It seems encouraging that—at the sound of our National Anthem—multitudes are bowing their knees to the flag of the United States of America.
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“OKAY” CHRISTIANITY
John Grant, Week Twenty-Four, 2020
“Indeed, you do this for all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Nevertheless, we urge you, brothers, to progress even more” (1 Thessalonians 4:10).
There is an amusing series of ads depicting various professions and occupations and describing each as okay. Then the tag line says “Just okay is not okay.” The same is true in our faith. We are called to excellence beyond just okay or average.
I remember discussing a report card grade of “C” with one of my children. As I challenged him for excellence in a higher grade, he responded that “C” was average, and average was okay. Well, it’s not okay.
Paul exhorted the church at Thessalonica what they were doing well could be done even better and they could “excel still more.” We are called to think and act in God’s excellent ways in every dimension of our life. To this end, Jesus provides an example and the Holy Spirit refines, motivates.
Unlike some of Paul’s writings that chastised or scolded the recipient churches, he writes to the church at Thessalonica commending them for all they had done to spread their love to their fellow believers throughout the province of Macedonia. They contributed unselfishly to the relief of Jewish Christians in Judea.
They had given out of their extreme poverty. Nevertheless, Paul exhorted the believers at Thessalonica to keep on increasing their love and while commending them for what they were doing, but asked them to do even more.
Ann Frank, a Dutch Jew was in hiding from the Germans during World War II. In her diary, published after her death she said, “No one has ever become poor by giving. The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well. No matter how pure we may be, God calls us to lighten the burdens of others. As Christians, we are called to serve and to give God and others our very best”.
Your best involves giving God your total being. Your best involves giving God your first of everything. Your best involves giving God your most superior work. To give God a half-hearted or sloppy effort falls short of doing whatever we do.
We must live our faith and give God our best for when serving the Lord, okay is not okay.
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
Good morals and charitable deeds do not make someone a Christian. Sometimes I hear folks who ought to know better identifying others as Christians just because they do good. Value morality. And help other people. There’s more to being a Christian than just good works. Preacher Man Ken Weliever.
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The Christian life is both sacrifice and service. The test of Christian love is not simply failure to do evil to others. It involves doing good. Christian love is both positive and negative. Isaiah 1:16-17 says, “Cease to do evil, learn to do well.” Ken Whitten
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“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others” (Phil 2:3-4).
“YOU GONNA TEAR DOWN MY MEMORIAL TOO?” —God
(Genesis 22:1-14)
Jeremy Stopford, Retired Pastor, Originally preached September 3, 2017
TODAY’S SPECIAL: “A Calendar Funny”
What is the favorite month of lumberjacks? SepTIIMMMBEERRRR!!!
INTRODUCTION
50 years from now, what will our children have learned about their history from the past 200 years? All the statues honoring the heroes of past generations would have been removed or smashed. Even the statue of Thomas Jefferson, honoring him as the founder of the U of Virginia, is being contemplated as being moved. Will they also tear down the Jefferson Memorial in Washington, DC? Will they close his home in Monticello, VA? which appears on our coins? Will our Jefferson coins & dollars go?What will future generations know?
What about God’s memorial? Are they going to tear that one down, too? Did you know He has one? Our text tells us.
A. THE ABANDONMENT
“Here I am” (Genesis 22:1-2)
“Some time later, God tested Abraham” – these words introduce us to the follow-up to Genesis 12:1-3. What dreams did Abe have? Follow his dad? Follow his trade? Stay in the country? No, he abandoned those to follow his God.
Now, there is another test – and we are specifically told that God is the Author of this test. GOD IS THE AUTHOR OF THIS ENTIRE MEMORIAL. It was His idea. We learn in James that God is NOT the author of temptation – allurements to evil. But He IS the Author of stretching His children so that dependence upon self is put to death, and a heart is abandoned only to God.
We learn 2 specific parts of this test:
#1 Abraham has immediate abandonment “here I am”. This phrase appears 20 times in our Scriptures, and another 5 times as “here am I”. Note: twice here (vs. 1,11); Esau (in conversation with Isaac); Jacob, Moses, Samuel, & Isaiah in conversation with God. And Jesus Himself. Check out Psalm 40:7 (quoted in Hebrews 10:7-9 as referring to Jesus) and Revelation 3:20, His invite to commune with Him! Jesus is showing Who is the heart of God’s memorial, and where – the cross!
#2 Abraham had a treasured relationship with his son, Isaac, and God knew it!
ILLUSTRATION: Like Isaac, I was the son of my father’s old age. He was 47 when I was born. And yet, in retrospect, I was the son he loved because he spent so much time at home with me.
Note God’s 4-fold description: (take) your son (personal), your only son (unique, one of a kind), Isaac (he has a name), whom you love (the receiver of the father’s favor). Did you notice the line “your only son”? Ishmael was born years earlier, but Galatians 4:22ff remind us that he was not a legal heir, nor was he the son of promise. Before God, Isaac was his only son. Years later, another Father would talk about His Son: “that He gave His only begotten – His one and only – Son” (John 3:16).
Also note: “burnt offering” – this is a complete sacrifice, the giving of the entire animal – or, in this case, oneself. Abraham understood this abandonment full well. Do we?
One other quick note: Dr. Arthur Pink observes something that blew right over me: this is the only place in Scripture where the Lord required a human sacrifice. All other sacrifices that He outlined were of animals: lambs, rams, etc. Tuck that info away!
The first heart of this memorial is the abandonment of our Heavenly Father as seen through Abraham’s abandonment of himself before God.
B. THE OBEDIENCE “Early” (vs. 3-6a)
There are at least two important points to describe this obedience. First, it came “early”. Abe did not hesitate to obey his heavenly Father. Do we? Do we seek Him early in the day – first thing before the tasks of the day take over our time and strength? Do we seek Him early when He sets a task before us to do?
But secondly, is the little phrase – almost unnoticed except for it being so LOUD – “the third day”. God in His wisdom always surrounds obedience with promise and hope. “Third day” is the day of…RESURRECTION! And note Abe’s description: we will worship and we will come back. Abe’s obedience was such that he was sure that no matter what happened up on the mount, Isaac was assured of being alive when it was over – even if God would have Abe complete the task of sacrificing his son, his only son, Isaac, whom he loves. In this huge way, God reminds us that obedience is always surrounded by promises – over 2000 of them – in God’s Word! We need to cling to them every day!
C. THE COMMUNION “Father?” (vs. 6b-7)
It would be easy to slide over this vocal interchange from Isaac to his father, Abraham. But in it, we learn much:
#1 Isaac felt very comfortable to talk with his dad – he could question him about anything! And so can we with our heavenly Father! (Oh, and can your children and grandchildren with you?)
#2 Isaac understood what a burnt offering is. He noted that there was a difference between a simple offering (using fire
and wood) and a burnt offering, meaning the offering was to be consumed. How did he know that? Because he learned that from his father! Communion. Sweet intimacy between a father and his son. Do we avail ourselves of that intimacy between our heavenly Father and us? In prayer, we talk to our Father. In His word, He talks with us. Communion. A vital part of this memorial.
CONCLUSION “God will provide” (vs. 8-14)
The name of the mount was identified as “Moriah” (v. 2) and “The Lord will provide” (v. 14), a name for God Himself (“Jehovah Jireh”). Can there be any doubt that the place of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac is none other than Mount Calvary itself?
And if that isn’t enough, check out the. NT application (Heb. 11:17-19). Of course, this is the great faith chapter.
And many years later, God the Father sent His son, His one and only Son, Jesus, Whom He loved, to Mount Moriah – a hill called Calvary. And on the third day He, too, rose from the dead. “And whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”
THAT IS GOD’S MEMORIAL!
Are you gonna tear that down, too? Or is that memorial the foundation of your abandonment of self to the Father, the sweetness of your obedience before the Father, and the heart of your communion with the Father?
Would you really want to tear that down, too? Or are you going to pass The Memorial of the cross of Calvary on down so that future generations will also celebrate The Memorial?
Close in prayer
“THE TARGET”
Week Twenty-Three, 2020
THE TARGET
But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:3 ).
Matthew Emmons was an American sharpshooter, just one shot away from a second Olympic gold medal in the 2004 Olympics when he fired at the wrong target in the final round. Gone was the chance of gold – or even silver or bronze. “I didn’t look at the number above the target before the last shot,” said Emmons. He had dominated the 50-metre rifle three-position target event and was considered the best in the world in his discipline, got a big zero and plunged to eighth.
The Bible spells out a target to reach. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5). It’s not about the things we do, but the relationship we have.
I once got a pamphlet written by a pastor that spelled out the major monotheistic religions in the world. I was curious about why he left out Christianity. When I bumped into him, I asked why he had left it out. His answer struck me when he said that Christianity is not a religion, rather it is a relationship. I had always thought about it is what we do or don’t do.
Eternal life is not a destination. It is a relationship. It is not about doing. It is about being. We are called to take Christ with us everywhere we go. It’s the target! This is what we are shooting at – a sincere faith that leads us to love God and love people. Does what we believe affect how we act? Does what we believe affect our attitudes and decisions? As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
If we are not loving others, or if our conscience is constantly troubled, or if we find ourselves faking our Christian life, these are warning signs. It means we have lost focus. We have become occupied with something other than Christ. Jesus Christ sets us free to love fervently, to have an inner peace, and to have a vibrant, growing faith. We don’t need a list of rules. Christ lives His life through us. Christ fulfills the righteousness of the law through us very naturally when our hearts are occupied with Him.
Has something come into your life that has distracted you from developing a close relationship with Christ? Tell Jesus this, admit it, and then make a decision today to become fully occupied with Christ! This is the only way you will hit the target in your Christian life!
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
THOUGHTS:
Solomon is saying our thought life controls the rest of our life. Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinks in his heart, so is he.” Our thought life dominates and shapes our attitudes, good or bad, negative or positive. Attitudes lead to actions. The thought is the father of the deed. Actions are thoughts carried out. Here’s a profound thought… Achievements of your thought life are going to be the sum total of your thoughts. When you sow a thought, you reap an act. When you sow an act, you reap a habit. When you sow a habit, you reap a character. When you sow a character, you reap a destiny. It all begins with the thought life. The heart of the problem is the problem of the heart.
—Ken Whitten
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Elizabeth Magie came up with the idea for the Monopoly game in 1903 and called it “Landlord’s Game” to protest against the monopolists of her time.
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The Labrador Retriever has been on the AKC’s top 10 most popular breeds list for 25 consecutive years—longer than any other breed. There are over 75 million pet dogs in the U.S.—more than in any other country.
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
Better praying in the pews makes better preaching in the pulpit. Ken Whitten
There’s no age restriction for spiritual growth. Moody Publishers
Who is on the throne matters more than who is in The White House. Eugene Cho
They tell me a revival is only temporary; so is a bath, but it does you good. – Billy Sunday
“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD, OLD TESTAMENT STYLE”
PENTECOST SUNDAY 2014, Originally preached June 8, 2014
Rev. Jeremy Stopford, Retired Pastor
TODAY’S “SPECIAL”: “Next in Line”
While waiting in line at the Department of Motor Vehicle Services for his new license plate, a gentleman heard the clerk call the next customer by shouting, “E-I-E-I-O.”
“Here!” answered the woman standing next to him in line. Curious, the man asked her if she was married to a farmer, or maybe taught preschool.
“Neither,” she replied. “My name is McDonald.”
INTRODUCTION:
Today is “Pentecost Sunday” – 50 days after Easter. This is the commemoration of the day, according to Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit came down to indwell believers. That marked the beginning of the church as we know it.
But the Holy Spirit is mentioned throughout the Bible. Even in Genesis 1, He “moved”, literally “brooded” (like a mother hen) upon the waters of the newly created earth.
Our text in Judges is the first time in Scripture that the phrase the “Spirit of the Lord” is mentioned. And He is mentioned 7 times in Judges – we’re going to look at just 3 of them today.
“Why?” you ask. Because 1 Corinthians 10:11 says, “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.”
That tells us that the OT Scriptures were written for our benefit, our learning, warnings to us as to how to live.
Let’s pray for what God has for us today.
I. THE ROUGH GEM TEST (Judges 3:1-11)
Note verse 1: “Now these are the nations which the Lord left, that He might test Israel by them, that is, all who had not known any of the wars in Canaan.”
Israel was supposed to wipe out the inhabitants of the land – but they didn’t. Instead, the Israelites intermarried and ultimately worshipped the false gods of the land. God then used these nations as a “test”. Like a jeweler with a rough gem who works the gem to create a more valuable stone, God worked/used these nations to draw Israel back to Himself.
Note the vicious cycle repeated in Judges as first seen in this chapter: first sin (idolatry), then punishment, followed by repentance (crying out to God), then finally God’s deliverance.
Let’s see this pattern in action in Judges 3: Sin (vs. 5-6); followed closely by Punishment (v. 8); followed by Repentance (v. 9a); then followed by God’s gracious Deliverance (v. 9b).
The judge – in this case Othniel (v. 9) – was the deliver. He was Caleb’s nephew.
NOW HERE’S THE IMPORTANT PART! What set Othniel apart from his compatriot Israelites? Note verse 10: The “Spirit of the Lord” came upon Othniel for a purpose, a specific task. Then the land had peace until the judge died.
The Spirit of the Lord, while He indwells believers today, also comes upon us to enable us to perform specific tasks – with God’s wisdom, strength, enablement. For what purpose? That the Lord Jesus may be glorified Who otherwise might not receive any attention!
What tasks might He be calling YOU for?
II. THE FAITH TEST (Judges 6:33-40)
Note verse 1: “Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord. So the Lord delivered them into the hand of Midian for seven years,”
The cycle begins again!
Note that in verses 11-15, God calls Gideon to be the nation’s new judge. Some scholars believe that the “Angel of the Lord” who spoke to Gideon here is none other than a pre-incarnate Lord Jesus! How can that be? Note that He is referred to as God, not an angel!
WHAT DOES GIDEON HAVE TO DO WITH US AND PENTECOST? See vs. 33-34: the “Spirit of the Lord” came upon Gideon to do what – blow a trumpet! And in turn, Gideon thus caused the union of many of the smaller tribes to come out against the union against Israel!
Our text has a most interesting story about “placing a fleece out before the Lord” (v. 36, 39). God used this to encourage our judge Gideon that God really was going to use him!
ILLUSTRATION: Back in 1971 in my early days as a Christian, I, too, put a “fleece” out before the Lord. And the Lord amazingly honored that fleece with a very specific answer. As a result, I stayed where I was for the rest of the school year. But don’t you think God wants us to trust Him alone?
Is this the way to go today? God calls us to faith, and in Hebrews 11:32 Gideon is listed in the great Hall of Faith. So you decide!
III. THE VOW TEST (Judges 11:28-37)
In Judges 11:1,2, we learn something interesting about a man named Jephthah:
“Now Jephthah the Gileadite was a mighty man of valor, but he was the son of a harlot; and Gilead begot Jephthah. Gilead’s wife bore sons; and when his wife’s sons grew up, they drove Jephthah out, and said to him, ‘You shall have no inheritance in our father’s house, for you are the son of another woman.’”
Jephthah was considered rejected, put down because of his heritage. Have any of you experienced rejection by your own family? You are not alone!
In verse 4, the Ammonites – an enemy people group to Israel – came against Israel. For the feeble people of Israel, this was an huge situation! They had not really sought the Lord, but they knew that Jephthah had proved himself on his own as an excellent soldier and leader. In trouble with seemingly no place to turn, the people of Israel ask Jephthah to be Israel’s helper.
THIS IS WHERE GOD DOES THE IMPOSSIBLE! Note verse 29: “Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah…”. What does the Spirit do – the same “Spirit of the Lord” who helped both Othniel and Gideon, and Who helps His church in the New Testament?
He comes upon Jephthah to equip him to fight a nation, a battle bigger than himself!
BUT THIS STORY ALSO HAS A “SIDEBAR”. In verses 30-31, Jephthah makes a vow before the Lord. He prays, “If You will indeed deliver the people of Ammon into my hands, then it will be that whatever comes out of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the people of Ammon, shall surely be the Lord’s, and I will offer it up as a burnt offering.”
Jephthah fully expected that when he returned home from God’s victory, one of the animals living in his house would come first out of the house!
In verse 32 we read about Jephthah’s victory by the power of the Spirit of the Lord upon Him! This is the victory he prayed for, but soon would come his opportunity to fulfill his promise to the Lord.
In verses 34-35 we learn that, of all possibilities, his daughter is the first to come out of the house! What does Jephthah do? What becomes of his promise, and of his daughter?
Verse 37 in the KJV reads that she would “bewail her virginity” – by this some old scholars assumed he sacrificed her. But the NIV has it right. His daughter said, “I will never marry.” The law calls for us to keep our vows. Even a promise to a bank is a vow. We are to be people of character.
As with Gideon, Jephthah is listed in Hebrews 11:32 as a member of God’s Faith Hall of Fame!
CONCLUSIONS
#1 God shows through these 3 characters that the “Spirit of the Lord” can come upon His children to perform specific tasks, to cause the unity of people, and to equip His children to go to battle against impossible odds.
#2 But God is also showing that the USA is in such moral disrepair that He needs people of faith – full of the Holy Spirit – to make a difference for eternity even against impossible odds.
WILL YOU BE THAT PERSON OF FAITH?
Close in prayer
ORDERS REMAIN
Week Twenty-Two, 2020
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20).
It is one of the must see places in Washington D.C., The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Located in Arlington National Cemetery on the Virginia side of the Potomac River and overlooking the City of Washington, it is the final resting place of several unidentified soldiers who gave their lives defending their country.
For nearly 100 years the tomb has been guarded everyday around the clock. The guard change is very symbolic, conducted in accordance with Army regulations. The relief commander or assistant relief commander, along with the oncoming guard, are both required for a guard change to take place. The relief commander orders the guard being relieved to “pass on your orders” to the oncoming guard. The guard being relieved will say to the oncoming guard, “Post and orders remain as directed.” The oncoming guard’s response is always, “Orders acknowledged.” In all those years, the orders have never changed.
Jesus gave us some orders too and they, in more than 2,000 years, have not changed either. As He was about to leave this earth, He told his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything he had commanded them.
Those orders remain as directed. They apply not just to the disciples to whom He directly spoke, but to all future generations of Christians down through the ages. Those orders are passed on to you and to me. As Christians, Jesus commands us to go to the four corners of the earth and perhaps our neighbor next door to spread the word and to share our faith, teaching people that Jesus is Lord and encouraging them to accept Him as their Lord and Savior.
Are you willing to carry out His orders today? They remain unchanged.
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:33-34
I love it when something that Jesus said is so clear.
• He didn’t say seek Him first, but after your second cup of coffee.
• He didn’t say seek Him first, but after you’ve read the paper or watched your favorite morning news show.
• He didn’t say seek Him first, but not before your spouse and/or family.
• He didn’t say seek Him first, but not before your career, career goals or work.
• He didn’t say seek Him first just behind any personal goals and dreams you might have.
• He didn’t say seek Him first just behind all the church work and church stuff you’ve got to accomplish first.
• He didn’t say seek Him first, but only if all your personal needs and desires are satisfied.
• He didn’t say seek Him first, but only if you don’t have anything better to do.
• He didn’t say seek Him first, but only if you feel like it.
• He didn’t say seek Him first if you feel Him close on the mountain top or if you’ve hit rock bottom in the valley.
• He didn’t say seek Him first, but only after you fret and worry about it first.
He said “seek FIRST His kingdom and His righteousness…” Marty Stubblefield
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Locusts and grasshoppers are a regular dietary component in local diets in many areas of Africa, Asia, and the Americas—and since they’re packed with protein, they’re an important nutritional staple as well.
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
Your identity determines your behavior. Ken Whitten
Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave while we’re waiting. Joyce Meyer
Look back and be grateful, look ahead and be hopeful, look around and be helpful.
Distraction leads to destruction. Andrew Evans
God Is Not Double Minded!
—By Frank Becker, May 28, 2020
God is not double minded!
He has but one will, and it is perfect.
The fact that he allows us to violate His will reveals not that he is double-minded, but that he is not a puppeteer or a dictator. We are not robots or puppets or stick men. God breathed life into Adam.
Adam was innocent, but not perfect, for a perfect man would not have fallen. The only perfect man is Jesus Christ. We are as free to fail or triumph as Adam was.
If we receive Christ as Savior, and make him Lord of our lives—then we have the provision to succeed where Adam failed. But if we fail, we have an advocate or attorney with the Father, who intercedes for us—our Lord Jesus.
But God is the perfect disciplinarian—as we see demonstrated throughout his infallible Word—from Genesis to Revelation. To often, our lives seem like a microcosm of the Book of Judges., where every man did what was right in his own eyes. Certainly that seems to be the description of most people today.
How dare we force a test on our Lord, or presume upon some doctrine of security!
We also have a contract—The New Covenant—”the law of love” and “the law of liberty,” and it remains to be seen whether we have entered into it with all our hearts.
It is not the durability of our own hearts, but the faithfulness of the Holy Spirit, Who will see us through the trials of penury and the tests of plenty. Lean not unto your own understanding, but trust in God!”
“THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE IS … ”
“THE PURPOSE OF MY LIFE IS … ” (Jeremiah 1)
Preached September 15, 2013 by Rev. Jeremy Stopford, Retired Pastor
TODAY’S SPECIAL: “Memory Test, (so stupid it’s funny!)“
Three elderly men are at the doctor’s office for a memory test. The doctor asks the first man, “What is three times three?” “Two hundred and eighteen,” comes the reply. The doctor rolls his eyes, looks up at the ceiling, and says to the second man, “It’s your turn. What is three times three?” “Friday,” replies the second man. The doctor shakes his head sadly, then asks the third man, “Okay, your turn. What is three times three?” “Nine,” says the third man. “That’s great!” says the doctor. “How did you get that answer?” “Simple,” he says, “just subtract 218 from Friday.”
INTRODUCTION
God has a call for each of us. Perhaps it is not an audible call. Perhaps it is better a call to the heart and mind. What is His call? It is the call of the PURPOSE of our lives. Let me ask each of you a question: if you were to fill in the blank, what would you write: “The purpose of my life is…”. Perhaps if we look at Jeremiah’s call, and related Scriptures, we will be able to better fill in that blank!
PRAYER
#1 JEREMIAH’S BEGINNING (vs. 1-5)
A. A wise focus – under Josiah’s leadership (vs. 1-3)
Jeremiah observed a godly King Josiah. He saw godly leadership firsthand. King Josiah, as it were, was a spiritual “mentor” to Jeremiah – because Jeremiah certainly saw the difference in the subsequent ungodly kings. I am thankful for the many mentors God has provided in my life, in particular Pastor Herman Underwood at First Baptist, Canton back in 1971. He took me into his home with his wife and 5 kids, and showed me firsthand not only how to walk with the Lord, but how to minister. Almost 30 years later, I co-officiated the funeral of Clarence Jones. Amazingly, in the BIG picture of things, Pastor Jones was Pastor Underwood’s mentor – some 30 years before I came into Pastor Underwood’s picture. If it weren’t for Pastor Jones’ mentoring, who knows where I would be!
But God also raised up godly laymen for me – Carlos Atkyns, for example. He went Home to be with the Lord just a short time after I came to Beaver Meadow. I wish I had spent more time with him – that was a hard lesson to learn too late. But he sure knew what it was to minister, and to care for his community.
Who are your mentors? To whom do you mentor today?
B. An amazing knowledge – under God’s love (vs. 4-5)
These are amazing verses! God showed His eternal love for Jeremiah, and He has done that for us as well. We all should be familiar with such classic passages as Psalm 139, Romans 8, and 1 John 4:19 (“we love Him because He first loved us.”
THE POINT: God has placed people in leadership to equip us to be the people He has designed us to be – for His eternal purpose.
“The purpose of my life is…” governed by the choices I make in who/Who are my advisors.
#2 JEREMIAH’S BLESSING (vs. 6-10)
A. Jeremiah’s humility is mis-guided fear (vs. 6-8). Illus.: Doesn’t Jeremiah sound a LOT like Moses in Exodus 3 and 4? Because Moses – like Jeremiah initially – doubted God’s ability and call through him, he missed out and Aaron became God’s vessel through whom God would speak.
B. Jeremiah’s power is through God’s Word (vs. 9-10) See Jer. 15:16; Romans 10:8-15. Isn’t it amazing – it shouldn’t surprise us, should it? – that the person God uses the most is a person who has an intimacy with God’s Word.
THE POINT: God has given us His Word as His daily, moment by moment, direction in every area of my life.
“The purpose of my life is…”, if it is to have a spiritual purpose, must be in direct agreement with God’s Word.
#3 JEREMIAH’S BOASTING (vs. 11-18)
God is giving Jeremiah challenges/tests on His eyesight (vs. 11-14)
God is positioning Jeremiah that his boasting will be only in the Lord, and
so boasting will cause him to stand firm for God (vs. 17-18); Jer. 9:23-24
THE POINT: God has given us new hearts that hunger for His heart, His will, His glory.
“The purpose of my life is…” can only be answered in an honorable way if my boasting is only in the Lord!
CONCLUSION
So how did you do?
“The purpose of my life is…” governed by my advisors, guided by God’s Word, and answered as it is directed only to God’s glory.
If we CAN’T fill in the blank, are we guilty of living AN AIMLESS LIFE?
PRAYER
Are you fully dressed?
ARE YOU FULLY DRESSED?
By John Grant, Week 21, 2020
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes (Ephesians 6:11).
The county just north of where I live is known as the nudist capitol of the world. Nearly a hundred years ago a doctor told his patient that he needed more sun on his body and suggested that he become a nudist. He found others to join him founding the National Organization for Naturists which later American Sunbathing Association. Now, the organization has gone nationwide. People flock to nudist clubs and resorts in central Florida buying condos so can they live there full-time.
We come into the world nude. Then things get complicated. Different countries have different ideas about nudity and America’s mixed culture has different ideas, each thinking they are right.
What does the Bible say about nudity?
▪ And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed. Genesis 2:25.
▪ You shall make for them linen undergarments to cover their naked flesh. They shall reach from the hips to the thighs; Exodus 28:42
▪ Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed! Revelation 16:15
The Bible talks little about what to take off, but is unequivocal in what to put on. In 1945, as American troops were fully armed and about to storm the beaches of Iwo Jima, in the departing religious service aboard the Bunker Hill, the chaplain pointed the troops to Ephesians 6:11. Paul tells the Ephesians to put on the whole armor of God, so that one is able to stand against the powers of the devil.
What a great send off into battle, both then and now. We battle against the schemes of the devil every single day. Paul told the citizens of Ephesus to be prepared for battle and to be strong in the power of God. Be fully clothed with the belt of salvation, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit.
While people have different ideas about how much clothing to take off, the Bible is unequivocal about what we are to put on. We are to be armed with the Gospel as we go forth to battle each day.
Like the famous credit card advertisement…. Don’t leave home without it!
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SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES
Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border:
I was reading through 1 Chronicles and came upon the passage made famous by Bruce Wilkinson’s bestseller, The Prayer of Jabez. “Jabez called upon the God of Israel, saying, ‘Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my border, and that your hand might be with me, and that you would keep me from harm so that it might not bring me pain!’ And God granted what he asked” (1 Chronicles 4:10).
For God to “enlarge” his “border” meant to increase his territory and influence. Jabez wanted his life to count as fully as possible. But he knew that this was impossible unless the “hand” of God was “with” him to lead, empower, and protect.
Such a prayer may seem audacious, but “God granted what he asked.” It seems that the Lord wants us to seek to be all we can be for His glory and the good of others: We are to “work heartily” in all we do (Colossians 3:23). Are you doing so?
God wants us to “approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10). Are you ready for that day?
Our Father empowers what He expects: “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). Are you seeking such empowerment? Jim Denison
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QUOTES YOU CAN USE
It is our responsibility to live in the present and make the most of our circumstances—whatever they look like today and whatever they look like tomorrow. We accept the good, we accept the bad, and we make the most of the season right in front of us—regardless of how it looks today or tomorrow. That is our responsibility to ourselves and the constantly changing world around us. The Minimalist
Daphne MacDonald. Though we live in a world of constant consumption, we don’t need much to be happy. The accumulation of stuff costs money and can lead to living outside our means and piling on debt.
For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Our first birth gives us physical life; the new birth gives us spiritual life and membership in God’s family. Billy Graham
Heaven may be reached without money or rank or learning. But it is clear as daylight if the words have any meaning that nobody can enter heaven without a new birth. R.C. Ryle
Every Bible should be bound in shoe leather. Dwight L. Moody
It is always too soon to quit. V. Raymond Edman
“THE MEMORIAL OFFERING”
“THE MEMORIAL OFFERING” (Acts 10:4)
Memorial Day Sunday
Rev. Jeremy Stopford, Retired Pastor, May 24, 2015
“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, Lord?” So He said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a MEMORIAL before God.” (Acts chapter 10).
INTRODUCTION
The origins of the first “Memorial Day” are varied, but one story stands out: “Memorial Day was started by former slaves on May 1, 1865 in Charleston, SC to honor 257 dead Union Soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave in a Confederate prison camp. They dug up the bodies and worked for 2 weeks to give them a proper burial as gratitude for fighting for their freedom. They then held a parade of 10,000 people led by 2,800 Black children where they marched, sang and celebrated.”
And in 1868, Major General John Logan ordered that the graves of all Civil War dead be decorated (hence, “Decoration Day”) with flowers on May 30. Eventually the last Monday of May was so designated “Memorial Day”.
There are several “memorials” in Scripture. Our passage talks of one which marks a huge transition in Bible times – and perhaps in ours today.
PRAYER
“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of what was called the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, Lord?” So He said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a MEMORIAL before God.” (Acts chapter 10).
INTRODUCTION
The origins of the first “Memorial Day” are varied, but one story stands out: “Memorial Day was started by former slaves on May 1, 1865 in Charleston, SC to honor 257 dead Union Soldiers who had been buried in a mass grave in a Confederate prison camp. They dug up the bodies and worked for 2 weeks to give them a proper burial as gratitude for fighting for their freedom. They then held a parade of 10,000 people led by 2,800 Black children where they marched, sang and celebrated.”
And in 1868, Major General John Logan ordered that the graves of all Civil War dead be decorated (hence, “Decoration Day”) with flowers on May 30. Eventually the last Monday of May was so designated “Memorial Day”.
There are several “memorials” in Scripture. Our passage talks of one which marks a huge transition in Bible times – and perhaps in ours today.
PRAYER
#1 CORNELIUS—THE REMEMBERED SAINT (Acts 10:1-8)
What does this brief passage tell us about an obscure man named “Cornelius”?
First of all, he was a Gentile. Even by Acts 10, non-Jews were earmarked even by the church as being “untouchable” and “unreachable”. The church needed a fresh awakening to what God could do in any heart.
Hello !!! Does the church need a fresh awakening today to what God can do in any heart? Is there any heart which you have labeled “untouchable” and “unreachable”? Then you better read on!
He was a “saved” man by our terms. Note verse 2 calls him “devout” (that is, “pious, godly”). He “feared God” (that is, he worshipped the one true God). And he was a giver – he proved his love for God by his outward, but invisible, acts. He was a saved man.
And God noticed! The angel came down especially to Cornelius and said, “your prayers and your alms [which nobody else knew about] have come up for a MEMORIAL before God.”
What did the angel mean by “memorial” or a “memorial offering”? The “memorial offering” is that which keeps alive the memory of someone or something. When Jesus at the first communion said, “do this in REMEMBRANCE of Me”, do you know what He was saying? The very same thing! The first communion was a MEMORIAL before God, done to keep alive the memory of the Lord Jesus!
And isn’t it comforting to know that God never forgets people! In Isaiah 49:15 He says, “I will not forget you.” In Psalm 9:18, the psalmist writes, “God will never forget the needy.” And in Psalm 13:1, David prayed, “How long, O Lord, will You forget me forever?”. David felt free to approach God with his complaint!
BUT GOD DOES FORGET SIN!!! Jeremiah 31:34 says, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more!”. Wow! And He does that for New Testament believers as well! Aren’t you glad?
Cornelius is at a turning point of church history as stated in the ensuing verses of Acts 10 (vs. 5-8). He was no longer “untouchable” or “unreachable”!!! And soon the whole church would know that God saves sinners – whether Jew or non-Jew! He can saved ANYBODY!
POINT: Is there anyone we as a church have forgotten? Is there anyone you have considered as “untouchable”? Is there anyone you have labeled with the horrendous marker, “God can never reach them!”? They may be the turning point of the ministry of our church, of the ministry of the Lord in our entire village!
#2 PETER – THE TEACHABLE JEW (Acts 10:9ff)
Note in these verses that Peter is taken from the known – God’s design seemingly has been just for the Jews, even in the early church – to the unknown, that His design also includes the whole world!
ILLUSTRATION: I have a box. I am in the box. I can only see what is in the box. I cannot see what is outside the box. Perhaps there is a world out there to which I could make a difference. But as long as I am not outside the box, my world is limited. It is NOT limited by God, but it is limited by ME.
Peter’s world was limited, partially by his cultural prejudices, and partially by his vision of the day. He needed a fresh vision – and God gave him one!
CONCLUSION
Why is this section of Scripture about the “memorial offering” important? Because God is taking Peter – and the then known church – to where God designed when He issued the church’s commanding orders. Remember what they are?
“Therefore GO and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Who is “outside our box” that we are missing out on reaching for God’s glory today?
CLOSE IN PRAYER