May 6, 2013

"But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man." For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." Genesis 2:20-24

 

This week leading up to Mother's Day I want to focus on the great mothers of the Bible. It's kind of hard to do that without beginning with Eve. None of us would be here without her.

 

God made Eve from Adam and for Adam to be a "helpmate". Life is challenging and even more so when you tackle it alone. I find it a great tribute to women that even though Adam was intricately connected with God, He saw the need to create another "helper" or "soul-mate" for Adam. It almost looks as though God created woman to be a helper for man BUT ALSO as a helper for God!
 

I told my son the other day, "Next to God, a good woman is the best thing that can happen to a man." It has been true in my life. I think God would agree with that.

 

As happy and satisfied as Adam was with God it was God Himself Who recognized Adam needed something else - woman. She was handmade by Him to complete a perfect creation!

 

Eve, the first wife and the first mother was a marvelous gift from God! She was hand-picked and hand-made for Adam by God. She was God's gift to Adam and God's tool to help shape his life, grace his journey and lighten his burden.

 

Of course, we know how it ended. We know that the very same one who completed paradise eventually brought it down by her disobedience. So, she was the first and final perfect woman.

 

Still, women are one of God's great ideas! I am thankful that He created them. Not only have the played a HUGE part in the history of mankind, they have been key contributors in the development of the Christian faith and particulary in the local church.

 

Thank God for women! Thank God for the women in my life - my mother, my wonderful wife, my daughter, my daughter-in-law, my sisters, my grand daughters and the strong women in my church. I honor you. I bless you!

 

This is your week leading up to your day! May you know how much you matter!

May 5, 2013

 Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:" Psalm 37:3-5

Temptation happens at the point of your desire. That is abundantly clear in the temptation of Adam and Eve as it is in the temptation of Jesus. Adam and Eve were controlled by their desire and sinned against God. Jesus controlled His desire and remained sinless. So, it seems that you are confronted with an option, "either you control your desires or your desires will control you". Therein lies the battle of temptation. Will you be controlled by your emotions or will you exercise your will to control your emotions?

 

There are some who believe you cannot control your desires and that you are a slave to them. No thanks to Adam and Eve, it is difficult to gain control over your desires. Once they exercised their will against God it perverted their desires. That is the nature we inherit from them.

 

So, how do you get control of your desires? How do we keep your desires from controlling you? The Psalmist, who is very open about his struggles to gain control over his desires, shares some insight into how he does it.

 

"Trust in the Lord". The word for "trust" means to "lean on" or to "rely on" or to "put confidence in" God. The word picture portrayed is the idea of putting your total trust into God. It is like when you sit in a chair. You put your total weight into that chair and completely trust it. When you put the key in your car you totally trust it to start. When you lie down on your bed you totally trust it to support you. You must "trust, rely, lean on" God to help you control your desires. By the power of your will you choose to aim your emotions at God.

 

"do good". When you place your trust completely on the Lord He will guide you and strengthen you to "do good". Notice it does not say that you should desire to do good, it simply says to "do good". People who are controlled by their emotions and desires will only "do good" when they feel like it. But people who control their desires do good whether they feel like it or not!

 

Jesus probably didn't feel like dying on the cross. But he "did the good" that His Father desired of Him. Jesus probably felt like turning thos stones into bread - partly because He was very hungry and partly because he wanted to show the devil that He really could after the devil challenged His "godhood". How do you feel when someone challenges your manhood? You want to show them, don't you? Imagine being God and having some inferior being challenge your "godhood".

 

So, here it is. Another day, another battle with temptation. Temptation will be there to meet you at your point of desire and you will either control your desire or be controled by it. You can trust your own strength to take charge over your emotions or you can rely on God and trust Him to help you do good.

 

The first "good" thing you can do today is to put Him in charge of your emotions AND your will!

 

 

 

 

May 4, 2013

 "Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council.  He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” John 3:1-2

 

Many people, especially in our day, overlook the importance and effectiveness of small things done consistently over time.

 

This year I am challenging my people to each one commit to reaching one person for Christ during this year. I am asking them to accomplish this by doing things they already do within their normal daily schedule. But they will do them intentionally and focused on a particular person who needs to know Jesus.

 

The first simple thing is prayer. Praying is something done every day but prayer will now include intercessions for salvation. Here's how praying for their salvation works:

 

Pray II Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

 

According to this verse it is God's will for your unsaved friend to be saved and not perish.

 

Pray I John 5:14-15 - "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him."

 

These verses remind you that when you pray according to God's will you know that He hears that prayer and will answer.

 

Praying Scripture is always a powerful way to prayer. When you are interceding for a lost friend you want to pray as powerfully as you can.

 

If you have been praying for the salvation of a friend or family member, incorporate this way of praying and see how God works.

 

This is how our people will be committing to pray during this next year as we launch Each One Reach One!

 

Is there someone you should reach?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 3, 2013

"Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” John 3:1-2

 

Of the many amazing aspects of Jesus' earthly ministry was the fact that ministry came to Him. As He lived with authenticity and as He made Himself available people found Him approachable and ministry opportunities flowed to Him.

 

I believe it is a model we can and should adopt. If we daily demonstrate authentic faith and if we make ourselves available to people in need and if we are approachable, ministry opportunities will come to us on a regular basis.

 

That being true, as I believe it is, we had better know how to handle it when people DO come seeking ministry.

 

Let me suggest the strategy I am about to recommend to my people this Sunday. I believe it is what Jesus did and what the Holy Spirit honors.

 

1) PRAYER

 

John Wesley said, "Nothing happens but by prayer."

 

I believe it and Jesus proved it. Prayer was always the first thing Jesus did. Prayer invites God into your day and into ministry opportunities that flow your way that day Prayer activates the power of the Holy Spirit to flow through you.

 

If Jesus felt the need to begin each with prayer, how much more must we?

 

2) CARE

 

Prayer alone is not enough. Prayer must be expressed in acts of caring and compassion. Though Jesus began by praying, that was not the extent of His ministry. He lovingly brought the power of God to bear against the needs that came to Him. He functioned as God's connecting point with people who came seeking divine help.

 

Care that isn't backed by prayer has a limited impact. Prayer that doesn't lead to caring actions has little effect.

 

3) SHARE

 

The third component of effective ministry is sharing Biblical truth.

 

Sometimes sharing means telling a sinner how to repent and find the grace and forgiveness of God.

 

Sometimes sharing means reading an uplifting and encouraging portion of Scripture to one who is discouraged.

 

Sometimes sharing may involve telling a testimony of God's goodness or provision in your life.

 

This encounter Jesus had with Nicodemus is a great example of this three-fold approach to ministry. Jesus had prayed for God's guidance that day.

 

Nicodemus had seen the powerful effect of prayer in Jesus' life and ministry. And he had watched how Jesus cared for those in need. He saw people healed and delivered from evil spirits.

 

Because of the obvious power of His prayer and the passion of His caring, Nicodemus wanted to see Jesus.

 

There is a Nicodemus in your life that you can reach for Christ. Perhaps you are the only one who can reach him, or at least you are the best one to reach him. Why not learn from Jesus about how He reached Nicodemus?

 

Will you commit to His daily strategy of:

 

Prayer

Care

Share

 

Will you begin today?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2, 2013

"Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” John 3:1-2

Jesus ministered to many people during His earthly ministry. Often they came by the thousands to hear Him teach. We know two occasions where He miraculously feed thousands. But when He did soul-winning it was often one person at a time.

I am thinking of the woman at the well, I am thinking of Zachaeus, and in this case, Nicodemus.

It is not hard to imagine why people would want to seek out Jesus one-on-one. I would! Wouldn't you?

In this devotional I want to focus on three reasons why people were drawn to Jesus that you and I can learn in order to be more successful in reaching people.


First, Jesus was authentic.


Second, Jesus was available.


Third, Jesus was approachable.


Of course Jesus was authentic, He was the Son of God. He was the REAL deal.


While you can't be Jesus you should strive to be the real deal! Or, I should say, let Jesus be real in you! Live out His life and His love in the way you live your daily life.

If you come across as a phony you won't have to worry about any witnessing opportunities because no one will be interested in what you have to offer.

Make a conscious effort each day to be available to the ones you want to reach. By being available I refer to your physical availability but also your emotional availability. Do your best to be tuned into them when you are around them so they pick up on your care and concern for them. Remember, time + attention = caring!

Even a quick glance at the Gospels will reveal that Jesus intentionally made Himself available to people He wanted to reach.

If you give attention to those first two issues, this third one (being approach able) will happen. Intentionally and prayerfully determine to be someone that people want to come to when they have a spiritual need. That is what Jesus was all about and that is how He wants to shape you!

Give attention to becoming like Jesus in these three ways and you will have more opportunities to reach people for Christ!

May 1, 2013

"As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all..........Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ."  Ephesians 4:1-6; 15

Okay, let's see......I may be a little confused. Can you help me? This is considered courageous:

http://news.yahoo.com/video/nba-center-jason-collins-comes-001100360.html

  

But this is not considered courageous?

  

http://youtu.be/jcmR86Ihakk

I must be missing something here...........


Are you prepared to confront your culture?

Do you have what it takes to stand courageously for your faith?

Why not send your expressions of support to Chris Broussard and then model his courage?

“Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:7-9

April 30, 2013

"Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” John 3:1-3

 

There is a reason why I wrote about how to recognize a true seeker. Nicodemus is an example of a true seeker.

 

If you desire to lead people to Christ, you will have your greatest success if you witness to seekers. Think about it. When you go to pick apples or tomatoes which ones do you pick? You pick those that are the most ripe don't you? Seekers tend to be the most spiritually ripe because they are taking initiative to find answers on their own.

Nicodemus was a spiritually ripe seeker because he was at a moment in his life where he was intellectually and spiritually open to what Jesus had to share. Jesus saw it, recognized it and seized on the opportunity.

I am challenging my people to "Each One Reach One" during this coming year. In other words, I am asking my members and regular attenders to focus on one person that they will try to win to Christ. To accomplish this goal it will be important to identify a person who you have influence with and who is the most spiritually "ripe".

Who is that person in your life?

Who is your "Nicodemus"?

Do you know?

Do you want to know?

If you don't, that is a problem.

If there is no one in your life that you have influence over, that is a big problem.

If you have no desire to influence some one for Christ, that is a shame! That probably means you are not spiritually ripe - you may be spiritually rotten!