May 12, 2011

".......because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  Hebrews11:6

The old saying claims, "You do for love what you wouldn't do for money."

That is proven every Sunday in every church nursery when faithful volunteer workers change stinky diapers of infants who are not theirs. Yep, that's love!

When someone volunteers to sit in a nursery filled with stinky bawling babies, what are they looking for? Why do they do that? It isn't fun or pleasant. It doesn't do much for them.

Motive matters and when you are a nursery worker you are not doing it for the reward you are probably doing it for the relationships.

This verse states that "God is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him".

Are you seeking God for a reward or are you seeking Him for a relationship? Is your faith based upon what you hope to get from Him or are you seeking  to know Him?

Hebrews 11 is the Christian Heroes Hall of Fame (or Hall of Faith). What made these men and women exemplary was not just what they did, but what motivated them to do it.

Noah labored every day for over 100 years building something he had never built before to prepate for something he had never seen before! Why was he doing that? What reward was he seeking? He didn't get paid by the hour nor was he on salary. He not only had to pound the nails into the boards and seal then with pitch - he had to make the nails, he had to cut down the trees and draw the tar out of the trees. There were no Lowes or Home Depots in that day.

Noah wasn't in it for the reward. I believe he was in it for the relationship with God.

You could go through this list of great people and ask, "Were they after a reward or were they wanting a relationship?" I believe the answer would be the same, they wanted to please God through their obedience. And they did! They altered history! They changed the world! They changed lives!

In the end they discovered an amazing truth - God IS their reward! They found that what Who He is far exceeds anything we could ever receive from Him.

Are you seeking God for what you can get from Him? Are you after the reward more than you're after the relationship? God can't reward self-seeking. You run the risk of missing both the reward and the relationship - which, in fact, IS the reward!

May 11, 2011

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."   Hebrews 11:6

If you want to please God you must be willing to come to Him. In fact, you must be excited about entering into  relationship with Him and sharing life with Him.

So, then how do you come to God?

Through Christ

"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6

Apart from Christ, there is no way to come to God. He is a Holy and Righteous God and we are totally depraved and degraded sinners. Sin can have no fellowship with God and God is unable to abide with sinners.

Christ came as the God - man with the holiness of God in the flesh of mankind. His holiness qualified Him to be a perfect atoning sacrifice for our sins. His humanity allowed Him to dwell on earth and to eventually die on earth for our sins. Only the Second Adam could undo the damage from the the first Adam. And, Praise God, He did!

When we were unable to come to God, He came to us through the person of Jesus Christ. You might even say that He had to have some faith in us to send His Son to rescue us!

Through Cleanliness

"Who may ascend the mountain of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? The one who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not trust in an idol or swear by a false god." Psalm 24:3-5

No unclean thing or unclean person can come into the presence of a Holy God. So, if you plan to enter into God's presence - if you want to come to him - you must be cleansed from your sin.

How does that happen?

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all  sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. "  I John 1:7-9

Coming to God requires a cleansing by God. That cleansing comes from the shed blood of Christ. That cleansing is a moral and spiritual cleansing that brings us into fellowship through Christ. The same Christ Who is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" is the way to cleansing. Cleansing is the way to come after God.

There is an old hymn that expresses it this way:

Oh, now I see the cleansing wave!

The fountain deep and wide;

Jesus, my Lord, mighty to save,

Points to His wounded side.

Refrain:

The cleansing stream I see, I see!

I plunge, and, oh, it cleanseth me!

Oh, praise the Lord, it cleanseth me!

It cleanseth me, yes, cleanseth me.

I see the new creation rise,

I hear the speaking blood;

It speaks, polluted nature dies,

Sinks ’neath the cleansing flood.

I rise to walk in Heav’n’s own light,

Above the world and sin,

With heart made pure and garments white,

And Christ enthroned within.

Amazing grace! ’tis Heav’n below

To feel the blood applied,

And Jesus, only Jesus know,

My Christ crucified.

Will you come after God?

Will you surrender to Christ?

Will you be made clean?





May 10, 2011

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  Hebrews 11:6

This is a great verse, isn't it? Most consider it the key verse of the great 11th Chapter of Hebrews. In one concise sentence it captures the essense of faith that pleases God. For that reason it is worthy of our consideration.

So, what IS this faith pleases God?

Faith is coming to God - "because anyone who comes to him"

Everyone is drawn to something - or someone. What you are drawn to reveals alot about you and, it will have a profound impact on you.

If you are drawn to money you may be greedy or ambitious.

If you are drawn to cars, boats, or houses you may be materialistic.

If you are drawn to God it is evidence that you have a measure of faith active within you.

Faith pleases God when it draws you toward Him!

Faith is believing God exists - "must believe that he exists"

Why would you come to someone Who does not exist? Why would you be drawn to an non-existant person?

Faith is seeing the invisible and touching the intangible. Faith is knowing that which cannot be completely known.

Faith is overcoming the natural tendency to disbelieve what we cannot tangibly verify or prove. So, believing God exists shows that we have moved beyond the natural to the spiritual. Faith comes from hearing the truth about God's nature and existance from the Word of God and believing what it says. That pleases God!

Faith seeks God earnestly - "that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

One evidence that God is real is that the more you seek Him the more you want to seek Him. That is because He rewards your earnest seeking with His presence and His goodness and His comfort and His joy and His love!

Earnest seeking means that you pursue Him not for what He can give you nor what you can get from Him. You seek Him earnestly to get more of Him! You let nothing stop you from your spiritual pursuit of God.

Who are you trying to please?

If you want to please God it will take faith.

May 9, 2011

"Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Thanksgiving I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also."  II Timothy 1:1-5

My apologies for getting off schedule in my posting on this blog. After several extremely long and busy days I was reaching the point of physical exhaustion. I just wasn't able to string together any cogent thoughts. Thanks for your understanding.

But after a night's sleep I am back!

Yesterday as I was challenging our mothers - and we have some incredible moms - the thought came to me that Lois and Eunice were able to do something that few generations of believers have been able to do. What was that? They raised up a generation of beleive that was more zealous than theirs!

Isn't that what we should be doing? Shouldn't that be our goal?

Obviously, each generation of believers should aspire to raise up a more zealous and devoted group of new believers. But it rarely happens.

At FredWes we are going to strive to do that. We dream of passing the torch to a new generation who will turn up the flame!

How will that happen? What does it take?

First, It will take a healthy church.

A healthy church is one that is committed to having these important pieces in place:

1) God's presence in our worship

2) God's power in our people

3) God's purity in our standards

4) God's purpose in our decisions

5) God's priorities in our ministries

Second, It will take holy people

Holiness is the will of God for every believer. Holiness refers to a believer who is filled with the Holy Spirit and is walking in the Spirit. A holy persons has surrendered his will to the will of God and has allowed the Holy Spirit to cleanse the sinful nature and therefore, completely fill his heart mind and spirit. A holy person is motivated purely by love for God and love for others.

Have you been made holy? If not, why?

Third, It will take hard-working people.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."  Galatians 6:9

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."  Hebrews 12:2-3

Doing the things that create a healthy church and holy living are hard work! They are hard work because they go against human nature. They require a total commitment to God and a daily discipline, humility and obedience. You commit to doing those godly things today and then going after it again the next day. And it requires the even more difficult task of demanding those same things of the next generation.

A daily discipline of prayer, Scripture reading, serving, preferring others, and living out the love of God is demanding. Living in a continual state on holy dissatisfaction can wear you down. But, if you allow Christ to dwell in you through the Person of the Holy Spirit, He will enable to do and to become all that He has called you to do - all the things that develop healthy churches and holy people.

Lois and Eunice prove it can be done. It IS doable. It isn't easy. It is uncommon. But the tragic state of our culture shows that it must be done. We know that God wants it to be done. So, what is keeping your from doing it? Will you commit to do your part in raising up a greater generation for God?

May 8, 2011

The third priority demonstrated by Mothers On A Mission is:

PRIORITY #3: Be For SERVICE

”All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” II Timothy 3:16-17

When you raise your children to know the Savior. And when you bring up your children grounded in the Scriptures. It is just a natural expression of that training to Serve the Lord by serving others.

Mothers With A Mission Teach Their Children:

BEING SAVED IS NOT JUST ABOUT YOU!

BEING STEEPED IN SCRIPTURE IS NOT JUST ABOUT YOU!

THEY ARE SAVED TO SERVE! THEY LEARN SCRIPTURE TO SERVE!

If you don’t train your children to serve they will never experience the joy of being used by God!

If you don’t train your children to serve they will never know the thrill of being a world-changer.

Lois and Eunice trained Timothy to serve. He served the Apostle Paul well and traveled with him as he visited the churches and established new ones. Later Timothy served the Church as a pastor.

Timothy served a world-changer when he served Paul. And later he became a world-changer.

MOTHERS ON A MISSION MAKE SURE THEIR CHILDREN KNOW THE SAVIOR. THEY MAKE SURE THEIR CHILDREN KNOW THE SCRIPTURES. THEY MAKE SURE THEIR CHILDREN KNOW HOW TO SERVE

You know you are a mother on a mission when you commit to teaching your children about the Savior looking for the chance to lead them to salvation.

You know you are a mother on a mission when you actively engage in teaching your children to know and love and live the Scriptures.

You know you are a mother on a mission when you raise your children to serve the Lord by serving others.

Our world today needs Mothers on a mission!

Will you make motherhood your mission?

Will you mold your children with the proper priorities?

Will you be a modern day Eunice? So you can raise modern day world-changers like Timothy?

Grandmothers will you be a modern day Lois? So you can raise some champions for Christ?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

May 7 , 2011

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,"         II Timothy 3:16

A mother on a mission leads her children to the Savior for salvation.

Also, a mother on a mission raises her children be for the Scriptures.

What does it mean to be FOR the Scriptures?

It means that you, Mother, must display are love for and a reverence of the Word of God. Your children must know that the Bible is God's revealed truth and expressed will for their lives. They should understand that though it was written by godly men it was inspired by the Holy Spirit of God and therefore, it is totally true and without error. Though it was written over 1,600 years by 40 different people, there is one central theme - God loves man and sent His Son to redeem them. Just a food is nourishment for the body, God's Word is food for the soul. The Bible is the ultimate authority for their life. And the Bible is the best and most practical source of wisdom mankind has ever had.

The best formula I know for teaching children is to:


a. Bring them to church on Sunday for preaching and teaching.

b. Be a student of the Word and read Bible stories to your children.

c. Illustrate Bible truth by how you live

There is a story about four preachers discussing the merits of the various translations of the Bible. One liked the King James Version best because of its simple, beautiful English. Another liked the American Revised Version best because it was closer to the original Hebrew and Greek. Still another liked a contemporary version because of its up to date vocabulary. The fourth minister was silent for moment, then said, “I like my, mother’s translation best.” Surprised, the other three men said they didn’t know his mother had translated the Bible. “Yes,” he replied. “She translated it into life, and it was the most convincing translation I ever saw.”

I am thankful to say that the same is true of my Mother.


How about you, “Mom?”


Mom, are you reading the Word so you can be leading in the Word?

May 6, 2011

”and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.”   II Timothy 3:15

I recently saw an old episode of Superman from back in the '60's. You know, the George Reeves, black and white version of the Man of Steel. Wow! It sure looked different now than it did when I was a young kid! TV and special effects have come a l-o-o-o-o-n-g way since then! I'm glad.

Superman was a man on a mission to protect "truth, justice, and the American way!" That works for me!

My favorite scene from all the great episodes that captivated me as a mere mortal, was the one where Superman takes a lump of coal in his bare hand and squeezes it between his super human palms until it becomes a large and perfect diamond! Nice!

Watch me make a connection between a super hero and motherhood. Actually, there are probably several comparisons, but the one I want to feature is the fact that both are on a mission - a mission to shape coal into diamonds.

In this portion of Scripture, Paul is writing to a young preacher named Timothy. This young man was a diamond in the rough who became polished by serving with Paul and being discipled by him. But, he got to be a diamond because of the influence of a mother on a mission, a woman named Eunice. Eunice had been shaped by another mother on a mission, her mother and Timothy's grandmother, Lois.

To shape a lump of coal into a diamond takes some pressure. In this case, it is the pressure of priorities. Over the several days I am going to focus on three priorities that mothers on a mission use to shape their children from lumps of coal into valuable gems.

The first one mentioned here is salvation. Mothers on a mission make the salvation of their children the number one priority! It is job one!

How do mothers on a mission do that?

They do that by introducing them to the original Super Hero - Jesus Christ. If you want to lead your child to salvation introduce him to the Savior! There is no greater Super Hero than Him! Who else could defeat sin and death? Who else has power over sin? Who else has power to give eternal life? Who else IS eternal life? Who else was born of a virgin conceived by the Holy Spirit so that He came into the world without sin? Who else took on the villain, Satan, face to face and resisted temptation? Who else raised people from the dead and healed cripples, lepers, and restored sight to the blind? Who else calmed a storm, walked on water and fed thousands with a simple lunch?

Mothers on a mission make sure their children get to know Him. Mothers on a mission make sure their child will knows Who Jesus is. Mothers on a mission make sure their child knows what Jesus did. Mothers on a mission make sure their child knows what Jesus can do. And, mothers on a mission do everything in their power to make sure their child knows Jesus as his Savior!

I am the product of a mother on a mission. She is still on the mission. She is still doing everything in her power to make sure this lump of coal get shaped into a diamond - ever a rough one.

Bless you, Mom, for having great priorities. Thanks for staying on mission and keeping the pressure on. Thanks for making sure I got to know Jesus as my Super Hero! You're my other hero!