September 18, 2013

“For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will”  2 Corinthians 8:3-5

This sounds like high praise coming from the Apostle Paul! He seems very impressed by their generous giving. "They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability...."

I guess that IS impressive when you give more than you are able?

How does someone give more than they are able?

To answer that question is to understand Faith-Promise giving.

What is Faith-Promise giving?

Simply, it is making a promise to give an amount of money you expect to receive based on your faith in God's provision.

Take for example, the "FLOW H2O". You or your spouse and you have been praying for God to give you and amount you should trust Him to provide by the end of April 2014. After that period of prayer you agree with God and each other to promise that amount. Maybe you have part of that amount or most of that amount but you don't have all of it. So, you write that agreed upon amount on the card and sign your name in promise to give "beyond your ability".

Since your pledge is a promise made to your local church in the sight of God, you take it very seriously and begin earnestly praying for God to provide the difference between what you have and what you promised!

You first show your faith by giving what you already have. And then you continue to pray and watch for how He will provide.

Let's say a couple of weeks pass and unexpectedly you get a refund check on your electric bill and it is half of what you need to fulfill your pledge! You are excited and begin praising the Lord! Now your faith is strengthened and you continue to pray with even more expectancy. You and your spouse cannot wait to see how God will provide the rest of the promise!

That's how you are able to give "beyond your ability". It is a scenario I have seen unfold dozens of times over the years!

Faith-Promise is the difference between being a pipeline or being a pail. The pail may hold a gallon of water but once it is poured out it is gone - empty. However, a pipeline is open on both ends with one end attached to the source of supply and the other end attached to the need.The pipeline is simply a conduit connecting the supply with the need. Making a Faith-Promise is the commitment to be a pipeline and not a pail.

For FredWes to meet our goal of raising $8,500 to allow World Hope to drill a life-giving well in a remote African village we will need more pipelines than pails!

Next Sunday when we receive the pledge cards, will you be a pail or a pipeline?

September 17, 2013

In this week leading up to the launch of our "FLOW H2O" project, here are some Scriptural insights to guide you in deciding how much to pledge. I present the Scriptures without comment.

FAITH PROMISE SCRIPTURES

“For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God's will” (2 Corinthians 8:3-5). 

SCRIPTURES ON THE GREAT COMMISSION:

• “He [Jesus] said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation’” (Mark 16:15). 

• “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” (Matthew 28:19-20). 

• “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples” (Psalm  96:3). 

• “And the gospel must first be preached to all nations” (Mark 13:10). 

• “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). 

• “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). 

SCRIPTURES ON FAITH:

• “Without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). 
• “Everything that does not come from faith is sin” (Romans 14:23). 
• “The righteous will live by faith” (Romans 1:17). 
• “Have faith in God” (Mark 11:22). 

SCRIPTURES ON STEWARDSHIP:

• “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth” (Deuteronomy 8:18). 

• “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked” (Luke 12:48). 

• “Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” ( 2 Corinthians 9:7, NRSV). 

• “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows  generously will also reap generously” (2 Corinthians 9:6)

September 16, 2013

"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.' In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." Luke 15:8-10

I would help you look for your lost child because I care about you and your child.

You would do the same for me.

But, let's be honest, each of us would search harder for our own child that we would for another's child. That is human nature. You know it. I know it. And certainly, God knows it.

When you look back at the story of the lost sheep, you realize that the one who cared the most about that sheep was its shepherd. He was the only one who went looking because he was the one who valued the animal the most. He was the one most motivated to search.

Now, when he found it and brought it back safely, there was a great celebration. Many people were happy that the sheep was found and returned, but now one cared as much as the shepherd. It just makes sense.

As we focus on the next parable, The Lost Coin, we see this truth even more clearly. The coin that was lost by this woman was likely part of her dowry. In that culture they didn't wear wedding rings but instead they took the coins from their dowry and made a necklace from them. They wore that necklace around their neck or on their head to show that they were married. Obviously, that necklace and those coins would have far more value to the woman than to anyone else. So, when one coin detached from the necklace and was lost, she was the one most motivated to find it. No one else came to aid in the search, but many joined in the celebration when the lost coin was located.

You could say that is wrong, but I think Jesus is saying that is natural. After all, Who understands human nature better than Him?

As I study these two parables I draw out this principle for reaching lost people - CELEBRATE ALL BUT CONCENTRATE ON A FEW.

In Luke 15, Jesus isn't chiding these religious leaders because they didn't care about ALL lost people, He is upset with them for not caring about ANY lost people.

When Jesus left us with the Great Commission, He didn't expect any one individual Christian to go to "all the world" and reach the whole world. He gave that command to the WHOLE Church. Collectively, we are to reach as many lost people in our corner of the world as we possibly can. That cannot happen by one or two individuals doing all the reaching. But it becomes a real live option if a majority of believers commit to reaching a few lost people.

No one will be more motivated to reach the lost friends or family members than you because you care for them more than anyone else. And, by virtue of your relationship to them, you have more trust and credibility with them. You are the most likely person to bring that lost person home.

Don't feel guilty or defeated because you don't feeling motivated to reach the whole world. Feel bad if you don't get excited when lost people come home and repent if you don't care enough to reach the few lost people God has placed in your life.

CELEBRATE ALL - CONCENTRATE ON A FEW!

September 15, 2013

"Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." Hebrews 9:27-28

You have an "ever after". So do I.

God created you and designed you to live forever and you will. The time you spend in your flesh and blood and bone body is limited to seven or eight decades, but your spirit will live "ever after."

That begs the question, "Ever after what?"

Good question! Let's talk about that.

In our finite world of time, we are familiar with "after". "After" is the next thing to happen when the current thing transpires. We live in the world of "now" and "after". You look at your schedule now and look at the things you have scheduled after.

But the Scripture tells us that there is a day coming when we run out of "after" and move to the world of "ever". Then what?

How you answer the question of "ever" depends on what you do in the "after". For example, what will you do "after" you read this article? How will you respond to the truth expressed in the Scripture?

Here's my take on this "ever after" question.

Your "ever" is determined by what you do "after" you know the truth about Jesus. Once you are presented with the truth that you are a sinner and because your sin separates you from God, your "ever" does not look optimistic. If you continue trying to earn your own salvation you will be lost "ever after" you die. But, if you confess your sins and repent of your sinfulness and turn to Christ "after" you hear the truth of the Gospel, your "ever" suddenly becomes happy.

Your "ever' begins the moment "after" you are born, but your happy "ever" starts "after" you are born again! When God breathes the life of His Holy Spirit into your spirit you become spiritually alive and one with God through Christ. "Ever after" that decision, your whole world changes. You gain abundant life here and eternal life "after".

How does your "ever" look? What will you do "after" you know the truth                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

September 14, 2013

As I have already mentioned, water has always played an important part in the plan and purpose of God.

Perhaps that is because it, like the Trinity, exists in three forms – gas, liquid and solid.

But, for those reasons and more, there are several very familiar stories in the Bible where God used water to save and deliver His people! I can’t think of a more appropriate way to set the stage for water baptisms than to review these stories.

THE FLOOD

"The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:5-8

WATER DELIVERED FROM GOD’S PENALTY

THE RED SEA

“I want you to bear in mind, Brothers, that all our ancestors were beneath the cloud, and all passed through the sea; That in the cloud and in the sea they all underwent baptism as followers of Moses” I Corinthians 10:1-2

The late Pat Summerall spent 50 years with the national Football League. He was drafted by the Detroit Lions in 1952 and played with the Chicago Cardinals and New York Giants until 1961. After his retirement from the game, he joined CBS as a broadcaster, and in 1993 switched to Fox. During his CBS years he and a fellow broadcaster partied hard off the field. "We raised Cain. I was the first guy at the bar and the last to leave." Summerall was told that if he kept on drinking he was going to die. 

After checking himself into the Betty Ford Clinic, his counselor urged him to seek a better life through faith. At age 66, Pat Summerall was baptized. In USA Today he told a reporter that when the minister "leaned me back in the water, I never felt so helpless." Summerall testified, "I knew I just became a Christian. I can’t tell you how great life has been since then." 

There may have been a helpless feeling when the Israelites walked through the waters seeing the past coming after them. But when they came up out of the water and the waters rushed back – they had a brand new life in a new land.

WATER DELIVERED THEM FROM THEIR PAST

CROSSING THE JORDAN

^“So when the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carrying the ark of the covenant went ahead of them. Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. The priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stopped in the middle of the Jordan and stood on dry ground, while all Israel passed by until the whole nation had completed the crossing on dry ground” Joshua 3:14-17

WATER BROUGHT THEM INTO GOD’S PROMISE

DEATH AND RESURRECTION OF JESUS

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,” Romans 6:1-8

Baptism is a visual representation of the death and burial of Jesus (going under the water) and the resurrection of Jesus (rising from the water). Through His sacrificial death and supernatural resurrection, Jesus destroyed the two most powerful weapons the enemy used against us!

WATER DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF GOD!

Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. gives an interesting insight into the Greek verbs “bapto” and “baptizo” in a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be `dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then `baptized’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptizing the vegetable, produces a permanent change. When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism.  For example: Mark 16:16. “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle!

Here’s the beauty of what we are doing this morning as we celebrate the Sacrament of Baptism. As these five candidates go into the baptismal waters this morning – as they get “ALL WASHED UP” – they are testifying to the grace of God and the fact that the Devil in all his efforts to destroy and defeat them – IS ALL WASHED UP!

THE BAPTISMAL WATERS TESTIFY:

1) WE ARE DELIVERED FROM GOD’S PENALTY! – (Or You Can Be)

2) WE ARE DELIVERED FROM OUR PAST – (Or You Can Be)

3) WE ARE DELIVERED INTO GOD’S PROMISE – (Or You Can Be)

4) WE ARE A DEMONSTRATION OF GOD’S PROMISE – (Or It Can Be)

September 13, 2013

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  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

When I answered God’s call to the ministry I simultaneously answered the call to become a leader, albeit a servant-leader, but a leader nonetheless. So, throughout my adult life I have been a serious student of leadership and have been mentored by leaders I admire.

One thing I have learned about leadership is this – there is never a leadership vacuum, someone WILL lead!

That came to mind as I sadly watched our President refuse to lead on the Syria issue and surrender leadership to the Russian President. I am not making a political statement I am offering a leadership observation that is indisputable. America’s foreign policy, at least in the Middle East, is now under the direction of a sworn enemy of everything we hold dear. That does not bode well for the U.S. nor for Israel.

Watching this unfold further stirred the passion within me to see the Church of God and people of God arise and assume their rightful place in our world. That was the thrust of my message Sunday. It is the motivation behind this article.

Praying and meditating on this development led me to the realization that the Great Commission is not just a call to evangelism and discipleship but it is a call to leadership! I believe Jesus was calling God’s people to step up and lead because there is no such thing as a leadership vacuum. The people of God will either lead their world or they will be led by the world!

Where do I get that? From the Great Commission! Look at the verbs contained in these verses, “All authority has been given….” – translation – “TAKE IT”, “GO”, “MAKE DISCIPLES”, “BAPTIZE”, “OBEY”.

Those five words are active words (verbs) – powerful words – commanding God’s people to be PRO-active not RE-active. What is a synonym for being proactive? LEADERSHIP!

I believe I could make a strong case for tracing the demise of our culture to the failure of God’s people to be pro-active with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and thus creating a leadership void to be filled by ungodly people. As a result, the Great Commission has become the Great Omission and God’s people have become reactive rather than proactive – playing defense instead of offense.

The mandate of God to His Church is to “TAKE” His authority and “GO” boldly to our lost world, to “MAKE DISCIPLES” through evangelism, and “BAPTISM” and discipleship, and for God’s people to “OBEY” Him in ALL things.

You have a call to leadership! FredWes has a call to leadership! We can no longer be reactive or inactive we must become pro-active in leading our world back to God!

Jesus’ last words on earth are a call to leadership! Let’s step into the leadership void that is the American culture and begin to change our world!

September 12, 2013

“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?  Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,” Romans 6:1-8

Water is essential to life! Where there is water there is life and where there isn't water there is death. Where there is no water there is dirt and disease. Where there is no water there is desert.

Because of its obvious importance to life on earth, it employs a prominent place in the Bible.

At the beginning of the Creation the earth was nothing but water.

Jesus was baptized in the water of the Jordan River.

Jesus called His first disciples next to the water.

Jesus’ first miracle involved water – turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana.

For several of His preaching opportunities He spoke from a boat out on the water.

When Jesus was seeking to evangelize the woman at the well He referred to Himself as the life-giving water who would flow in her spirit so she would never thirst again!

Once when His disciples were in danger in a storm on the sea, Jesus WALKED to them ON the water!

The evidence of Jesus’ death on the cross was water separating from blood.

What water is to your body, Jesus is to your spirit!

Upon thinking about it God has always used water as a means of salvation and deliverance so it adds significance to the already important ritual of baptism – one of two Sacraments observed by Wesleyans.

The word Baptism is derived from the Greek word baptismos.  The verb in Greek is baptizo. It's meaning commonly is given as "to dip or to immerse".  I have seen people arguing over the proper mode of baptism based on this meaning. The word came into existence from the smithy of Greece. The primary meaning of the word implies a sudden change, which I believe, is the correct implication of the word.  It is explained as what happens when a hot iron is dipped in cold water.  The state of the material is changed drastically and permanently cast.  Those who are familiar with the old style smithy will understand this well. When a piece of iron is to be remolded into a tool such as axe, knife etc, it is first heated to near melting point and then put on the anvil and is shaped while the iron is red hot. In that condition it is dipped in cold water where it crystallizes and is permanently cast. It will then keep the shape and temper for a long time.

Baptism is the outward symbol of a significant change that has transpired in the heart of one who has become a believer in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Baptism itself does not make the change of heart but it testifies publicly to a private and personal inner transformation. Baptism could be compared to a wedding ring. Placing a wedding ring on your finger does not cause you to be married, but it symbolizes the marriage vows you have made. Baptism denotes the permanent nature of the spiritual commitment that was made at salvation.

Greek poet and physician Nicander, who lived about 200 B.C. gives an interesting insight into the Greek verbs “bapto” and “baptizo” in a recipe for making pickles and is helpful because it uses both words. Nicander says that in order to make a pickle, the vegetable should first be `dipped’ (bapto) into boiling water and then `baptized’ (baptizo) in the vinegar solution. Both verbs concern the immersing of vegetables in a solution. But the first is temporary. The second, the act of baptizing the vegetable, produces a permanent change. When used in the New Testament, this word more often refers to our union and identification with Christ than to our water baptism.  For example: Mark 16:16. “He that believes and is baptized shall be saved.” Christ is saying that mere intellectual assent is not enough. There must be a union with him, a real change, like the vegetable to the pickle!

Throughout history God has used water to bring significant and definitive changes. All of those were leading up to the symbolic act of Christian baptism. 

Baptism matters! Not just because of the water but because of the supernatural and eternal transformation it symbolizes!

Have you been baptized?