"Learn How to Walk"
I Kings 12:20 - 13:34
Acts 9:26-43
Psalm 132:1-18
Proverbs 17:6
As we read in Acts, it's been quite an interesting birth of the Christian church. We've seen growth, and then we've seen persecution. The stoning of Stephen brought new growth to the church. It preceded the conversion of Paul. In today's reading we find that Paul is beginning his teaching and preaching. He begins to experience some of the same persecution that he had done to other people.
In spite of the persecution Acts 9:31 says, "...the church had peace throughout... and grew in strength and numbers. The believers learned how to walk in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit."
Growing in Christ is a constant process. No matter where we are in our Christian "maturity" we must be learning to walk in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes we can develop the misconception that being a Christian for a long time makes us mature. The truth is all that makes us is older, not necessarily more mature. Maturing in Christ is an intentional act. Each day of my life I must LEARN to walk in the fear of the Lord. To learn this, I must commit to the process.
This is what discipleship is all about. Who is discipling you? Who are you discipling? It's really easy to look at those questions and think, "yeah, that's a good idea..." Or, we may be thinking in terms of "There's no way I have time for that". We miss the fact that this is what Empowered Through Biblical Training is all about! You can't progress in Christian maturity without being involved in discipleship. You can't live the DREAM with out the "E".
The mission statement of our church says, "Reaching our world for Christ as we lead individuals to discover and become who God has created them to be." I think we all are on board with the idea of "Reaching our world for Christ" We know that God has told us to do. We even like the idea of "discover and become", but when it comes to how we live our lives, we to often separate that from reality. We hesitate to put this into action.
We must be people who are involved in Discipling relationships teaching and encouraging each other to walk in the fear of the Lord & in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. This requires the humility to place yourself under the leadership of a mentor, and it requires the courage to help redirect another believer who needs correction, encouragement or instruction. We build this up in our mind to be some huge obstacle. It doesn't have to be. This shouldn't just be something we do, it should be a part of who we are.
We must do this to Live the DREAM! Determine today that you will commit to being a disciple, and making disciples. Learn how to walk in the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Holy Spirit.
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
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
6.13.11 "What Do You Expect?"
"What Do You Expect?"
I Kings 11:1 - 12:19
Acts 9:1-25
Psalm 131:1-3
Proverbs 17:4-5
I've always like the story of Ananias. In Acts 9, we read of the conversion of "the artist formally known as Saul" on the road to Damascus. What a dramatic story of God intervening in a life. That's always a cool story, but I'm always just as drawn to God speaking to Ananias.
I thought I'd re-tell the story in my own words. Here's a look at Acts9:10ff "GLAV"(Greg Lathe Amplified Version) (disclaimer: this Version is probably "uninspired"!)
There was a follower of Christ living in Damascus. He was no great leader, but he was faithful. He loved the Lord, and sought after his will, and believed God could do anything. One Day as he was praying, the Lord spoke to him in a vision.
"Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord!" Wow! He thought, I can't believe it! God is speaking to me directly. He must have some great plan that he wants to see happen! Maybe it's going to be that new job I've always wanted, Maybe he's calling me to be the new home fellowship leader! Maybe I get my turn to teach Synagogue Sunday School!
"Go over to Straight Street and find the house of a man named Judas.." As the Lord is speaking Ananias' mind is churning, "This is awesome! I've got a mission from God! I bet someone needs healing!"
"...and ask there for Paul of Tarsus..."
Hold on a minute! Just the mention of the name seemed to pull the plug and cause his faith to drain out.
"...He is praying to me right now, for I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he can see again!"
Ananias didn't really hear this last part with the same enthusiasm that he had only moments ago. After all, this was highly strange! He thought, "Who am I that i should show up at someone's door, and ask the devil himself if i could pray for him? Doesn't God understand my limitations? I'm sure God hasn't thought of these things. I'll let him know:"
"But Lord, I'm not sure that you're aware of this, but I've heard about this guy. He has done some terrible things in Jerusalem, and we're pretty sure he's here to do the same thing. So, here's the thing, God... you'd be proud of us Christians. You see, we've got together, and we've pretty much decided we were going to stay as far away from him as we can. We passed around a petition that we would boycott people going to TarsusLand as a symbol of our solidarity, and we were pretty much going to limit our relationship only to other Christians because you know, our goal is to stay saved! Lord, I'm sure you didn't think of this. Oh yeah, and there's one more thing... You probably didn't realize this... There's even a chance that if I do show up, he's going to kill me on the spot! So I'm thinkin'..."
It didn't take God long to reply: "Here's an idea... how about you do what I say? I chose Paul. I've got a plan for His life, and it's not unrelated to all the things you're worried about. All the things you heard about, I saw. It may surprise you to know that these things were preparing Paul for what is ahead. He's my man. And you know what Ananias? Your obedience is part of this process. So, what's it gonna be?"
Ananias couldn't even answer. He went to the specified house, knocked on the door, and asked to see... (gulp)... Paul. He walked into the room where he was sitting, and his heart was pounding. Had he really heard from God? He started to wonder how stupid he would feel if nothing happened after laying his hands on him. But, he knew that God hadn't let him down yet. He placed his hands on Paul. "Brother Paul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit and get your sight back."
Instantly, as if scales fell from his eyes, Paul could see. Paul began to speak in other tongues, and was having quite a glory spell!
Ananias was somewhat lost in another place in his mind, in thought, even repentance. "God, I'm sorry I even wasted time questioning you. I'm thankful for what you've done in Paul, but I'm more thankful for what you've done in me. Help me the next time to remember your voice and to respond with readiness and immediate obedience."
As I mentioned, this is MY rendition of the story. In this re-telling, there's a whole lot of me in Ananias. The question I must ask myself is "what do I REALLY expect of God?" I need to expect that he will do some incredible things as I listen to the small steps of obedience. The things that seem to make no sense. (at the store, use aisle 5 and ask the clerk how her day is going.) These small things play into a big picture.
Sometimes we become intimidated by what the enemy has done in the lives of people. But we can't forget who the enemy really is. It's not the individual doing the persecuting. It's the spirit behind that person. One of our strongest weapons is to LOVE those who've made choices that are wrong. We don't have to accept ungodliness. As Jesus did, we can take a stand against institutions, but love the individuals. For example, in Matthew 23 Jesus went off on the Pharisees, but in John 3:16, the most memorized verse in history was spoken to one of those pharisees. It's SO important that we learn to recognize his voice and to respond in obedience.
Expect God to talk to you. Expect him to tell you something that may not make sense. Expect it to be outside your comfort zone. Expect him to use you to complete his work.
So... what do you expect?
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
I Kings 11:1 - 12:19
Acts 9:1-25
Psalm 131:1-3
Proverbs 17:4-5
I've always like the story of Ananias. In Acts 9, we read of the conversion of "the artist formally known as Saul" on the road to Damascus. What a dramatic story of God intervening in a life. That's always a cool story, but I'm always just as drawn to God speaking to Ananias.
I thought I'd re-tell the story in my own words. Here's a look at Acts9:10ff "GLAV"(Greg Lathe Amplified Version) (disclaimer: this Version is probably "uninspired"!)
There was a follower of Christ living in Damascus. He was no great leader, but he was faithful. He loved the Lord, and sought after his will, and believed God could do anything. One Day as he was praying, the Lord spoke to him in a vision.
"Ananias!"
"Yes, Lord!" Wow! He thought, I can't believe it! God is speaking to me directly. He must have some great plan that he wants to see happen! Maybe it's going to be that new job I've always wanted, Maybe he's calling me to be the new home fellowship leader! Maybe I get my turn to teach Synagogue Sunday School!
"Go over to Straight Street and find the house of a man named Judas.." As the Lord is speaking Ananias' mind is churning, "This is awesome! I've got a mission from God! I bet someone needs healing!"
"...and ask there for Paul of Tarsus..."
Hold on a minute! Just the mention of the name seemed to pull the plug and cause his faith to drain out.
"...He is praying to me right now, for I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying his hands on him so that he can see again!"
Ananias didn't really hear this last part with the same enthusiasm that he had only moments ago. After all, this was highly strange! He thought, "Who am I that i should show up at someone's door, and ask the devil himself if i could pray for him? Doesn't God understand my limitations? I'm sure God hasn't thought of these things. I'll let him know:"
"But Lord, I'm not sure that you're aware of this, but I've heard about this guy. He has done some terrible things in Jerusalem, and we're pretty sure he's here to do the same thing. So, here's the thing, God... you'd be proud of us Christians. You see, we've got together, and we've pretty much decided we were going to stay as far away from him as we can. We passed around a petition that we would boycott people going to TarsusLand as a symbol of our solidarity, and we were pretty much going to limit our relationship only to other Christians because you know, our goal is to stay saved! Lord, I'm sure you didn't think of this. Oh yeah, and there's one more thing... You probably didn't realize this... There's even a chance that if I do show up, he's going to kill me on the spot! So I'm thinkin'..."
It didn't take God long to reply: "Here's an idea... how about you do what I say? I chose Paul. I've got a plan for His life, and it's not unrelated to all the things you're worried about. All the things you heard about, I saw. It may surprise you to know that these things were preparing Paul for what is ahead. He's my man. And you know what Ananias? Your obedience is part of this process. So, what's it gonna be?"
Ananias couldn't even answer. He went to the specified house, knocked on the door, and asked to see... (gulp)... Paul. He walked into the room where he was sitting, and his heart was pounding. Had he really heard from God? He started to wonder how stupid he would feel if nothing happened after laying his hands on him. But, he knew that God hadn't let him down yet. He placed his hands on Paul. "Brother Paul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you may be filled with the Holy Spirit and get your sight back."
Instantly, as if scales fell from his eyes, Paul could see. Paul began to speak in other tongues, and was having quite a glory spell!
Ananias was somewhat lost in another place in his mind, in thought, even repentance. "God, I'm sorry I even wasted time questioning you. I'm thankful for what you've done in Paul, but I'm more thankful for what you've done in me. Help me the next time to remember your voice and to respond with readiness and immediate obedience."
As I mentioned, this is MY rendition of the story. In this re-telling, there's a whole lot of me in Ananias. The question I must ask myself is "what do I REALLY expect of God?" I need to expect that he will do some incredible things as I listen to the small steps of obedience. The things that seem to make no sense. (at the store, use aisle 5 and ask the clerk how her day is going.) These small things play into a big picture.
Sometimes we become intimidated by what the enemy has done in the lives of people. But we can't forget who the enemy really is. It's not the individual doing the persecuting. It's the spirit behind that person. One of our strongest weapons is to LOVE those who've made choices that are wrong. We don't have to accept ungodliness. As Jesus did, we can take a stand against institutions, but love the individuals. For example, in Matthew 23 Jesus went off on the Pharisees, but in John 3:16, the most memorized verse in history was spoken to one of those pharisees. It's SO important that we learn to recognize his voice and to respond in obedience.
Expect God to talk to you. Expect him to tell you something that may not make sense. Expect it to be outside your comfort zone. Expect him to use you to complete his work.
So... what do you expect?
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
Sunday, June 12, 2011
6.12.11 "God Purifies Hearts"
"God Purifies Hearts"
I Kings 9:1-10:29
Acts 8:14-40
Psalm 130:1-8
Proverbs 17:2-3
"Silver and gold are purified by fire, but God purifies hearts." (Prov 17:2-3)
We are commissioned to go and make disciples, right? So, how are you doing with that? "Well, I have a bunch of Christian friends... and I put up a flyer at work when there's an event...."
So what about this "making disciples" thing? Could you produce a list of individuals that you are discipling in their relationship with the Lord? If not, why? What keeps Christians from charging forward with this?
I think our big issue about the challenge of discipleship is thinking that it means WE need to fix people. If we witness and they don't get saved, WE feel like we've failed. If we pray for healing and it doesn't happen for them, WE wonder what we did wrong. If we are counseling someone and they make the wrong decision, and fall away or fall into sin, we wonder what WE could have done different.
These thoughts reveal an important misconception that we have in the discipleship process. WE can't make a change in the hearts of men. "God purifies hearts." As we begin to realize (personally and then teach others) that all we are is a Connection Point to God, it takes some of the self-imposed paralysis away that comes from feeling that WE have to have the answers and WE have to "fix" people.
Too often we create this huge divide between discipleship and friendship. It's almost like our voice and posture, and everything changes to "discipleship" mode when it comes to spiritual matters. We struggle to find something profound to say. That's totally unnecessary.
All we have to do is Connect them to God, and he takes care of the rest. We have to have faith and be obedient, but beyond that we can come up with all the discipleship books & answers we want, but its no good without the power of God. Going back to the proverb analogy, all of our own efforts will only be a manmade fire that might refine silver or Gold, but do nothing to change the hearts of men.
I'm a person who loves puzzles. I like to solve things. But I'm learning as I grow in Christ that people don't need to be "solved" they need to be put in touch with God. Then HE takes care of it. In fact, if we do it the other way around, we get into BIG trouble. Pretty soon we put restrictions, and man-made obstacles to coming to Christ. I've shared the story before about how when I was a teen-ager I was leading a friend to Christ, but I made him put his cigarette out first before praying with him. I was trying to get him "cleaned up" before "taking a bath". It sent the wrong message. It's GOD who purifies hearts. WE can light a fire and purify silver, but there's NOTHING we can do to change a heart.
We can't "convince" people into the kingdom. Evangelism is not a game show where our goal is to answer every question right & then the prize is they "have to" get saved. We are just here to display the presence of God so others can respond as the Lord directs.
We can't fix people. I think that often we are more interested in changing the lifestyles of our neighbors instead of just creating an opportunity for them to meet God and letting HIM change things in His timing. I have friends who are living a very ungodly lifestyle. I could get after them about that, but I'm much more interested in them coming into contact with the One who can show them what REAL life is like. He'll take care of the rest.
All we need to do is clear the road. We need to connect people to Christ. This is our Mission. We must disciple individuals, and we don't have to be intimidated by the thought that WE have to have all the answers. All we have to do is be available to help people get to a place where they can hear from God.
Your Christian friends? Guess what... they need to be discipled by you... and you need to be discipled by them! We need to be helping one another grow in Christ. We can't fix the problems, but we MUST encourage one another to grow.
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
I Kings 9:1-10:29
Acts 8:14-40
Psalm 130:1-8
Proverbs 17:2-3
"Silver and gold are purified by fire, but God purifies hearts." (Prov 17:2-3)
We are commissioned to go and make disciples, right? So, how are you doing with that? "Well, I have a bunch of Christian friends... and I put up a flyer at work when there's an event...."
So what about this "making disciples" thing? Could you produce a list of individuals that you are discipling in their relationship with the Lord? If not, why? What keeps Christians from charging forward with this?
I think our big issue about the challenge of discipleship is thinking that it means WE need to fix people. If we witness and they don't get saved, WE feel like we've failed. If we pray for healing and it doesn't happen for them, WE wonder what we did wrong. If we are counseling someone and they make the wrong decision, and fall away or fall into sin, we wonder what WE could have done different.
These thoughts reveal an important misconception that we have in the discipleship process. WE can't make a change in the hearts of men. "God purifies hearts." As we begin to realize (personally and then teach others) that all we are is a Connection Point to God, it takes some of the self-imposed paralysis away that comes from feeling that WE have to have the answers and WE have to "fix" people.
Too often we create this huge divide between discipleship and friendship. It's almost like our voice and posture, and everything changes to "discipleship" mode when it comes to spiritual matters. We struggle to find something profound to say. That's totally unnecessary.
All we have to do is Connect them to God, and he takes care of the rest. We have to have faith and be obedient, but beyond that we can come up with all the discipleship books & answers we want, but its no good without the power of God. Going back to the proverb analogy, all of our own efforts will only be a manmade fire that might refine silver or Gold, but do nothing to change the hearts of men.
I'm a person who loves puzzles. I like to solve things. But I'm learning as I grow in Christ that people don't need to be "solved" they need to be put in touch with God. Then HE takes care of it. In fact, if we do it the other way around, we get into BIG trouble. Pretty soon we put restrictions, and man-made obstacles to coming to Christ. I've shared the story before about how when I was a teen-ager I was leading a friend to Christ, but I made him put his cigarette out first before praying with him. I was trying to get him "cleaned up" before "taking a bath". It sent the wrong message. It's GOD who purifies hearts. WE can light a fire and purify silver, but there's NOTHING we can do to change a heart.
We can't "convince" people into the kingdom. Evangelism is not a game show where our goal is to answer every question right & then the prize is they "have to" get saved. We are just here to display the presence of God so others can respond as the Lord directs.
We can't fix people. I think that often we are more interested in changing the lifestyles of our neighbors instead of just creating an opportunity for them to meet God and letting HIM change things in His timing. I have friends who are living a very ungodly lifestyle. I could get after them about that, but I'm much more interested in them coming into contact with the One who can show them what REAL life is like. He'll take care of the rest.
All we need to do is clear the road. We need to connect people to Christ. This is our Mission. We must disciple individuals, and we don't have to be intimidated by the thought that WE have to have all the answers. All we have to do is be available to help people get to a place where they can hear from God.
Your Christian friends? Guess what... they need to be discipled by you... and you need to be discipled by them! We need to be helping one another grow in Christ. We can't fix the problems, but we MUST encourage one another to grow.
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
Saturday, June 11, 2011
6.11.11 "And With That He Died"
"And With That He Died"
I Kings 8:1-66
Acts 7:51- 8:13
Psalm 129:1-8
Proverbs 17:1
"And with that, he died." Those are the last words of Acts 7 (TLB). The words are referring to a man called Stephen. I don't know if you've ever thought much about Stephen, but I believe he is one of the greatest heros of the Christian faith. What captures my attention is how his life only took up a couple pages in the bible. That was his "blip" on the "radar screen" of life. The reality is that we all only have a "blip".
What about my blip? What about yours? I want to challenge you to take a look at today, June 11, 2011 as if it's your last day. I don't want us to look at this in a depressing way, but I want to encourage you to look at it from an eternal perspective. What if today was the summation of your "blip?" "And with that he died." These same words will be said of you. What is the contextual application for your life? What is it for mine?
I think the words spoken of me may include stories of lives touched and paths crossed, a life full of good friends and stories of God's provision, of laughter and even jokes of my messy desk. At some point I'm sure my love for the Vikings would arouse a chortle or two... At first glance, i'm not in a bad state. Oh, there may be some "he never wrote that musical he talked about, he never got to see some of his plans take hold..." but in human terms, not a horrible score card. A nice life. "and with that he died."
There is one thing about Stephen that needs to be my highest goal, my biggest dream, my passion, my desire, my hunger. Acts 7:55 says "but Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit..." back in Acts 7:8, it says, "Stephen, the man so full of faith and the Holy Spirit's power..." It's like it's his last name! "which stephen you talking about?" "the one full of the Holy Spirit." "oh yeah, him."
Will that be said of me? Why not? THIS SHOULD BE THE GOAL OF THE BALANCED CHRISTIAN LIFE! We can have all of the dreams and goals in the world, but if only our highest pursuit was to be "full of faith and the Holy Spirit's power". Can you imagine how life would be?
There are a few times in scripture where men's faces glowed. Moses was because he was talking with God as a man talks to another man. Stephen as insults and lies were being hurled at him. I can tell you with certainty that his also came from being in the presence of God. It was when no one was around. He knew who God was. There were no circumstances of man that could quench his passion for the presence of God.
What is the "that" in "and with that he died."? For Stephen it referred to "Lord, do not hold their sin against them." It plays in my mind like the climax of a movie in slow motion: The Jewish leaders rising in rage... "But Stephen full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God...and he said 'look...' then they mobbed him putting their hands over their ears, and drowning out his voice with their shouts, and dragged him out of the city to stone him... and as the murderous stones came hurtling at him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' and he fell to his knees SHOUTING, 'LORD DON'T CHARGE THEM WITH THIS SIN!' and with THAT, he died."
We can't forget the foreshadowing that comes at the stoning of Stephen. "The official witnesses - the executioners - took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul". (Acts. 7:58) This man, who would probably never forget the stoning of Stephen, would come to write the majority of the new testament. Sometimes we look at our 'blip' as if it is about us. Sometimes, like Stephen, our life is the "seed" for what is to come.
May my story be:
Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceasless praise
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice and let me sing always, only, for my King
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee
take my silver and my gold; not a mite would i withhold
Take my intellect and use every power as Thou shalt choose
Take my will and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love, my Lord I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be ever, only all for Thee.
"...and with THAT he died."
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
I Kings 8:1-66
Acts 7:51- 8:13
Psalm 129:1-8
Proverbs 17:1
"And with that, he died." Those are the last words of Acts 7 (TLB). The words are referring to a man called Stephen. I don't know if you've ever thought much about Stephen, but I believe he is one of the greatest heros of the Christian faith. What captures my attention is how his life only took up a couple pages in the bible. That was his "blip" on the "radar screen" of life. The reality is that we all only have a "blip".
What about my blip? What about yours? I want to challenge you to take a look at today, June 11, 2011 as if it's your last day. I don't want us to look at this in a depressing way, but I want to encourage you to look at it from an eternal perspective. What if today was the summation of your "blip?" "And with that he died." These same words will be said of you. What is the contextual application for your life? What is it for mine?
I think the words spoken of me may include stories of lives touched and paths crossed, a life full of good friends and stories of God's provision, of laughter and even jokes of my messy desk. At some point I'm sure my love for the Vikings would arouse a chortle or two... At first glance, i'm not in a bad state. Oh, there may be some "he never wrote that musical he talked about, he never got to see some of his plans take hold..." but in human terms, not a horrible score card. A nice life. "and with that he died."
There is one thing about Stephen that needs to be my highest goal, my biggest dream, my passion, my desire, my hunger. Acts 7:55 says "but Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit..." back in Acts 7:8, it says, "Stephen, the man so full of faith and the Holy Spirit's power..." It's like it's his last name! "which stephen you talking about?" "the one full of the Holy Spirit." "oh yeah, him."
Will that be said of me? Why not? THIS SHOULD BE THE GOAL OF THE BALANCED CHRISTIAN LIFE! We can have all of the dreams and goals in the world, but if only our highest pursuit was to be "full of faith and the Holy Spirit's power". Can you imagine how life would be?
There are a few times in scripture where men's faces glowed. Moses was because he was talking with God as a man talks to another man. Stephen as insults and lies were being hurled at him. I can tell you with certainty that his also came from being in the presence of God. It was when no one was around. He knew who God was. There were no circumstances of man that could quench his passion for the presence of God.
What is the "that" in "and with that he died."? For Stephen it referred to "Lord, do not hold their sin against them." It plays in my mind like the climax of a movie in slow motion: The Jewish leaders rising in rage... "But Stephen full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily upward into heaven and saw the glory of God...and he said 'look...' then they mobbed him putting their hands over their ears, and drowning out his voice with their shouts, and dragged him out of the city to stone him... and as the murderous stones came hurtling at him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' and he fell to his knees SHOUTING, 'LORD DON'T CHARGE THEM WITH THIS SIN!' and with THAT, he died."
We can't forget the foreshadowing that comes at the stoning of Stephen. "The official witnesses - the executioners - took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul". (Acts. 7:58) This man, who would probably never forget the stoning of Stephen, would come to write the majority of the new testament. Sometimes we look at our 'blip' as if it is about us. Sometimes, like Stephen, our life is the "seed" for what is to come.
May my story be:
Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord to Thee.
Take my moments and my days; let them flow in ceasless praise
Take my hands and let them move at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be swift and beautiful for Thee
Take my voice and let me sing always, only, for my King
Take my lips and let them be filled with messages from Thee
take my silver and my gold; not a mite would i withhold
Take my intellect and use every power as Thou shalt choose
Take my will and make it Thine; it shall be no longer mine
Take my heart, it is Thine own; it shall be Thy royal throne
Take my love, my Lord I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be ever, only all for Thee.
"...and with THAT he died."
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, June 10, 2011
6.10.11 "Got Discipline?"
"Got Discipline?"
I Kings 7:1-51
Acts 7:30-50
Psalm 128:1-6
Proverbs 16:31-33
If I were to write a book and put that title on it, I don't think a copy would sell. Who loves discipline? I guess it all depends. If it's an area we enjoy, we are apt to be more disciplined. If you love to play the cello, practicing isn't so terrible. If you love to run, exercise isn't such a nightmare. But overall, self-control can be a challenge.
"it is better to be slow-tempered than famous; it is better to have self-control than to control an army." Proverbs 16:32
I think the first part of the verse is pretty funny. Even back in Solomon's day the tabloids must have picked up on crabby people. But it's the second part of the verse that really caught my eye. We need to have self-control. We need to be disciplined. As you know, discipline is the principle of Empowered through Biblical Training. It is the root of discipleship. We need to be internally strong. This applies to every area of our life.
We need to be disciplined Spiritually. This comes through time in the Word, faithfulness to God's house, committed to small group study and so much more. When we live with a focus on growing in Christ, we align ourselves with activities that serve that purpose. We strain out anything that serves to endanger the spiritual disciplines.
We need to be disciplined Physically. We need to make sure we are healthy in our bodies. In yesterday's reading in Psalm it spoke of having the discipline to get proper sleep. We need to do that. We need to eat healthier. We need to exercise. This body we have is a resource given to us by God. We need to be good stewards of it.
We need to be disciplined Mentally. We need to grow intellectually. We should be in a constant state of learning. whatever our skill set may be, there's more to learn. I need to be a better piano player. I need to be a better Pastor. I need to study to do those things. I need to gain more information. Whatever your job is, you should be working to be better at it. This is a discipline that aligns with God's word.
We need to be disciplined Emotionally. Emotions are a gift of God, and just like any other gift, they can be misused or abused. "I'm just an emotional person." Is a cop-out. It may be true, but it does not excuse a lack of restraint. Like the first part of today's verse says, we don't want to be "famous" for our lack of discipline in this area. This area includes our affections. We can control what our mind dwells on. "Falling out of love" with things we are commanded to love is a sin. So is "Falling in love" with the wrong things. It takes a discipline of emotions to stop errant feelings early.
All of these things need to be taken seriously. We need to make sure that each area receives our attention in order to live the Balanced Christian Life. In Acts 7, Stephen is still preaching his sermon to the Jewish Council. As part of his history lesson he's talking about how David wanted to build the temple, but God said no. This is what God had said to David. "'what kind of home could you build?' asks the Lord. 'Would I stay in it?'" (Acts 7:49)
We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. What kind of home are we building? It takes discipline to build it right. It takes proper measurements, and clean materials. Is God pleased living in you? He can't dwell with impurity. We must be disciplined to cleanse ourselves daily in his Word. No one else can do it for us. No email devotional can replace the time spent in God's Word.
So, "Got Discipline?"
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
I Kings 7:1-51
Acts 7:30-50
Psalm 128:1-6
Proverbs 16:31-33
If I were to write a book and put that title on it, I don't think a copy would sell. Who loves discipline? I guess it all depends. If it's an area we enjoy, we are apt to be more disciplined. If you love to play the cello, practicing isn't so terrible. If you love to run, exercise isn't such a nightmare. But overall, self-control can be a challenge.
"it is better to be slow-tempered than famous; it is better to have self-control than to control an army." Proverbs 16:32
I think the first part of the verse is pretty funny. Even back in Solomon's day the tabloids must have picked up on crabby people. But it's the second part of the verse that really caught my eye. We need to have self-control. We need to be disciplined. As you know, discipline is the principle of Empowered through Biblical Training. It is the root of discipleship. We need to be internally strong. This applies to every area of our life.
We need to be disciplined Spiritually. This comes through time in the Word, faithfulness to God's house, committed to small group study and so much more. When we live with a focus on growing in Christ, we align ourselves with activities that serve that purpose. We strain out anything that serves to endanger the spiritual disciplines.
We need to be disciplined Physically. We need to make sure we are healthy in our bodies. In yesterday's reading in Psalm it spoke of having the discipline to get proper sleep. We need to do that. We need to eat healthier. We need to exercise. This body we have is a resource given to us by God. We need to be good stewards of it.
We need to be disciplined Mentally. We need to grow intellectually. We should be in a constant state of learning. whatever our skill set may be, there's more to learn. I need to be a better piano player. I need to be a better Pastor. I need to study to do those things. I need to gain more information. Whatever your job is, you should be working to be better at it. This is a discipline that aligns with God's word.
We need to be disciplined Emotionally. Emotions are a gift of God, and just like any other gift, they can be misused or abused. "I'm just an emotional person." Is a cop-out. It may be true, but it does not excuse a lack of restraint. Like the first part of today's verse says, we don't want to be "famous" for our lack of discipline in this area. This area includes our affections. We can control what our mind dwells on. "Falling out of love" with things we are commanded to love is a sin. So is "Falling in love" with the wrong things. It takes a discipline of emotions to stop errant feelings early.
All of these things need to be taken seriously. We need to make sure that each area receives our attention in order to live the Balanced Christian Life. In Acts 7, Stephen is still preaching his sermon to the Jewish Council. As part of his history lesson he's talking about how David wanted to build the temple, but God said no. This is what God had said to David. "'what kind of home could you build?' asks the Lord. 'Would I stay in it?'" (Acts 7:49)
We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. What kind of home are we building? It takes discipline to build it right. It takes proper measurements, and clean materials. Is God pleased living in you? He can't dwell with impurity. We must be disciplined to cleanse ourselves daily in his Word. No one else can do it for us. No email devotional can replace the time spent in God's Word.
So, "Got Discipline?"
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
Thursday, June 9, 2011
6.9.11 "Connect the Dots"
"Connect the Dots"
I Kings 5:1-6:38
Acts 7:1-29
Psalm 127:1-5
Proverbs 16:28-30
You never know how God is going to use you. One thing is for certain, he plans to. So many times we get caught up in our own orb of to-do lists, personal crisis', and the cares of life. It's very easy for us to miss the fact that we have a purpose. We are here with a Mission to Reach our World for Christ.
As we read yesterday, Stephen was one of the men chosen to oversee the feeding of the widows. He has been described as a man full of the Holy Spirit. Through his life many came to Christ, and many were healed. False witnesses rise up and and accuse him of teaching against the law of Moses. In today's reading in Acts 7, he answers the Jewish Council.
Stephen's answer is lengthy. He goes back to the story of Abraham and tells the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He tells how Joseph is wrongly imprisoned, and yet rises to save Egypt from famine. He tells the story of Joseph's brothers, and how after Joseph's death, the people became slaves in Egypt. Then he gets into the story of Moses.
As I was reading this, I was picturing this cafeteria worker, Stephen telling the Jewish leaders things that they were experts in. They KNEW the history. But here's what's important: Stephen KNEW the Word as well, and God led him to connect the dots for them.
Sometimes we get really stressed about what we're going to say when dealing with unbelievers. What we need to realize is that God is already working in the life of each individual, and all we need to do is be available to connect the dots. Find common ground.
Most of the time it will be a simple conversation with a clerk at a store, or a waitress, or a neighbor, and it can be something simple. There will probably not be an altar call every time. We just have to be faithful to connect the next dot.
This Mission we have is not "rocket surgery". All we have to do is have the mission in mind. Every conversation is a process of dot-connecting. You don't know where the person behind the counter is in their journey toward God, but God does. Find common ground. Draw them closer to Christ.
Connect the dots.
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
I Kings 5:1-6:38
Acts 7:1-29
Psalm 127:1-5
Proverbs 16:28-30
You never know how God is going to use you. One thing is for certain, he plans to. So many times we get caught up in our own orb of to-do lists, personal crisis', and the cares of life. It's very easy for us to miss the fact that we have a purpose. We are here with a Mission to Reach our World for Christ.
As we read yesterday, Stephen was one of the men chosen to oversee the feeding of the widows. He has been described as a man full of the Holy Spirit. Through his life many came to Christ, and many were healed. False witnesses rise up and and accuse him of teaching against the law of Moses. In today's reading in Acts 7, he answers the Jewish Council.
Stephen's answer is lengthy. He goes back to the story of Abraham and tells the story of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He tells how Joseph is wrongly imprisoned, and yet rises to save Egypt from famine. He tells the story of Joseph's brothers, and how after Joseph's death, the people became slaves in Egypt. Then he gets into the story of Moses.
As I was reading this, I was picturing this cafeteria worker, Stephen telling the Jewish leaders things that they were experts in. They KNEW the history. But here's what's important: Stephen KNEW the Word as well, and God led him to connect the dots for them.
Sometimes we get really stressed about what we're going to say when dealing with unbelievers. What we need to realize is that God is already working in the life of each individual, and all we need to do is be available to connect the dots. Find common ground.
Most of the time it will be a simple conversation with a clerk at a store, or a waitress, or a neighbor, and it can be something simple. There will probably not be an altar call every time. We just have to be faithful to connect the next dot.
This Mission we have is not "rocket surgery". All we have to do is have the mission in mind. Every conversation is a process of dot-connecting. You don't know where the person behind the counter is in their journey toward God, but God does. Find common ground. Draw them closer to Christ.
Connect the dots.
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
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
6.8.11 "Hungry?"
"Hungry?"
I Kings 3:3-4:34
Acts 6:1-15
Psalm 126:1-6
Proverbs 16:26-27
"Hunger is good - if it makes you work to satisfy it!" (Proverbs 16:26)
There is so much truth in God's word. If you've been a part of this blog for a while, you know what I'm talking about when I mention the "Preciousness of Frustration". There are many examples of this in today's readings. Using hunger as an example, hunger is a great frustration because it causes us to work. Work is important to God. He wants us to be good stewards.
God is also a God of order. In I Kings 4, we get a listing of the structure of King Solomon's cabinet members. It includes a list of those who are in charge of the food. It mentions in verse 19 that a general manager is over all of this.
What does this have to do with anything? Well look at Acts 6:1 "But with the believers multiplying rapidly, there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke only Greek complained that their widows were being discriminated against, that they were not being given as much food, in the daily distribution, as the widow who spoke Hebrew."
Uh oh... trouble... this is a bad thing, right? Well, yes, it's not good to have discontent, but look at what this frustration sets into motion: "so the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. 'We should spend our time preaching, not administering a feeding program,' they said. 'Now look around among yourselves, dear brothers, and select seven men, wise and full of the Holy Spirit, who are well thought of by everyone; and we will put them in charge of this business. Then we can spend our time in prayer, preaching, and teaching.' This sounded reasonable to the whole assembly, and they elected the following: Stephen (a man unusually full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip..." (Acts 6:2-5) and the list of names goes on.
It may not seem like a big deal, but look at the result: "God's message was preached in ever-widening circles, and the number of disciples increased vastly in Jerusalem; and many of the Jewish priests were converted too. Stephen, the man so full of faith and the Holy Spirit's power, did spectacular miracles among the people." (Acts 6:7-8)
The frustration spurred action which created order which brought about blessing. Sure, there may have been sparks along the way, but it is worth it. Look at Psalm 126:5-6: "Those who sow tears shall reap joy. Yes, they go out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, and return singing, carrying their sheaves." It takes work to receive blessing.
I will never forget one time several years ago when I was really frustrated. I walked into my Lead Pastor's office and said, "On the freeway of life, I passed the 'frustration exit' long ago. I'm way beyond that." He said to me, "you need to stop, turn around and take that exit. Find out what's causing the frustration and find a solution." That was some of the greatest advice i've ever heard.
We need to understand that when we are frustrated in life, something is out of order. When we are hungry, we need to work to satisfy that hunger. I'm not talking about feeding the flesh, I'm talking about living the disciplined life. The result of order is blessing.
Look at the result of the order King Solomon has in place. "Throughout the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety; and each family had its own home and garden." (1 Kings 4:25)
Maybe your frustration is debt. You need to get some order into your life and be debt free. Maybe it's not hunger that's your problem, maybe you're fat. Get some order in your life and develop discipline to lose weight.
All of this works together. DREAM. We may be experiencing frustration with any one or more of these principles. When we aren't functioning properly, we are out of balance. We will experience the frustration. The frustration needs to be our signal to get things right. Don't run FROM frustration, run THROUGH it.
Romans 8:28 says, "ALL things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." God can use the pain and frustration that is in your life to complete his work in you. Allow him to do it.
Hungry?
Get to work!
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
I Kings 3:3-4:34
Acts 6:1-15
Psalm 126:1-6
Proverbs 16:26-27
"Hunger is good - if it makes you work to satisfy it!" (Proverbs 16:26)
There is so much truth in God's word. If you've been a part of this blog for a while, you know what I'm talking about when I mention the "Preciousness of Frustration". There are many examples of this in today's readings. Using hunger as an example, hunger is a great frustration because it causes us to work. Work is important to God. He wants us to be good stewards.
God is also a God of order. In I Kings 4, we get a listing of the structure of King Solomon's cabinet members. It includes a list of those who are in charge of the food. It mentions in verse 19 that a general manager is over all of this.
What does this have to do with anything? Well look at Acts 6:1 "But with the believers multiplying rapidly, there were rumblings of discontent. Those who spoke only Greek complained that their widows were being discriminated against, that they were not being given as much food, in the daily distribution, as the widow who spoke Hebrew."
Uh oh... trouble... this is a bad thing, right? Well, yes, it's not good to have discontent, but look at what this frustration sets into motion: "so the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. 'We should spend our time preaching, not administering a feeding program,' they said. 'Now look around among yourselves, dear brothers, and select seven men, wise and full of the Holy Spirit, who are well thought of by everyone; and we will put them in charge of this business. Then we can spend our time in prayer, preaching, and teaching.' This sounded reasonable to the whole assembly, and they elected the following: Stephen (a man unusually full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip..." (Acts 6:2-5) and the list of names goes on.
It may not seem like a big deal, but look at the result: "God's message was preached in ever-widening circles, and the number of disciples increased vastly in Jerusalem; and many of the Jewish priests were converted too. Stephen, the man so full of faith and the Holy Spirit's power, did spectacular miracles among the people." (Acts 6:7-8)
The frustration spurred action which created order which brought about blessing. Sure, there may have been sparks along the way, but it is worth it. Look at Psalm 126:5-6: "Those who sow tears shall reap joy. Yes, they go out weeping, carrying seed for sowing, and return singing, carrying their sheaves." It takes work to receive blessing.
I will never forget one time several years ago when I was really frustrated. I walked into my Lead Pastor's office and said, "On the freeway of life, I passed the 'frustration exit' long ago. I'm way beyond that." He said to me, "you need to stop, turn around and take that exit. Find out what's causing the frustration and find a solution." That was some of the greatest advice i've ever heard.
We need to understand that when we are frustrated in life, something is out of order. When we are hungry, we need to work to satisfy that hunger. I'm not talking about feeding the flesh, I'm talking about living the disciplined life. The result of order is blessing.
Look at the result of the order King Solomon has in place. "Throughout the lifetime of Solomon, all of Judah and Israel lived in peace and safety; and each family had its own home and garden." (1 Kings 4:25)
Maybe your frustration is debt. You need to get some order into your life and be debt free. Maybe it's not hunger that's your problem, maybe you're fat. Get some order in your life and develop discipline to lose weight.
All of this works together. DREAM. We may be experiencing frustration with any one or more of these principles. When we aren't functioning properly, we are out of balance. We will experience the frustration. The frustration needs to be our signal to get things right. Don't run FROM frustration, run THROUGH it.
Romans 8:28 says, "ALL things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." God can use the pain and frustration that is in your life to complete his work in you. Allow him to do it.
Hungry?
Get to work!
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
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