I Will

Luke 5:5

And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

As a child I remember arguing with my parents about their rules at home. Things like, going to bed early, bathing, only watching certain television shows. I always thought these things were trivial and should be argued. Staying up late never hurt anyone right?  Bathing only improves on the smell and watching the new television shows just helped me stay in the loop with the crowd. 

My parents could see the potential danger of these things. They knew the aftermath of me staying up all night. My exhaustion and temper would be intolerable. Watching those scary television shows would bring fear and confusion into my mind. Now the bathing thing... They wanted people to be able and be around me. 

Many, many of my arguments were about those things that they knew I needed to do, and even I knew I needed to do, but I still struggled with doing it. On the nights that I just obeyed and showered, went to bed on time and avoided arguing about the tv were the most simple and peaceful nights. 

It has taken time, much time, but I have realized if we will do what Christ asks us then peace can be ours. We wrestle with decisions. We grieve over some of the things that He has commanded. What if we would stop the grieving and the wrestling and do what He has told us?  

Peter, a fisherman by trade, started his statement with, "Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing:". In other words, they had fished all night long and caught absolutely nothing. Peter may have thought that nothing was going to change in just a moment of hours. But Jesus knew better than that. Peter may have known how to fish, but Jesus is the creator of those fish. He knew if Peter would just obey that he would reap the blessing. 

Is The Lord trying to tell you to do something? Are you struggling just to listen to Him? Notice something with me this morning that God shows. Peter argued with the reason of throwing the net but He obeyed in the decision. Although there were others with Peter and Jesus, Peter said, "at thy word, I will let down the net". It wasn't a "we" decision, but a personal decision. What will you decide today?  The choice to obey is yours alone. It may affect others around you, but it will still be your decision. Say it with me..."At your a word Lord, I will". 

That’s Not What We Would Call Them

Acts 7:9
And the patriarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt: but God was with him,

A patriarch is someone who is the male head of a family or tribe. Someone who is the oldest and regarded as the founder of something. Someone who is looked up to for wisdom, courage and strength right? How would you have labeled these people that God is speaking of in His word? I'm almost certain that if I would go into detail about these men that you wouldn't have labeled them the "patriarchs". Maybe the Jessie James or Billy the Kid, but definitely not a patriarch.

These men being talked about in our scripture this morning are the ones who maliciously sold their brother into slavery. They intended to inflict misery, pain and even death upon their brother. Envious is just one word to describe their actions. These men hated his dreams, they plotted and devised a plan to get rid of Joseph, and finally an opportunity arose and they sold him. These are the ones that are described as patriarchs. Leaders with wisdom, courage and strength right? If these are our patriarchs I would hate to see what our enemies would do to us.

Something that we are not factoring in is the Grace of God. Most of us when we read that scripture said, "Hmmmm, patriarchs huh? Sounds like a bunch of jealous children of the devil." In the story of Joseph always remember that what they intended for harm, God intended for good. What those patriarchs did was wrong and God punished them for it. Although they were and are the patriarchs of Israel that doesn't mean they got everything right or were sinless.

One thing I know this morning. Most of us would have never called them patriarchs. Just like most everyone I know would have never called me Pastor. Watch what you call people, you never know...

We Are Family

Galatians 3:26-28
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

A misconception that many people have today is that we are all God's children. According to the scriptures, this is not true. The Word of God tells us in places that we were once the children of disobedience or that we were of our father the devil.  I know that trying to get everyone together is a great task but it is impossible because we are not all God's children.

Yes, we are all of God's creation but not all have been born again and adopted into the family of God. Although this is simple and a matter of placing your faith in Christ, not all people have done this. Now I for one desire that everyone would come to Christ Jesus and receive Him as their Savior. My prayer is that all would believe and be placed into the family of God.

Thank you Lord for my adoption! Thank you for placing me into your family and calling me your child. You were not concerned if I was Jew or Gentile, young or old, rich or poor. You came to me as I was, purchased me with your blood, and placed me into your family.

We are family! Thanks to Jesus Christ our redeemer, savior and big brother. How much do you love your family?

I’ll Have Some More Please!!

Amos 8:11
Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God,
that I will send a famine in the land,
not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord:

Soooooo hungry! I hear many people today talk of the lack of power in the pulpit. Could this be because a lack of the hunger? I believe this to be our major problem of power in the pulpit and our pews. Do the pastors hunger for the Word of God so much that they grieve and pray over the message that God wants them to give? Do the members of the body of Christ starve for the Word of God so much that they attempt to get as much of it as they can?

Great power and spiritual victory could come if we would thirst and hunger for God's Word! Lives would be changed and committed. Souls would be saved. Disciples would be made. The pulpit would be filled with power. Christians would be overflowing with the Spirit.

A sad truth is that most things are only desired when they are gone. Have you ever heard, "You don't miss your water until your well is run dry"? It's a shame to wait for a drought or famine in order to desire God's Word. So let me ask you something. Are you hungry? Then let's eat now from the Word of God. Thirsty? Then let's drink now from the water of life. There will be a famine, and I believe that we are close. So for now, I'll have some more please...

Not Fair!!!

Luke 23:39-43
And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Drive by a local ball park and you'll hear these words every time... "That's not fair! Come on ref, make a fair call." Better yet, drive by the local courthouse or jail and you'll hear the same thing. How many of us have made this same statement? I'm sure that we all have at sometime.

An awesome discovery in the Bible is that word, "fair". Most every time it is used it is describing the beauty of a person (mostly women of the Bible). It tells of their outward beauty. The scriptures say things like... "A fair young virgin, she was fair to look upon, or he had a fair countenance." When we think of fair we often think of how we are treated and not how we look.

The truth of it all is that life isn't fair or pretty at times. Situations that life and sin throws at us are some of the ugliest things that we can think of. Did you know that in the book of Isaiah it says when Jesus was dying on the cross that there was no beauty in Him that we are attracted to Him? The cross is such an ugly image. A man, the Son of God, being brutally murdered on a wooden cross. Now think of it... There is absolutely nothing fair or beautiful about that! Someone who never sinned or done wrong, dying for us who have.

But read all the scripture today. Don't you just love how one man says, "It's not fair!" While the other says, "We are getting what we deserve! This man has done nothing wrong." Then Jesus hears the prayer of the deserving sinner and gives him something that isn't fair. He gives him life eternal. He gives him the fair haven of Heaven. Hallelujah! I'm glad life isn't fair.

Right In Front of Your Face

Mark 12:32-34

And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth:for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.

I can remember getting directions before and thinking we were so close to something only to find out that we were miles away from our destination. On the flip side of that, I've asked directions before thinking we were miles away from somewhere and finding out we were just around the corner from it.  

Imagine this man and the question he had for Jesus.  He asked what the greatest commandment was?  He wanted to know about true life and the source of truth. He wanted directions and found out he was so close. Notice what Jesus said about the man's response of keeping all these things. He said, "Thou art not far". "Not far", not there, but not far. You are so close but yet not there just yet. 

You see, keeping commandments are for those who are His servants or are enlisted in service. Following Him is an act of trust and love.  We are saved by His Grace alone. There is nothing, nothing good that we can do.  No greatest commandment can get us in right standing with God. Only the blood Jesus shed for our lives gives us a righteous standing before our God. 

This man was so close, so close that the Son of God was standing right in front of him. The Savior of the world was looking him in the eyes. How close are you? You are closer than you think. 

Praying for Your Pastor

Ephesians 6:19-20
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel. For which I am an ambassador in bonds that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

As I was preparing to preach one Sunday morning, I placed my bible upon the pulpit and the front cover opened up. Inside the front cover, on a sticky note, was this scripture. It was written by my wife. I can't begin to tell you of all the times I have found a sticky note of encouragement from her. Some that say, "I Love You" or "You are so good looking". Maybe not as many of that last one that I would like to have, but nonetheless she has always found some way of encouraging me.

When I read the words of this scripture I was overwhelmed. God began to speak to my heart so clearly. You see, Paul was speaking about prayer for all the saints of God when he came to this portion and said, "And for me..." He was saying, "If you would offer prayers for me let them be that I would be filled with the utterance of the Spirit." "If you choose to pray for me, then pray that I will open my mouth boldly as I preach the Gospel of Jesus."

My wife was telling me that she was praying for me. Her prayer was that I would be filled with the Holy Spirit while I preach the Gospel of Jesus boldly. Oh, you have no idea! You don't know what that means to me as a husband. But let me tell you something greater. She wasn't just praying for her husband, she was praying for her Pastor.

Instead of picking your Pastor or the preacher apart how much do you pray for him? Would you like to know what every true, God-called preacher would want you to pray for them? Ephesians 6:19-20

I thank God for all of the prayers that have been prayed for me as a preacher of the Gospel. Without your intercession and prayers for the Spirit to fill me I wonder what kind of minister would I be?