233239169

All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Any ads that appear are placed by WordPress.

Whom Are You Seeking?

He has risen!

It is Easter morning. Some people prefer to call it Resurrection Sunday, but I was raised up calling it Easter and I am ok with it. We really need to read the biblical account of that first morning. This year I am reading from the gospel of John.

John 20:1-18

20 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. ² Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

³ Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. ⁴ So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. ⁵ And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, ⁷ and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. ⁸ Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. ⁹ For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. ¹⁰ Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

¹¹ But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. ¹² And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. ¹³ Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”

She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

¹⁴ Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. ¹⁵ Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”

She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Mary!”

She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

¹⁷ Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’ ”

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

This year as I read through the text I was struck with the different responses to the empty tomb. Mary was the first one there. She ran to tell the disciples. John is faster than Peter and makes it to the tomb before him. He looks in from the door, probably concerned about ceremonial ‘cleanness’. Peter goes right on in.

No one is there. Their first thought is not, ‘He is risen!’ they wonder what has happened.

Peter and John leave. Mary remains behind. She peeks in and sees the angels. Still, she thinks that the body is gone, not that He has risen. She sees Jesus and does not recognize Him until He calls her by name.

Mary is the first witness of the resurrected Christ.

Whom are you seeking? Are you seeking Christ?

James 4:8 tells us “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Today I want to emphasize the first part of that verse. Draw near to God! Seek God! God desires for us to seek Him.

What kind of response do you have to the empty tomb? John peeked in from the outside. Peter boldly went in, but soon left. Mary came early and stayed late.

Jeremiah 29:13 says “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”

I want to encourage you to seek God with all your heart. It will be worth it.

I taught philosophy for 25 years. One philosopher, Rene Descartes, is famous for the line “I think, therefore I am.” Basically, Descartes used methodological skepticism to question everything. The one thing that he could not doubt was his own existence. This leaves us in something called the egocentric predicament. That means that our mind exists, but what about anything else? Descartes escapes the predicament by his faith in God. He has an ‘idea’ of God that he could not believe originated in the material world or in his own mind.

Descartes knew God.

Do you?

In Genesis 5:24 we read that “Enoch walked with God, and was not, for God took him.”

Obviously, Enoch knew God.

My challenge to you today is to not stop at the empty tomb.

Seek the living God.

Seek Him and you will find Him.

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These are the sermon notes from the message that I preached on March 31, 2024. If you would like to view the message as it was preached at the 7:00 service, you can view it at: https://www.facebook.com/100064322333786/videos/1139296883744001

All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible.

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Ceasefire?

The United Nations recently passed a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The resolution did not include the stipulation of releasing the Israeli hostages.

It is important to remember that the current conflict began October 7th when Hamas invaded Israel. About 1200 Israelis were killed. More than 240 were taken hostage. Of course, Israel retaliated. The government wants to ‘Bring them home!”

The devastation in Gaza has been horrendous. Over 30,000 people have died and the entire area is suffering. Hamas continues to hold on to the hostages.

Most of the world wants the suffering to come to an end.

Release the hostages.

That should be the first step.

The Path of Life

Are you willing to try new things to eat? I enjoy trying new stuff. I recently was introduced to zucchini pie. A lady at church wanted me to try a piece. Let’s just say that I had low expectations.

It may be my new favorite pie.

I. The Lord is Good! Psalm 34:8

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

God is good! If people would respond to the Spirit of God and put their faith in Jesus they would experience the goodness of God. Spending time in the presence of God is wonderful. God can help this life go better.

Blessed can also be understood as happy. We can trust God. He is worthy of our trust. When we trust God, we do not need to worry or be afraid. We can be at peace in the knowledge that God loves us and will look out for us.

II. The Path of Life: Psalm 16:11

You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

God will show us how to live. He gives us direction by His Word and by His Spirit. We should be reading our Bibles and asking God to help us understand it and to apply it to our lives. God’s way is the right way.

We should take time to be in God’s presence. We should pray and thank God for His blessings. We should give God praise, for He is worthy of our praise. We should bring our concerns before Him. We should do all these things, but we should also simply seek to draw near to God, to sit quietly in His presence. In His presence we will find a joy that is not of this world. It is the joy of the Lord that gives us strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

III. Trouble: James 1:2-4

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

I would not want to give you the impression that life as a Christian is always easy. That would not be true. God is always good, but life can be hard. In the difficult days we can trust God. He will give us wisdom to know what to do and the strength to do what we should. He will help us. He will not abandon us. The difficult days help our faith and trust to grow.

IV. The End: Proverbs 11:7-8

When a wicked man dies, his expectation will perish,
And the hope of the unjust perishes.
⁸ The righteous is delivered from trouble,
And it comes to the wicked instead.

When the unbeliever dies, their hopes and dreams die with them. Their troubles are not over, they are only beginning.

When the believer dies their reward is waiting for them. Heaven will be beyond our greatest expectations. There will be no more trouble.

We should give God a chance. He is good. He will show us the path of life. When we have problems, He will help us. At the end, we will be with Him forever.

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These are the sermon notes from the message that I preached on 3/17/24. There is additional material in the message. If you would like to listen to it as it was preached you can view it at: https://www.facebook.com/100064322333786/videos/2836052339883475

All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Any ads that appear are placed by WordPress.

Clear Directions

I have not always been a pastor and college instructor. As a young adult I served in the Marine Corps. I also worked in a machine shop and in construction. One of the sayings that was quite popular was KISS. Keep it simple stupid! It is possible that some of my students may have expressed that thought from time to time.

I do appreciate a simple approach.

I. The Command of the Lord

A. The Wilderness: As the children of Israel were in the wilderness they were led by God Himself. There was a pillar of fire at night and a column of smoke during the day. It was plainly visible to everyone. When it lifted, they packed up. As it moved, they followed. When it stopped, they stopped. Simple. Numbers 9:23 says:

At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.

B. The Ten Commandments (c.f. Exodus 20:1-17)

1. You shall have no other gods before me.
2. Do not make any graven image.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy.
5. Honor your Father and Mother.
6. Do not commit murder.
7. Do not commit adultery.
8. Do not steal.
9. Do not bear false witness.
10. Do not covet.

Jesus said that they could grouped as loving God and loving people. These commands are clear. Israel took them very seriously.

Our society today does not do such a good job. Many people are guilty of putting other things ahead of God. We may not make a graven image, but we look to other things for guidance and fulfillment. In my early jobs I often heard the name of the Lord used in ways it is not meant to be used. The attitude towards the Sabbath is haphazard at best.

Our attitude towards our parents, for many, could use some improvement, especially as our parents grow old.

We may not commit murder, but do we love our neighbor?

Adultery is far too common. Other sexual sins are often normalized.

Stealing is not rare. How many use self-checkout to their advantage?

Lying is commonly practiced.

Coveting is what tripped Paul up. Looking to things, rather than to God for fulfillment is one way of putting something before God.

These commandments are clear directions. They are commonly broken in our society today. It is one thing when they are broken by those outside of the church, but far too often people within the church disregard them as well.

II. The Fear of the Lord: Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

If God is God, then He has the right to give us direction. We do not know better than God how we should live. He speaks. We should obey.

III. Knowledge of His Will: Colossians 1:9-10

 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ¹⁰ that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Not everything is so simple. We need God to help us discern His will for us. We have His Word and we have the Holy Spirit. They will help us come to a knowledge of the truth.

IV. Trust Him: Psalms 37:23-24

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

If we have professed our faith in Jesus and given our lives to Him, then He will guide our steps. If we get it wrong, He will lift us back up.

We can trust Him.

It is simple.

Even when it’s not.

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These are the sermon notes from the message that I preached on 3/10/24. There is additional material in the message. If you would like to hear it as it was preached at the 8:30 service, you can view it at: https://www.facebook.com/100064322333786/videos/24879927724989002

All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Any advertisements are placed by WordPress. I have no control over them.

Die to Sin

There are a number of verses that I quote frequently in my messages as supporting verses. One of those verses is Ephesians 2:8-10.

I. Salvation: Ephesians 2:8-10

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not of works, lest anyone should boast. ¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

A. By Grace: If God did not reach out to us we would remain forever lost. It is by His grace that we are saved. It is only through the cross of Christ that we receive forgiveness for our sins.

B. Through Faith: We hear the message of salvation through Christ. The Spirit speaks to our hearts and we are given an opportunity to respond. Our part is to respond with faith to the grace of God.

C. For Works: We are not saved by our works. We do not earn our salvation. If we are saved, then the Spirit of Christ dwells within us. (Ephesians 3:17) If the Spirit of Christ dwells within us then we will be changed. We are given a new life. We should walk in the newness of this life.

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? ² Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? ³ Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Romans 6:1-3

We should die to sin and live as God would want us to live.

II. Be Holy

A. Leviticus 19:1-2:

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ² “Speak to all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say to them: ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.

The nation of Israel were commanded to be holy. Holy includes two aspects. A holy object is separated for God and a holiness is without sin. Of course, people fall short of perfection, but the goal is set high. Be holy! You might say that is fine for the nation of Israel, but we are not under the law but under grace.

B. I Peter 1:15-16

 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, ¹⁶ because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

Christians also are called to be holy. We do not strive for holiness to earn salvation, rather we become holy as the Spirit of God works together with the Word of God to mold us into the people of God.

C. Hebrews 12:14

 Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord:

We do not often talk about holiness, but we should. If we are not in the process of becoming holy, then we are not the children of God. We need God to help us to recognize what is sinful, and to do what it good. It is not something that we do on our own. We need God’s help.

III. Love God: I John 5:1-5

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. ³ For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. ⁴ For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. ⁵ Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

The best way to grow in holiness is to develop our relationship with God. We should spend time in His Word and time in His presence. As our love for God grows, we are changed. We love other people as God loves them. Our lives are changed by the love of God. It is not by our own strength or willpower, it is by the Spirit of God that dwells within us.

This is a process. Our old nature does not simply go away. We must learn to live in the Spirit, so that we do not do the deeds of the flesh. This is accomplished little by little, day by day, as we learn to walk with God.

We should die to sin, and pursue holiness, not to earn our salvation, but so that God is glorified.

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These are the sermon notes from the message that I preached on 3/3/24. There is additional material in the message. If you would like to hear the message as it was preached at the 8:30 service you can view it at: https://www.facebook.com/100064322333786/videos/276438165484999

All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible.

Advertisements are placed by WordPress. I have no control over them.

Sowing Seed

Recently I preached about the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:18-20. This message is a follow up to that message.

I. A Mystery: Mark 4:26-29

 And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground, ²⁷ and should sleep by night and rise by day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. ²⁸ For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. ²⁹ But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

When we share the gospel, we don’t know how, or if, it will bear fruit. In some cases we are able to see the result of a person giving their heart to Jesus, but other times we may never know the final result. We don’t know how is working in a person’s life. We are still called to faithfully share the gospel.  I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. I Corinthians 3:6

II. Wheat and Tares: Matthew 13:24-30

 Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵ but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. ²⁶ But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. ²⁷ So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”

This world is filled with people. Some will give their hearts to the Lord. Some will not. It is not for us to judge. We cannot tell if a person will respond today, tomorrow, in ten years, or never.

We should share the gospel with all whom we can share it. We should share it with our words and we should be careful to make sure that our lives illustrate the difference that Jesus Christ can make in our lives. People may listen to our words. They will also watch our lives. It is important that are consistent. This is not meant to put us under pressure. We know that we will not be perfect, but we should do our best.

III. The Impact: Mark 4:30-32

 Then He said, “To what shall we liken the kingdom of God? Or with what parable shall we picture it? ³¹ It is like a mustard seed which, when it is sown on the ground, is smaller than all the seeds on earth; ³² but when it is sown, it grows up and becomes greater than all herbs, and shoots out large branches, so that the birds of the air may nest under its shade.”

Faith may start small, but it can grow. The change in our lives should continue throughout our lives as God continues to mold us into the people that we are meant to be. In turn, our lives can impact others. Then those others can impact still others. It is a continuing process throughout our lives. We will not truly know what impact we have in this life until we are in eternity.

IV. Don’t Quit! Galatians 6:9

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Our job is to share the gospel. We are to let the light of Christ shine through our lives. We should remain faithful until the end. Don’t give up just because you are not seeing the results that you would like to see. Be faithful in word and in deed.

Finish the race.

Finish strong.

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These are the sermon notes from the message that I preached on 2/25/24. The message contains additional material. If you would like to hear it as it was preached at the 8:30 service, you can view it at: https://www.facebook.com/100064322333786/videos/2214266908904214

All scriptures are from the New King James Version of the Bible. Any ads that appear are placed by WordPress. I have no control over them.

A Hard Question

Human life begins at conception. Pro-life advocates have been making this claim for years. The basic idea is that at the time of conception, a new human life begins, with it’s own unique DNA. This supports the view that the act of abortion ends a human life.

The Alabama Supreme Court, in it’s recent ruling, endorses this view. The human embryo is to be treated as a human life. Abortion already is not legal in Alabama. (There are only a few exceptions.) Now, with this new ruling, there will be ramifications in the area of In Vitro Fertilization.

In Vitro Fertilization typically involves the fertilization of a number of eggs so that the chances of success are greater. It is common practice to destroy defective embryos and any extras that might remain after the goal of a healthy baby has been achieved.

Now that embryos have been given legal status as a human life in Alabama, the destruction of these embryos could be viewed as the taking of a human life.

Some medical facilities in Alabama that provided IVF are currently pausing their provision of this service until there is legal protection, which may or may not happen.

The goal of IVF is to give parents a healthy baby. Many pro-life groups have given IVF a pass on the details of the practice since the goal is a healthy baby. Now there will have to be more discussion. If it is accepted that human life begins at conception, should IVF continue in it’s current form?