"Never Forget"
Isaiah 41:17-43:13
Ephesians 2:1-22
Psalm 67:1-7
Proverbs 23:29-35
Eph. 2:11 "Never forget that once you were heathen..."
In the midst of busy schedules, it's easy to forget what our purpose is, our mission. We have to remember Eph. 2:9. "Salvation is not a reward for the good we have done, so none of us can take any credit for it."
Eph 2:10 "It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others." I must view my life as a resource that needs to be invested in what God has created me for. Your life is as well. "Never forget," you were a heathen. Now you're not.
Eph 2:2 "You went along with the crowd and were just like all the others, full of sin..." "BUT GOD is so rich in mercy; he loved us so much that even though we were spiritually dead and doomed by our sins, he gave us back our lives again when he raised Christ from the dead - only by his undeserved favor have we ever been saved." Eph 2:4-5
Our salvation is not a badge to be worn in pride. It is a gift. And it's not just a gift to hoard. It is for a purpose. In our world, there are people who are thirsty. Salvation is their water. How easily we forget how desperate they are for this water. We forget because we are no longer thirsty. Have you ever been REALLY thirsty? When you are, that's the only thing on your mind... how can i get water?
Isaiah 41:17 says, "When the poor and needy seek water and there is none and their tongues are parched from thirst, then I will answer when they cry to me. I, Israel's God, will not ever forsake them."
Who do you think God will use to meet the need of the thirsty? He has those of us to whom he has given new life. "But I have witnesses, O Israel, says the Lord! You are my witnesses and my servants, chosen to know and to believe me and to understand that I alone am God. There is no other God; there never was and never will be. I am the Lord, and there is no other Savior. Whenever you have thrown away your idols, I have shown you my power. With one word I have saved you. You have seen me do it; you are my witnesses that it is true."
The world doesn't know where the answer is. BUT WE HAVE SEEN IT! We have responsibility. We don't have salvation just for ourselves, we have it to show them the way!
What's holding us back? Fear?
Isaiah 43:1-3 says, "But now the Lord who created you, O Israel, says, Don't be afraid, for I have ransomed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up - the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, your Savior, the Holy One of Israel."
You probably noticed something there: It doesn't say, "you WONT go through deep waters, or trouble, or difficulty, or fire of oppression..." It says "WHEN you" go through these things.
So, what's our excuse? People dying of thirst all around, and we have cases of "Ice Mountain" water at our disposal... In this time of need do we jack up the cost of the Living Water? Do we wait for them to come to us? We pray that God will send someone to witness to our friends. We pray that there will be anointing on the flyer for a church outreach so they will come and then pastor can lead them to the Lord. It's wonderful when that happens, but don't get in the mindset of "Heaven forbid we give them some of our own water."
Today's Psalm 67 tells it all: "O God, in mercy bless us; let your face beam with joy as you look down at us. Send us around the world with the news of your saving power and your eternal plan for all mankind. How everyone throughout the earth will praise the Lord! How glad the nations will be, singing for joy because you are their King and will give true justice to their people! Praise God, O world! May all the peoples of the earth give thanks to you. For the earth has yielded abundant harvests. God, even our own God, will bless us. And peoples from remotest lands will worship him."
Never forget! The harvest is there! Let's get at it!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Showing posts with label Complacency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Complacency. Show all posts
Friday, September 23, 2011
Thursday, February 17, 2011
2.17.11 "Deeply Disturbed by Indifference"
"Deeply Disturbed by Indifference"
Leviticus 4:1-5:19
Mark 2:13-3:6
Psalm 36:1-12
Proverbs 10:1-2
As we go through life maturing in our walk with the Lord, we have this constant struggle with the flesh. We know we're supposed to die to the flesh, but for some reason, it seems to be on "life-support", and just wont stay dead.
If we don't keep our flesh under the subjection of the spirit, it begins to create a false sense of what being a Christian is all about. We have to remember that knowing Christ must cause us to focus on the needs of others. If this is not our focus, we have lost our purpose. We have become no different than the Pharisees in Jesus' day.
In Mark 3:1-6, Jesus is in the synagogue in Capernaum. "Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. Would he heal the man's hand? If he did, they planned to arrest him! Jesus asked the man to come and stand in front of the congregation. Then turning to his enemies he asked, 'Is it all right to do kind deeds on Sabbath days? Or is this a day for doing harm? Is it a day to save lives or to destroy them?' But they wouldn't answer him.
"Looking around at them angrily, for he was deeply disturbed by their indifference to human need, he said to the man, 'Reach out your hand.' He did, and instantly his hand was healed! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the Herodians to discuss plans for killing Jesus."
If the Son of God is "deeply disturbed", I think it's important that we take note as to why. It says what disturbed him was "their indifference to human need". What happened to the Pharisees that would create this "indifference"? It seems obvious that their religion was "about them". The laws they practiced and kept were for the purpose of serving their needs more than it was to know the heart of a loving God who is concerned for those in need.
It's good that doesn't happen any more. It's good that Christians today don't become so self-absorbed and critical of others that they fail to realize what the standards are for in the first place. Ok, so I'm being sarcastic.
Our purpose is our "Mission to Reach our World for Christ". This is what everything is for. We can become so inward focussed on our own needs and opinions that we've lost the drive for our purpose. We must make sure that we see the needs around us and we strive to meet them.
I would hate to come to the realization that Jesus was deeply disturbed by MY indifference to human need. I want my heart to become like his, and not like that of the Pharisees. I must die to my flesh. My motivation cannot be to serve my own needs. I must seek to serve others. I must live the DREAM!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Leviticus 4:1-5:19
Mark 2:13-3:6
Psalm 36:1-12
Proverbs 10:1-2
As we go through life maturing in our walk with the Lord, we have this constant struggle with the flesh. We know we're supposed to die to the flesh, but for some reason, it seems to be on "life-support", and just wont stay dead.
If we don't keep our flesh under the subjection of the spirit, it begins to create a false sense of what being a Christian is all about. We have to remember that knowing Christ must cause us to focus on the needs of others. If this is not our focus, we have lost our purpose. We have become no different than the Pharisees in Jesus' day.
In Mark 3:1-6, Jesus is in the synagogue in Capernaum. "Since it was the Sabbath, Jesus' enemies watched him closely. Would he heal the man's hand? If he did, they planned to arrest him! Jesus asked the man to come and stand in front of the congregation. Then turning to his enemies he asked, 'Is it all right to do kind deeds on Sabbath days? Or is this a day for doing harm? Is it a day to save lives or to destroy them?' But they wouldn't answer him.
"Looking around at them angrily, for he was deeply disturbed by their indifference to human need, he said to the man, 'Reach out your hand.' He did, and instantly his hand was healed! At once the Pharisees went away and met with the Herodians to discuss plans for killing Jesus."
If the Son of God is "deeply disturbed", I think it's important that we take note as to why. It says what disturbed him was "their indifference to human need". What happened to the Pharisees that would create this "indifference"? It seems obvious that their religion was "about them". The laws they practiced and kept were for the purpose of serving their needs more than it was to know the heart of a loving God who is concerned for those in need.
It's good that doesn't happen any more. It's good that Christians today don't become so self-absorbed and critical of others that they fail to realize what the standards are for in the first place. Ok, so I'm being sarcastic.
Our purpose is our "Mission to Reach our World for Christ". This is what everything is for. We can become so inward focussed on our own needs and opinions that we've lost the drive for our purpose. We must make sure that we see the needs around us and we strive to meet them.
I would hate to come to the realization that Jesus was deeply disturbed by MY indifference to human need. I want my heart to become like his, and not like that of the Pharisees. I must die to my flesh. My motivation cannot be to serve my own needs. I must seek to serve others. I must live the DREAM!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Friday, May 2, 2008
5.2.8 "The Danger of Falling Asleep"
"The Danger of Falling Asleep"
Judges 15:1-16:31
John 2:1-25
Psalm 103:1-22
Proverbs 14:17-19
It's can be a struggle to determine whether or not Samson is a hero. When I was a kid I loved Samson. I thought he was a great hero. He had cool hair (remember, I was a kid in the 80's), and was like Rambo. The more I read into his story though, I'm not so impressed. Samson is born of the promise to a barren woman. He was set apart from birth to deliver Israel from the Philistines. As you read of his exploits, though, you find they are mainly motivated by his greed, jealousy, and anger.
Here he is. The strongest man in the world. The power of God at his finger tips. Yet only two times do I see it recorded that he cried out to God. The first was because he was thirsty. Listen to this prayer: "You have given Israel such a wonderful deliverance through me today! Must I now die of thirst, and fall to the mercy of these heathen?" (Jud 15:18) The last time he called out to God was just before his death. "O Lord Jehovah, remember me again - please strengthen me one more time, so that I may pay back the Philistines for the loss of at least one of my eyes." (16:28)
My impression of Samson is that he's a bit self-centered. It's a good thing we're not that way today! It's a good thing we don't pray so selfishly...
We all are familiar with the story of Delilah. This is the woman he falls in love with, although she shouldn't be confused with the one he had married in chapter 14, or the prostitute from Gaza he had visited earlier... (you picking up on a weakness?) Delilah is approached by the Philistine leaders to discover the secret of Samson's strength. Samson lies to her 3 times before revealing the truth to her.
There is a key phrase to note in this chapter. "...while he slept she tied him..."(vs. 8) "...as he slept, Delilah took new ropes..." (vs. 12) "So while he slept..."(vs. 14) "She lulled him to sleep with his head in her lap..." (vs. 19)
I believe the saddest verse in the bible is verse 20. "Then she screamed, 'The Philistines are here to capture you, Samson!' And he woke up and thought, 'I will do as before; I'll just shake myself free.' But he didn't realize that the Lord had left him."
As we read this story it is so easy to wonder how Samson could be so stupid to allow Delilah to seduce him like that. But I believe the challenge is before us.
How could we be so stupid to be lulled asleep?
Samson did not just wake up one day to find himself captive. It seemed that way to him, but we can see that where he ended up was the result of pursuing fleshly desire, and laying his head in the lap of bondage. This wasn't a "one night" event of losing the blessing of the Lord. This was a gradual progression of being lulled to sleep.
We must guard against the same danger. Often believers will be lulled to sleep in the lap of worldliness. We become numbed to the blatant sin that is all around us. It becomes normal and acceptable to live in selfishness.
This quote is from a Bloomberg news report, April 27, 2007: Visitors to the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa won't find the Gideon Bible in the nightstand drawer. Instead, on the bureau will be a copy of ``An Inconvenient Truth,'' former Vice President Al Gores's book about global warming. Regardless of your views on the book, the point is, it replaced the Bible... while someone was sleeping.
After spending time in our comfort zones and selfish prayers, we are often surprised when we don't experience the power of God in the way we wish we could. The strength is gone.
We must realize why we are here and what we are called to do. We can't compromise the mission. Samson was there to deliver the people from the Philistines, yet his life seemed devoted to himself. This resulted in the enemy celebrating his captivity. He became a mockery.
The church should not be a place that the world mocks. The world shouldn't see a church that is self-righteous and haughty. The church should be seen as a place full of the power of God. How is this going to happen? It happens as the people of God remember the vows they have been called to fulfill. Vows of separation, holiness and devotion to complete the mission God has called them to.
As the body of Christ we need to WAKE UP! We need to see that the comforts we desire are lulling us to sleep and bringing us into captivity.
God has a plan for us, and it is for victory, not defeat. We will overcome as we devote ourselves to him!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
Judges 15:1-16:31
John 2:1-25
Psalm 103:1-22
Proverbs 14:17-19
It's can be a struggle to determine whether or not Samson is a hero. When I was a kid I loved Samson. I thought he was a great hero. He had cool hair (remember, I was a kid in the 80's), and was like Rambo. The more I read into his story though, I'm not so impressed. Samson is born of the promise to a barren woman. He was set apart from birth to deliver Israel from the Philistines. As you read of his exploits, though, you find they are mainly motivated by his greed, jealousy, and anger.
Here he is. The strongest man in the world. The power of God at his finger tips. Yet only two times do I see it recorded that he cried out to God. The first was because he was thirsty. Listen to this prayer: "You have given Israel such a wonderful deliverance through me today! Must I now die of thirst, and fall to the mercy of these heathen?" (Jud 15:18) The last time he called out to God was just before his death. "O Lord Jehovah, remember me again - please strengthen me one more time, so that I may pay back the Philistines for the loss of at least one of my eyes." (16:28)
My impression of Samson is that he's a bit self-centered. It's a good thing we're not that way today! It's a good thing we don't pray so selfishly...
We all are familiar with the story of Delilah. This is the woman he falls in love with, although she shouldn't be confused with the one he had married in chapter 14, or the prostitute from Gaza he had visited earlier... (you picking up on a weakness?) Delilah is approached by the Philistine leaders to discover the secret of Samson's strength. Samson lies to her 3 times before revealing the truth to her.
There is a key phrase to note in this chapter. "...while he slept she tied him..."(vs. 8) "...as he slept, Delilah took new ropes..." (vs. 12) "So while he slept..."(vs. 14) "She lulled him to sleep with his head in her lap..." (vs. 19)
I believe the saddest verse in the bible is verse 20. "Then she screamed, 'The Philistines are here to capture you, Samson!' And he woke up and thought, 'I will do as before; I'll just shake myself free.' But he didn't realize that the Lord had left him."
As we read this story it is so easy to wonder how Samson could be so stupid to allow Delilah to seduce him like that. But I believe the challenge is before us.
How could we be so stupid to be lulled asleep?
Samson did not just wake up one day to find himself captive. It seemed that way to him, but we can see that where he ended up was the result of pursuing fleshly desire, and laying his head in the lap of bondage. This wasn't a "one night" event of losing the blessing of the Lord. This was a gradual progression of being lulled to sleep.
We must guard against the same danger. Often believers will be lulled to sleep in the lap of worldliness. We become numbed to the blatant sin that is all around us. It becomes normal and acceptable to live in selfishness.
This quote is from a Bloomberg news report, April 27, 2007: Visitors to the Gaia Napa Valley Hotel and Spa won't find the Gideon Bible in the nightstand drawer. Instead, on the bureau will be a copy of ``An Inconvenient Truth,'' former Vice President Al Gores's book about global warming. Regardless of your views on the book, the point is, it replaced the Bible... while someone was sleeping.
After spending time in our comfort zones and selfish prayers, we are often surprised when we don't experience the power of God in the way we wish we could. The strength is gone.
We must realize why we are here and what we are called to do. We can't compromise the mission. Samson was there to deliver the people from the Philistines, yet his life seemed devoted to himself. This resulted in the enemy celebrating his captivity. He became a mockery.
The church should not be a place that the world mocks. The world shouldn't see a church that is self-righteous and haughty. The church should be seen as a place full of the power of God. How is this going to happen? It happens as the people of God remember the vows they have been called to fulfill. Vows of separation, holiness and devotion to complete the mission God has called them to.
As the body of Christ we need to WAKE UP! We need to see that the comforts we desire are lulling us to sleep and bringing us into captivity.
God has a plan for us, and it is for victory, not defeat. We will overcome as we devote ourselves to him!
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
P Greg
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
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