Monday, August 30, 2010

Back This Sunday,

Please forgive the empty spots the past two weeks. I am at funeral with family in Florida today.

Sunday, August 22, 2010

August 22, 2010

Due to technical difficulties with Blogger this morning the Sunday Morning Message will be posted later. Thanks for your understanding. Have a blessed LORD's Day.

Sunday, August 15, 2010

August 15, 2010

God , My Shepherd
Genesis 48.10-16
God Who has been my Shepherd all my life to this day. (v.15)
Jacob is giving personal testimony to Joseph and his sons about his relationship with the LORD.
From this point in Genesis and throughout the whole Bible (all the way into Revelation), the LORD reveals Himself as a Shepherd. The Shepherd of Israel, The Great Shepherd of the Sheep, His Church.
David declared, "The LORD is my Shepherd." God' men and women have found great comfort and strength in these words. They speak of that personal one on one relationship we have with the LORD.
The work of a shepherd is vastly different from a rancher. Cattle and sheep are different animals. Cattle are driven. Sheep are led.
When God is the Shepherd of your life you discover things about Him along the journey to heaven. These things are in His Word.
1. He Carries Us. Psalm 28.9
He lifts us up. My parents used to love to tell me about a time when I was 2 years old. We lived in Queens and walked every where. I'd get tired and say to my Dad, "Carry me up, Daddy." He's put me on his shoulders. The LORD does that for us. There are times when He lifts us up... think about things you've gone through. Your thoughts: "I don't think I am going to make it." Yet somehow the strength was there.
He bears our burdens.
He takes our cares- we must cast them upon Him.
Forever- we'll see our Shepherd in Revelation.
As our Shepherd...
2. He Is Our Security. Micah 5.4
The presence of the Shepherd give the sheep peace. He is their peace. A sense of security comes from the shepherd. He watches over the flock. He watches out for danger. He stands. The sheep know they are safe.
God has been my shepherd, all my life, to this day.
Another shepherd quality...
3. He Is Full Of Compassion. Matthew 9.36
I need to become more like Jesus. The lost annoy us. We need to see them as Jesus did. He had compassion on them. He loved them and longed to see them come to Him. As we shared a few weeks ago He Never Changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He desires to see the lost come to Him today!
Psalm 103.13-14 As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him, for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust. He understands our weaknesses, our frailties.
4. He Is The Good Shepherd. John 10.11,16
v.11 the Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep
Jesus is the Shepherd and the Lamb of God. He died. He sacrificed Himself for us. Our response ought to be our all- All for Jesus!
He gave His all- can we respond with less?
v.16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them in also. They too will listen to My Voice and there will be one flock with one Shepherd.
Again He is seeking to save the lost wandering sheep.
5. He Is The Great Shepherd Of The Sheep. Hebrews 13.20
He died on the cross in Jerusalem. He established the Eternal Covenant. The Father brought Jesus back from the dead. He stands and Shepherds His Flock today!
6. Jesus The Great Shepherd Of The Sheep Will Separate The Sheep From The Goats In The Day Of Judgement. Matthew 25.32
The wicked will go to eternal punishment, the righteous to eternal life.
7. The Lamb Of God Is The Shepherd Forever. Revelation 7.17
He will lead us to springs of living water.
God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. He knows our inmost thoughts, heartaches and pain. What a Friend We Have in Jesus! Keep going to Him with the deep things of your heart. Full of compassion, He will hold you close and one day tears and the things that cause them will be a thing of the past! Hallelujah!
Savior, Like A Shepherd Lead Us!

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Ignoring Secondary Causes

Genesis 45.1-11

Through God's grace and strength, Joseph became fruitful in a time of great adversity. He even named a son about this time Genesis 41.52 Ephraim-because God has made me fruitful in the land of my suffering. His first son Manasseh 41.51 because God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father's household.

By God's power Joseph was able to ignore this secondary cause and see the greater purpose and plan of God. This is a mark of great character, a sign of maturity- something that is worthy for all of us to seek after.

Daniel, Esther, Mary and Paul all had this quality. It comes through in difficulties. It is a richness of soul that is not easily produced.

To forget and forgive you must abide in Christ.
How can we ignore secondary causes?
1. See the purpose of God in your suffering. v.5
it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.
We have pain. God has purposes- greater purposes. He is working in us and working out His Sovereign will.
We may not know the specific reasons. We usually do not know. We may not understand what the LORD is doing.
Joseph submitted to slavery, being lied about and then being imprisoned for a crime he did not commit.
The less we struggle the more apt we are to hear God's voice, grow into maturity and learn valuable life long lessons. These are the purposes of God. Let Him do His work. Let Him do it in His time.
2. Seeing Our Part in the Great Plan Of God v.7
to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.
There are times when we can only be still and wait. Joseph learned that. He left his family and past in God's Hands.
Seeing our part means walking by faith, trusting in all the promises of God. leaving the unfulfilled dreams in His hands as well.
Believing, working, waiting... How to ignore secondary causes...
3. Embrace God's Sovereignty -v.8
it was not you who sent me here but God.
Joseph saw things clearly, but before he did he embraced God's choices - slavery, prison.
He used his gifts given by God in some difficult situations.
Embracing God's Sovereignty is the way to peace and blessing.
William Cowper's Light Shining Out of Darkness
* God knows exactly what He is doing.
He knows the beginning from the end.
He is able to override injustice and even ride His purposes out on it.
He knows the hearts of everyone.
* God is good. He does not let us suffer needlessly.
He calls us close- the closer we get to Him the more the peace.
* God has our best interests at heart.
We think it is to be comfortable.
He desires us to share in His Holiness!
We desire to receive. It is more blessed to give than to receive.
This is not easy. Becoming a person who is able to ignore secondary causes takes a lot. It is surrender to God- His purposes, His Plans, His Sovereignty. It is the best. It is the way of the cross. It is a wonderful way to live. It brings us good and also to others.
May His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

The Unchangeable Christ

The Unchangeable Christ


Hebrews 13.1-8

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
Hebrews 13:8

In a sea of changes Jesus is the Rock that changes not. Change is something we have had to come to learn to live with. We have had to accept it. Technology, societal restructuring, the world itself is in the throws of change. More changes are coming every day! As we read this morning there is one Person Who does not change and never will. Jesus Christ. He is our Rock in this tumultuous sea of change.

We need to cling to Him in these turbulent times. Peter looked at the wind and the waves . He began to sink because he took his eyes off the Master. We need to fix our eyes on the Changeless Christ today so that our feet remain on the Rock. Every wind of doctrine is blowing around today. Some very strange stuff indeed.

The economic crisis the nation is in can be unnerving. George Washington's wise farewell admonition: "cherish public credit ... use it as sparingly as possible ... avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt ... bear in mind, that towards the payment of debts there must be Revenue, that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not ... inconvenient and unpleasant ... ."

The things the children have to face today can upset us. The uncertainty of the future can weigh us down. We need to look steadfastly to Jesus Stand upon Him today. He is the one Constant in a world that has spun out of control!

Another change we face is the loss of a loved one. Human loss does things to us. When a loved one dies we grieve. Through our tears we need to see Jesus. He is standing close by to comfort us in our sorrows. We need to remember what Jesus said about Himself, "I am the Resurrection and the Life."

Loss due to a break up of a marriage reaches far into extended families. We need the comfort only Christ can give. The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

People moving and relocating means change for us and them. We cling to long term relationships. We need to cling to Christ. He will not be moved.

Change is bound to come to all of us. We need to stand firm upon the Rock, Christ Jesus. He does not change.

Throughout the Word of God we are given instruction about our LORD and how He is the same forever. This is the Word we need to hear today.

Psalm 102.25-27
25 In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your Hands.
26 They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.
27 But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.

Psalm 90.1-2
1 Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.
2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. John 8 Before Abraham was I am.


1. Jesus Christ is the same in His Great Love for sinners.
I Timothy 1.15 Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
Paul wrote these words to Timothy nearly 2000 years ago. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus cares about the lost. He is out to seek them today. Luke 19.10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.

Pray that we will be used of God to reach the lost around us. Pray the LORD of the Harvest to send forth workers into His harvest field. The love of Christ compels us. May the LORD lead us into the harvest fields all around us.

Jesus came to save sinners. We are eternal souls. We will spend eternity in heaven or hell. Jesus came to rescue souls from the dominion of darkness. The LORD Who spoke to Nicodemus and the Woman at the well is the the same today. He is seeking the lost. II Peter 3.9 He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

God the Father sent His son because of His love for the lost world. He gave Jesus to die so that whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be saved. In this day of grace the invitation goes out to everyone.

We need to remember this. We need to keep it before us as His people.


2. Jesus Christ is the same in His Great Love for the church.

He loved the church and gave Himself up for her. Ephesians 5.25 He is called the bridegroom and we are His bride.

Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. John 15.13

The actions of the past are still the passions of Christ today. He is the same- He loves us and gave us the LORD's Supper to remember Him and His great love by. We do this in remembrance of what He did for us. He died in our place. It reminds us- brings to our remembrance the full extent of his love. His death on the cross was the single greatest act of love mankind has ever or will ever know.

He has given us gifts- wonderful gifts- the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As we use them we and others are built up in the faith. I think of the gift of the the word of wisdom. I have a friend with that. When he shares that it is such a blessing. He has put some wonderful idea in my heart and when I have acted according to them blessings abound. The LORD Jesus is at work among His people today.

Romans 8.35-39

His love is higher than the heavens reaching to the sky. He loves us more than we can imagine.

Now that He has gone back into the heavens, and is seated at the right hand of God, He intercedes for us. He prays for us. He is with us!

3. His Resources are the same.
Glorious riches (Philippians 4.19) Abundance of things belonging to God- brightness and splendor.

Many of these resources are intangible. He gives us grace. He shows us mercy. His peace keeps us in the midst of the storm. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. His power sustains us.

He is with us.

He works in us and through us.

He teaches us. He is the Master Teacher.

He never fails.

Jesus Christ is the same= Jesus Christ is Himself
Today= what has happened today. What has happened today has no bearing on the Person of Jesus Christ. He stands firm. We may stress out while the waves are pouring in over the boat but Jesus does not. He is in the Master of the Storms! Whatever we are facing today, whatever today may bring (and we do not know what a day may bring forth!) we know that He is the same!


4. He is faithful to all His Promises
He will take care of you. He has told us not to worry about life. He is the Great Shepherd of the Sheep (Hebrews 13)

He wants to take your cares upon Himself. (I Peter 5.7)

He will be with you. He is here now and will be with us right up to the very end of the age!

He will come again and take you to home to heaven. He is coming soon.


Jesus Christ is unchangeable. This helps me. In a world that is defined by change, in a time when things are daily changing, He is Changeless.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Take the experiences of the yesterdays with Him and apply them to today and the rest of your days here on earth and to your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.