Matthew 24:36

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

As many of you know, recently a man proclaimed to know when the rapture was going to happen. He said that by 6:00 on May 21, we would be gone. Well, it’s 10:45 on May 25, so I guess he was wrong.

I don’t want you to think I’m surprised. I am most certainly not. Jesus said it: NO ONE KNOWS THE DAY OR HOUR! That is definitely not an invitation for people to try to figure out when it will happen!

Okay, look, just because ONE GUY says he knows when the rapture is going to happen (which is not the same as the end of the world, please note) does not mean that all Christians think he is right. It’s really unfortunate that so many are judging all of us based on one crazy guy.

Look, if this guy is the reason you are rejecting God, then you have got some big issues. Judging God based on those who call themselves His is an issue. I know that many Christians are crazy – I think so too! But that doesn’t stop me from serving my Jesus!

If you have heard the gospel (and if you’re reading this, you probably have – and if not, just browse around here and click some links!) and you reject God, you have no excuses. If you stand in front of God and say “those crazy people drove me away from you!” He will just point to someone else there and say “then how come this guy figured it out?!”

Yes, there are crazy people, but we aren’t supposed to judge God based on those people. We are supposed to listen to His Word! Please don’t let those who the world exploits keep you from the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

 

“the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for [him] and at an hour that he is not aware of” – Matthew 24:50

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” – Matthew 25:13

 

God wants spiritual fruits, not religious nuts.

The Ever-Ready Man: 4/3/2011

“For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty.” - 2 Peter 1:16

• Men do not face persecution or death for fiction. Why would Paul and Peter go through all the torture for something they didn’t know to be true. They saw Jesus, they knew He was the Messiah.
• Satan wants to make the gospel sound like fiction. He wants to destroy every single person on this earth.
• There are two types of men: natural (carnal) and spiritual; never-ready and ever-ready. Be ever-ready for Jesus!
• God will NEVER fail. He will never fail us even though we stumble. He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).
• Where there is a corrupt pulpit, there is often a corrupt church backing it up.
• Every single person is religious. Everyone has controlling influences in their lives, be it God or something else.
• God is much greater than what man can do to us.
• We have a responsibility to attack the enemy’s stronghold under God’s leading!
• “Nevermind the torpedos, full speed ahead!” Apply this to your Christian life.
• There is always conflict between good and evil. And there is no such thing as Utopia here on earth. Just strive to be like Jesus.
• Be an ever-ready (wo)man. Be ready for ANYTHING that comes through the door, as unpleasant as it may be.
• Yeah, the truth may hurt those around you. That doesn’t mean you should stop telling it.
• Hell is populated by those who want the Bible to be a myth. So is earth. But God has changed the earth like no other can.

Great sermon! You can find it on www.ccmech.org under the sermons tab! :)

3/27/2011

2 Corinthians 7:1-5

• Forgiving others means you are going to have to suffer.
• If, as a Christian, you do not repent of known sin, you will: a) be annoying to those around you; b) get in the way of your rewards; c) potentially lead yourself to be an apostasy.
• Don’t point fingers. True repentance means taking the blame for what you have done.
• God has every right to expect faithfulness from his people, like in a marriage.
• Perhaps there are failures in Christianity. That doesn’t mean Christianity is a failure.
• God is the God of the living.
• Be careful with what you have. Don’t waste what God has given you (monetarily or otherwise) on the flesh.
• Christ needs to be real to you. Because the devil is real and he’s not letting up.
• God will not violate your free will.
• “If you marry a child of the devil, you will have Satan as your father-in-law.”
• We don’t have to have an appointment to go to God – we can go right to Him, anytime.
• Faithlessness produces nothing good.
• The healthiest Christians are those who serve with Christians.
• Do not let the world write your spiritual dictionary.
• We aren’t trying to convert. We are trying to save. And we can’t do that without Christ.

Dare to Rise Above

"To lie and cringe beneath one's load means death, but life and power await all those who dare to rise above."

-Streams in the Desert, March 9

Never give up hope. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13). God can get you through it all. When you call on Jesus, you can rise on wings like eagles and soar!
- Rachel

3/9/2011, 3/16/2011

Job 32:1-36:33

I’ve combined both of these sermons into one post since it’s been quite some time since I have posted. Sorry about that…

• Don’t cause your friends (or anyone else) to stumble. Job’s friends failed to put themselves in Jobs’ place and failed to shut up. They also caused him to say risky things. Don’t be the reason for this in your friends’ lives.
• One of the great advantages we have over Job in reading this book is that we know the end of the story.
• Elihu focuses so much on the sovereignty of God that he doesn’t leave any room for any of the other attributes of Him. Yes, God is sovereign, but He is also loving, all-knowing, just, graceful, and so much more. Don’t put God in a box.
• When we are persecuted, we may have to turn the other cheek, but we never have to change our doctrine if it’s right. The truth is not up for debate.
• It’s never good to give the devil a microphone. Just don’t do it.
• The gullible get devoured. It takes work to be a Christian. It took a bloody cross to start it, so why would we think it was going to be easy?
• Serving the Lord is serious. It’s not always convenient, but it is worth it. It involves sacrifice, but it doesn’t have to involve misery.
• Don’t be a toxic Christian. Don’t judge people for not living up to your standards.
• There is contention in this world. Against God or against sin. Pick which side you are on.
• Practice what you preach. God can give you something in private that you screw up in public. Just don’t.
• Don’t be a know-it-all who wants to do good. They are problems.
• Being self-existent is a job requirement for being God.
• You don’t have to defend [protect] God. Preach the truth when the door is opened.
• When we get to heaven, we will not just be sanctified. We will be glorified as well.
• Don’t be someone who has to be heard under all circumstances. Job’s friends didn’t know God’s plan, but they still spoke up.
• Making someone else feel small so you can feel big is addictive to the flesh, but that doesn’t make it right.
• Just because a catastrophe happens doesn’t mean God is judging a nation or a group of people.
• Satan is an accuser of the brethren. He will try to make you feel like you have done something wrong, even if you haven’t. Don’t listen to him! Listen to God!
• “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” – John 3:19
• Many heroes of the faith felt that it was a bigger sacrifice to not sacrifice their time, love, and life to the Lord. Do you feel the same way?
• The just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4; Romans 1:17); We walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7) – you don’t have to feel God’s presence in your life. Live by faith.
• We don’t have to get everyone to come to our church. We can fellowship with those who do not go to the same church or share every tiny detail of doctrine with us, but we must agree on who Jesus is.

Sketches of the Christian Life–3/5/2011

Deuteronomy 11:10-12

“For the land which you go to possess is not like the land of Egypt from which you have come, where you sowed your seed and watered it by foot, as a vegetable garden; but the land which you cross over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water from the rain of heaven”

• God uses what you understand.
• The book of Joshua is more than just a history story. It is also a parallel to our crossing over into the Christian life.
• The battles of the Christian life (against the world, ourselves, Satan, etc.) won’t end until we get home, in Heaven.
• The Jews leaving Egypt is symbolic of the death of a life in bondage. Their entering the promised land is symbolic of the death of a meaningless life. The Jews fighting to rid the land of Canaan of wickedness is like our fighting to rid our lives of sin.
• Don’t lose sight of the love we are to have for the lost.
• The flesh will not die of natural causes. Period. It must be crucified every day!
• The Christian life isn’t a playground – it’s more of a battleground.
• When we come to Christ, our flesh and the world chase us. They are trying not to let us go. Resist it!
• Not only is God sovereign and true, but He also loves us.
• We have a responsibility to fight for what God has promised us. It will not all be handed to us.
• Drive your giants out of your life like the Israelites had to drive the giants out of the promised land!
• Expect and be prepared for ups and downs. But know that Jesus has overcome the world!
• Our bodies are broken because they house sin. Jesus’ body was broken to take our sin, so we may stand blameless before God Almighty.
• People don’t have to believe in God to benefit from His grace.
• You always have something to aim for. Strive to be like Jesus!
• It is not advisable to have question marks in your life with God.
• Is God real to you?
• God will provide for His people until the end.
• We should all be FAR more concerned with our sin footprint than we are with our carbon footprint.
• “Having a lab coat does not make you my god!” – Pastor Rick.
• Say you’re a Christian, but live like a devil? Expect the consequences.

God bless! ><>

3/2/2011

Job 30:20-31:40

• Self-examination: Where am I with You, Lord?
• The just shall live by faith. We have faith in God, even though we may not understand His ways. We don’t have to understand. He is God. He understands.
• If I lost it all, would my hands stay lifted to the God who gives and takes away? If You take it all, this live You’ve given, still my heart will sing to You!
  - I’m Still Yours, Kutless
• When we abide in Christ, nothing can hurt us in judgment.
• “The wrath of man does not produce the righteousness of God.” – James 1:20
• God is merciful when we stumble. That’s grace.
• The love of God involves a reverent fear.
• Even when God does not answer your prayers right away, you are not insignificant to Him. You are not a heap of ruins. He hears your every cry. Be patient, He will rescue you!
• “I will rejoice in Yahweh!”
• I don’t know how I will physically survive, but I do know how I will spiritually survive!
• Stop being so focused on what YOU want and start focusing on what GOD wants for you.
• Resist the devil and he will flee from you. But maybe not right away. And he will probably come back. Lean on God!
• It is way easier to keep a bird out of your house than it is to get the bird out once it is there. Likewise, it is way easier to not sin than it is to stop sinning. Resist temptation!
• Set your life to sail towards righteousness!
• God is just and fair. He will deal with sin. In His time.
• Watch that in your zeal you do not become the devil’s puppet.

Dead to sin, alive in Christ!

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How can we who died to sin live any longer in it?”
– Romans 6:1-2

“What then, shall we sin because we are not under the law but under grace? Certainly not!”
– Romans 6:15

We, as Christians, are to be dead to sin. Before we were saved, we were in bondage to sin. But Jesus paid the ransom for us and now we are free! Why then would we go back??? Just because there is grace doesn’t mean that we should take advantage of that!

If you read Romans 6, you will find that Paul speaks a lot about being a slave. Whose slave are you? We don’t have to be slaves to sin, we have been set free! “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves to righteousness” (Romans 6:18).

Fight against your sin! Ask Jesus for help; He is there for you! He will never ever leave you! It is a struggle, but it is worth it!

“But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life.”
– Romans 6:22

Deuteronomy 33:27

“The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms; He will thrust out the enemy from before you, And will say, 'Destroy!'”

Remember who your refuge is. The world has nothing to offer you. When you are down, remember that the ETERNAL GOD is waiting for you with open arms. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). You will be safe in His arms. Rejoice in that.

 

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” – Ephesians 3:20-21

“The greatest of these is love…”

“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13

Faith. Hope. Love. Do you have these? Do you abide in them? Abide: verb: to remain; continue; stay (dictionary.com). Remain, continue, stay in faith, hope,  and love.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:16). Let your love be what people see when they look at you. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden” (Matthew 5:14). Love is a huge aspect of our faith, and also our witness.

Remember to show love to those around you, even those who are hard to love. People notice that. Would you rather someone notice that you are strangely kind or incredibly rude? I would much rather someone remember me as kind. If someone notices that, they may ask about the joy that is in you. What an incredible opportunity to witness about God’s unfailing love!

Be like Jesus! Think about what He would do when you aren’t sure what you should do.

 

“Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.” – 1 Peter 2:17

Rejoicing in Jesus

“This is the day the LORD has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” – Psalm 118:24

It is so easy to rejoice and be glad when God gives us great days. On those days when the weather is beautiful and everything is going our way.

But what about the days when things aren’t going our way? I know that I can be grumpy when I am having a bad day, but it is something I struggle against. We should still rejoice! Jesus didn’t ask us to take up our cross and follow Him when we feel like it or when we have a good day; He wants us to take up our cross daily and follow Him. He will help us, but we have to take the first step.

Going through Job at church has been a blessing. Through all his circumstances, Job still said “Blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). Let us be like that. Don’t allow your circumstances define who God is.

I love that when we are having a bad day, we can still approach God. He wants us to. He wants us to tell Him how we feel. Sometimes, I pray that He will help me to put a smile on my face and have a better attitude. The greatest part is that He is always faithful! :)

So until we get home and every day is an amazing day, let us shine for Jesus here on Earth! :)

2/23/2011

Job 29:1-30:19

• God has a history of allowing His servants to suffer. But God’s people have a history of staying with Him even when He allows them to suffer.
• It is the love of God that allows His people to suffer. The people’s love of God keeps them going.
• 2 Thessalonians 2:7 – God' is restraining evil from taking over until He removes His church.
• Preach the word two times a year: in season and out of season!
• When God returns, will He find faith? Make sure He can find it in you.
• "And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
  - Joshua 24:15
• Emotions are good to have on the ship, but don’t let them be the captain.
• If God pulled back all the blessings in your life, would you still love Him?
• Be clothed in righteousness all the time. It is not just for a costume party.
• You can’t “moonlight” as a Christian.
• When someone is hurting you, you still have to turn the other cheek. Don’t let yourself do what comes “naturally” – that’s what we are trying to avoid!
• No warning in Scripture is gender-specific; they are all for sinners.
• A wife should side with her husband; a husband should protect his wife.

2/20/2011

2 Corinthians 5:9-16

• Self-centeredness (rather than Christ-centeredness) leads to becoming a problematic Christian who is difficult to get along with. Focus on Jesus and the rest will fall into place.
• Don’t allow your circumstances affect who you are for Jesus. Showing yourself pity for what’s happening to you makes you less effective.
• If we are conscious of our salvation and its splendor and wonder, we are a threat to the enemy. That’s a good thing!
• Are you a threat to Satan and his agenda? If you aren’t, that’s a problem. Examine yourself.
• When you walk into a room, do you bring the joy of Christ or gloom?
• Our aim is to please God: here or there, dead or alive.
• Psalm 106:3: “Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times!”
• Make your first aim to please God. Everything else will fall into place.
• Be satisfied with the simplicity of your faith. We don’t need the world’s fads or help. All we need is God’s word, solid teaching, and fellowship. We don’t need other doctrine.
• Love is a critical component of our faith.
• In the Bible, where you read “the blood of Jesus Christ,” you can think “the love of Jesus Christ.” He died because of His love. Only LOVE held Him on the cross, not the nails. He could have called a legion of angels in, but He loves us.
• “I don’t have a value system I have a LORD – Jesus Christ. And I have value in what He says.” – Pastor Rick
• Be the person who, when you get out of bed, the devil thinks “Oh no, they’re up!”

Soon and very soon, we are going to see the King! Hallelujah, hallelujah, we’re going to see the King!!!

Focusing on Jesus

Make your life right with Jesus, and the rest will fall into place.
No really, I think we so often get caught up in doing what we think is best for us that we forget to look to Jesus!
In all aspects of our lives, I truly believe that if we would just focus on Him, and Him alone, and not worry about everything else, it will all fall into place. I mean, think about it. If we focus on Jesus, we will be where He wants us. We will be reflecting Him and His glory, and people will see that. We will speak His truth, and things that are glorifying to Him. We will seek His will before we make any decision and He will guide us.
I know this is easier said than done, but it is something I am aiming for. Make Jesus first! :)

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." - Jeremiah 29:11

To Each His Own…

Such a cliché: To each his own.

I don’t think I mean it in the way it is often meant.

Romans 14:14.

If I consider something to be wrong for myself, it is wrong for me. If I think that God is leading me to do something, it is wrong for me not to do it.

So often, I feel that so many of us try to force our convictions on others. While I am attending college, I don’t tell anyone that they need to go to school to be successful, and I certainly try not to make people feel inferior for choosing not to go to school. For what I want to do, there isn’t much option. For many others, college is unnecessary. There is nothing in the Bible that says to go to school or not to.

This is just one example. It is on my mind because I feel like some people have said that they do not intend on going to school in a way that makes me feel bad for going. It is a difficult situation for me.

So here I am, in college, until I graduate or God tells me to get out. When and if He does, I will go. That is the key. Follow what God tells you.

I just pray that I am not judgmental about those things that God has put on my heart but not everyone else’s. Be loving! :)

God bless you all.

Notes from this week’s sermon(s) will be up soon, I promise! :)

Catastrophic

Topical – 1/2/2011

Revelation 13:8

• Man is a fiasco in motion. He is not what God intended him to be.
• Catastrophe: to die and realize that you are forever separated from God.
• Unfortunately, men are far more impressed with the works of Satan than with the works of God. They tend to treat Satan’s works as if they are God’s. That doesn’t mean they are.
• If you vote against Christ, you vote for antichrist. There is no other option. This is very real. Reject God and perish. (“He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.” – Luke 11:23)
• Hear and preach! (“If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” – Revelation 13:9)
• Now is not the time to build a bunch of fancy houses (unless you feel so led?). Now is the time to do God’s work!
• How do people get themselves left out of a loving God’s Book of Life? They reject Him.
• Unbelief is the spirit of rejecting God.
• Unbelievers have reject that they have been rejected by God in their fallen state. Therefore they reject the solution (because they don’t believe that they are fallen).
• Be more mindful of what is special to God. Make it special to you.
• We are to share the Gospel. Angels aren’t going to do it for us. Jesus said to go and make disciples, not to wait for someone else to do it…
• Come just as you are. God will fix you; you don’t have to do it yourself first.
• “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” – Romans 5:10

12/29/2010

Job 3-5

• Just in case anybody was wondering: there are 310 questions asked in the book of Job.
• There is a time for everything. When time is up, get on with your life.
• Job made a distinction between his circumstances and who God is. Don’t let that line blur when you are hurting. Just because you are in pain doesn’t mean God wants to see you like that. He brings fruit through this time.
• God allows us to go through rough times. He will never ever allow us to go through something we can’t handle. But we won’t be able to handle it without Him. Run to Jesus!!!
• There is a difference between contending for the faith and being contentious for the faith. Be a contender!!!
• Job shows us how we can suffer in the presence of God.
• Note that in the book of Job, Job is not considering suicide. He is deploring that he was born. But he realizes that he can’t change it, so he moves on.
• This is a bitter life. There is a better life. Look forward to being with Jesus forever! :)
• Be a witness – share God’s love wherever you go!
• Even if you biggest nightmare has become a reality, KEEP MOVING in the faith.

“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Pleasing God ♥

Quote from my last post: “Why declare there is a God, that you believe in Him, but live a life with NO CARE about displeasing Him? Why!?”

[Based on my obvious frustration with the world on this topic (if you saw my notes, you would understand), I felt like this deserves a post of its own.]

Since I have gotten to college, I have met several people who claim Jesus as Lord, but continue to live their lives in ways that I do not see as pleasing to the Lord. I know that each person is convicted differently, but when you are blatantly breaking the law and living in sin, a line must be drawn. When you say that you think that you can do whatever you want because God will forgive you, you are acknowledging that you are wrong, but not doing anything about it.

I do not understand how people can live their lives in this way. God’s word says it clearly:

“What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not!” – Romans 6:15

How can someone reject that? How can someone say Jesus is Lord, that He is God, that they are born again, but reject His word.

This honestly angers me so much. I have to guard myself when I speak with these kind of people, that I don’t take my anger out on them (“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.” – Psalm 37:8). It makes me want to cry. How can someone use God like that? All they want is their salvation but they do not want to change their lives for Him. That is like spitting in His face, but so much worse. I don’t even know how to express my frustration. If my heart breaks like this, how much more does it hurt my Jesus?

Jesus gave Himself for us and to us, paying a holy and precious price on the cross. After giving His all, is it too much for Him to ask us to do the same thing?
-Streams in the Desert, December 14

I feel like I could ramble about this all night, but I need sleep and you need a break from me , so I’ll end with this: Let us all live our lives for Jesus, our Redeemer. May we all shine for Him and let Him be Lord over our lives. Always and forever.

Not Everybody’s King

This is a bit delayed, but in my defense, this blog was not started when this sermon was given.

December 24, 2010 – Christmas Eve Service

• Satan will lie to you. He doesn’t care how old or young you are. Don’t give in to his shenanigans.
• Sin: missing what God has said. We all do it, we are all sinners.
• There is no salvation for someone who refuses to fix their sin with God’s help.
• Just because sin is “natural” doesn’t mean that it won’t harm you. Why would God send His perfect Son, Jesus, to die to fix something that isn’t a problem? He wouldn’t. Sin is a problem.
• Worship belongs exclusively to God. Worshipping anything or anyone else is idolatry. Which is sin.
• “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” – Colossians 1:16
• There will be no end to God. He is forever.
• Everyone who is of the truth hears His voice!
• Without Jesus, there is no happy ending. Life isn’t a fairy tale.
• Why declare there is a God, that you believe in Him, but live a life with NO CARE about displeasing Him? Why!?

 

To listen to the full sermon, go to http://ccmech.org/sermons/topical and click to download “Dec 24 10,” Not Everybody’s King – Mt 2:2”

2/16/2011

I forgot to take my church Bible and notebook to school with me this Wednesday, and since I go straight from school, I had to improvise, which consisted of using the Bible that I carry at school and taking notes on an offering envelope. Well, it got the job done, so here are my notes to you! :)

Job 25-27

• The world can always find you a reason to turn away from God. Don’t listen!
• Feed upon the good news of God or perish forever.
• Man is a created, sinful being. But God still loves us. He wants us to come to Him as we are. But He doesn’t want us to bring the “sticks” from our old life to Him. They poke and hurt. We are to become a new creation.
• Be sure of what you believe and let that shine! If you are unsure, others will be apprehensive about your witness.
• We are too weak to keep the law.
• “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. ” – Romans 8:1-4
• Avoid unholy alliances! (See this post for more on this)

 

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.” – Jude 24-25

Maranatha! ><>

2/2/2011

Job 18-21

• If the devil hits you, hit him back with Jesus!
• Don’t run from Jesus, run to Him!
• Every key, every graveyard, every hospital, every doctor, every policeman reminds us that we live in a fallen world.
• We take up our cross daily and follow Jesus, knowing that we suffer for a reason.
• God’s purposes far exceed our predicaments. He controls it all!
• There are wicked men in high places. That doesn’t make them right.
• You can like someone’s politics without following their theology too.
• Know who you are and what you believe.
• The Bible is your Constitution.
• Very little comes very easily.
• Just because you are successful in a dishonest business does not mean God approves. In fact, if it’s dishonest, He does not!

2/6/2011–Someone to Care for Me

(Sorry I haven’t posted in a while.)

So, this past Sunday, my pastor did a topical entitled “Someone to Care for Me.” The main text was Job 19:25-27:

For I know that my Redeemer lives, And He shall stand at last on the earth; And after my skin is destroyed, this I know, That in my flesh I shall see God, Whom I shall see for myself, And my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!

• Redeemer: Goel (Hebrew), the one who cares, “Kinsman Redeemer”
• When God makes a promise, He keeps it. He is not like the untrustworthy people you meet in the world.
• Name is nature. All of God’s names describe who He is: Lord of lords, King of kings, Redeemer, Savior, Messiah, Emmanuel, Adonai, Jehovah, Yahweh, Mighty God, Holy One, etc.
• You are always free to preach Christ, but sometimes you might be persecuted for it. He is with you.
• The unbeliever is not on the outside because anyone put him there. He chooses to be there.
• The truth makes unbelievers uncomfortable. Don’t let that stop you from preaching it.
• It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.
• If you think you have to get “good enough” to meet God, you are never going to meet Him. He wants us to come AS WE ARE.
• Ezekiel 11 – turn from your wicked ways!
• Those who are estranged from God in this life will be estranged from God for all eternity!
• There are many in Christ who are confused about one thing or another, but at least they are in Christ.
• Don’t try to make sense out of sin.
• What do you think about Jesus. If you think He is anything less than your Redeemer (goel), you do not think highly enough of Him.
• “56 million years ago evolution was not possible. It still isn’t.”
• You cannot know Jesus unless He shows Himself to you – through divine reason, His word, His followers, however He chooses.
• There must be an advocate for man. Jesus is that advocate. We are too messed up to take care of ourselves.

This was one of the best sermons I have heard. Find it online at http://ccmech.org/sermons (look for Feb 06 under Sundays or Topicals).

1 Timothy 4:12

Oh how I love and miss camp! I’ve been going through my notes and here’s something else I found. We spend a whole session looking at 1 Timothy 4:12:

Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

Our behavior should be an example to believers, and non-believers, in spite of our age. Don’t behave in a way that will cause others to stumble.

Be an example in your:

1. Words: speak the truth, and only edifying things. Don’t talk about stuff that isn’t pleasing to God. “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”  - 1 Corinthians 2:4-5
2. Conduct: “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you."” – Hebrews 13:5
3. Love: love the loveable and the unlovable. Don’t allow your flesh get in the way.
4. Spirit: The Holy Spirit is inside of us. Shine!
5. Faith: Trust in God. Make sure your faith isn’t in yourself.
6. Purity: be pure in heart and mind.

The root of faith

I’ve been looking through my notebook from Summer Camp (2010) and I found a neat note (with all sorts of stars around it, of course…):

Build yourself up in faith and truth… Be concerned with the root of your faith, and wait patiently for the fruit. We live in a “now, now, now” culture but our faith should not be affected by that. The fruit will be great when the roots are strong.

I remember that the pastor who was speaking made a lot of analogies to plants. He works on an herb farm, and he said that often, people come in to the farm at the beginning of the season and want herbs for their cooking or other things. He said that they want them so bad that they don’t care that the “fruit” is much, much better later in the season. If they would wait until the end of the season, they would be so much happier. The plant needs time to take root, to build up its roots and then it will have the best yield.

Our faith is the same way. Often, we want to bear fruit – by witnessing or serving – but we don’t want to wait until our roots are firm. We want to go forward, but we aren’t ready. We often move forward in our own strength and then the fruit we wanted so badly is small and not ripe.

“Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord!” – Psalm 27:14

Jesus should be the root of our faith! Don’t get caught up in emotions and drama and what you think is right. Jesus is the only way! Don’t worry about what other people think! HE is all that matters!

Joshua 1:9

 “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9

Do not be afraid! Do not be dismayed! We often struggle, but we do not need to fear. God hears our prayers, He is with us wherever we go! How amazing is that?!
Do not lose faith, do not lose hope! He is here. And know that His will is the best for us. We may not like what He wants, but if it’s what He wants, it is definitely better than what we want. As hard as it is, we must give up our will and seek His. Always. He knows His plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11). His are better than ours. He wants to give us a HOPE and a FUTURE. And His future for us is better than any future we could imagine for ourselves. How great is that!?  He loves us so much.
Be strong. Be of good courage. He loves you and will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).

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“Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. Let all that you do be done with love.” – 1 Corinthians 16:13-14

Inner v. Outer Beauty

I think in today’s society, there is so much pressure to be beautiful. This pressure feels more severe on girls/women, but I think there is also a pressure for guys and men as well.

I have never considered myself “beautiful,” and it is only as of lately that I am starting to have a better view of myself, to where I’m content with what I look like.

But outward beauty isn’t important to God. Check out what His word says:

Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.
      - 1 Peter 3:3-4

Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.
      - Proverbs 31:30

Inner beauty is far more important. Rather than spend all our time being beautiful for the moment or the day, why not spend time becoming beautiful for our Groom in heaven. That beauty is lasting.

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
      - 1 Peter 3:15-17

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So I’ll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the One who gave it all. I’ll stand, my soul, Lord, to you surrendered. All I am is Yours.
      - “The Stand”

Reflecting the Glory of God

I loved this analogy my pastor made yesterday. I would have put it in the last post, but I felt that it deserved a post of its own.

Think about the moon. It is just a hunk of rock (obviously this is not the field of science I am in…) with no light of its own. The moon on its own has no glory. It’s just a rock (or something). It needs the sun to give light. The light from the sun reflects onto the moon, making it beautiful, giving it glory.

That is how we are supposed to be. We are to be nothing of ourselves, but shine with the reflection of our Lord. He is so beautiful, so incredible! We are to decrease and He is to increase in our lives. Don’t let yourself have the glory – let all of it be of and for Him!

So many songs are coming to mind right now:

Indescribable, uncontainable, You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name – You are amazing, God!
        - “Indescribable”

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord. Our God, You reign forever. Our Hope, our Strong Deliverer.
You are the Everlasting God, the Everlasting God. You do not faint, You won’t grow weary. You are the defender of the weak, You comfort those in need, You lift us up on wings like eagles.
        - “Everlasting God”

“To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.” – Jude 25

1/23/2011

2 Corinthians 4:1-10

• Yes, we all sin. But God forgives; He is merciful. Repent, move on. Don’t allow a devil in the world (or the devil) cause an avalanche to your faith.
• 2 Cor. 4:2 – We are to renounce sin, not call ourselves Christians but keep living in it.
• Sins don’t condemn people to hell. SIN condemns people. Not individual sins, but the rejection of God’s good news (the Gospel) is what sends people to hell.
• We are to be in the world not of it. We aren’t supposed to be more like them so we can relate. We are to be separated.
• The fundamentals of our faith are not always easy. That doesn’t make them less fundamental.
• We are to be humble: aware of who we are in the presence of God. But we are also to be bold.
• Good news: you get saved by Jesus
  Bad news: you get beat up by the devil every day until you get to heaven.
  Gooder news: it’s so worth it.

God bless you all!

Food for Thought :)

Jesus gave Himself for us and to us, paying a holy and precious price on the cross. After giving His all, is it too much for Him to ask us to do the same thing?
-Streams in the Desert, December 14


Sent on the Sprint® Now Network from my BlackBerry®

Proverbs 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

I usually like NKJV, but this verse is so beautiful in the NIV.

How our hearts can break when we do not guard them! How much hurt could we prevent by guarding ourselves and not letting that guard down?

Guard your heart! I beg of you; save yourself the hurt! Even when it’s hard, don’t let down that guard! It is so much better to be guarded than to have a broken heart. When your heart is hurting, it makes life harder. Cling to Jesus – He is the One who won’t leave you, He won’t hurt you!

 

Maranatha! ><>

Psalm 121:1-2

I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

How great is our God! How wonderful is it to know that our help comes from Him, and Him alone! He made heaven, and He made earth; He can get us through our trials.

1/19/2011

Job 11-13

• God knows everything. He knows your heart. He knows everyone’s hearts. Satan was arrogant to think He didn’t know Job’s heart.
• “Children, be reminded that your parents cannot pick up your cross for you. There comes a time when you have to take it up yourself and die on it.” – Pastor Rick G.
• Learn about God through His word, not your imagination.
• Ecclesiastes 9:2 – Good and bad things can (and do!) happen to anyone and everyone. The test is how you react to these things!
• The Christian life is a garden. It must be refreshed. Just because you have been a Christian for a long time doesn’t mean you don’t need to learn the basics. Ask God to refresh you.
• Don’t water down your testimony! Just because you’ve made friends with someone doesn’t mean you owe them lies!
• When you look at man, you see what God has salvaged, not what He created.

1/16/2011

2 Corinthians 3

• “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6) – the law held no solution, it just pointed out the sins and condemned. Jesus came to fulfill the law – He came to be our sacrifice and pay our ransom to save us.
• Using the faith helps us develop the faith! Meditate on the things of God!
• The devil enslaves us with sin – we are all born into that. Jesus paid our ransom and we are freed through Him if we believe – “I stand in Christ’s place and He stands in mine” (C. Spurgeon)
• The cross of Christ means that Jesus gave us His royal garments and bore our shame to redeem us.
• Sinners think that they’re okay with God and that He will be “fair” with them. That is very true, He will be fair! Without Jesus, they will die.
• The only sin that can forever separate you from Jesus Christ is to reject Him as your Savior.
• “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is [freedom]” – 2 Cor. 3:17

The full sermon (and lots, lots more!) can be found here: http://ccmech.org/sermons/sunday

1/5/2011, 1/12/2011

Job 6-10

• When we get to heaven, all the grief and anguish of this life will be worth it.
• God is not calling us to argue with people, He wants us to proclaim the faith.
• Suffering is not proof you have done something wrong. God uses suffering to refine us.
• Don’t base your theology on guesses or experiences. Base it on “Thus says the Lord!”
• Nothing happens without God’s permission. That doesn’t mean that it’s His fault when something bad happens though.
• “It’s all about global preaching – I want to reach the lost!” – Pastor Rick
• If your god is small enough for you to thoroughly understand, he is not big enough to be your God.
• God can do anything. He has the right to give, and the right to take away. Don’t think that He doesn’t, because Satan will exploit that thinking.
• “God has one Son without sin, but none without suffering.”
• Job 10:15 – God will lift up your head.

The Spirit’s Leading

“Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia. After they had come to Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit did not permit them. So passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night. A man of Macedonia stood and pleaded with him, saying, ‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.’ Now after he had seen the vision, immediately we sought to go to Macedonia, concluding that the Lord had called us to preach the gospel to them.”
– Acts 16:6-10 (emphasis added)

This passage is so interesting to me. There are two places where the Holy Spirit forbids them from preaching. I feel like we often think that God wants everyone to know about Him, so we should share with everyone. That is not always the case! We are to follow the Spirit’s leading! How hard that can be at times! I know that in my own life, I have taken the “initiative” to share the Word when that is not really what God is calling me to do, and without seeking His leading. How often we get into the flesh when we are trying to preach the Gospel! How disappointing! I always get upset with myself when I realize this was the case.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy were following God’s leading here. They heeded to what the Spirit said, even if that is not what they thought was best. God always knows best. It would benefit us greatly to follow the example they set for us here.

We should be governed by God!!! We should seek His will before we make any decision. We should follow His leading when we witness to those around us! We should live our lives for Him – that is a witness in and of itself. So often, we think that witnessing can only happen if we are telling people about God, but we can witness through the way we live our lives every day!

My pastor brought up an interesting point the other day. What if legislators gathered in prayer every morning before they went to their desks and earnestly sought God’s will? What if doctors and nurses bowed their knees before our Maker at the beginning of every shift and sought direction and leading and healing on the hurt? What if firefighters prayed for safety at the beginning of each shift? What if scientists sought their Creator and daily gathered and asked Him to lead their research? Just something to think about. Unfortunately, I feel that our country is going in the opposite direction.

 

Maranatha – O, Lord, come! ><>

Governed by God

Hi there!

Well, I guess you deserve an introduction, though I’m not sure who will be reading. My name is Rachel, and I am currently a college student studying bioinformatics. I live at home, more or less, with my parents and my brother, and my grandparents are currently staying with us as well. I have two cats and two birds, and my parents have two dogs and a cat. I go to an amazing church, and I love it and my friends!

I live in what some would consider a small town, and for quite some time, all I wanted was to get out. God had other plans, though, and I am beginning to see why.

For most of my life, I have been a Christian. I was raised in a Christian home, and went to church every Sunday and Wednesday growing up. During high school,I began to claim my faith as my own. We all have to do this at some point, because we can’t just be Christians because our parents are. I tried to keep up with my devotions, but eventually they went to the wayside, with me telling God that I would spend more time with Him in college. Well, here I am, and God is holding me to what I said (and boy am I glad!).

As a result of me staying at home, I continue to be active in my church, which is reason enough for me to stay. God has blessed me in other ways here too, but that is another post in and of itself. I also have two of the most amazing friends in the world. Between the three of us, at least one of us always has a problem (but often it is two with problems). This has allowed each of us to be a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen when things have gotten rough, and yet we have also been the ones crying and babbling at other times. God has knit our hearts together during the past few months and I can’t imagine college without them.

Well, I have learned many lessons over the past few months. I cannot even begin to talk about them all, but I am so glad that God has taught me what He has.

So, this blog is about what I learn. I don’t exactly know what will become of it, but I am interested to see where God will take this.