How Long Has It Been?

Psalms 54:2

Hear my prayer, O God;

give ear to the words of my mouth.

When is the last time you devoted just five minutes to God in prayer?  Nothing else going on or distracting you. Just you and the Lord, alone in prayer together.  Before you answer remember that you are all alone in reading this today. No one is asking you to raise your hand in a crowd of people. There is no one to call you out, so please answer honestly. Has it been a while?  Has it been very slim on the time you've given to prayer?  Is it just a "ask everything and tell Him you love Him" prayer?

An old song comes to my mind this morning...

How long has it been since you talked with the Lord

And told him your heart's hid in secrets?

How long since you prayed?

How long since you stayed on your knees till the light shone through?

How long has it been since your mind felt at ease?

How long since your heart knew no burden?

Can you call him your friend?

How long has it been since you knew that he cared for you?

How long has it been since you knelt by your bed

And prayed to the Lord up in heaven?

How long since you knew that he'd answer you

And would keep you the long night through?

How long has it been since you woke with the dawn

And felt this day is worth living?

Can you call him your friend? 

How long has it been since you knew that he cared for you?

No matter if it's been a while, or just yesterday, you can find that time again this morning. Before you get busy with the hustle of the day, talk to Jesus. Oh, and please don't forget to take the time to listen to what He speaks to you. So often that's where we fail in prayer. 

God's Stance

John 3:17-19

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

A theory among many believers today is that we must have a stance against sin. While this is true, it must be the appropriate stance. Our stance toward sin is one of a runner that flees from it. All forms of sin we should abstain and run from. So a believers stance toward sin should be one that quickly removes ourselves from it. 

A stance against sin and it's damage is also biblical. We must sound the alarm, blow the trumpet of the enemy and his devices. But look closely, we are to warn others about sin and it's effects, not take a stance against the sinner but the sin. Way too many believers today are busy making picketing signs against sin and sinners when we should actually be consuming our time in the Word of God learning the Gospel message to share with them. The words we need to speak have already been given. The stance we should take has already been given. 

Jesus tells us that he didn't come to condemn but to save. People are already condemned, they need a Savior not a building inspector. Jesus even explains to us what the condemnation is. He says, "that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."  A house that's empty and condemned can't get anymore condemned than it already is. But a house that is condemned, could be restored. It could be saved. I love what the Word of God says to us today. I was condemned because I walked in sin and darkness. But read this scripture...

Romans 8:1

​There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

God's stance toward sin is in John Chapter 8. It's a hand that reaches down to the lowest and vilest sinner. Raising them up to walk in the light of His Gospel. His stance is not against the sinner, but rather the sin. His hand is open, reaching, and pierced for your salvation. 

What's your stance?

Straight From The Garden

Galatians 6:7-8

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

Wouldn't you love it if we could plant pennies and harvest dimes?  What about planting dollar bills and harvesting hundred dollar bills?  If it only worked like that... I know, it's kinda silly to think this way but I can't help it. Maybe we could plant a transmission and grow a 57' Chevy. 

What if we sow seeds?  Plant okra seeds and you'll harvest okra. Plant tomato seeds and you'll reap tomatoes. If you put watermelon seeds in the soil, you will harvest juicy watermelons. Why is there a difference in planting and harvesting seeds compared to the other things we first discussed?  Because the first are fleshly, desired seeds and not spiritual or needful for life. 

Our flesh wants possessions, wealth and fame. But the Spirit desires the things of God. You see, our flesh wants the things that will please us and our selfishness. The Spirit longs for fruit that will bless others. 

The greatest lesson in this scripture is this... We must be drawing from the resources and nutrients of God through our roots. We must be grounded and saturated with the Holy Spirit in order to produce this fruit. So in all truth, we must be right within ourselves before we can even begin to be the blessed fruit to someone else. After we realize where to draw our water and strength, then we must bear the fruit of the Spirit. Remember, whatever we have sown, we will reap. If we sow the fleshly, dead things we will reap just that...death!  Dead fruit, dead works, dead blessings. 

But if we plant the things of the Spirit we will reap life! Lively fruit, lively works, lively blessings!  Sow life by speaking life! Let the dead things die.

When God Can't Work

Mark 6:5-6

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief. And he went round about the villages, teaching.

When I first read this scripture years ago, I thought to myself that there was never a time God couldn't work. But the scriptures tell us different. Here in His own home town, Christ could do no great works. Look at how the word tells it... "Save that He laid His hands upon a few sick folk..."  

The scripture next shows the amazement of Jesus toward their unbelief. The people He was so close to couldn't, or wouldn't, believe. 

Have you ever thought why wouldn't they believe?  What was wrong with these people?  They had Jesus, the Son of God, right there in their own home town and they were missing it. He often walked their streets and these people couldn't see it. They probably talked with Him in the market places and didn't believe. 

I believe it was because they couldn't get past the flesh. What good was Jesus, the son of a carpenter, going to do?  They didn't see Him as the Son of God, but rather just the carpenter's son. Their eyes led their faith as far as it would take them. But the Word of God teaches us that hope that is seen is not hope. Faith that has to be visible isn't faith at all. Romans 8:24-25 "For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it."

Do you wonder why God's not moving? Maybe you think it's because He can't work. The truth is that God can and will work. There is nothing too hard for Him. The reason He can't work is because of our faithlessness. It's because of our disbelief. Only Believe, Only Believe, All things are Possible, Only Believe!! According to His will, He will move and work.

Take Heed

1 Timothy 4:16

Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.

Knock, knock, knock... "Hello, I'm the pastor of the church up the street. I was wondering if you have ever accepted Jesus as your Savior?"  "Oh yeah, I've done that...I've been baptized and joined the church when I was younger" was the response he received. The preacher was wanting to make sure with a few more questions and the man answered again in a firm voice, "I told you that I've done that!"  

Can I tell you this morning if you have "done that" it shows by you "still doing that".  The Bible says we should take heed. To what? First of all to ourselves. We should examine ourselves to see if we are in Christ or not. Second it says we should take heed to doctrine. We should give priority to the word of God and what it teaches us. Then what? Thirdly we should "continue in them". After we have examined ourselves we should learn of God's will for our lives and walk in His will. Way too many are saying one thing but then walking in a totally different way. They say, "been there, done that". But that are not doing it!  

Why should we do these three things? The answer is right there in the scripture. "For in doing this thou shalt both save thyself..." Our salvation is not a thing we did in our youth, it is God reaching in grace unto us. It is a decision we made to follow Jesus Christ in our lives for the rest of our lives. When we have Christ, we live in Christ. Not one day a week but everyday, all day, forever. Then lastly, we do this for the saving of those that hear us. Our lives as Christians should be reflections of Christ. The reason people don't want the Christ you're sharing is because they can't see the Christ your sharing in you. 

So take heed of yourself, to the doctrines of scripture and continue in them. Why? For your salvation and the salvation of others. 

An Opportunity To Go Further

Philippians 1:12
But I would ye should understand, brethren, that the things which happened unto me have fallen out rather unto the furtherance of the gospel;

Through shipwrecks, prison shackles and beatings, Paul endured a whole lot of suffering during his ministry. It seems Paul suffered more during his days of Christian ministry than he did the other days of his life. While he was a religious law enforcer, he pretty much had it made. Whatever he wanted, he had access to it. But now that he was a servant of Christ he suffered much.

Paul knew that there had to be some reason for his suffering. He knew that a greater glory had to be waiting behind the dark clouds of hurt. What was it? What was worth all of this tragedy? It was the furtherance of the gospel. He knew that through his suffing, someone could come to know Christ as their Savior. I wonder if he ever thought, "Ahhhhh, I don't want to get on this ship and go there. I'm so tired."? I wonder if he questioned at times why he was were he was? If so, it is never recorded in our scriptures. So there is no reason for us to speculate about it. What is recorded in scripture is that he had confidence in knowing that God was going to do something great with the gospel through his sufferings.

Funny thing is, Christians today never want to endure suffering so that the gospel could go further. When we suffer, we see it as punishment instead of an opportunity. You could choose today! I could sit and whine about what has happened in my life, or I could shine for the gospel of Christ. I could let them see the One who suffered more than any other person on a cruel cross. It was for a better hope. A greater grace! The furtherance of the gospel!

I'm Nothing But A...

Mark 6:7-13
And he called unto him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two; and gave them power over unclean spirits; And commanded them that they should take nothing for their journey, save a staff only; no scrip, no bread, no money in their purse: But be shod with sandals; and not put on two coats. And he said unto them, In what place soever ye enter into an house, there abide till ye depart from that place. And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. And they went out, and preached that men should repent. And they cast out many devils, and anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them.

I'm nothing but a... Fireman, Mechanic, Social Worker, Seamstress, Bus Driver, Teacher, Mom, Dad, Grandparent, Garbage Man, etc... what kind of difference could I make? I can't tell you the number of times that I have heard someone say this or see this reaction on their face. Over and over again, Satan is doing His best to get you to feel unqualified.

I can remember 22 years ago trusting in Jesus as my Savior. It was at the end of my 11th grade year in school. I remember going to English class one day and hearing some of my close friends say, "I'll give him two weeks tops". The feeling that came over me was, "They may be right, I'll never be able to do this."

Well over the summer months I had begin to feel this calling to preach on my life. I can honestly say that I didn't wrestle with the call itself, because I knew God was moving upon me. I did wrestle with feeling so unworthy and unqualified to ever do anything like this. When I told my Pastor about this his answer was, "Okay, you'll preach this Sunday night". Well needless to say I preached my first sermon that Sunday night. The very next sermon opportunity came when my senior year started. I was given the opportunity to speak at our school's Christian meeting called First Priority. All I really remember about that morning is crying like a baby and trying to tell all those friends that I had been changed. Some may have thought, "Well, it stuck over the summer".

As I look back on all of that, I still today hear people say, "He won't make it." But can I tell you that I'm still holding on, or better yet, He is still holding on to me. Yes I'm undeserving and under qualified, but that's God's Grace! We are all undeserving of Heaven, but because of Grace!!! I'm nothing but a... born again, blood bought, child of God that is saved by His grace and kept by His power!

I gotta go, I'm about to start shouting and crying and I don't know how to type that.