November 18, 2018

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:12-13

Most people can be thankful for their freedom but who can be thankful while in prison?

The Apostle Paul was in prison chained to prison guards while he wrote these words about contentment. How do you do that? Not sure I could.

Are contentment and thankfulness the same thing? Can you be thankful and not be content? Can you be content and not be thankful?

What do we need to learn from this spiritual giant?

"I can do....."

The first thing is to decide to have a willing attitude. A willing attitude is a decision to do God's will. Paul discovered that contentment develops from accepting God's will and not from trying to convince God to do it his way. "I can" really means "I will".

"all things...."

That willing attitude is only as good as your willingness to live it out. It is one thing to say you are willing to accept God's will but it is quite another to stay committed to it when the shackles are applied and the cell door slams. I think sometimes "all things" really means "all my things". When Paul said "all things" he meant "anything God wills for me". Sometimes it meant abundance and sometimes it meant abuse, but Paul was committed to God's will in God's way.

"...through Him Who gives me strength."

Here's the key, when we have the will to do it His way then He gives us the strength to do it. I don't know about you but sometimes I have expected God to MAKE me willing and Give me strength BEFORE I commit to do His will. Paul shows us that it doesn't work that way. If I front load it with willingness and if I surrender to the circumstance, He will back load it with His strength!

Paul's contentment was a result of his relationship to his Christ not to his circumstances. THAT'S IT! That is the secret.

Most of us will never be shackled and thrown into a cell, but we have our prisons. Some of those prisons are prisons of discontent. For others, their discontent is the result of their prison. Either way, there is much to be learn from Paul's testimony of contentment.

You are only a couple of commitments away from contentment. The prison door is open.

November 17, 2018

"In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” Luke 8:25

From the experience recorded in this verse I draw this significant truth - "God isn't limited by my concept of Him, but I will be!"

The disciples thought they had a good concept of Who Jesus was but they discovered they weren't even close! So, when they found themselves imperiled by the raging storm, they feared for their lives.

In their fear they badly misjudged Jesus and accused Him of being unconcerned. Fear caused their faith to be limited to what they saw rather than what they knew. What they saw was huge waves driven by fierce winds and a boat being filled with water while Jesus slept soundly in the bow of the boat. It appeared the ship would sink and they would drown.

Seriously, do you think  they really believed that Jesus was unconcerned? I can't imagine they did, but life can get confusing in a storm. When emotions get inflamed feelings will trump faith. 

I have been there and done that!

Perhaps you have, too.

They faced a choice in those perilous moments. Either they could let their danger be define by the storm, or they could choose to define it based on their Savior's power. Their concept of God was being tested. Jesus wanted to teach them to think outside of the storm.

Over the years as I have pastored and counseled and dealt with thousands of people, I have observed the importance of having a Biblical concept of God. It is crucial to maintaining spiritual, emotional, mental and physical health.

God knows you better than you know yourself. His "you concept" is better than your self concept! His "you concept" is better than your God concept. He wants you to know Him better so you can trust Him more, and love Him more, and serve Him better so when life gets bigger than you, you will remember He is bigger than life!

Sometimes, as Luke's account demonstrates, God is willing to rock your boat in order for you to experience a fresh encounter with Him through His Son, Jesus. I am not implying that God causes the storms but He knows when you need to have your boat rocked and He allows a storm to buffet you. But when that happens, remember that Jesus is in your boat and the storm is under His control!

If you are living in the midst of a storm right now, if your boat is being rocked, remember, Jesus is in your boat with you and He wants you to learn how to think outside of the storm! 

Look for Jesus in the middle of your storm and you will have a fresh encounter with Him!

  

That is unless you haven't invited Him into your boat.

Serving "En Theos"

"For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edifications.” Romans 14:17-19

“Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.” I Timothy 3:13

What do volleyball, tennis and ping pong have in common with FredWes?

A good serve is hard to beat! And the FredWes family has a chance to serve well this Sunday at our Thanksgiving Dinner!

I am never more proud of you than when I watch you serve others!

In preparation for Sunday or for any other time you serve, here are three reminders for how to serve well!

Serve with excellence!

The event will be  well planned, well organized! Do your best to make sure it is well executed. Not only will that reflect well on you but more importantly it will reflect well on God and communicate to those you serve that they are worthy of our best.

Serve with empathy!

When you serve do it humbly and be careful to them in the way you like to be served. Honor them and identify with them. 

If the person you are serving is needy or underprivileged, treat him like royalty. Be very attentive to their needs and listen carefully to what they say. For people who are used to being looked down on or overlooked altogether, this is HUGELY important.

Resist the need to make them think you are important and instead, make them feel important by the way you serve them!

Serve with enthusiasm!

Enthusiasm literally means "in God" from the Greek root words "en theos"!

God is in you when you serve His people so....ACT LIKE IT!

Enthusiasm has a positive energy about it, so serve with some energy and some excitement!

Enthusiasm emotes a sense of joy in serving. So serve joyfully!

If you are truly serving "en theos" - God in you - then you will serve others first! Don't you dare sit down to eat until you have served others with excellence, with empathy and with enthusiasm!

Pray that the seeds of kindness we will sow this Sunday at FCS will result in people feeling loved and honored and ultimately will result in conversions for the Kingdom!

May God be well served by FredWes this Sunday!

November 15, 2018

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for your selves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

In an increasingly dark and dangerous world, we are looking for a safe place – not just to hide our stuff, but a safe place for ourselves and those we love.

Jesus gives some comforting insights on Heaven in these several short verses.

Heaven is a sure place! V. 20 – “in heaven”

You might occasionally have doubts about the existence of Heaven and wonder if it is just the product of wishful thinking. How can I be sure there really is a Heaven?

Because of Jesus’ Preaching

Jesus preached and talked about Heaven. Like in these verses, for example. Nearly 120 times He referred to Heaven.

Because of Jesus’ Promise

“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

According to this promise, Jesus is there right now getting Heaven ready for you. He is preparing a place just for you!

Heaven is for SURE! It is more real than this world you live in – of sight and sound and touch – because this world will pass away but Heaven is forever!

Heaven is a secure place! – V. 20 – “where moth and rust do not destroy”

There are not disaster drills in Heaven! No armies or police, or FBI either. There is no need!

“Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.  saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. ”He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making   new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true. ”He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.  Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. ⁸But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.” Revelation 21:1-8

That sounds like a safe secure place to me!

Then John the Revelator goes on to describe the walls around this city that are 200 feet thick and 1,400 miles high.

Talk about a gated community! Those sound like some secure walls to me!

Heaven is a SURE PLACE AND IT IS A SECURE PLACE!

Heaven is a special place! – “WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS…..”

We have already seen some ways Heaven is special. But it gets more special as we add treasures up there!

Heaven is special because of the special things we already have there:

My name is written there, my God is there, my Jesus is there, my citizenship is there, my hope is there, my reward is there, my friends and loved ones are there and I keep adding more treasures!

It is true you can’t take it with you but you can send it ahead!

Heaven is a SURE place! It is a SECURE place! And it is a SPECIAL place that gets more special as we put our treasures there! I believe that! You believe that! 

"Imagine stepping onto a shore and finding it's Heaven.
Imagine taking hold of a hand and finding it's God's hand.
Imagine breathing new air and finding it's celestial.
Imagine feeling invigorated and finding its immortality.
Imagine passing from storms and tempest to an unknown calm.
Imagine waking up and finding it's home."

Jesus is preparing Heaven for you!

Heaven is for people who are prepared!

Are you preparing for Heaven?