Thought of the Day !!

But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them-bringing swift destruction on themselves.  Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute. 

                                                              2 Peter 2:1-2 (NIV)

As I've read over 2 Peter again I've seen a theme established.  Peter is telling the people of that day, as well as the people today, to be on guard and be ready as the Day of the Lord nears when Jesus will be returning.  One of the things that he tells us to be on the lookout for is the abundance of false teachers.  They have been around since well before Peter's day, leading people away from God through teachings contrary to God's will.

When the emphasis of the Gospel is turned into a way to make you happy instead of obedient and loving then someone is leading us astray.  When the emphasis of the message of Jesus Christ is turned in to a way that we are led to believe will make us prosper in this life then we must be on guard against false teaching.  Also, when leaders of Christianity use the religion to bring about harm or division then false teachers have taken hold of the Gospel and twisted it to fit their own evil desires.

I learned a term the other day from Prof. Brent Strawn from Candler School of Theology.  He called them "Happiologists".  Many have followed these teachers that are more motivational speakers than anything else only to come away empty.  Many have followed prosperity gospel preachers only to come out poor and confused.

Then there are those who follow teachers who twist and turn Christianity into a set of rules and punishments to condemn others.  People who come to mind are the leaders of the Westboro Baptist Church (a cult more than a Baptist Church) who teach their followers that picketing funerals of deceased gay people is God's will.  Another such example of this kind of false teaching was brought to my mind when I read an article yesterday about so-called Christian rehab centers in Guatemala who are snatching up addicts by force and doing horrific things to them to try to cure their addictions.  And let us not forget that the Nazis in Germany and the KKK here in the U.S. both considered themselves to be Christians doing the will of God and leading others astray to their will.

At the end of the day we can be assured that there are good solid teachers out there that listen to God's Calling, are being led by the Holy Spirit and are obedient to Christ.  These are the ones who faithfully, but not always perfectly, seek to lead others in Christ's ways.  These are the ones who seek to bring eternal joy and peace to people instead of a temporary personal satisfaction.  And there are those who are out there perverting God's will and Christ's teaching and either getting rich in worldly ways for it or are receiving power over those whom follow them.

Be alert.  Choose carefully.  Know that God has called people to guide you spiritually.  And make sure that you use your connection with God and His Word to show you the way to them. 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
                                                                    Acts 2:1 (NIV)  

Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching
                                                                    Hebrews 10:25 (NIV)

If any church wants to be faithful and true to God's will and calling they must gather together.  We were created to be a community, and we can only make a real difference when we're connected as such.  

What's the first thing that Jesus did when he started his ministry?  He brought together a community of people.  We call them the disciples.  Did he ever tell someone to go off and do ministry alone.  No.  He sent the people out by twos.    

The Psalmist tells us to worship the LORD with gladness; to come into his presence with singing…or to gather.  

Jesus told his disciples that where two or three are gathered in his name, he'd be there.    

Paul encourages the church at Corinth to gather for the right reasons.    

In coming together, we seek God's presence as his communal children…and not just renegades out there doing as we wish.  We prove that even though we're different parts of the body with different functions...different talents...different God-given gifts, we're still one body...the body of Christ.

Jesus had previously ordered his disciples to stay together in Jerusalem and wait for something great.  They did.  They gathered.  And something great did happen.  The Holy Spirit came upon them, and the living, breathing Church was born.  

Let us not neglect to gather together.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

I want you to know how much I have agonized for you and for the church at Laodicea, and for many other believers who have never met me personally. I want them to be encouraged and knit together by strong ties of love. I want them to have complete confidence that they understand God's mysterious plan, which is Christ himself. In him lie hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
                                               Colossians 2:1-3 (NLT)

Do you know that you know that you know that you know...that you are going to Heaven?  Without a shadow of a doubt, do you know that Christ died for you?  Yes, even you?  

If so, this is called assurance.  Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is this assurance.  It's the assurance of things hoped for.  It is the conviction of things not seen.

If we don't have this assurance, then we need to take a closer look at our faith. That's just exactly what John Wesley had to do.

In 1738 John Wesley wrote down in his journal that he felt his heart strangely warmed.  It was then that he found assurance for the first time.  He was already a priest in the Anglican church.  You might think that he should have already had this assurance by then.  But he didn't.  

Here are his words:
"In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther's preface to the Epistle to the Romans.  About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed.  I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death."

Wesley received assurance from God.  So, how do we receive this assurance?  There are two simple steps.  First – (The Bible says) ask and it shall be given.  Second – be willing to receive it (and what comes with it).

If you have doubts or do not feel that Jesus is with you every step of every day, then ask for this assurance.  Pray about it, and then go searching for it in Scripture.  I fear that many of us today hear Scripture read to us on Sunday mornings and that is it.  If you want to have a close personal relationship with Christ and the assurance that comes with it, you must live with prayer and Scripture.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.
                                                                           Ephesians 4:2 (NLT)

Today we can be proud and boast about ourselves or humble not bringing attention to ourselves.  We can complain about others or be patient with them.  Which do you think Jesus would do?

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.
                                                        1 John 1:9 (NLT) 

I don't know about you, but I can come up with any number of excuses why I've done some of the things I've done that are contrary to God's wishes for me. They go something like, "I really didn't mean to..." or "It wasn't meant to go that way..." or "I had a right to say..." or "It really wasn't my fault.  I just got caught int he middle" or "It's only human nature to feel that way."

I imagine you could add your own to the list.  But I read somewhere that God doesn't care about excuses.  All He wants is confession and then to forgive. 

When we have sin in our lives we can find ourselves feeling guilty and so it's more difficult for us to face God.  So confess what's wrong in your life and ask for God's help in those areas.  He would much rather forgive you than punish you.  That's because our God is a loving God.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

  My heart rejoices in the LORD!
  The LORD has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
  I rejoice because you rescued me.
                              1 Samuel 2:1 (NLT)

Does your heart rejoice for the Lord?  Or is your day filled with all the negative things surrounding you?  Every morning that I get out of bed I know that God has awakened me.  He has given me breath.  He is prepared to protect me from my worst enemy, the devil.  And more importantly, He has given me a purpose.  For this my heart rejoices in the Lord.

Hanna, the mother of the great prophet Samuel from the Old Testament, rejoiced because she had been barren, but God had given her a son.  Her enemy was her husband's other wife who used to make fun of her for having no children.  But at the time she sang out this verse, God had blessed her with a son and would later bless her with more children. 

May your heart rejoice in the Lord as well.  If it's difficult finding something today to rejoice about, give God thanks that you are alive.  Then ask how He can use you so that you will be blessed as you bless others. 

Rejoice today.  The alternative would be to be sad or angry.  Which is more fun?  Which will make for a better day?  Rejoice in the Lord!

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
                                                                                 Isaiah 43:2-3 (NIV)

We are precious in God's sight.  He promises to be with us through the troubling times in our lives and to lead us out of them if we will allow Him to.  This is one of the greatest promises that God offers us...to not abandon us.  People often times abandon Him.  But even in the case of those, He never forgets them and accepts them back if they wish to come.

As His children, we should emulate this kind of behavior.  I once knew a lady that didn't care much for the Church.  That is, until her father was on his death bed.  When she saw how her parent's church members gathered around, supporting and showing love to the family, she was changed.  And she began going to that church.  In her deepest hours of need, she found something out about God.  She found out that He would never abandon her.  Our God is not opposed to presenting Himself in tangible ways.  You might not hear Him speak through a burning bush, but you just might through other people.

Life is supposed to be about relationships with God and each other.  It can be as long as we realize that God will not abandon us...and we commit ourselves to never abandoning Him or each other.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it.
                                                                            Hebrews 13:2 (NIV)

In today's world of suicide bombers, rapists, killers, muggers, thieves, etc. there may be very little desire to entertain strangers.  As if the real world stuff wasn't bad enough, we then turn on the TV or watch movies that are more violent than ever.  And we believe we have to think of our safety and those with us when a stranger comes up to us looking for a handout.  

It used to be ok to pick up someone on the side of the road who needed a ride.  But how many are willing to pick up hitchhikers today?  And then, of course, there's all those out there that are trying to take advantage of us.  There are people who don't want to work for a living and would rather con people and work the system.  

And still the Bible teaches us to entertain strangers.  Jesus says that those who give the hungry something to eat and the thirsty something to drink, who welcome the stranger or visit the sick or imprisoned, will be the ones who will have a place with the King.  

Sometimes we just have to step out on faith and ask God to protect us.  At other times we have to use our common sense.  Cell phones can be used to call for help for someone on the side of the road (instead of stopping) if we're not sure.  If somebody comes to us each week needing money for gas to get their momma to the same doctor's appointment, we can say "No more".  We can buy the gas for them (instead of giving cash) or help them find a job.  The truth of the matter is that even if we're being conned, duped, taken (or however you want to put it) nine out of ten times, we may entertain an angel once.  Or to put it another way, we may entertain Christ.  For He said if we do for the least, we've done for Him.

I, for one, would rather be duped 9 out of 10 times and do the work of Christ once than let my Savior down.  

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

                                                                  1 Peter 4:8 (NIV)    

"Love each other deeply."  Can we just decide to love someone, or is it a feeling we really don't have much control over?  The answer is yes and yes.

Feelings will come and go.  And these feelings can be difficult to control  But true love is much more than a feeling.  True love is first a choice and then an action taken that's not based on feelings, but on that choice.  This is sacrificial love, the kind Jesus has for us.  This is what he commands when he says "As I have loved you, love one another."  This is also the kind of love Peter means when he says to "love each other deeply."

As Christians who've accepted Jesus, we have the power of the Holy Spirit in us.  This is where we find the ability to love others.  Instead of complaining about or ignoring or being angry at others, love them deeply, using the power of the Holy Spirit inside you.  This will cover a multitude of sins, making up for many things you've done wrong yourself.

In the love of Christ,

greg

August 17 Sermon - YouTube

August 17 Sermon - YouTube

Thought of the Day !!

In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.
                                                             Judges 21:25 (NLT)

I just finished reading the book of Judges and this is the last verse of the book.  It's a sad summary of the state of the Israelites at this time.  Throughout Judges Israel continually falls away from the Lord by worshiping other gods and doing whatever they decided was good.  Sooner or later God would take His protection away and they would be defeated. 

Even though His children acted like spoiled brats, God still loved them enough to raise up a Judge to come to their rescue when they cried out to Him.  But as spoiled children can often do, once things got good again, they began thinking of themselves instead of God.  And the cycle would continue.

It's easy to get caught up in ourselves and our own lives and forget that God has a plan for us that goes beyond ourselves.  Like spoiled children we can place our own lives, or our families' lives ahead of everything else and dismiss those in need whom God places in our paths. 

Are we any better than those who worshiped idols if we neglect God's will for our lives?  Are we any better than those who sought to disobey God's commands if we don't faithfully seek out God's desires for us?

In those days Israel had no king.  As Christians we claim to have a King.  But our claims are only justified if we follow where He leads us and become what He wants us to be instead of doing whatever seems right in our own eyes.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.
                                                             Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

I like to say a "Good morning" to God each day as I wake.  It just seems to get the day started better.  But as the scriptures say, we can also lay our requests before him after we wake.  

They also say that we are to wait in expectation.   There are two key words here, "wait" and "expectation".  Don't expect God to fix all your problems with a single word or motion right then.  God works in His own time, sometimes immediately...but more often later, teaching us patience.

Even though we shouldn't expect God to answer us immediately every time we come to Him, this doesn't mean we shouldn't expect Him to listen and respond.  He hears every word that you breathe or think.  I shudder to think of all He's heard me say (good and bad).  And He does respond in His way and His time.  

So each morning (or anytime for that matter) don't forget that God is listening.  Give Him thanks and praise first.  Then lay your requests before Him.  And then wait in expectation.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.
                                                                   2 Peter 2:1-3 (NLT)

Beware of false prophets (teachers, preachers, etc.).  Jesus told us this.  Paul warned of them in his letters.  And Peter is writing the same here.  Some will try to get your money, while others will try and lead you away from the Truth.  These who are leading people away from the truth are being guided themselves by the devil.  Some of their own free will, while others have been trapped and fallen into temptation. 

But either way, these false prophets are condemned by God.  Test all things that they say by scripture.  And when they use scripture to back things up, look it up yourself and make sure they are not taking it out of context with the Bible as a whole.  And above all, pray for protection from the Holy Spirit so that you do not fall into their traps and become condemned yourself.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered. In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction will not be delayed.
                                                                               2 Peter 2:1-3 (NLT)

Beware of false prophets (teachers, preachers, etc.).  Jesus told us this.  Paul warned of them in his letters.  And Peter is writing the same here.  Some will try to get your money, while others will try and lead you away from the Truth.  These who are leading people away from the truth are being guided themselves by the devil.  Some of their own free will, while others have been trapped and fallen into temptation. 

But either way, these false prophets are condemned by God.  Test all things that they say by scripture.  And when they use scripture to back things up, look it up yourself and make sure they are not taking it out of context with the Bible as a whole.  And above all, pray for protection from the Holy Spirit so that you do not fall into their traps and become condemned yourself.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.
                                                 Hebrews 11:1 (NIV)

I don't understand all of God's ways.  I don't even understand all of my own ways; why I do the things I do or why I don't do them.  I don't understand why I feel the way I do sometimes.  But that's okay.  We aren't meant to know everything.  As a matter of fact, when you find that person that claims to know all God's ways and can answer every question under the sun, stay away from him/her.  I'll guarantee you that there is something false going on.  I was once taught that the most important sentence a pastor can know is "I don't know."

If we were meant to know every little detail of God and His ways, there would be no room for faith.  Faith is an act of dependence.  God's desire is that we depend on Him.  He wants to be there for us.  He wants to guide us.  Of course when we think we already know the way, we guide ourselves.  That's when we get lost.  It is by faith that we stay on the right path being guided by the Holy Spirit, trusting that He will not steer us wrong.  Even though we might not be able to see what the outcome of each day's path may bring, we travel because we're certain that God will not lead us astray.

In this life you have to put your faith in something.  Some will have faith in themselves.  Others will have faith in something this world teaches them.  But the ones who will find true life are the ones who will have faith in God through His Son Jesus. 

In the love of Christ,
greg

▶ Fishing for People - YouTube (This past Sunday's Sermon)

▶ Fishing for People - YouTube

Thought of the Day !!

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
                                                               Colossians 3:17 (NIV)

When we do something in God's/Jesus' name, it means that others know what we're doing is because we belong to Him.  Many good deeds are done everyday by people of all faiths and backgrounds.  How will people know that your words and deeds are done in the name of the the Lord Jesus?

One way is to make it known that you are a Christian.  We are not to boast.  But when we're not afraid to bring Jesus into conversations with others, they will begin to get a clue.  When we're given praise, we may give a humble reminder that we would be able to do nothing without our Lord and Savior.

What I get from this scripture is that we're taught to go acts of love that are Christlike, but that we should also be letting others know why we do them.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Then Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."
                                                 Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

When we are down and out or just struggling with some things in our lives, Jesus tells us to bring these things to Him.  He wants to give us rest.  Of course this is not the kind of rest that allows us to sit around and take it easy while Jesus does all the work.  Instead he told us that we could yoke ourselves (or harness ourselves) to Him.  A yoke distributes the load evenly, which means that He will take on the load with us.  He will see us through and make sure that we don't have anything that we are not able to get through.

He wants to teach us to be like He was when he walked this earth.  He wants us to be humble and gentle at heart just like Him.  Doing this will lighten our load because we rid ourselves of the heaviness of pride or anger or unforgiveness etc. 

So when we are yoked with Jesus we find the rest that he wants us to have.  This is more than mere physical rest.  It is rest for our souls, a deep spiritual rest.  This is a rest that will build us back up to go back to lives of service to Jesus and to others. 

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.  For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. 

                                                          1 Peter 1:22-23 (NIV)

Have you truly accepted Jesus?  Have you fallen in love with Him and His ways for your life?  One test of this is to ask yourself, "Do I have a sincere love for others?"  Go ahead.  Ask yourself that question.  Do you love those who love you back?  Do you love those that are unloving or seemingly unlovable?

Jesus loves me.  I am a child of God, but also a sinful creature that has many times turned my back on Him.  But our God is a God of second chances because of His great love for us.  When we accept Him into our lives, we accept His ways for us.  His most important way for us is the way of love.  Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 13 that there are some great gifts, three of which are Faith, Hope and Love.  He also teaches us that the most important of these is Love.

Do I love my neighbor as I love myself?  Do I have sincere love for my brothers (and sisters) that comes from the heart?  Yes.  Why?  Because Jesus first loved me.  How?  By following (obeying) the truth of Jesus I've learned how over time, and the Holy Spirit dwells within me giving me the power to love unconditionally.  By the way, this is something I could never do on my own.

A true test to see if we are in accordance with God's will and if we truly have Jesus in our hearts is simply determining if we "have sincere love for [our] brothers (sisters)...."

In the love of Christ,

greg

Thought of the Day !!

For the word of God is alive and powerful.  It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow.  It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
                                                                       Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)       

John Wesley used to say that the Word of God is twice inspired, once when it was written and once when it is read.  This Word is just as much alive today as it ever has been.  But it can only live in us and through us if we delve into it. 

Is a sampling enough?  Is this one verse that you've just read enough to truly come alive in you?  I believe the answer to be "No".  If we want to grow in Christ...if we want to mature as Christians...if we want to be guided by the Holy Spirit and not our own sinful nature...then we must dedicate time to spending with our Lord and Savior, Jesus.  We do this through two ways.  One is prayer, and the other is prayerfully reading His Word.

Set aside some time today to get to know Jesus again through reading your Bible.  If you haven't picked it up in a while, may I suggest taking a Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John).  Don't think you have to read from beginning to end starting with Genesis and ending with Revelation.  That is quite alright for many.  But for those who are not accustomed to reading daily, begin with something easy and build your way up to all those laws and genealogies in the first few books.  The key is to spend time with God.

May you be deeply enriched and grow in Christian maturity as you delve into God's Word.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
                                                                 Romans 12:18 (NIV)

What do you think this might mean for you?  Are there angry people in your life that you'd like to respond in kind?  Does revenge ever enter your mind...even in a slight way?  Do you ever want to treat others as they treat you instead of as you would like for them to treat you (Golden Rule)?

When Jesus told his disciples that he was going to leave them with his peace, it was a peace that passes all understanding (Paul's words).  It was a peace that went beyond the absence of conflict.  It was the ability to live joyfully even in the presence of conflict.  

Can we live at peace in a world where people will try to take advantage of us and it seems that everyone wants something?  Can we live at peace with those who hate us or even might want to do us harm?  Can we live at peace with people who don't care about us?  

We can if we ask and allow Jesus to give us His Peace.  This truly is the peace that passes all understanding.  It can get us through anything because it never promises us a rose garden.  It promises to strengthen, sustain and never leave our side.  That peace is Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit.

May the peace of Jesus be with you today.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now.
                                                               Philippians 1:3-5 (NLT)

Paul was giving thanks for the people in the Philippian church.  They heard the good news and then partnered with Paul in sharing it with others.  Paul spoke of finding joy in his prayers as he thought of them because he was proud of them. 

As Christians we are to share the responsibility of ministering to others and sharing with them the Good News of Christ. This is not the pastor's job, the deacon's job, the lay leader's job, etc.  It is the job of each person who identifies himself or herself as a Christian.  For those of us who are leaders in the church, we are to lead by example.  I look forward to praying on behalf of each person in my parish with the joy of knowing that we are all partners in spreading the Good News about Christ.

In the love of Christ,
greg

Thought of the Day !!

Again I say, don't get involved in foolish, ignorant arguments that only start fights.  A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people.
                                                                     2 Timothy 2:23-24 (NLT)

Churches split over foolish arguments.  Spouses divorce because of them.  Families are torn apart over these foolish, ignorant arguments.

How many of us argue over something that doesn't really matter in the whole scheme of things?  I use the example of the color of the carpet that can split churches.  Maybe it's not the color but the brand or style or who we buy from or who decides or etc.  Most arguments that we have are not over Kingdom issues in our churches, but over foolish things that don't matter at all in whether or not somebody comes to know Jesus.

Why not put all that energy in conversations about how to best attract unbelievers or what ways of building up God's Kingdom should be tried next?  I don't mean we should argue about these things.  But why can't we focus on these things?  Then we just might cease arguing about things that no one will remember 10 years from now.

In the love of Christ,
greg