April 8, 2014

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made"  John 1:1-3

During the 40 days of Lent FredWes folks have been reading through the New Testament and I have been preaching about the Word on Sundays.

Topics covered have been, proof of the Word, the person of the Word, the purpose of the Word, the purity of the Word and finally, the power of the Word.

So, what is the power of the word?

That is the topic for this final message in this sermon series "WORD!"

First, the power of the Word is in the Trinity!

The Word of God is the word from - God - the Heavenly Father.

Featured in your Bible is the Way of God, His nature and His character. If you read the Word you will get to know Who God is in His core.

Also contained in your Bible is the Will of God! What is it that He wants to happen in this world and in the world to come? You will find those answers in the pages of His Word.

Along with the will of God and the way of God, the Bible reveals the Word of God. By reading and studying His Word you will learn God's instructions, interests and intentions for His people.

You cannot know God, your Father, apart from His Word.

But in addition to the Father, the Word of God has the power of the Son of God!

Jesus, is the Word and He became a flesh and blood man to demonstrate the love of God and illustrate the life of God. Through the Bible Jesus is revealed as the Son of God and the second person of the Trinity. He often identified Himself as the Son of God and is recorded in the Word as "I am the Way,the Truth and the Life, no one comes to the Father but by me."

The power of the Word is the power of the Father and the power of His obedient Son!

However, the power of the Word is also the power of the Holy Spirit! 

Who was it that inspired the written Word of God?

It was the Holy Spirit!

Who was it that Jesus promised would guide believers in the truth of God's Word? It was the Holy Spirit!

So, all three members of the Godhead are resident in and active through the power of God's Word! God's Word is triple true and threefold powerful! When you interact with the Word you are becoming involved with all three members of the Trinity!

Think about it! Those are three REALLY good reasons for studying the Word of God!

April 7, 2014

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith." Ephesians 3:16-17

This incredible prayer becomes even more impressive when you realize that the man who is praying to encourage the Ephesian Christians was imprisoned and chained to a guard. The very one who should have been seeking encouragement was sending this prayer to encourage them. As we saw yesterday, he was concerned that they would become discouraged because of his suffering. We conceded that suffering does get discouraging and prayer is supposed to be a resource for encouragement.

How is it that we discover prayer works?

By being prayed for and having that prayer answered.

Likewise, we discover God's glorious riches by declaring our poverty and we discover His strength by confessing our weakness. And we get both of those by receiving Christ.

How can you have His strength without having Him? You can't! He IS your strength! Until you have Him you are weak. No matter how strong you think you are you are weak until you receive Him.

And how do you receive Him?

By faith.

What does it mean to receive Him by faith?

It means you confess your sinfulness, your renounce your independence and rely totally upon His righteousness and grace for your spiritual well-being.

That is what the Apostle Paul did and it radically transformed his life! His radically transformed life changed the world. It has altered my world. But it only happened because I was honest about my own weakness and spiritual poverty.

It is precisely what Jesus meant when He said, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for they shall see God."

Here is the kernel of truth that you can wrap your heart and mind around - you get as much of God as you desire!

Pain and poverty are terrible things. I have been to the inner city of Chicago and Los Angeles and been overwhelmed by the unimaginable pain and poverty there. I have been to the cities and villages of Africa and seen the devastation of poverty there. When you look into the eyes of helpless, hopeless people you never get over it. But there is something about pain and poverty that clarifies the value of faith. The powerless quickly recognize their need for His power.

Paul's prayer for his beloved brothers and sisters in Ephesus was that they would realize just how spiritually weak and powerless they are so they would receive the rich and powerful measure of God's Spirit. He realized it through his suffering and prayed that they would, too.

How much of God do you desire? It depends on how much spiritual weakness and poverty you are willing to confess. How much of your impotence are you willing to exchange for His power? 

That is the only way you will receive it and receiving it is the only way you will know it.

April 6, 2014

"If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." John 14:3

How can you find peace of mind in a world filled with danger, turmoil and strife?

Jesus' answer is, "Let not your heart be troubled......"

Then Jesus told gave some reasons why you don't need to be troubled.

He cares!

He prepares!

The third reason is what I want to focus on today - He is there!

Jesus said, if I go then I will come again.

We know that He went so we must conclude that He will come to us as He promised.

Make no mistake, I believe in the personal, powerful, glorious return of Jesus at the end of the age. But I also remember His last words to His disciples were, "And lo, I am with you to the end of the age!"

We serve a God Who can be THERE in heaven preparing for us and also be THERE with us caring in our time of need!

By nature He is omnipresent. That means He is a Spirit Who can be everywhere at once! And since He is also omnipotent (all powerful) when He shows up, He comes with full power!

Isn't it great to serve a God Who can be there where He needs to be and also be there when we need Him to be!

That is our God!

Fear not!

Let not your heart be troubled!

Be anxious for nothing!

Your God cares!

Your God prepares!

And your God is there!

April 5, 2014

“I go to prepare a place for you…..” John 14:2

Knowing that I can trust God to care for me helps you find peace from fear and anxiety. With the way He cares you can choose not to let your heart be troubled.

But, good news! Here is another reason to have peace!

Not only does He care but He prepares!

He prepared a planet!

If you want to know how good God is at preparing things, think about creation! He prepared the earth and sky and seas and animals and stars and universe in just SIX days by just the power of His word!

He prepared a plan!

A second way to know you can trust God's trustworthiness is not only His creation but His Christ! Christ is the way to overcome the sin that spoiled the original creation and made possible a new creation. That new creation is a spiritual transformation made possible by Christ's death on the cross to atone for sin.

The new creation is even more beautiful and powerful than the original creation!

He is preparing a place!

One great cause for anxiety is uncertainty about what awaits after death. Jesus assures you that He is preparing for that as well!

Something in the human psyche needs the security of a place! A place to live, a place to belong, a place to work, a place to worship, et al. So Jesus promised He is preparing a place for you! He is preparing an eternal place where you can belong and be loved and find safety forever!

Here's a few things that will be great about that place He is preparing. First, HE IS THERE! And second, he has been preparing it for 2,000 years! Third, He is preparing it especially for you - your own eternal custom-built home!

When you think of how He cares and when you ponder on how He prepares - what do you have to be anxious about?

Here's how the ancient shepherd/poet/king expressed it:

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.  He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” Psalm 23

Don't let your heart be troubled - He cares!

Don't let your heart be troubled - He prepares!

April 4, 2014

“Let not your heart be troubled……” John 14:1

A four-year-old and a six-year-old presented their mom with a houseplant.

They had used their own money to buy it and she was thrilled.

The older of them said with a sad face, "There was a bouquet at the flower shop that we wanted to give you. It was real pretty but it was too expensive. It had a ribbon on it that said ‘Rest In Peace,’ and we thought it would be just perfect since you are always asking for a little peace so that you can rest.

Where can you find peace like that?

Jesus promised His disciples they come find peace if they would believe Him when He said, "I will care for you!"

How does He care?

Here's how!

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” I Corinthians 10:13

He cares when He permits your troubles - "who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able."

If you are a child of God He permits the trials that come into your life. They come by His consent and under His control. He knows the limits of your faith and won't permit anything that can push you beyond your limits!

He cares that you endure trials!

He’s present in your troubles - "God is faithful".

One of the reasons you will be able to endure your trial is not only because God knows your limits but also because He will be there with you to strengthen and support you!

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me!"

He cares that you do not struggle alone!

He prevails over your troubles - "but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."

God is on the front end of your trials, and in the midst of your trials and when it ends! He never leaves you or forsakes you!

God is undefeated! He has never lost! the one time that it appeared He had lost, three days later He won!

God cares for you in your troubles!

Let not your heart be troubled!

April 3, 2014

“Let not your heart be troubled……” John 14:1

When life gets overwhelming and anxiety gets you in its grip, what can you do?

Jesus said, "Don't be anxious! I care about you!"

One cause of anxiety is the feeling of alienation or rejection. It makes a big difference to know someone cares - especially when that someone is Jesus!

Jesus was about to suffer terribly but He was concerned about them not Himself. That shoes He cares for you

Even when He was on the cross He was concerned for His mother and His persecutors and the thief on the cross!

During His earthly ministry He was often moved with compassion by those who were ill, abused, possessed or spiritually lost.

Below are some verses reminding you how Jesus cares for you.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” I Corinthians 10:13

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22

“Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust.” Psalms 103:13-14

"But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. "So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.”  Matthew 10:30-31

Fear not!

Don't be overcome with anxiety!

Jesus cares about you!

Jesus wants to care for you!

April 2, 2014

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God]; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." John 14:1-3

There are three great promises in these well-known and well-loved verses.

These three promises are given in the context of overcoming or avoiding anxiety.

You need never be overwhelmed by life or by death if you will keep these promises in mind. 

What are the three promises?

Jesus says, "I care!" And, by implication God cares, too.

And Jesus says, "I prepare!" And, by implication God does too!

Thirdly, Jesus says, "I am there!" So is God! 

Jesus promised that if He goes away He will come again to be with us. And He will! 

That is comforting news! But there is better news! God the Father can be there (Heaven) and be there with you!

Whatever you need and wherever you are, He will be there!

Until you get to be where He is He will be there with you - always!

Don't let your heart be troubled! Instead remember you have a Father Who cares for you, Who prepares for you and He is there for you!