I am a blessed man. I don't have much money. (I use "much" loosely.) I don't have a mansion. My cars all need something done to them. Relationships seem strained at best some days and yet I can say that I am a blessed man. Why? How? Because, I know that my redeemer lives. I know that Jesus is my Savior. I know that this world is not my home. I know that I am going to Heaven. I know that Jesus considers me worthy to suffer shame for His Name. I am a child of the King of all kings. I have a beautiful wife who loves me. I have 4 wonderful children that are healthy. I have a home that is warm and welcoming. I have the greatest occupation I truly believe I could have. I have my health. I have awesome friends. I have a congregation that loves me for who I am. I am forgiven in Christ. I am free in Christ. How could I not say that I am a blessed man?! Sure, life isn't perfect and there are days of heartache and disappointments. Brothers and sisters.....be encouraged by these words:
Job 19:23-27
"Oh, that my words could be recorded. Oh, that they could be inscribed on a monument, carved with an iron chisel and filled with lead, engraved forever in the rock. "But as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, yet in my body I will see God! I will see him for myself. Yes, I will see him with my own eyes. I am overwhelmed at the thought!(NLT)
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
God is bigger!
What a weekend it was! Saturday night Simple worship service was awesome. This morning was awesome. I preached about the baggage of addictions. God showed up in such a cool way. People were really set free today and last night. Those addictions are big, that is for sure. But they are no contest for God. No matter what size those giants are......God is bigger and tonight, many Quarry Rockers are sleeping lighter and are free. He whom the Son sets free is free indeed! I praise the Lord in this blog tonight because He is so awesome. Me? Nope, I am weak. You? Nope, you are weak........we boast about our weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through us. I get the feeling the devil is a little nervous today....and he has good reason to be because today, the chains are broken and you.....you are free!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
You are dead!
Galatians 2:20
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.(NLT)
Is this the statement of every believer in Christ? I believe it certainly should be. But, unfortunately, for many........for most, it is not. Sure we say we are in Christ. We say we have accepted Jesus as our Savior. We say we are born again. We talk the "Christianese" so to speak.
Once we accepte Christ as our Savior, that is just the beginning. He then wants to be Lord of our lives. That requires us to die. We must die to our selfish desires so that the power of Christ may live in and through us.
What is keeping you from a deep, intimate, and rewarding relationship with Jesus? Is it a job? An addiction? Your way of life? Is it an existing relationship? Money? Those are the things that must be nailed to the cross so that He might live in you and so that you might TRULY LIVE. With everything in me, I urge you to make the decsion today to die to your selfish desires......die so that you might truly live.
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.(NLT)
Is this the statement of every believer in Christ? I believe it certainly should be. But, unfortunately, for many........for most, it is not. Sure we say we are in Christ. We say we have accepted Jesus as our Savior. We say we are born again. We talk the "Christianese" so to speak.
Once we accepte Christ as our Savior, that is just the beginning. He then wants to be Lord of our lives. That requires us to die. We must die to our selfish desires so that the power of Christ may live in and through us.
What is keeping you from a deep, intimate, and rewarding relationship with Jesus? Is it a job? An addiction? Your way of life? Is it an existing relationship? Money? Those are the things that must be nailed to the cross so that He might live in you and so that you might TRULY LIVE. With everything in me, I urge you to make the decsion today to die to your selfish desires......die so that you might truly live.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Risky Business
We talked a while back in a sermon about Luke warm Christianity. Some people just think a little bit is better than nothing and that God should just be thankful for what was done or given. That is so unscriptural! Christ told the church of Laodicea that He wished they were either hot or cold...Pick one, but don't straddle the fence. You are either all in or all out. What's it going to be? Luke warm? Makes God want to......(pardon the crudeness), puke.
I am re-reading John Ortberg's book, "If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat" There are a couple paragraphs I would like to share from this book. I thought it quite interesting.
"If you step up to the plate, you may strike out. The greatest hitters in the world fail two times out of three.
But if you don't step up to the plate, you will never know the glory of what it is to hit a home run. There is danger in getting out of the boat. But there is danger in staying in it as well. If you live in the boat--whatever your boat happens to be--you will eventually die of boredom and stagnation. Everything is risky."
May we step up to the plate boldly today and say, "My answer to you, God, is 'YES', now what's the question?"
I am re-reading John Ortberg's book, "If you want to walk on water, you've got to get out of the boat" There are a couple paragraphs I would like to share from this book. I thought it quite interesting.
"If you step up to the plate, you may strike out. The greatest hitters in the world fail two times out of three.
But if you don't step up to the plate, you will never know the glory of what it is to hit a home run. There is danger in getting out of the boat. But there is danger in staying in it as well. If you live in the boat--whatever your boat happens to be--you will eventually die of boredom and stagnation. Everything is risky."
May we step up to the plate boldly today and say, "My answer to you, God, is 'YES', now what's the question?"
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Temporary....
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.(NLT)
What about the tragic changes that God permits? When children are abused or the sick lose thier dignity? What about the faithful spouse who holds on to the end only to come to the end.....divorce? Do such moments serve a purpose? They do if we see them from an eternal perspective. What makes no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next. I have proof: you.....in the womb.
Some prenatal features went unused before birth. You grew a nose but didn't breathe. Eyes developed, but could you see? Your tongue, toenails, and crop of hair served no function in your mother's belly. But aren't you glad you have them now? Some of you have some of your hair anyway.....
Certain chapters in this life seem so unnecessary. Holocausts, martyrdom, monsoons, tornadoes, divorce, disease. If we assume this world exists just for this life and happiness, these atrocities don't follow our assumptions. They are not fun and it does not provide happiness. But what if this earth is the womb? Might these challenges, severe as they may be, serve to prepare us, equip us for the world to come?
Remember, we look through a glass dimly....it's a little foggy and unclear right now. But one day we will look into the beautiful face of Jesus Himself and it will all become perfectly clear....and it will be beautiful.
For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.(NLT)
What about the tragic changes that God permits? When children are abused or the sick lose thier dignity? What about the faithful spouse who holds on to the end only to come to the end.....divorce? Do such moments serve a purpose? They do if we see them from an eternal perspective. What makes no sense in this life will make perfect sense in the next. I have proof: you.....in the womb.
Some prenatal features went unused before birth. You grew a nose but didn't breathe. Eyes developed, but could you see? Your tongue, toenails, and crop of hair served no function in your mother's belly. But aren't you glad you have them now? Some of you have some of your hair anyway.....
Certain chapters in this life seem so unnecessary. Holocausts, martyrdom, monsoons, tornadoes, divorce, disease. If we assume this world exists just for this life and happiness, these atrocities don't follow our assumptions. They are not fun and it does not provide happiness. But what if this earth is the womb? Might these challenges, severe as they may be, serve to prepare us, equip us for the world to come?
Remember, we look through a glass dimly....it's a little foggy and unclear right now. But one day we will look into the beautiful face of Jesus Himself and it will all become perfectly clear....and it will be beautiful.
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