"Go Beyond" Part 2

"Go Beyond" Part 1

Advent Sermon 3

Messiah Brings Peace - Advent Week 2

Our God Comes - Advent Week 1

Thanksgiving Message: "He Can Be Pleased"

Thanksgiving Message (Christ is Kings Sunday)

Title: He Can Be Pleased

Text: Various

In times when my heart is found to be unthankful and I pray from that perspective, I realize that I have reversed my understanding of serving God. I understand that my heart is focused on what may or may not make me happy. If it makes me happy, then I am thankful for it. However it the matter displeases me then I become unthankful. Because I tend to be this way, I have learned to ask the question, what is God thankful for, and then pray that He aligns my heart to that very thing.

When we have this issue of thanksgiving in reverse order, we begin to live and pray as if we were King and God the servant. Therefore, during this week that we call Thanksgiving may we celebrate it and in light of where we find ourselves on the Church Calendar. This is the last week of our church calendar, that being “Christ the King Sunday” (It’s ok to think this way on Saturday). From this perspective let us focus our time together understanding that we are called as Christians to…

MAIN POINT: Be thankful in what pleases God.

What pleases God?
1. Single minded service to Christ… Romans 14:18
MSG© 14:18 Your task is to single-mindedly serve Christ. Do that and you'll kill two birds with one stone: pleasing the God above you and proving your worth to the people around you.

2. Right thinking… Psalm 104:34:
NLT© 104:34 May all my thoughts be pleasing to him, for I rejoice in the Lord.

3. Prayer for all, that leads to peace, quietness and salvation…1 Timothy 2:1-4
NET 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that requests, 1 prayers, intercessions, and thanks be offered on behalf of all people, 2 2:2 even for kings 3 and all who are in authority, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. 2:3 Such prayer for all 4 is good and welcomed before God our Savior, 2:4 since he wants 5 all people 6 to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

4. Sacrificially doing good by sharing what you have… Hebrews 13:16
13:16 And do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, 11 for God is pleased with such sacrifices.

WE: What is God thankful for in our local church?
1. Our efforts in reaching out to our community.
2. Our children’s ministry is bringing joy to children who may not have much of
it in their lives.
3. Mentoring our our youth.
4. We worship with purpose.
5. We are learning that when our worship is about exalting God, all else falls
in line.
6. Teens are becoming difference makers in our world.
7. Teens are changing the way they look at their world around them.
8. Teens that are hurting are being comfort.
9. Teens are beginning to make an impact on their families.
10. His Word is being delivered outside of the walls of this place of worship.
Over the last month: Australia (14); Russia (6); Germany (3);
1 each from Brazil, Columbia, Indonesia and Latvia.

Earning the right

Earning the Right

The following are my personal notes from the sermon, "Earning the Right: Speaking about he possibility of God without using the Bible. Paul the Apostle, as he was in Athens, models this for us. If you are reading this prior to viewing the video of the sermon you may wish to print these notes and watch the video with them in hand.

God bless you as we together engage our culture for the sake of our love for God and those around us.

Pastor Paul

Sermon Title: Earning the Right: Speaking about the possibility of God without using the Bible.

Text: Acts 17:22-34

Earn the right to bring an unbeliever to the Bible by engaging in the current culture. Acts 17:22-34

Engage in current culture.

We live in a postmodern, secular humanist culture.

Postmodern: Truth is relative.

Secular Humanist: All that exist is physical and can be
understood through science.


Do this by...

1. ...using laws logic.
Ex. #1 The law of non-contradiction: Two contradictory statements
cannot be true in the same sense at the same time.

Ex. #2 The Law of the Excluded middle: Just because two things
have one thing in common does not mean that they have
everything in common


2. ...not being afraid of science.

Ex. #1 - The universe could not have brought itself into existence.
A. If something does not exist, it has no ability to
perform an action by which it can bring itself into
existence.
B. If it exists so as to be able to perform an action, then it
already exists.
C. For anything to exist there must be an uncaused cause that
is supernatural.
Note: By supernatural we mean it is completely 'other' than
the universe and is not natural.

Ex. #2 – The law of irreducible complexity. (The human cell)

3. ...lovingly pointing out the hypocrisy of postmodern thought.

Ex. #1 Saying “there is no such thing as absolute truth” is an
absolute statement.

Ex. #2 Saying “you should not push your morality on others”, is in
itself pushing morality.

Ex. #3 Saying “we should be tolerant”by definition implies
disagreement. However the postmodern uses the term to mean
that we should accept every one as right, which is
logically impossible.

Ex. #4 Saying that “it is wrong to judge” is a judgment.


Conclusion

Obey 1 Peter 3:15

ESV© 3:15 but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you;

NLT© 3:15 Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.

MSG© 3:15 Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy.

A Propelling Distraction1 Thess 5

Fellowship of the Unashamed

Fellowship of the Unashamed: This creative video offers a prayerful and radical commitment to serve God above all else in this world.

A Propelling Encouragement

Propelling Growth 1 Thess 4:1-12

Propelling Love - 1 Thess 3

What Mask Are You Wearing?

What Mask Are You Wearing?: We all wear masks, even in church.

I thought this video (click on the yellow font above) speaks loudly to a very common issue with Christian folks. I don't think this is a problem because we want to be fake, but because we are afraid to let the real us out. We are afraid of rejection or a bad reputation. So into church, work and school we march not so proudly presenting our masks. If you agree that this is an issue that needs your attention, then take a risk by taking off your mask. Be real and you may discover that others will join you in removing their masks as well. May the Lord bless you with the ability to be real in a fake world.

Peace for the journey,

Pastor Paul

Propelling People - 1 Thess Wk2

Propelled by the Past Week 1 - "Propelling Circumstances" 1Thessalonians 1

I tend to lose sight of how God has been at work in my life. It is then that I need others to help broaden my perspective of what God has been doing. One thing that helps do this, is a reminder of the circumstances in which the Gospel was received. As people help me in this manner, God teaches me that the circumstances in which we receive the Gospel propel us into a future of hope. With this mind I would like to point out four things that Paul the Apostle finds in the Thessalonian church that causes him to be thankful.

In chapter one of 1 Thessalonians, Paul is giving reason for his prayers of thanksgiving. By looking at the reason for his thanksgiving we discover how God works in order to propel us into our future.

1. He propels us through faith, hope and love (v.2-3).

"2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."

2. He propels us by displaying proofs of our calling. (v. 4-5).

"4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake."

3. He propels us by making us examples of the faithful and Christ Himself.
(v.6-7).
"6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia." (Refer Acts 17:1-10 for the context of this statement.)


4. He propels us into our future by using us to spread Gospel without preaching. (8-10).

"8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come."

Based upon what Paul the Apostle is thankful for, and what it teaches us, we would be blessed to keep seeking when it appears God is unwilling to answer. Look at what Jesus says immediately follow His instruction on how to pray in Luke 11:5-10.
"5 And he said to them, 'Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."

A second and final thought is that we must help each other embrace the confusion that leads to revelation. Oswald Chambers says, "There are times in spiritual life when there is confusion, and it is no way out to say that there ought not to be confusion. It is not a question of right or wrong, but a question of God taking you by a way which in the meantime you do not understand, and it is only my going through the confusion that you will get at what God wants.”

God bless you as He propels you into your future,

Pastor Paul

(The video for this message may be seen in the next post)

Propelled by the Past Week 1 - 1Thessalonians 1

Is God good? Little Video Answers BIG Question.

Is God good? Little Video Answers BIG Question.: If God is all-good and all-powerful, why is there evil in the world?

Naza-Huh Final, Church History.wmv