Sunday Words of Encouragement November 3, 2019

Our Sunday School teacher reviewed the remarkable events that were compiled and shared by Jonathan Cahn in his latest book, The Oracle. The class agreed that the fulfillment of prophecies set out in the Bible supports the reality of God and the Bible as His inherent word.

We enjoyed nice praise music before celebrating the baptism of two young women who shared their testimonies and confessions of faith. So wonderful!

Pastor continued his sermon series on The Blessed Life. Pastor shared that he learned an important nugget as a staff pastor. He learned that his job was to make sure his leader was successful. Some senior pastors made it easy because he could fully trust them and their decisions; others maybe not so much. Pastor acknowledged that it was not important who gets credit for ideas but that the right ideas are being pursued. Pastor determined that when he turned his attention to what was important to his ‘boss’, he decreased but his value increased.

This message extends to seeking what God wants. I become less, so Jesus becomes greater.
If our blessing is having God's supernatural power working for us, does that happen best when we are at our greatest or at our greatest need? We are not enough by ourselves even if the world says otherwise. We must decrease to see the increase.

At one point the disciples ask Jesus “who is the greatest in heaven?” Jesus’ reply was: “whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:1-5.

Children need parents, adults to help them in life. We need to recognize that we need our heavenly Father.

This is consistent throughout God's principles: Decrease (in our own importance) leads to increase.

Authority – our blessings come when we are under authority.
Stewardship – we are just managers of what God allows us to have.
Tithe – when we honor Him with our first fruits, He will provide for our needs.
Sowing and reaping – when we sow with Christ in mind, we reap a larger harvest.
Mercy and forgiveness – when we decrease in our anger and bitterness so we can forgive, we receive mercy and forgiveness for our own transgressions.

The Point: The greatness of me cannot coexist with the greatness of God/Christ.

John the Baptist recognized that he was only to help make a way for the Messiah. John found joy at the success of Jesus. John 3:24-29. In verse 30 he states: “He must become greater; I must become less.”

Pastor asked us to question ourselves:
Every day, month, year is there less of me and more of Christ?
Am I concerned with what concerns God?

We must acknowledge I need Him more than ever; I will never be enough; we need Jesus.

This song popped out to me today: I Need You.

Verses for Today:
John 3:27-30
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”

Lord, I pray today that I become less important so Your Glory and power can increase and shine out.

 

Sunday Words of Encouragement October 12, 2014

Pastor’s Sermon this morning was entitled “Righteousness”. He used the scripture stories regarding the woman with an issue of blood (found in Luke 8:43-48 and Mark 5:25-35). These accounts tell of a woman who suffered for twelve years during which she was in misery and ceremonially unclean. The bridging point is that our sins, like filthy rags, make us unclean in the sight of God.

We cannot earn righteousness; no one deserves it. It is a gift. Isaiah 64:6 declares: “All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.” Man has a need for morality and justice. We cannot fulfill this need ourselves, but God, by grace and goodness, allows us to receive what we can not earn.
     Romans 3:22 This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
     2 Corinthians 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Righteousness is an unmerited favor we can only receive from God.

***
My scripture study following up the sermon makes me say that Isaiah 64:6 should not be read to say that man should not strive to do good works. God is pleased with good deeds and when we help one another. As noted in Isaiah 64:5: “You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. But when we continued to sin against them, you were angry. How then can we be saved?”

What is the answer to that question? The response is 'we are saved through faith' as noted in the New Testament passages above and more, such as Romans 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Christ’s blood covers our sin and yet we continue to sin. We cannot perform enough good works to outweigh our sins. As believers who have accepted Christ to rule in our hearts and lives, we hold onto the promise that our filthy robes will be replaced by His pure covering through His sacrifice. As our Sunday School teacher noted at the conclusion of our lesson this morning: “We continue to struggle with sin because our salvation will not be complete until His [Christ’s] return.”

(All scripture references are NIV.)

I think this song fits this message perfectly.

Lord, I Need You by Matt Maher

Verse for Today:
Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV
8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 
9not by works, so that no one can boast. 
10For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Christ, I believe and accept You as Lord of my life. I thank you for giving me the unmerited gifts of salvation and righteousness. Although I am saved by faith, let me be mindful to do good works, as directed by You, to show Your Love and glory in this life.

Sunday Words of Encouragement April 29, 2012

We were away this weekend for a L.I.V.E. (Laypeople In Vital Exchange) Connect event. We had wonderful fellowhip with the host church and families. The internet was weak so I didn't get anything posted last night. It is nice to be home but we are tired.

This paragraph is from one of the small group meetings. It struck me as a great thought to share for Sunday Words.

God is a good Father.  He hears the cries of our hearts and answers but it isn’t always the answer we want or are looking for. God, who sees all and knows all, answers according to His will not ours. Yet, do we only think he has answered our prayers when He says yes? When life turns out the way we hope and pray it will, we thank God and know He loves us. But what about those times when God seems silent or worse yet, things go the opposite way that we have been praying?  God still loves us dearly during those low times in our lives.  He has a plan.  Remember, God’s greatest work was to do nothing while his son died on a cross...

This was a worship song we sang in service this morning.

A Verse for Today: 

2 Corinthians 9:8 (New Living Translation)

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

I am thankful for God's love and abundance that gives us enough love to share if we allow Him to use us.