Our weekly sermon notes are taken from the Pastor's sermon and from the Life Application Study Bible (NIV). This bible helps to explain the scriptures and passages. Their own explanation of good 'application': Application begins by knowing God's word and it's timeless truths. But you cannot stop there. A good life-application: 1) focuses the truth of God's word, 2) shows the reader what to do about what is being read, and 3) motivates the reader to what God is teaching. All three are essential to good application.

Ezekiel 37:1-14
The Valley of Dry Bones

Our own Reverend Searles reminded us today that we should talk it over with the Lord; then be still! Sit and wait and listen for an answer. Keep praying and keep hoping, keep living and keep giving. It's not over until God says it's over.

This vision illustrates the promise of Ezekiel chapter 36 – new life and a nation restored – both physically and spiritually. The dry bones are the images of the Jews in captivity – scattered and dead. The two sticks represent the reunion of the entire nation of Israel that had divided into Northern and Southern kingdoms after Solomon. The scattered exiles of both Israel and Judah would be released from the "graves" of captivity and one day re-gathered in their homeland, with the Messiah as their leader. This vision has yet to be fulfilled.

Ezekiel felt that he was speaking to the dead as he preached to the exiles because they rarely responded to his message. But these bones responded! And just as God brought life to the dead bones, he would bring life to his spiritually dead people.

The dry bones represented the people's spiritually dead condition. A church may seem like a heap of dry bones – spiritually dead with no hope of vitality. But, just as God promised to restore His nation, He can restore any church, no matter how dry or dead it may seem.

Rather than give up – pray for renewal; for God can restore life. The hope and prayer of every church should be that God will put His spirit into it. In fact, God is at work calluing His people back to Himself, bringing new life into churches some folks thought were dead. Why? Because "It's not over until God says it's over."

Matthew 26:36-46
Jesus prays in the garden

Pastor Roberts reminds us that "If we do what the Lord tells us to do, and put our faith and trust in Him, then He will do what He said He will do. It is up to us to have the faith and confidence in Him!

The three points of this scripture are: 1) If Jesus prayed, than we should, too, 2) The spirit is willing, but the flesh can be weak, and 3) In all of life's issues, remember, it is not your will, but God's will that will be done.

Jesus was in great anguish over his approaching physical pain, separation from the Father, and death for the sins of the world. The divine course was set, but he, in his human nature, still struggled. Because of the anguish Jesus experienced, he can relate to our suffering. Jesus' strength to obey came from his relationship with God the Father, who is also the source of our strength.

Jesus was not rebelling against his Father's will when he asked that the cup of suffering and separation be taken away. In fact, he reaffirmed his desire to do God's will by saying, "Yet not as I will, but as you will." His prayer reveals to us his terrible suffering, His agony was worse than death because he paid for all sin by be­ing separated from God. The sinless Son of God took our sins upon himself to save us from suffering and separation.

In times of suffering, we, as people sometimes wish we knew the future, or wish we could understand the reason for our anguish. Jesus knew what lay ahead of him, and he knew the reason. Even so, his struggle was intense—more wrenching than any
struggle we will ever have to face. What does it take to be able to say "as you will"? It takes firm trust in God's plans; it takes prayer and obedience each step of the way.

Jesus used Peter's drowsiness to warn him about the kinds of temptation he would soon face. The way to overcome temptation is to keep watch and pray. Here "watching" means being aware of the possibilities of temptation, being sensitive to the subtleties, and being spiritually equipped to fight it. Because temptation strikes where and when we are most vulnerable, we can't resist it alone. Prayer is essential, because God's power can strengthen our defenses and defeat Satan's influence.

Starting a new series on "Christ, the giver of life" Pastor Roberts reminded us to PUSH (Pray Until Something Happens); and that Christ wept three times: 1) Over Lazarus' death, 2) when he went to the garden to pray and accept the cup, 3) when the Jews rejected him and he then foretold of the destruction of Jerusalem.

Luke 19:41-44

The Jewish leaders had rejected their king – they had gone too far. They had refused God's offer of salvation in Jesus Christ when they were visited by God himself ("the time of God's coming"), and soon their nation would suffer. However, God did not turn away from the Jewish people who obeyed him. He continues to offer salvation to the people He loves, both Jews and Gentiles. Eternal life is within your reach; accept it while the opportunity is still offered.

About 40 years after Jesus said those words, they came true. In AD 66, the Jews revolted against Roman control. Three years later, Titus, sons of the Emperor Vespasian, was sent to crush the rebellion. Roman soldiers attacked Jerusalem and broke through the northern wall, but they still couldn’t take the city. Finally, they laid siege to it and in AD 70, they were able to enter the severely weakened city and burn it. Six hundred thousand Jews were killed during Titus' onslaught.

Pastor Roberts started a series on Obeying the Voice of the Lord:  Getting Back on Track with the Will of God; Jonah 1:1-9; this week's sermon got thru v1-4, where God commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh, but Jonah boarded a ship and fled in the opposite direction to Tarshish; and God sent a storm that tossed the ship.

God told Jonah to preach to Nineveh, the most important city in Assyria – the rising world power of Jonah's day. Within 50 years, Nineveh would become the capital of the vast Assyrian empire. Jonah doesn't say much about Nineveh's wickedness, but the prophet Nahum gives us more insight. Nahum says that Nineveh was guilty of evil plots against God, exploitations of the helpless, cruelty in war, idolatry, prostitution and witchcraft. Nineveh was about 500 miles northeast of Israel and God told Jonah to go there to warn of judgment and to declare that the people could receive mercy and forgiveness if they repented.

Nineveh was a powerful and wicked city and Jonah had grown up hating the Assyrians and fearing their atrocities. His hatred was so strong, that he didn’t want them to receive God's mercy. Jonah was actually afraid that they people would repent. Jonah's attitude is actually representative of Israel's reluctance to share God's love and mercy with others, even though this was their God-given mission. They, like Jonah, did want non-Jews to obtain God's favor.

Jonah knew that God had a specific job for him, but he didn’t want to do it. Tarshish could be any one of Phoenicia's western ports. Though Nineveh was towards the east, Jonah decided to go as far west as he could. When God gives us direction through His word, sometimes we run in fear or in stubbornness, claiming that God is asking too much. It may have been fear or anger at the wideness of God's mercy that made Jonah run. But running (from what God had laid out for him to do) got him into worse trouble. In the end, Jonah understood that it is better to do what God asks in the first place. But by then, he had paid a costly price for running. It is far better to obey God from the start.

Before settling into the promise land, the Israelites had been nomads, wandering from place to place, seeking good pasture for their flocks. Although they were not a sea-faring people, their location along the Mediterranean and near the neighboring maritime powers of Phoenicia and Philistia allowed much contact with ships and sailors. The ship Jonah sailed on was probably a large trading vessel with a deck.

Jonah's disobedience to God endangered the lives of the ship's crew. We have a great responsibility to obey God's word because our sin and disobedience can hurt others around us.

While the storm raged, Jonah was sound asleep, below deck. Even as he ran from God, Jonah's actions apparently didn't bother his conscience. But the absence of guilt isn't always a barometer of whether we are doing right. Because we are able to deny reality, we cannot measure obedience by our feelings. Instead, we must constantly compare what we do with God's standards for living a Christian life.

Pastor Roberts told us of four remedies to worry (wrong thinking). They are

1) God's presence – God is our refuge and strength
2) God's peace – The results of faith in Christ (right thinking)
3) God's power – When God lives in you, you are ready for anything. You are NOT a victim of circumstances
4) God's provision – God provides for all our needs. Don't worry because you may hinder what God can do in your heart

Here is more explanation from the NIV Study Bible . . .

It seems strange that a man in prison would be telling a church to rejoice. But Paul's attitude teaches us an important lesson: our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our outward circumstances. Paul was full of joy because he knew that no matter what happened to him, Jesus Christ was with him. Several times in this letter, Paul urged the Philippians to be joyful, probably because they needed to hear this. It's easy to get discouraged about unpleasant circumstances or to take unimportant events too seriously. If you haven't been joyful lately, you may not be looking at life from the right perspective.

Ultimate joy comes from Christ dwelling within us. Christ is near, and at his second coming we will fully realize this ultimate joy. He who lives within us will fulfill his final purposes for us.

We are to be gentle (reasonable, fair minded, and charitable) to those outside the church, and not just to fellow believers. This means we are not to seek revenge against those who treat us unfairly, nor are we to be overly vocal about our personal rights.

Imagine never being "anxious about anything"! It seems like an impossibility-we all have worries on the job, in our homes, at school. But Paul's advice is to turn our worries into prayers. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray.

God's peace is different from the world's peace (see John 14:27). True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is in control. Our citizenship in Christ's kingdom is sure, our destiny is set, and we can have victory over sin. Let God's peace guard your heart against anxiety.

What we put into our minds determines what comes out in our words and actions. Paul tells us to program our minds with thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excel­lent, and praiseworthy. Do you have problems with impure thoughts and daydreams? Examine what you are putting into your mind through television, books, conversations, movies, and magazines. Replace harmful input with wholesome material, Above all, read God's Word and pray. Ask God to help you focus your mind on what is good and pure. It takes practice, but it can be done.

It is not enough to hear or read the Word of God, or even to know it well. We must also put it into practice. How easy it is to listen to a sermon and forget what the preacher said. How easy it is to read the Bible and not think about how to live differently. How easy it is to debate what a passage means and not live out that meaning. Exposure to God's Word is not enough. It must lead to obedience.

Matthew 28:16-20
The Great Commission

God gave Jesus authority over heaven and earth. On the basis of that authority, Jesus told_, his disciples to make more disciples as they preached, baptized, and taught. With this same authority, Jesus still commands us to tell others the Good News and make them disciples for the Kingdom.

When someone is dying or leaving us, his or her last words are very important. Jesus left the disciples with these last, words of instruction: they were under his authority; they were to  make more disciples; they were to baptize and teach these new disciples to obey Christ; Christ would be with them always.

Whereas in previous missions Jesus had sent his disciples only to the Jews, their mission from now on would be worldwide, Jesus is Lord of the earth, and he died for the sins of people from all nations.

We are to go - whether it is next door or to another country - and make disciples. It is not an option, but a command to all who call Jesus "Lord," We are not all evangelists in the formal sense, but we have all received gifts that we can use to help fulfill the Great Commission. As we^,obey, we have comfort in the knowledge that Jesus^,is always with us.

Jesus' words affirm e reality of the Trinity. Some people accuse theologians of making up the concept of the Trinity and reading it into Scripture. As we see here the concept comes directly from Jesus himself. He did not say baptize them into the names, but into the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The word "Trinity" does not occur in Scripture, but it well describes the three-in-one nature of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The disciples were to baptize people because baptism unites a believer with Jesus Christ in his or her death to sin and resurrection to new life. Baptism symbolizes submission to Christ, a willingness to live God's way, and identification with God's covenant people.

How is Jesus with us? Jesus was with the disciples physically until he ascended into heaven, and then spiritually through the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit-would be Jesus' presence that would never leave them. Jesus continues to be with us today through his Spirit.

The Old Testament prophecies and genealogies in the book of Matthew present Jesus credentials for being King of the world not a military or political leader, as the disciples had originally hoped, but a spiritual King who can overcome all evil and rule in the heart of every person. If we refuse to serve the King faithfully_, we are disloyal subjects, fit only to be banished from the kingdom. We must make Jesus King of our lives and worship him as savior, King, and Lord.

Job 32:4-11

Reverend Searles spoke of Elihu waiting to speak after the three elders; him giving respect to his elders, but speaking his advice to Job nonetheless.  Relative to current times, children (and all those younger to us) sometimes have important things to say, but we must condition our heart and mind to allow them the time to listen to them.

Young Elihu rebukes the three friends for being unable to give Job a reasonable answer for why he was suffering. But he only gives a partial answer to Job's question by saying that man cannot understand all that God allows – but yet man must continue to trust in the Lord. This was the best answer that man could give – and yet, it was incomplete. Often the best worldly or human answer are uncomplete because we do not have all the facts.

Matthew 14:23-33

Seeking solitude was an important priority for Jesus. He made room in his busy schedule to be a the Father. Spending time with God in prayer nurtures a vital relationship and equips us to meet life's challenges and struggles. Develop the discipline of spending time alone with God – it will help you grow spiritually and become more and more like Christ.

When Peter stepped out onto the water, he was not putting Jesus to the test, something we are told not to do. Instead^-he was the only one the boat to react in faith. His impulsive request led him to experience a rather unusual demonstration of God's power. Peter started-to sink because he took his eyes off Jesus and instead focused on the high waves around him. His faith wavered when he realized what he was doing. We may not try to walk on water, but we do walk through some tough situations: If we focus on the waves of the difficult circumstances around us without looking to Jesus for help, we too may despair and sink. To maintain your faith when situations are difficult, keep your eyes on Jesus' power rather than on your inadequacies.

Although we start out with good intentions, sometimes our faith falters. This doesn't necessarily mean we have failed. When Peter's faith faltered, he reached out to Christ, the only one who could help: He was afraid, but he still looked to Christ. When you are apprehensive about the troubles around you and you start to doubt Christ's presence or ability to help, you must remember that He is the only one who can really help.

1 Corinthians 11:1

Why did Paul say, “Follow my example”? Paul wasn’t being arrogant; he did not think of himself as sinless. At this time, however the Corinthian believers did not know much about his life and ministry of Christ. Paul could not tell them to imitate Jesus, because the Gospels had not yet been written, so they did not know what Jesus was like. The best way to point these new believers to Christ was to point them to a Christian that they trusted. Paul had been in Corinth almost two years and had built a relationship of trust with many of these new believers.

Philippians 3:17-21

Paul criticized not only the Judaizers, but also the self-indulgent Christians – people who claim to be Christians, but who do not live up to Christ’s model of servitude and self-sacrifice. These people satisfy their own desires before even thinking about the needs of others. Freedom in Christ does not mean freedom to be selfish. It means taking every opportunity to serve.

Citizens of Philippi had the same rights and privileges as the citizens of Rome because Philippi was a Roman colony. Likewise, we Christians will one day will experience all the special privileges of our heavenly citizenship because we belong to Christ. Let us not be so tied to this life that we would be sorry to see Christ return

Scriptures:  I Thessalonians
         4:16-18 – The Lord Himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout... and the dead in Christ shall rise first; Titus 2:13
         – Looking for that blessed hope – the glorious appearance of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Theme: 
         When Will the End of the World Occur?

Minister Robert Goff gave a lesson in eschatology – the study of end-of-time events – and clarified the
         differences between Rapture and Revelation.  As Christians, we are living life in expectation of the great
         event of Jesus’ second coming.  People often talk about the Rapture and Jesus’ second coming
         as one event, but they are separate occurrences.

The Rapture is the snatching of God people from earth.  We do not know the day or the hour, but
         a time will come when God will take His people from the earth to be with Him in Heaven; it will be a meeting in the clouds
         (v17).  The Rapture is our graduation from Christian life on earth; our reward from the tribulations
         of the world.  The Revelation will come afterwards as a meeting on earth when Jesus will return to earth for
         all people to see, and He will bring with Him those who rose with Him in the clouds.  Time is winding down
         for all of us, but if we rest on God’s promise, we can be encouraged by His Word (v18).

Scripture - Luke 10:25-37 - Thou shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbor as thyself.

Theme - Love In Action

The Lord's house was full as St. Paul hosted its annual Family and Friends Day.  We were blessed to have Reverend Doctor GI Bradley bring a Word on love in action, telling the Bible story of the Good Samaritan.

Jesus was responding to the questions, "What shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (v25) and "Who is my neighbor?" (v29).  God intends for us to take care of one another; to love one another.  Love is a requirement; it is God's greatest commandment, with no choice of who is to be loved -- everyone is our neighbor.  Love is inspired.  Jesus showed us how to love through all of the wonderful things He did while He was on the earth -- feeding the hungry, healing the sick, causing the lame to walk and the blind to see, even raising the dead.  If we follow Jesus' example, we will demonstrate love.  Finally, love is devoted.  We must always show love, ready to give more than we receive.  "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another" (John 13:35).

The highest dimension of love is our love for God.  When we love Him with all of our heart and soul, we feel it on the inside.  When we love Him with all of our strength, we put some force into it (Amen!).  And when we love Him with all of our mind, we think about ways that we can love others.  If we love to this magnitude, we shall live (v28).  Jesus wants us to do the same as the Samaritan, who showed kindness and mercy to the man on the side of the road (his neighbor); in fact, He commanded, "Go, and do thou likewise" (v37).

Scripture – Proverbs
         22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Theme – Concerns for Our Children

Pastor Roberts was prepared with a message for the day, but as the service progressed, his heart
         was touched and the Lord gave him a different message for us.  A mother gave her testimony of how she has
         looked to God to help her cope with her son being incarcerated; a father talked of his broken heart since his oldest child
         has gone to jail, but he leans on God and trusts Him to bring his daughter through; and a young man testified about his
         personal experience of selling drugs, committing crimes and going to jail, and how he knows he was delivered from that lifestyle
         because of the prayers of his mother and church family.

God’s Word charges parents to raise their children in the obedience and admonition of the Lord. 
         We are to teach our children discipline, honor and respect; to love their neighbor as they love themself; how to pray,
         the importance of attending church – living God’s way.  When we train our children with these
         values, is sets a biblical foundation that roots in their spirit.  Although they may be tempted by the ways
         of the world and sometimes stray from their upbringing, we can rest assured that what they know about the Lord in their life
         will prevail.

Tell
         your children about Jesus; remind them that because of God’s grace and mercy shown by sending Jesus, we can find refuge
         from a world of sin and know that we will not be cut off from His wondrous love.  That is encouraging!

Scriptures – Hebrews 9:27 – And it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this is the judgment.  Ecclesiastes 8:8 – There is no man that hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit; neither hath he power in the day of death.

Theme – Five Minutes After Death

Minister Robert Goff talked to us about a topic that is not necessarily popular, but it is necessary that we have a clear understanding -- death.  We learned some facts about Death, Hell, Judgment, and Heaven.

One truth that we must face is that we will all die; there is no escape.  After we die, there only two places that we will go – Heaven or Hell ‑ but it is our decision which place.  Hell is a very real place; a place of eternal torment.  Can you imagine being as hot and thirsty as the rich man when he looked up from Hades and saw Lazarus resting in Abraham’s bosom?  He begged for mercy and asked God to, “Send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame” (Luke 16:19-24).  Worse than that, we will have the ability to remember our past (v25) and realize why we have been cut off from God; but by then it will be too late.  We can only escape this condemnation through Jesus Christ BEFORE we die.

The book of Revelation tells us about the Book of Life and how those whose names are not found there will be cast into the lake of fire (20:15).  We will all stand before God’s great throne of judgment; all men will give an account of their life; and when God judges us, we can be assured that because He is righteous, He will judge us exactly as we are due.  Heaven is a place of comfort; a paradise; a place of rest from sorrows.  There will be no return to the cares of this world.  As Christians, we all want to hear God’s invitation to “Come up!” (Revelation 4:1).

Be ready for your final appointment and don’t gamble with your soul.  Accept Jesus Christ as your Savior and the Lord of your life... today!

Scripture:  Exodus 4:15 – And Moses answered and said, “But, behold, they will not believe me nor hearken unto my voice:  for they will say, ‘The Lord has not appeared to thee.’”

Theme:  Stop Making Excuses

When God directed Moses to lead the children of Israel out of the oppression of Egypt, Moses was hesitant and made excuses to avoid taking on the task.  He did not want to do the job, because he felt he was not capable.  Moses resisted God’s command, questioning his ability to persuade the people to follow him and discounting God’s promise to be with him.

When we make excuses for not serving God, we are hindering our blessings.  Just like the Israelites in their journey to the Promised Land, we murmur and complain about our circumstances; we find fault with everything and we blame everyone, except ourselves; and we fail to trust God and look to Him for guidance.  Our blessing is just ahead, but because we can’t see it, we abandon God’s plan and line up an excuse to do it our way.  We need to remember that our plan will fail without God’s blessing.

True worship requires that we banish all excuses and serve God daily (Luke 9:23).  We should be bold in our relationship with God.  When God asked, “Who shall I send, who will go for us?” Isiah responded enthusiastically, “Send me!” (Isiah 6:8).  In Matthew 10:33, Jesus tells us, “Whoever denies me before men, I will also deny before my Father which is in Heaven.”  Jesus did not make any excuses in His mission on earth.  He never wavered, following God’s plan through to the cross, taking on all the sins of the world so that we could have everlasting life.  Stop making excuses and find a reason to give God honor, glory and praise.  He is worthy!

Scripture - Ephesians 4:25-27 - "Be angry and sin not..."; Philippians 4:19 - "My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Theme - Overcoming Anger (from Jealously)

As people of the world, we sometimes overlook our own blessings to see those of someone else; and we convince ourselves that what they have is better than what God has blessed us with; then, we become jealous.  Jealously is a state of fear; a suspicion or envy caused by a real or imaginary threat.

We need to understand that our salvation is more important than any possessions that we acquire on this earth.  Possessions do not give us power; our power comes from a higher source.  God will bless us if we obey His principles; He has a blessing for each of us, and that blessing is our's and our's alone.  But our blessings can be blocked by anger.  That's why the Bible warns not to let the day end with a spirit of anger on your heart; because the Holy Spirit cannot function properly under such circumstances.  Don't let the adversary get a foothold in your life.  Let go of negative emotions and embrace reconciliation.

Satan is a crafty character and he is always working to put us in a mindset of disappointment, vengeance, and jealously.  He doesn't need an invitation; all he needs is an opportunity.  Don't be tricked into thinking that God doesn't care about you or that He cares more about someone else.  There is no cause to be jealous of others.  God is not poor; He has abundant riches; and because of Jesus, we can claim those same riches.  Hold on to your faith, knowing that God knows what we need and He will provide at the perfect time.

Scriptures - Ephesians 24:26 - Be ye angry and sin not; let not the sun go down on your wrath.
                  Proverbs 22:24 - Make no friendship with an angry man.

We continue the teaching on how to overcome anger and avoid the negative impact it can have on our lives, both physically and spiritually.  Anger can be defined as a strong feeling of intense displeasure; rage is an elevated level of anger that is explosive and uncontrolled; resentment results from unexpressed anger that is turned inward; and indignation is an attitude against things that are unjust.

God gave us the emotion of anger.  Several Bible stories tell of men who became angry, and by their actions their reputations were damaged -- Cain became angry and killed his brother; Moses became angry with the nation of Israel; and Saul became angry with David.  God knows that we will become angry; the scripture acknowledges that we "be angry," but it stops there and commands that we not allow the anger to cause us to sin; also, that we not remain angry to the end of the day. 

Anger is a heavy and unnecessary burden to carry.  Jesus came so that we could be freed from the burden of anger.  Instead of reacting in a violent, cruel, or retalitory manner, we should overcome evil (anger) with good.  The Holy Spirit will give us strength to fight the battle.  Before the end of the day, go to the Lord in humble prayer and ask Him to forgive your offenses; then, abandon your pride and forgive those who have offended you.  You can experience the blessedness that comes with living Christ-like, knowing that our reward is in Heaven!

Ephesians 4:26-27 - Be ye angry, and sin not; let not the sun go down upon your wrath:  Neither give place to the devil.

Theme: How to Overcome Anger (from Disappointment)

We begin a series on overcoming anger; this week, anger that comes as a result of disappointment through unmet expectations.  We reviewed three Bible stories where persons became angry because circumstances did not unfold the way they thought they should.

In Jonah 4, Jonah became disappointed in God because He did not destroy the Nineviites (v1).  Jonah initially resisted going to Ninevah as God instructed him, but when he did finally go, he put the Ninevites on notice that they would be overthrown in forty days (3:4).  When the Ninevites heard this news, they repented and turned from their evil ways (v8).  God responded with mercy and spared the city (v10).  Although Jonah did not agree with God's actions, he was not surprised by the kindness and mercy that God showed for the Ninevites (4:2).

Sometimes, we become angry because of the unmet expectations of others.  In Luke 10:38:42, Jesus went to visit two sisters, Martha and Mary.  Martha became frustrated because while she was busy doing chores, Mary chose to sit at Jesus' feet and listen to His teachings (v39).  When Martha complained to Jesus, He answered that Martha was worried about unnecessary things and that Mary had made the good choice (v42).

We can even fall short of our own expectations and become angry with ourselves, as did Judas after he had betrayed Jesus in Matthew 27:3-5.  Judas tried to repent, but he did not repent to God.  Instead, he repented to the priests with whom he had conspired against Jesus.  The priests were not interested in Judas' remorse, basically saying to him, "that's your problem" (v4).  With that rejection, Judas became angry, threw down the money that he was given, and went to hang himself (v5).

The spirit of anger will cause a negative impact on your life.  It causes deterioration on the inside, breaks our heart, and blocks our blessings.  There are going to be times when we have unmet expectations, but we must not allow the spirit of anger to control us.  Instead, we can rely on the Holy Spriti to guide our response when these situations arise.  We should remember that God is in control, and all good things come in His time in line with His perfect plan; we can be honest in expressing our feelings to God, knowing that His grace and mercy are only a prayer away; and we can reaffirm our hope in God as our Provider, remembering that He knows and will supply our every need.  Don't give the adversary the upper hand.  Overcome anger and be thankful that God is always good!

Mark 14:26-31

Jesus again predicts Peters denial – OR – Never say Never

Reverend Searles reminded us, ”the bigger they come, the harder they fall.”

Are we like some of the huge trees in the forest? Some of the biggest trees appear to be the vision of strength; yet some of them are inhabited by small animals of the forest because they are completely hollow out on the inside.

This passage tells about the men. Jesus is about to tell the men who were his disciples that they would deny him, even though they had pledged their loyalty to him.

Can this happen to any of us today? Does it happen to all of us? Yes, it does.

Jesus said their abandonment of him would be as it was predicted. This was the second time in the same evening that Jesus had predicted his disciples denial and desertion, which probably explains their strong reaction.

After Jesus was taken away, the denials, of course came true. But more of a lesson here is that the disciples lost their way. So we can, too. When we take our eyes away from the cross, when we let the world get in the way of the word, we get just as lost.

Its easy to that Satan temporarily gained the upper hand in this commotion about Jesus’ death. But we see later that God was in control; even in the death of his son, Satan gained no victory, everything occurred exactly the way God had planned.

In today’s world, we deny Jesus when: we let a football game come before church, or when we “don’t feel” like coming to church, or we don’t a few minutes of extra time to study the word of the Lord. We, like Peter, can refuse to hear what the Lord is trying to tell us, when He is trying to talk to us. And yet, all we need to do is to call upon the name of the Lord and he will be there! We really need to remember that we can’t do anything on our own. We can only do things with the will of the Holy Spirit and the love of the Father.

May 24, 2008

Scripture:  John 4:7-14 - Jesus and the Woman at the Well.  "But whosoever drinketh of this water (in the well) shall thirst again:  But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst... but shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Theme:  "Time to Make a Change"

In this text, "thirst" equals desire.  The things that we thirst for in this world are often the wrong things that do nothing to advance the Kingdom of God.  When Jesus met the Samarian woman at the well (v7), she was first concerned with Jesus' request for water from the well (v9, v11).  But Jesus explained to her that He had something to offer beyond the physical element of water from the well.  Jesus offers a living water (v10) that will satisfy our thirst forever.  The woman finally abandoned her questions and trivial concerns and asked Jesus to "give me this water that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw" (v15).

Through our knowledge of Jesus Christ, we should be encouraged to change our minds from the desires of the world and live to please God.  Only He can truly satisfy our thirst.  The water that Jesus offers is not ordinary; it is extraordinary and comes from a higher source; it is a spiritual water that leads to everlasting life.  Take and drink the living water that Jesus offers and quench your thirst forever!

April 19, 2008
Acts 13:24-25
“Do you know the man?”

Some might ask, ”What man?” I might ask you to stop fooling yourselves.

This week Reverend Laverne Williams asks, “Are you fooling yourselves into thinking you have a relationship with God?” Ask yourself, do you know him for yourself? In order to know someone, you have to spend time with that person. You may be fooling yourself if if you are not spending the time to have a relationship with God. You have to spend time with him and do things with him and for him.

You have to invest in him. You have to commit yourself to him. We may be lying to ourselves if we think coming to church every Sunday is all we need to do. You may come to church every Sunday – but that is not enough. We may want to come to church, but we do not want to change. Don ‘t fool yourself.

Getting to know the man takes patience. It takes time and it may mean giving up everything that you have. It is not about coming to church every Sunday and it is not about how many committees you are on. It is not about you at all. It is all about Jesus. You have to be a do-er of the word, not just a do-er.

If you look in the mirror and think, “Man, I look good”  you are missing the point. You have to look deeper. You have to examine your feeling about trusting everything to the Living God. You need to take the time to know the man. Once you do, he will take the time to spend eternity with you.

April 12, 2009 - Resurrection Day

Scripture - II Corinthians 5:21 - "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."

Theme- How Does the Death of Jesus Save Me

Resurrection Sunday -- the day that Jesus Christ rose from the grave -- is one of the most significant days in Christian history.  The event celebrates Jesus as God in the flesh, who was crucified and buried, but defied death and rose with all of the power and authority of God; and continues to live today, sitting at the right hand of God and interceding for us. 

Romans 3:23 sets the stage, "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  As people of the world, we are destined to commit sin throughout our lives.  The wage of sin is death; but salvation is the gift of life.  God has made provision over the sin debt through the death of Jesus.  Jesus came to this world and lived as a human being; and though He committed no sin, he experienced and understood the burdens of temptation and other worldly issues.  And because Jesus knew that we could never be reconciled to God under these circumstances, He took on the entire sins of man and accepted death on our behalf so that we could be redeemed to our Father when we leave this world.  God sacrificed the best He had to save humanity; it was always part of God's perfect plan; a proclamation of His love for us.

Reflect on your life and think about the goodness of God.  Praise HIm, who sent Jesus, who gave His life so that we could be freed from the issues of the world and be filled and guided by the Holy Spirit.  Celebrate that through Jesus we can all be saved, regardless of our past actions or our background.  Death has no victory.  Our Savior lives!

April 5, 2008
2 Corinthians 5:10 and 1 Corinthians 11:3
“Divine Order - The Word of God is True”

God is in control and one day we will all have to give an account of our stewardship to Him.

God has an order. These are the results or consequences of your actions – both good and not so good. Part of your responsibility of your stewardship as a Christian is to give encouragement. The will of God has two categories: Saved and Lost. Which are you?

Sometimes we don’t want to speak up and say, That’s not right!” or “That’s out of order!”. Parents – We need to stop passing the buck on our children. We need to be quick and stop saying, “These children, nowadays . . .”

But how can these children know what is right if they are not being taught that. (Ephesians 6:1-4) What is right is just another way of expressing what is God’s Order.

One of the things that causes grief to most Christians is the attitudes of the people in the world around us – including us! We should look in the mirror and take a good self-examination. If we put the same time and effort that we do to the inner-person that we do to the outter-person, we would be much better off.

The four “R”s of this sermon:Responsibility – Fear and obey His commandments. Thou shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind and soul. We need to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. But do we really love ourselves? If we did, would we desecrate our own bodies with drugs, alcohol, tattoos?

Rebellion –means an “outbreak against authority”. These are also the consequences of your actions. Example: If you turn your nose up at someone, that person may be the same person who brings you a cool glass of water when you are lying on your bed of affliction.

Respect – The workings of God on the inside of you. If you are hearing negative thoughts – you need to put some distance between you and them.

Rewards – Take your self-inventory. Look hard into the mirror. None of us is perfect, but God. Thank Him for all of the bounty you have.

March 29, 2009

Scripture - Ecclesiastes 12 - "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them... Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  Fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man..."

Theme - The Aging Process

In this text, the wise King Solomon is telling young people to begin early in life obeying God and His commandments; and to keep in mind the process of aging.  Throughout life, we are often put in the position to do things we do not necessarily want to do, such as go to school, go to work, and comply with laws, rules and regulations of those in authority.  However, we must remember that these are issues of the world, which do not satisfy the soul.  Our ultimate accountability will be to God.  As believers, we know that every person will stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of their every work while on this earth (v14).  For this reason, we must be diligent in following God's commandments; including the command to love one another, to serve our fellow man, and to worship only Him.  And we should start while we are young.

The scripture cites a list of metaphors to show how the body's physical traits will deteriorate as we age -- the keepers of the house (bones) will tremble and bow, the grinders (teeth) will be few, and the windows (eyes) will darken (v3); the almond tree will flourish (graying hair), and the grasshopper (a little thing) will be a burden (v5).   The aging process is inescapeable and our bodies are destined to return to the dust of the earth (v7).  But, because Jesus came and died for our sins, our souls belong to God and He has promised a place for us in His kingdom for eternity.

Remember God NOW and be thankful for His loving grace and tender mercy.  Never forget the Lord, the One who brought you through!  Fear God with all reverence and keep His commandments; that is the conclusion of the whole matter (v13).

March 22, 2008
Scripture:  Ephesians 5:17-21.  "Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."

Theme:  Filled with the Holy Spirit

In the last of our three-part series on being filled with the Holy Sprit, we learned how to embrace the Lord's will in our lives.  We need the Holy Spirit in order to conquer evil.  Being filled with the Holy Spirit is a continual process; a constant journey that from moment to moment, from day to day, we live to be obedient to the Lord.

In seeking the Holy Spirit, we need to read and study the Word of God.  Two relevant scriptures are Psalm 119:11, "Thy word I have hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee"; and II Timothy 2:15, "Study to shew thyself approved unto God."  We shouldn't wait for a crisis, but commit ourselves to prayer and study in good times, as well.  After we read and study, we need to put what we believe into application.  Pray and trust that God will lead you in the right direction and allow the Holy Spirit to move in your life.  When the scripture tells us to "be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess" (v18), God is saying that drugs and alcohol are not necessary to have a fulfilled life.  If we do what God commands, the results of God's blessings will bring our hearts and minds to a spiritual level beyond what any substance is able to do.  The Holy Spirit is sufficient for all our needs.  God also provides the means to keep the Holy Spirit stirred up in our hearts.  The Word tells us to speak to ourselves in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (v19).  We can keep ourselves uplifted throughout the day by citing scripture or singing a praise melody.  In spite of all things and in all circumstances, thank God our Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (v20) and submit to His perfect way (v21)  He is worthy!

March 1, 2009
Scripture - Ephesians 5:15-21 - See then that you walk circumspectly; not as fools, but as wise.
Theme - Being Filled with the Spririt; Walking Circumspectly

The word 'circumspectly' translates in Greek as carefully and accurately.  God is concerned about our behavior.  As Christians, we should be circumspect; that is, we should be careful and accurate  in our conduct, conversation, and compromise.  We should live our lives to please God.  Our behavior, including how we walk, how we talk, and how we dress, is crucial to how the message of God is carried throughout the world.

The Bible is clear about an acceptable manner of life.  The scripture directs that we not act unwise as fools (v15).  An unwise person is worldy, uncaring and unthinking, giving little thought to their actions and hindering their worship.  A wise person, on the other hand, is careful, spirit-minded and concerned to do the things that please God and fall in line with His will (v17).  The days are evil (v16), but we must refuse to compromise the traits of a Spirit-filled Christian.

God's Word does not change.  But we will see a change in ourselves as we continue to live in a manner that pleases God.  Trust the Holy Spirit to guide you and you will see improvements in your life as you strive to be a wise Christian who walks circumspectly.

February 15, 2009
Malachi 3:6-12
"For I am the Lord, I change not..."

Our series continues on "God's Financial Plan", and how our faithful giving of tithes and offerings puts us in a position for God to bless us.  Pastor Roberts gave five points on how we can place our faith in God and give our tithes and offerings willingly and cheerfully as commanded -- 1) Heart - in this scripture, Malachi was addressing the people, because they had stopped giving.  If we change our heart, we will change our giving habits; 2) Attitude - when the people asked, "How have we robbed thee?" (v8), they displayed a negative attitude, which brought on a double curse (v9); a negative attitude can be our downfall or a positive attitude will carry us a long way; 3) Evaluation -when we look at our lives, we realize how good God has been to us and we want to respond accordingly; 4) Commitment - we cannot satisfy the world and God at the same time; choose God's way and commit to it; and 5) Responsibility - when we honor God, God will honor us; acknowledge how good He is to us by returning a portion of all that we receive.

We must remember that everything we have came from God; therefore, when we do not return to Him, we are robbing Him.  If we honor God, He will honor us.  God promises to supply our every need; and we can witness that He has kept that promise to the point of abundance.  Truly, He has opened the windows of Heaven and poured us out blessings that there is not room enough to receive (v10).

February 8, 2009

Program - St. Paul's 123rd Church Anniversary

Speaker - Reverend G. I. Bradley, Providence Missionary Baptist Church, Palmetto

Scripture - Acts 13:36-37  "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption."

Theme - Serve Your Generation

Our days on this earth are numbered.  We know not the day nor the hour that we will leave this earth and our fleshly bodies will decay.  While we are here, we should be in a spirit of service to God.    God provides the means that we can be in direct contact with Him, so that we can fulfill His will in our lives.  Reverend Bradley offered three ways, specifically:  1) read the Word; 2) prayer, and 3) presence.

The Bible is the Word of God; it is God speaking to us.  When we read God's Word, it  becomes engraved on our hearts and we are better able to accept God's will in our lives and follow that path.  Through prayer, we are able to speak to God.  God knows our every thought and our desires; and He promises to provide all of our needs.  Prayer is an opportunity to thank God for all He has done for us and all that He is going to do in the future.  In addition to reading and praying, we should always take time to be in the presence of God.  God in omnipresent; He is everywhere at all times.  God will meet you where you are and He will hear your cry and your praise.  In the most quiet moment of seeking God, the Holy Spirit will wash over you and bless you with the wonderful feeling of His presence.

All of this, though, needs to be done while we are on this earth, for soon we will be gone from here  Just as David served God during his time and then fell asleep, we, too, must be diligent and devoted in our service before we fall asleep.  Just like David and many others before us, our bodies will decay and return to the earth.  But glory to God, who sent Jesus!  Even Jesus served his generation on earth and passed on.  But, He saw no corruption (v37).  He arose with all divine power and now and forever sits at the right hand of God, interceding on our behalf so that when our time comes to fall asleep, our souls will enjoy everlasting life in His presence in the Kingdom of Heaven!

 January 25, 2009
Malachi 3:8-12
“Will a man rob God?”

Pastor Roberts preached about this scripture and how . . .Everything we have comes from God. You have to acknowledge God in your giving. Don’t say, “I know what the bible says, BUT . . .” Don’t say, “The Old Testament says that the storehouse is not the church.”

The world tells us to make all the money you can. But if you have lots of money and you don’t have God in your life, you will still not be fulfilled. The bible is very clear – If you give you will receive. Your gifts and blessings may not always be those of money or things; your gifts and blessings are also found in your health, your family (personal and church), your friends, for waking up this morning, being in your right mind, the movement of your fingers, the next breath, the next heart beat. If you think about some of the things you take for granted, you will see as we sung on Sunday “Another blessing from God”.

Be mindful that the storehouse was the temple and is the church. The purpose of giving was and is to meet the needs of the local church, including outreach ministries. There are four types of giving: the first fruits, tithes, offerings and sacrificial giving.

The results of giving are Prosperity. We are all living examples, in one way or another of prosperity.

Another result of giving is Protection. God will see that our needs are met and that we are victorious over the adversary if we call upon him sincerely and in trust.

Another result of giving is Plenty. Even in this ravaged economy, God supplies us with enough food, clothing and shelter – no matter what.

If you give to the Lord, you will also be a Personal Witness. God’s plan for you will give you peace. You can be flat broke and still have a smile on your face!

Money cannot give you the peace and Joy that you can get from knowing Jesus! Don’t be stiff-necked and refuse or refute the truth. Instead say “Thank you” for all of the blessing you have!

January 18, 2009
Psalm 31:1-10
“Trust and Obey”

This Sunday, our own Reverend Laverna Williams spoke about how God pays attentions to those who call upon Him in truth, earnest and sincerity.

We worry about the economy and talk about this store shutting down and that business cutting hours but we forget to start a conversation off with “God is still in control”. Some of us may want to trust Him, but not obey. Some of us may want to obey Him, but not trust Him. And, truth be told, some of us may not want to trust or obey Him. Trust the Lord not for some things – but for ALL things.

We want to trust and obey the Lord, and its easy when things are going our way. But when things are not going our way, we may say, “I hear you, but that’s not what I need right now”. That means we may need to sacrifice. Sacrificing isn’t easy. From time to time, we all may want to do things that are of this world, but we have to learn to obey and trust Jesus. By obey him and trusting him, we will believe in him. We can be certain that God always hears and acts on behalf of those who love Him.

Many of God’s blessings require our active participation. He will deliver us of our fear, save us out of our troubles, guard and deliver us, show us goodness, supply our needs, listen when we talk to him and redeem us – but we must do our part. We can appropriate his blessing we we seek him, cry out to him, trust him, fear him, refrain from lying, turn from evil, do good and seek peace, are humble and serve him.

When we start our Christian life, our knowledge of God is partial and incomplete. As we trust him daily, we experience how good he is. Remember, God knows what we need and our deepest needs are spiritual. Many Christians, although the face unbearable poverty and hardship, still have enough spiritual nourishment to live for God. If you don’t feel you have everything you need, ask: Is this really a need? Is this really good for me? Is this the best time (God’s time) for me to have what I desire? Even if you answer “Yes”, God may allow you to go without to help you grow more dependent on him.

He may want you to learn that you need Him more than you need to achieve your immediate desires.

January 11, 2009
John 7:25-30
“You can’t see me”

This Sunday, Reverend Johnn Searles reminded us to see thing through our spiritual eyes and not necessarily our physical eyes. When we were young, we all played Hide & Seek. Remember crying out, “Ready or not, here I come?” You had to look for each other, but you could not go too far from home base; otherwise, the person you were trying to find could get home before you found them.

As we go through life from young to adult to mature, we may sometimes feel that our partner, or spouse or the authorities in charge may not see us. The Adversary casts doubts, dares and rationalizations. We think we can “get away” with something, and it will be OK. But God is watching All the time! We may try to rationalize our way out of following God’s commandments but they are not open to interpretation.

Our judgments - about ourselves and especially about other people – should be made regarding a person’s spiritual self and their level of commitment to their character. Instead, we sometimes judge others on how they look; their clothes, their car, their house. Are you judging people on what you see? on how they look? or by what you can’t see?

Christ revealed who he is and whose he is. Christ let the Pharisees know they couldn’t see him. We can only see Christ with our spiritual eyes, not with our physical eyes. Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be save. Salvation does not come from having things. Salvation comes from knowing and accepting Christ and following in his steps.

December 28, 2008
Hebrews 12:1-4
Keep Your Eyes on the Lord

Pastor Roberts reminded us today to keep running the Christian race. The race for heaven, the race for an abundant life on this side and an eternal life on the other side, the race to live with God, the race away from corruption and evil, the race towards righteousness and justice, the race to the promised land – to live there with the Lord forever and ever.

If God has placed the Holy Spirit within you, then you are saved – now and forever more. When God gives you instructions, you have to walk by faith, not by sight. Without faith, you cannot please God, for He has commanded us to lay aside that things that hold us back – from the Christian race. No matter how discouraged you get in this life, you’ve got to lay aside everything and you have to do something. Don’t say, “I haven’t got there yet.” One of the biggest things that can hold you back is YOU.

The tongue can hold you back. Nobody is perfect – including you. So why talk about someone else? Patience – or a lack of patience – can hold you back. Your choices can hold you back. Remember that every choice has a consequence (either good or bad). If you honor God – God will honor you! Perseverance can keep from holding you back. The race is not necessarily given to the swift! Keep your eyes on the Lord. Participation can keep from holding you back. Jesus was faithful until death. Don’t watch people – watch the Lord. Perfection can keep from holding you back. Jesus forgave his enemies. He loved his enemies in spite of their hate for him. Power can keep from holding you back. Jesus went to sit at the right hand of the throne of the Lord.

The Christian life involves hard work. It requires us to to give up whatever endangers our relationship with God, to run patiently and to struggle against sin with the power of the Holy Spirit. To live effectively, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. We will stumble if we look away from him to stare at ourselves or the circumstances surrounding us. We need to remember that we should be running for Christ, not ourselves, and we must always keep him in sight.

Novermber 16, 2008
The Christian and the World
Scripture - John 15:18-21 - If the world hates you, know that it hated me before it hated you... I have chosen you out of the world..."

Pastor Roberts cited four reasons why the world hates the believer:  1) The believer is not of the world (v19); 2) the believer is identified with Christ (v20); 3) many people do not know God (v21); but He is worthy of all the praise, in Jesus' name; and 4) Jesus convicts sin in us through the Holy Spirit (v22), which resides in us and equips us to deal with circumstances that cross our path.

In this text, Jesus promises persecution for those who love Him and follow His way.  When the people of the world persecute us and hate us (without cause, v25), at the same time God will give us favor and honor in their presence, and we will have the victory.  As a believer, listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit (the Comforter, v26) that dwells inside and allow that voice to carry you to a glorious level of joy, peace and truth that the world does not understand.

October 5, 2008
II Chronicles 7:14
God’s people should humble themselves, pray in earnest and turn away from earthly ways to gain forgiveness and blessings

In chapter 6, Solomon asked God to make provisions for the people when they sinned. God answered with four conditions for forgiveness: (1) humble yourself by admitting your sins, (2) pray to God, asking for forgiveness, (3) seek God continually, and (4) turn from sinful behavior. True repentance is more than talk — it is changed behavior. Whether we sin individually, as a group, or as a nation, following these steps will lead to forgiveness. God will answer our earnest prayers.

This week, Pastor Roberts encouraged us to pray for our nation and its leaders; cited various circumstances that in itself may not seem significant, but collectively indicate a growing problem in our society, i.e. Wall Street, gas and food prices, criminal acts, abortion, pornography.  Scripture reminds us that nations who turned away from God did not go unpunished and were even destroyed; individually and as a nation, we need to seek God and receive His direction and  follow His way so that we can receive His mercy and be blessed.

September 28, 2008
1 Peter 3:3-6
Instructions for the Church – How Christians should dress

A changed life speaks loudly and clearly, and it is often the most effective way to influence a family member. Peter instructs Christian wives to develop inner beauty rather than being overly concerned about their outward appearance. Their husbands will be won over by their love rather than by their looks. Live your Christian faith quietly and consistently in your home, and your family (friends, co-workers and even people on the street) will see Christ in you.

We should not be obsessed by fashion, but neither should we be so unconcerned that we do not bother to care for ourselves. Hygiene, neatness, and grooming are important, but even more important are a person's attitude and inner spirit. True beauty begins inside.

So while it is important to dress (what we now call) appropriately for church, it may also be appropriate to remember that Jesus always dressed in clean, plain and simple garb. He never called attention to himself by any worldly goods or possessions, including (and maybe especially) His dress. We should remember this to keep ourselves humble: 1) by not judging others by the way they dress, and 2) to not allow our dress to be a potential distraction to others, when our main purpose in church is to concentrate our attention and praise unto the Lord.

September 7, 2008
James 4:7-10
Four Steps to Overcome Temptation

Step One – Submit yourself to the Lord -
Although God and the Devil are at war, we don’t have to wait for the end to see who will win. God has already defeated Satan, and when Christ returns the devil and all he stands for will be eliminated forever. Satan is here now, however and he is trying to win us over to his evil cause. With the Holy Spirit’s power, we can resist the devil and he will flee from us.

Step Two – Come near to God and He will come near to you –
How can you come near to God? James tell us to yield to His authority and will; commit your life to Him and His control and be willing to follow Him. Resist the devil! Don’t allow Satan to entice or tempt you. Wash your hands and purify your hearts (that is, lead a pure life). Be cleansed from sin by replacing your desire to sin with your desire to experience God’s purity.

Step Three – Grieve, mourn and wail -
Grieve, mourn and wail in sincere sorrow for your sins. Don’t be afraid to express deep, heartfelt sorrow for what you have done.

Step Four – Humble yourself in the site of the Lord – and He will lift you up.
Humbling ourselves recognizes that our worth comes from God alone. To be humbles involves working with His power according to His guidance, not with our own independent effort. Although we do not deserve God’s favor, He reaches out to us in love and give us and gives us worth and dignity, despite our human shortcomings.

August 31, 2008
1 Corinthians 15:51-53
"A change is going to come"

We all face limitations. Those who have physical, mental or emotional disabilities are especially aware of this. Some may be blind, but they can see a new way to live. Some may be deaf, but they can hear God’s good news. Some may be lame, but they can walk in God’s love. In addition, they have encouragement that those disabilities are only temporary. Paul tells us that we will all be given new bodies when Christ returns and that these bodies will be without disabilities, never to die or become sick. This can give us hope in our suffering.

“We will not all sleep”: means that Christians alive on that day will not have to die, but be transformed immediately. A trumpet blast will usher in the new heaven and earth. A change is going to come!

Satan seemed to be victorious in the Garden of Eden and at the cross of Jesus, but God turned Satan’s apparent victory into defeat when Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Thus, death is no longer a source of dread or fear. Christ overcame it and one day we will also. The law will no longer make sinner out of us who cannot keep it. Death has been defeated and we have hop beyond the grave.

August 24, 2008
2 Corinthians 12:1-10
No matter what thorn you have in your life - God's grace is sufficient for you.
We don't know what Paul's thorn in the flesh was, because he doesn't tell us. Some have suggested it was malaria, epilepsy or a disease of the eyes. Whatever the case, it was a chronic and debilitating problem, which at times, kept him from working. This thorn was a hindrance to his ministry and he prayed for its removal; but God refused. Paul was a very self-sufficient person, so this thorn must have been difficult for him. It kept Paul humble, reminded him of his need for constant contact with God, and benefited those around him as they saw God at work in his life.

Although God did not remove Paul's physical affliction, He promised to demonstrate His power in Paul. The fact that God's power is displayed in weak people should give us courage. Though we recognize our limitations, we will not congratulate ourselves and rest at that. Instead, we will turn to God to seek pathways to effectiveness. We must rely on God for our effectiveness rather than simply on our own energy, effort and talent. Our weaknesses not only help develop Christian character, it also deepens our worship, because in admitting our weakness, we affirm God's strength.

When we are strong in our abilities or resources, we are tempted to do God's work on our own, and that can lead to pride. When we are weak, allowing God to fill us with His power, then we are stronger than we could ever be on our own. God does not intend for us to seek to be weak, passive or ineffective - life provides enough hindrances and setbacks without us creating them. When those obstacles come, we must depend on God. Only His power will make us effective for Him and will help us do work that has lasting value.

August 17, 2008
Proverbs 22:6
Are you prepared for the test?
The book of Proverbs describes life the way it should be. It does not dwell on exceptions. "In the way he should go" is literally "according to his (the child's) way". It is natural to want to bring up all our children alike or train them in the same way. This verse implies that parents should discern the individuality and special strengths that God has given each one. While we should not condone or excuse self-will, each child has natural inclinations that parents can develop. By talking to teachers, other parents and grandparents, we can better discern and develop the individual capabilities of each child.

Many parents want to make all the choices for their child(ren). But this hurts them in the long run. When parents teach a child how to make decisions, they don’t have to watch every step he or she takes. They know their children will remain on the right path because they made the choices themselves. Train your children to choose the right way.