Sunday, July 23, 2006

Willingness

Willingness

gtcotr/ss072306

God may not tell us what we want to hear nearly as much as what we are willing to hear.

Or it may be that some of us only hear what we want to hear.

Key Scripture: Isaiah 1:19 If you are willing and obedient, You shall eat the good of the land.

The story we are about to read from Genesis takes place around 3850 years ago, give or take a little, close to 1850 BC, the time when Abraham was about 140 years old, Ishmael was near 55 years old and Isaac was 40. Isaac’s mother, Sarah, had passed away 3 years earlier.

Even though the bible says that Abraham was old, and he was well advanced in age, yet he would live another 35 years. He would see Isaac marry Rebecca, and their two sons, Jacob and Esau, become teenagers. Abraham would also remarry during this time and have more children himself.

Lets begin this morning in Gen 24. We are talking about Willingness.

Genesis 24 NKJV

1 ¶ Now Abraham was old, well advanced in age; and the LORD had blessed Abraham in all things.

2 So Abraham said to the oldest servant of his house, who ruled over all that he had, "Please, put your hand under my thigh,

3 "and I will make you swear by the LORD, the God of heaven and the God of the earth, that you will not take a wife for my son from the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell;

4 "but you shall go to my country and to my family, and take a wife for my son Isaac."

5 And the servant said to him, "Perhaps the woman will not be willing to follow me to this land. Must I take your son back to the land from which you came?"

6 But Abraham said to him, "Beware that you do not take my son back there.

7 "The LORD God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and from the land of my family, and who spoke to me and swore to me, saying, ‘To your descendants I give this land,’ He will send His angel before you, and you shall take a wife for my son from there.

8 "And if the woman is not willing to follow you, then you will be released from this oath; only do not take my son back there."

9 So the servant put his hand under the thigh of Abraham his master, and swore to him concerning this matter.

Amazing, everything hinged on one woman’s willingness. A willingness to follow in this case. Following into the unknown.

That takes something special; something not many people seem to have much of these days: A willingness to trust, trust both God and others.

Fear robs a person’s willingness. What are we so afraid of that we would not be willing to trust God or others?

Perhaps we have never been challenged to examine our willingness.

There is such power in a willing heart and a willing mind.

Willing to trust.

Willing to follow.

Willing to listen.

Willing to change.

Personal commentary on a willing heart.

The story of this personal testimony is not contained in these notes but can be heard at Church Online’s Archived Sermons for this date, accessed through cotr.com.

Kelly Willard’s song: A Willing Heart

If you don’t have a willing heart, ask Him He’ll give you one

If you can’t seem to make a start, Trust in His power

For the Lord of Love is watching you

He knows what you’re going through

He will make a way If you want Him to …

Oh do you really want Him to?

Then tell Him so … Why don’t you tell Him so …

He’d really like to know … Tell Him so.

Even when she did not and did even want to, yet she was willing for God to change her.

I believe that sometimes we don’t hear the instruction, counsel, correction or direction we may need to hear because We are often unwilling to hear what we are unwilling to do.

Jesus faced this same temptation.

* Just tell God what you want instead of letting Him tell you what He wants.

* Rather than follow the natural, humanistic, insecure, untrusting pathway of self preservation, Jesus said:

Luke 22:42 "Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done." (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul said that God accepts our willingness to act more than our actions themselves.

2 Corinthians 8:12 For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.

He may not want you to actually go to Africa as a missionary, but He certainly wants you to be willing to go if He ever decides it’s necessary.

Many of the struggles are perhaps more about our willingness to trust God, whatever He may require, rather than about our actions themselves.

As with any parent, you may not want your child to mow the yard right now, but you certainly want them to be willing to if you decide it is the necessary or best decision you have to make.

Sometimes, as we disciple our children and as God disciples us, the requests are but fair tests of our willingness to trust and obey.

Such was the case with God telling Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in Genesis 22.

There is something powerful about a person’s willingness to trust.

Psalms 110:3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of Thy power …

Are you willing to hear what God wants from you.

Are you willing to listen?

Are you willing to trust?

Are you willing to follow?

Are you willing to change?

Are you willing to hear what He wants instead of only what you want?

Today I want to challenge you Examine Your Willingness. Don’t let your hearts grow or stay dull of hearing. Don’t be hard of hearing or blind to God’s will and voice.

Sure, He may not always tell you what you want to hear, but be willing to hear whatever He says.

He knows what He is doing -----

Trust God!

Matthew 13:15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.

What you need is only one word away. Let God know you are willing.

Wednesday, July 19, 2006

A Commentary On Faith Continued

A Commentary On Faith Continued

gtcotr/ws071906

Tonight we continue our commentary on faith.

Last week we took a detour and ended up looking at Romans 7 & 8 and 2 Corinthians 10, concerning the battle field of the mind. Scriptures came into play that gave us the key to winning the spiritual battles in our mind, over our thoughts and our imaginations.

We found out filling our minds with spiritual things instead of fleshly things will give us the edge we need to overcome the sin nature. It is a law that when we want to do good, we also are faced with the opportunity to do evil. If we feed our flesh with corrupt thoughts and carnal appetites and imaginations, our flesh will win the battle and we will lose out to sin. However, if we feed our spirit with God’s word and spiritual appetites and meditations, our spirit will win and set us free from sin. Sin will have no more dominion over us.

Let me say a word here about: The Reprobate Mind

Romans 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient (KJV)

Easton’s Revised Bible Dictionary says Reprobate here used means:

This word is used with reference to persons cast away or rejected because they have failed to make use of opportunities offered them #1Co 9:27 2Co 13:5-7.

God sends us His word and shows us His will and offers us His way. If we continue to reject God’s help, pushing God out of our consciousness, then He may turn us over to a mind which no longer feels guilty for being wrong, no longer retains God’s judgments and we might become worthless or ‘adokimos’ - reprobate, unable to make a good decision in moral, ethical or eternal issues, sold out to our own appetites, approving others to live without conviction as well.

We must respect the word of God, accept it, believe it and act on it.

Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

The word must be mixed with faith in order to work. And don’t forget:

Point #34: What we believe will be tested.

This comes from the scripture reference in Mark 4 where Jesus is explaining the parable of the sower and the different types of people who hear the word.

Mark 4 (KJV)

14 The sower soweth the word.

15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

It’s all about the word, running it’s course, doing it’s part and becoming fruitful.

The struggle is for the word’s fruitfulness.

When we hear the word and the word begins it’s work in us and on us with the hope of working through us, we become dangerous to satan’s kingdom goals.

This is what happened in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. They had received the word of God and that is what satan come to steal. “Hath God said?” He came for the word.

The only contention was over the Word of God and it’s right to rule.

When Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness, satan came to steal the word of God from Him. However, Jesus kept the word of His Father in His heart, in His mind and in His mouth. (Luke 4)

“It is written …” means “The Word says …” This was Jesus’ strength. It kept Him focused, affirmed His shield and struck a blow to His enemy.

This word is the sword of our spirit. Ephesians 6:17

Faith is our shield to keep the enemy from disarming us, (taking our sword).

Here is the process.

We hear the word

Temptation, testing, trials, pressures, questions and deceptions of life come to steal the word and render it unfruitful.

We hold onto the word in the midst of our tribulation and that works in us a greater sustaining perseverance.

Our perseverance accomplishes the task and we receive what we believed into our heart and life.

This process leaves us with hope for future battles, believing that if we continue to hold onto the word, despite the circumstances or disappointments, that the word of God will have it’s final say.

James, the pastor of the church in Jerusalem and the half brother of Jesus said it to his congregation this way.

James 1 KJV

2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

How does faith work?

Galatians 5:6 Faith works by love

This speaks to the necessity of a proper motivation.

Philemon 6 Faith works by acknowledging every good thing which is already in you in Christ.

James 2:20 & 26 Faith works by application

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

A Commentary On Faith Continued

A Commentary On Faith Continued

gtcotr/ws071206

Tonight we continue our commentary on faith.

According to Ephesians 6:16, faith is a part of the armor of God.

Faith is a shield, not a pair of tweezers.

Faith is best used to keep the enemy’s darts from getting to us … not to pull the darts out.

These fiery darts can be missiles of subtle conversations, thoughts, doubts, attempts to get us to move off of believing God’s word. Darts like: “hath God said?”

There is a battle in the mind for the mind. The mind is the primary field of battle upon which an individual’s spiritual warfare is waged.

The battlefield of the mind and the struggle within us is spoken of by the Apostle Paul in an account of his own life in Romans 7 & 8. He speaks not only to the problem but to the solution as well. There is a war within each of us as we wrestle to keep the word dominant.

2 Corinthians 10

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations … , and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought … to the obedience of Christ;

Faith is exercised through the process which Romans 5 describes.

Tribulation works patience(while we fight the good fight of faith)

Patience works experience(while we fight the good fight …)

Experience works hope (while we fight the good fight …)

Hope makes not ashamed (while we fight …)

Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

The word must be mixed with faith in order to work. And don’t forget:

Point #34: What we believe will be tested.

This comes from the scripture reference in Mark 4 where Jesus is explaining the parable of the sower and the different types of people who hear the word.

Mark 4 (KJV)

14 The sower soweth the word.

15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

20 And these are they which are sown on good ground; such as hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit, some thirtyfold, some sixty, and some an hundred.

It’s all about the word, running it’s course, doing it’s part and becoming fruitful.

The struggle is for the word’s fruitfulness.

When we hear the word and the word begins it’s work in us and on us with the hope of working through us, we become dangerous to satan’s kingdom goals.

This is what happened in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. They had received the word of God and that is what satan come to steal. “Hath God said?” He came for the word.

The only contention was over the Word of God and it’s right to rule.

When Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness, satan came to steal the word of God from Him. However, Jesus kept the word of His Father in His heart, in His mind and in His mouth. (Luke 4)

“It is written …” means “The Word says …” This was Jesus’ strength. It kept Him focused, affirmed His shield and struck a blow to His enemy.

This word is the sword of our spirit. Ephesians 6:17

Faith is our shield to keep the enemy from disarming us, (taking our sword).

Here is the process.

We hear the word

Temptation, testing, trials, pressures, questions and deceptions of life come to steal the word and render it unfruitful.

We hold onto the word in the midst of our tribulation and that works in us a greater sustaining perseverance.

Our perseverance accomplishes the task and we receive what we believed into our heart and life.

This process leaves us with hope for future battles, believing that if we continue to hold onto the word, despite the circumstances or disappointments, that the word of God will have it’s final say.

James, the pastor of the church in Jerusalem and the half brother of Jesus said it to his congregation this way.

James 1 KJV

2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

How does faith work?

Galatians 5:6 Faith works by love

This speaks to the necessity of a proper motivation.

Philemon 6 Faith works by acknowledging every good thing which is already in you in Christ.

James 2:20 & 26 Faith works by application

Sunday, July 9, 2006

Your Future

Your Future

gtcotr/ss070906

This morning we will be taking our text from a passage of scripture in the Gospel of John, Chapter 8. While you turn there allow me to read a key scripture to set the tone of our morning.

Key Scripture: Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. (NIV)

You know:

Our future does not depend on what we did yesterday nearly as much as on what we do today.

Imagine living in a society governed by a self appointed town counsel on religious and moral affairs. Imagine this counsel having such authority that if any two people were willing to give public testimony against you, you could be convicted of any crime whatsoever. Not only convicted, but sentenced and immediately punished, with punishment ranging from fines to public beating and even death.

It must have seemed like a bad day when this woman was caught in the very act of adultery by members of the counsel. She had broken one of the foundational laws and was certain to be executed.

Arrested and dragged through the streets to the public square where people were gathered listening to a man talk. Her accusers ready to give testimony and be the first to condemn her, decide to use this opportunity and catch another community menace - one Jesus of Galilee - whom many were asserting that He is Messiah. Since He is a gentle man who preaches love and forgiveness, perhaps they can trick Him into a religious argument and condemn Him also.

But what these accusers meant for harm would be turned for good.

And what this woman would receive from Jesus was not punishment for her past, but positioning for her future. Jesus was the key to her future, not the whip for her past.

John 8 NKJV

2 Now early in the morning Jesus came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them.

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst,

4 they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

5 "Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?"

6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first."

8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.

9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"

11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."

Wouldn’t you like to know what Jesus was busy writing. Some say that it was all the names of the women these accusers had committed adultery with in the past. Or perhaps it was the violations of other commandments which these accusers had perpetrated.

Whatever, it is sure that these writings had purpose. And by the way, where was the man who she was caught with? If she was caught in the very act, why was not the man also dragged before the judgment?

Leviticus 20:10 … the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.

Well, we will save that for another time.

We have no power or authority to condemn sinners because we have all sinned.

Jesus has no desire to condemn sinners, but rather separates them from their sin.

Jesus did not come to punish us but to position us.

Jesus did not come to push us down, but to lift us up.

In this passage Jesus is showing the compassion of the Father. God is not interested in punishing people, but rather He desires to set people free from their bondage, free from their prisons, free from their pain.

Perhaps Jesus had extra compassion on this woman because of His Own family history.

Leah Genesis 29

Tamar Genesis 38

Rahab Joshua 2

Ruth Ruth

Bathsheba 2 Samuel 11

All of these, women who found themselves in very difficult circumstances of life, each one making hard choices, right or wrong, they were doing their best to survive. At one point none of them had a bright future. However, things changed.

Each of these women hold a special place in Jesus’ family history. They are all grandmothers of our Savior.

And what about Jesus’ mother, Mary? Another woman in a very difficult position in life. Found evidently pregnant out of wedlock, engaged to a man with whom she had never laid with --- who was the father? Who would believe this story? What a difficult burden to bear. At one point her future looked pretty bleak.

You don’t have to be wrong to be burdened. We don’t have to be guilty to be condemned. But God still offers us a bright future.

Perhaps you are in a difficult place today. Maybe you caused it or perhaps life had dealt you some unexpected challenges. Whichever, you have an Advocate with the Father. His name is Jesus.

Your appeal today is to the One Who holds the keys to your prison. He will not judge you or condemn you. He died to set you free from your bondage, free from your past, free from your pain.

Won’t you come to Him today. Bow before Him and humble yourself at His feet. He knows you are sorry, He knows you are ashamed, He knows you are burdened. He has a plan and purpose for your future.

Though others may condemn you, He never will. Today, it can be just you and Him, no one else here to accuse you, to give testimony against you. Just you and Jesus.

Come to Him with all your heart. Let Him heal your pain. Let Him have your future.

Hear Him say “you are forgiven, rise, go your way, and sin no more.” That’s what Jesus said to the woman caught in her past … “You can have a better future!” It begins right here, right now, today.

Come to Jesus today.

One moment of His favor is worth a thousand days of labor.

Your future is not nearly so dependent on what you did yesterday as it is on what you do today.

Give God His chance. Just ask Him to take control of your life.

Wednesday, July 5, 2006

A Commentary On Faith Continued

A Commentary On Faith Continued

gtcotr/ws070506

Tonight we continue our commentary on faith.

Romans 5 KJV

1 ¶ Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Faith works, or ‘works out’, throughout the process of testing, tribulations, trials and temptations. It’s like body building.

Trials exercise our faith as we stand trusting God.

Sometimes we believe but don’t yet see --- so: Having done all to stand, we continue to stand in our faith with patience.

Faith is a part of our armor.

Ephesians 6 KJV

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Verse 16: Faith is a shield, not a pair of tweezers.

Faith is best used to keep the enemy’s darts from getting to us … not to pull the darts out.

These fiery darts are missiles of subtle conversations, thoughts, doubts, attempts to get us to move off of believing God’s word. Darts like: “hath God said?”

There is a battle in the mind for the mind. The mind is the primary field of battle upon which an individual’s spiritual warfare is waged.

The battlefield of the mind.

2 Corinthians 10

3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

5 Casting down imaginations … , and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought … to the obedience of Christ;

Faith is exercised through the process which Romans 5 describes.

Tribulation works patience(while we fight the good fight of faith)

Patience works experience(while we fight the good fight …)

Experience works hope (while we fight the good fight …)

Hope makes not ashamed (while we fight …)

Hebrews 4:2 For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

The word must be mixed with faith in order to work. And don’t forget:

Point #34: What you believe will be tested.

This comes from the scripture reference in Mark 4 where Jesus is explaining the parable of the sower and the different types of people who hear the word.

Mark 4 (KJV)

14 The sower soweth the word.

15 And these are they by the way side, where the word is sown; but when they have heard, Satan cometh immediately, and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

16 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness;

17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.

18 And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the word,

19 And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful.

When we hear the word and the word begins it’s work in us and on us with the hope of working through us, we become dangerous to satan’s kingdom goals.

This is what happened in the garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. They had received the word of God and that is what satan come to steal. “Hath God said?” He came for the word.

When Jesus was being tempted in the wilderness, satan came to steal the word of God from Him. However, Jesus kept the word of His Father in His heart, in His mind and in His mouth.

This word is the sword of our spirit. Ephesians 6:17

Here is the process.

We hear the word

Temptation, testing, trials, pressures, questions and deceptions of life come to steal the word and render it unfruitful.

We hold onto the word in the midst of our tribulation and that works in us a greater sustaining perseverance.

Our perseverance accomplishes the task and we receive what we believed into our heart and life.

This process leaves us with hope for future battles, believing that if we continue to hold onto the word, despite the circumstances or disappointments, that the word of God will have it’s final say.

James, the pastor of the church in Jerusalem and the half brother of Jesus said it to his congregation this way.

James 1 KJV

2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

How does faith work?

Galatians 5:6 Faith works by love

This speaks to the necessity of a proper motivation.

Philemon 6 Faith works by acknowledging every good thing which is already in you in Christ.

James 2:20 & 26 Faith works by application