Friday, February 20, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Practical Christian Living
In our Wednesday Night Bible Study @ 7 pm (every Wednesday), we've been studying the Letter of James. This letter has challenged me in areas that many of us struggle with on a daily basis. I teach and try to model a level of spiritual maturity for others to follow that is practical as well as doable. In other words, I think we've made Christian living entirely too complicated. We’ve placed religious rules, traditions, philosophical opinions, by-laws, church attendance, religious practices, and Robert Rules of Order as a potential gauge for measuring a person’s and/or own spiritual growth. We use our own spiritual maturity to measure someone else’s growth. If they don’t do it like we do then they have not grown in Christ. Accountability is no longer accountability for the sake helping each other become more Christ-like. Accountability has now become a judging match between 2 people that eventually creates fights and quarrels (James 4:1). Let me caution you to be careful judging someone else’s development against yours for when you place your supposed maturity next to the holiness of God you will discover you still have little more growing to do.
In addition, we allow supernatural events to be our gauge for measuring our spiritual growth. The more of the "supernatural" (whatever that means to you) we experience the more we feel we have grown in Christ. So, being healed physically, financial prosperity, near death experiences, and so many others, we assume, are valid experiences to measure our spiritual growth. Don't get me wrong, I do believe God can do anything! But are our Christian experiences enough to measure our growth in Christ. But what happens when the experiences run out? What do have then as a gauge? Something to think about.
This letter is teaching me that Christian living is practical and doable. The measurement for spiritual maturity rest in practical Christian living day-by-day. James writes; “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything (NLT)”.
We’ve all asked this question (or one similar); “Am I growing as a Christian?” But when you ask this question what type of answer are you expecting? Are you expecting a heavenly voice to trumpet down and say; “This is my son/daughter in whom I am well pleased?” Are you looking for others to validate your spiritual maturity with a word of congratulations? Are you living a false spiritual maturity that on the outside says “I have everything together” but on the end side you’re just as sinful as can be?
Whatever the case, I believe the only real measurement for spiritual development is in areas of daily living disciplines. The letter of James shows us practical daily disciplines as a means to measure our spiritual development. I want to outline the book of James in question form to help each us look at our spiritual development in a different light.
How do you respond to the struggles of life? James 1:1-4
What is your process for making decisions? James 1:5-8
What is you financial goal in life, to be rich or honor God? James 1:9-12
Do you own up to your mistakes? James 1:13-16
How do you view God’s blessings? James 1:17
Are you a quick tempered person? James 1:18-20
Are you honest with yourself about your spiritual development? James 1:21-27
Do you show favoritism? James 2:1-17
Do you trust God at all cost with everything? James 2:18-26
Can you control your tongue (WOW, this will show who’s growing)? James 3:1-12
Are you a selfish person? James 3:13-18
Do you like to fight? James 4:1-10
Do you respect other people? James 4:11-12
Are you impatient? James 4:13-17
What’s your focus here on earth, temporal satisfaction or eternal security? James 5:1-11
Are you an indecisive person? James 5:12
How is your prayer life? James 5:13-20
Can you be trusted? James 5:16
Do you believe God to do what you’ve requested? James 5:17-18
Are you on speaking terms with God? James 5:19-20
Will we ever reach spiritual maturity at it’s best? I don’t know but we can try our best.
In addition, we allow supernatural events to be our gauge for measuring our spiritual growth. The more of the "supernatural" (whatever that means to you) we experience the more we feel we have grown in Christ. So, being healed physically, financial prosperity, near death experiences, and so many others, we assume, are valid experiences to measure our spiritual growth. Don't get me wrong, I do believe God can do anything! But are our Christian experiences enough to measure our growth in Christ. But what happens when the experiences run out? What do have then as a gauge? Something to think about.
This letter is teaching me that Christian living is practical and doable. The measurement for spiritual maturity rest in practical Christian living day-by-day. James writes; “So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything (NLT)”.
We’ve all asked this question (or one similar); “Am I growing as a Christian?” But when you ask this question what type of answer are you expecting? Are you expecting a heavenly voice to trumpet down and say; “This is my son/daughter in whom I am well pleased?” Are you looking for others to validate your spiritual maturity with a word of congratulations? Are you living a false spiritual maturity that on the outside says “I have everything together” but on the end side you’re just as sinful as can be?
Whatever the case, I believe the only real measurement for spiritual development is in areas of daily living disciplines. The letter of James shows us practical daily disciplines as a means to measure our spiritual development. I want to outline the book of James in question form to help each us look at our spiritual development in a different light.
How do you respond to the struggles of life? James 1:1-4
What is your process for making decisions? James 1:5-8
What is you financial goal in life, to be rich or honor God? James 1:9-12
Do you own up to your mistakes? James 1:13-16
How do you view God’s blessings? James 1:17
Are you a quick tempered person? James 1:18-20
Are you honest with yourself about your spiritual development? James 1:21-27
Do you show favoritism? James 2:1-17
Do you trust God at all cost with everything? James 2:18-26
Can you control your tongue (WOW, this will show who’s growing)? James 3:1-12
Are you a selfish person? James 3:13-18
Do you like to fight? James 4:1-10
Do you respect other people? James 4:11-12
Are you impatient? James 4:13-17
What’s your focus here on earth, temporal satisfaction or eternal security? James 5:1-11
Are you an indecisive person? James 5:12
How is your prayer life? James 5:13-20
Can you be trusted? James 5:16
Do you believe God to do what you’ve requested? James 5:17-18
Are you on speaking terms with God? James 5:19-20
Will we ever reach spiritual maturity at it’s best? I don’t know but we can try our best.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sunday Thought - 2/15/09
People came to church and I preached!
Topic: A Church Worth Talking About
Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Thesis: A church worth talking about is a church making a difference in the world until Jesus comes back.
1. A church worth talking about is "A Chosen Church made up of Chosen People" - v. 1-4 (Key: "knowing, you election by God)
How do we know that we're a chosen church made up of chosen people?
- A chosen church is favored church - v. 1: "grace and peace be unto you"
- A chosen church is a praying church - v. 2: "making mention of you in our prayers"
- A chosen church is trusting church - v. 3a: "Work of faith"
- A chosen church is a working church - v. 3b: "labor of love"
- A chosen church is a persevering church -v. 3c: "patience in hope"
2. A church worth talking about is "A Courageous Church with Confidence in the Word of God" - v. 5-6
A church worth talking about is a church that honors the Word of God, at all cost! Why?
- The Word of God is Powerful - v. 5
- The Word of God provides strength in adversity - v. 6
- The Word of God changes the heart of man - v. 7
3. A church worth talking about is "A Converted Church with a Convincing Witness" - v. 8-10
- Our conversion speaks for itself - v. 8-9
- We are convinced of our future - v. 10
That's it, that's all!
Be blessed, man down.
Topic: A Church Worth Talking About
Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Thesis: A church worth talking about is a church making a difference in the world until Jesus comes back.
1. A church worth talking about is "A Chosen Church made up of Chosen People" - v. 1-4 (Key: "knowing, you election by God)
How do we know that we're a chosen church made up of chosen people?
- A chosen church is favored church - v. 1: "grace and peace be unto you"
- A chosen church is a praying church - v. 2: "making mention of you in our prayers"
- A chosen church is trusting church - v. 3a: "Work of faith"
- A chosen church is a working church - v. 3b: "labor of love"
- A chosen church is a persevering church -v. 3c: "patience in hope"
2. A church worth talking about is "A Courageous Church with Confidence in the Word of God" - v. 5-6
A church worth talking about is a church that honors the Word of God, at all cost! Why?
- The Word of God is Powerful - v. 5
- The Word of God provides strength in adversity - v. 6
- The Word of God changes the heart of man - v. 7
3. A church worth talking about is "A Converted Church with a Convincing Witness" - v. 8-10
- Our conversion speaks for itself - v. 8-9
- We are convinced of our future - v. 10
That's it, that's all!
Be blessed, man down.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Too Busy To Serve!
Nothing interferes more with our ability to serve God than our need to earn a living. An observer from one hundred years ago would be awestruck by the "improvement" in our living standard and by the amount of leisure time our technology now provides us. Few North Americans regularly work more than a fifty-hour week; most work forty-four hours or less. In addition, we now live an average of eighteen years longer than we did one hundred years ago and have at least one-third more diposable income per family. When all of those factors are weighed, together with the fact in America alone there are perhaps twenty million Christians, it seems clear that we ought to be getting out the message of Jesus Christ much better than we are.The simple truth is that most Americans are too busy to serve God. We have grown complacent and comfortable in God's blessing and have forgotten the first commandment. In the meantime, immorality and cults have grown to alarming proportions because their advocates are more zealous in their support than we are. Since God asks for obedience rather than demands it, many Christians simply ignore the very reason for their existence: to glorify God. Without exception, God has a unique and meaningful plan for every believer that does not depend on age, income, or ability.
It is also clear that God calls each of us to fill this gap. Like Esther, every believer must decide either to be used by God or to be bypassed and allow another to be chosen instead. What a loss that we allow temporary comforts and laziness to rob us of true riches, both immediate and eternal!
(Giving & Tithing by Larry Burkett; "Giving and Tithing -Too Busy To Serve" - pp. 4)
Monday, February 9, 2009
Sunday Thoughts - 2/8/09
We had good day of worship eventhough the crowd was off partly due to rain. In Calif, people don't like the rain and it's probably because they've watched too much of the Wizard of Oz and saw the wicked witch of the east dissolve to nothing when water was poured on her...UGH...LOL
But for the most part worship was good. I opened our service with the video clipping I posted last week entitled "Don't Waste Your Church". It set the tune in our service. I preached on the name "Elohim-God Our Creator". Here is the sermon skeleton but I want to share a snippet of the sermon that really blessed me while I was preaching.
Topic: God Made You
Text: Psalms 139
Thesis: You are precious to God
Transitional Sentence: You are so precious to God that He was and still is actively participating in your life.
1. God knows all about you - v. 1-6
Point: There's no secrets with God
2. God is present in your life, always - v. 7-12
Point: You can't hide from God
3. God knows you potential - v. 13-24
Point: Be yourself
Sermon Snippet:
I was in junior high school in the 7th grade and had the biggest crush on a young lady and wanted her to be my girlfriend. I would walk her to class, carry her books, buy her lunch, walk her home, made sure my hair was combed, teeth brushed, clothes ironed, and everything I could to get her attention and let her know that I liked her. I was a skinny kid at 12 years old with a big afro and I wasn't the best dresser in the world. I didn't play sports because in basketball they jumped over me, in football they ran through me, track/field was limited because of asthma, and baseball wasn't mucho enough for me at the time.
For two weeks, in my mind she was my girlfriend but it needed to be validated with the question, "Will you be my girlfriend?" Before I could ask, she says: "I don't want to be your girlfriend. You're skinny and ugly!" This crushed my ego and broke my heart. My cousins and friends all had girlfriends, popularity, and very athletic. But I was the male Cindarella of the bunch. I joined the marching band playing the trumpet and "Gee Club" (another name for choir) with hopes of finding a girlfriend. Strike out! I started dressing like a gangsta with big white t-shirts, baggy pants, and wore my hair in a perm like Snoop Dogg with hopes of getting a girlfriend. Strike out #2! My talk changed from proper english to; "You know" after every sentence. I started hanging with the bad kids all to gain attention so that I could be like my cousins and friends.
All of my 7th grade year I became a loner sitting at lunch by myself reading a book. I quickly became the loner kid who's skinny and ugly among the girls of my school. The guys called me a punk, nerd, and every name you can think of. I got so bad that I found myself fighting everyday of the week until I got kicked out of school.
My 8th grade year wasn't any better!
When I started my freshman year of high school, I had a new attitude (I'm not sure where it came from). But I started my freshman year of high school realizing that there's always going to be someone who looks better than me, be smarter than me, more athletic, much bigger. much more talented, and so on. But there is one thing can't nobody do better than me; "BE ME!"
This confidence changed my life completely. I was no longer looked at as the skinny ugly boy in school. As a matter of fact, the same girl I had crush on in junior high school had the nerve to want to talk to me, NOT HAPPENING!
And today, I still think the same way. I'm not a jealous person, I'm not trying to be like any preacher, singer, or anything, just me.
As I reflect back, I became comfortable and confident with who I was and not based on what others think because God made me unique for an express purpose in life that no other person can do just like I can do. Praise God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My exhortation is simply this; "Stop being a carbon copy and be yourself like God made you to be!"
This message blessed my spirit and after long I started talking to myself. God be praised for His word, I am somebody!
I'm still itching to preach this message again. God Made You!
Tracy had a pretty rough start yesterday morning with an issue that's beyond my control. I love her dearly and hate to see her feelings get hurt. But it's best that I pray about and leave in God's hands. Please keep her in your prayers.
That's it, that's all!
Be blessed!
Man Down.
But for the most part worship was good. I opened our service with the video clipping I posted last week entitled "Don't Waste Your Church". It set the tune in our service. I preached on the name "Elohim-God Our Creator". Here is the sermon skeleton but I want to share a snippet of the sermon that really blessed me while I was preaching.
Topic: God Made You
Text: Psalms 139
Thesis: You are precious to God
Transitional Sentence: You are so precious to God that He was and still is actively participating in your life.
1. God knows all about you - v. 1-6
Point: There's no secrets with God
2. God is present in your life, always - v. 7-12
Point: You can't hide from God
3. God knows you potential - v. 13-24
Point: Be yourself
Sermon Snippet:
I was in junior high school in the 7th grade and had the biggest crush on a young lady and wanted her to be my girlfriend. I would walk her to class, carry her books, buy her lunch, walk her home, made sure my hair was combed, teeth brushed, clothes ironed, and everything I could to get her attention and let her know that I liked her. I was a skinny kid at 12 years old with a big afro and I wasn't the best dresser in the world. I didn't play sports because in basketball they jumped over me, in football they ran through me, track/field was limited because of asthma, and baseball wasn't mucho enough for me at the time.
For two weeks, in my mind she was my girlfriend but it needed to be validated with the question, "Will you be my girlfriend?" Before I could ask, she says: "I don't want to be your girlfriend. You're skinny and ugly!" This crushed my ego and broke my heart. My cousins and friends all had girlfriends, popularity, and very athletic. But I was the male Cindarella of the bunch. I joined the marching band playing the trumpet and "Gee Club" (another name for choir) with hopes of finding a girlfriend. Strike out! I started dressing like a gangsta with big white t-shirts, baggy pants, and wore my hair in a perm like Snoop Dogg with hopes of getting a girlfriend. Strike out #2! My talk changed from proper english to; "You know" after every sentence. I started hanging with the bad kids all to gain attention so that I could be like my cousins and friends.
All of my 7th grade year I became a loner sitting at lunch by myself reading a book. I quickly became the loner kid who's skinny and ugly among the girls of my school. The guys called me a punk, nerd, and every name you can think of. I got so bad that I found myself fighting everyday of the week until I got kicked out of school.
My 8th grade year wasn't any better!
When I started my freshman year of high school, I had a new attitude (I'm not sure where it came from). But I started my freshman year of high school realizing that there's always going to be someone who looks better than me, be smarter than me, more athletic, much bigger. much more talented, and so on. But there is one thing can't nobody do better than me; "BE ME!"
This confidence changed my life completely. I was no longer looked at as the skinny ugly boy in school. As a matter of fact, the same girl I had crush on in junior high school had the nerve to want to talk to me, NOT HAPPENING!
And today, I still think the same way. I'm not a jealous person, I'm not trying to be like any preacher, singer, or anything, just me.
As I reflect back, I became comfortable and confident with who I was and not based on what others think because God made me unique for an express purpose in life that no other person can do just like I can do. Praise God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My exhortation is simply this; "Stop being a carbon copy and be yourself like God made you to be!"
This message blessed my spirit and after long I started talking to myself. God be praised for His word, I am somebody!
I'm still itching to preach this message again. God Made You!
Tracy had a pretty rough start yesterday morning with an issue that's beyond my control. I love her dearly and hate to see her feelings get hurt. But it's best that I pray about and leave in God's hands. Please keep her in your prayers.
That's it, that's all!
Be blessed!
Man Down.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Don't Waste Your Church
I just watched a video clipping by Josh Harris, pastor of Covenant Life Church, about the meaning and importance of church attendance/participation. Awesome expression in a 1 minute and 50 second clip! Here is the clip:
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Sunday Thoughts - 2/1/09
Worship was good Sunday! I preached @ Redeemer Baptist Church for Pastor Curtis Monroe in prayer breakfast. I was asked to do something on the topic of change and/or taking risk. I preached Matthew 9:14-17 "A Change Is Gonna Come". The Lord really blessed the preaching moment and that was the first time for me preaching at Redeemer. Thank God for the opportunity.
After the prayer breakfast I had to run out to our church to preach our 10 am service. I didn't arrive until 11 am and went straight to the pulpit to preach. I didn't finish my work on Psalms 139 so I preached John 3:16 "The Greatest Love of All". I was a little tired but God helped me to preach the message.
I was glad to see my mother in church this week. She's been out for the last two (2) weeks. Praise God for His comfort and strength. She's hanging in there like a trooper.
We came to church for the first time, since I've been pastoring, Sunday. Tracy and the kids were hilarious the entire day. I know it's because we rode together. They've been wanting to do that for a long time. But I'm usually at the church at 4 am in the morning getting ready for worship putting finishing touches to the sermon, checking microphones, etc. So this Sunday was pretty cool riding in with them.
One of my prayers for 2009 is that God will help me establish a music department with people with a love for Him and ministry. My problem is that right now finances are tight plus we're still recovering from our renovation project, financially. But, Laweta who's the director of my favorite community choir, made a suggestion and offer to come in to lead our praise and worship but would have to leave to make it to City of Refuge. She would bring a organ player and drummer at no charge. I want to be open minded but at the same minimize distractions during our worship service. I really like the idea because she has a love for God and is a dynamic worship leader. So, I'm praying for direction about this and many other options that have been presented to me lately. We'll let God work out the details.
After church we went to my brother's house to watch the Super Bowl game. We had so much fun as we always do. We didn't play dominoes because it didn't feel right with a vacant seat that belonged to POP so we didn't play this time. But for the most part, we really had a good time. As well on this past Friday was my cousins birthday so Tracy and I went to Corbin Bowl in the valley which is about 45 minutes from Lakewood to help her celebrate with the rest of the family. We didn't get home until 3 am. I was beat down on Saturday. Tracy and I had so much fun on Friday that it continued on Saturday running errands and stuff. That's partly why my work didn't get down for Sunday. But we needed that time together.
Well, that's it that's all.
We'll talk real soon!
Man down.
After the prayer breakfast I had to run out to our church to preach our 10 am service. I didn't arrive until 11 am and went straight to the pulpit to preach. I didn't finish my work on Psalms 139 so I preached John 3:16 "The Greatest Love of All". I was a little tired but God helped me to preach the message.
I was glad to see my mother in church this week. She's been out for the last two (2) weeks. Praise God for His comfort and strength. She's hanging in there like a trooper.
We came to church for the first time, since I've been pastoring, Sunday. Tracy and the kids were hilarious the entire day. I know it's because we rode together. They've been wanting to do that for a long time. But I'm usually at the church at 4 am in the morning getting ready for worship putting finishing touches to the sermon, checking microphones, etc. So this Sunday was pretty cool riding in with them.
One of my prayers for 2009 is that God will help me establish a music department with people with a love for Him and ministry. My problem is that right now finances are tight plus we're still recovering from our renovation project, financially. But, Laweta who's the director of my favorite community choir, made a suggestion and offer to come in to lead our praise and worship but would have to leave to make it to City of Refuge. She would bring a organ player and drummer at no charge. I want to be open minded but at the same minimize distractions during our worship service. I really like the idea because she has a love for God and is a dynamic worship leader. So, I'm praying for direction about this and many other options that have been presented to me lately. We'll let God work out the details.
After church we went to my brother's house to watch the Super Bowl game. We had so much fun as we always do. We didn't play dominoes because it didn't feel right with a vacant seat that belonged to POP so we didn't play this time. But for the most part, we really had a good time. As well on this past Friday was my cousins birthday so Tracy and I went to Corbin Bowl in the valley which is about 45 minutes from Lakewood to help her celebrate with the rest of the family. We didn't get home until 3 am. I was beat down on Saturday. Tracy and I had so much fun on Friday that it continued on Saturday running errands and stuff. That's partly why my work didn't get down for Sunday. But we needed that time together.
Well, that's it that's all.
We'll talk real soon!
Man down.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)