Year: 2015

One Mind 

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Romans 15:5-6
“Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus, that you may with one mind and one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

imageThis chapter contains many prayers of which this is the first. Paul is praying that the church might be like-minded, or rather, have one mind. As we look at the church today we see it is anything but one-minded. Worship styles vary from rock bands to congregational hymns; some churches meet in traditional buildings, while others meet in schools, parks or store fronts. Doctrinally, some churches are Calvinistic, Arminian, or somewhere in between. We have pre-, post- and mid-tribulation teachings, and there are even different views on how to perform a baptism.

Individual Christians, within the same church, also have a wide variety of opinions. From week to week, one thinks the worship or sermon was excellent, while another complains about the length, delivery or content. Who is right? If Paul is exhorting us to have the same mind, which mind should we have? I suggest to you, Paul is not instructing every Christian to have my mind or yours, but to have the mind of Christ. Writing to the Philippian church Paul said,

“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, . . .” Philippians 2:5

The mind we must develop is the mind that was in Christ; a mind-set that sought above all else, to be pleasing to the Father. “For even Christ did not please Himself…” (Romans 15:3). Practically, this was worked out as He lived for the things that please God, and exalted others above Himself. As we follow the life of Christ, we read of the needs of others being placed above His own. We know of times where He was hungry and tired, but that never stopped Him from investing in the lives of those around Him. The sick, weak, hurting, and unloved, all found a place of honor when they came into contact with Christ.

When I filter my thinking toward God and others, with the way Christ lived, I will find I am developing His mind. It is seen in laying aside the sinful things in life, placing the needs of others above my own, and seeking to please God above all else. Notice this is a commission given to every believer. It is not for a select few. Every Christian must live life by thinking of God and others, the way Christ did.

Pastor Jim

 

All Inventions Are Not Created Equal

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Nehemiah 6:8
“Then I sent to him, saying, ‘No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.’”

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The enemies of Judah seem to be constantly thinking of new ways to attack Nehemiah and the work he is trying to accomplish. On this occasion, they wrote an open letter And threatened to send to the king of Persia. This letter was filled with accusations against the remnant of Israel, claiming they were planning a rebellion, and had already selected a new king. The real reason for the letter was to distract Nehemiah from what God had called him to, and get him to spend his energies trying to stomp out the rumors. Instead of reacting to these accusations, he responded with true godly wisdom.

Nehemiah 6:8 “Then I sent to him, saying, ‘No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.'”

Nehemiah silenced the enemy when he realized the source of the accusations was nothing more than the invention of their hearts.

I wonder how much of the distractions, fears, anxiety, worry, or depression we face, are the inventions of our own hearts? I am sure that we, like Nehemiah have some real life, flesh and blood enemies that are wreaking havoc and creating opposition. However, I am equally certain, that many of the difficulties we face are created, or at least magnified, by our own imaginations. Jesus understood this about us and said,

Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”

Worry is an action that focusses, not on what is. but on what might be. We find ourselves becoming so concerned with what might happen, we lose sight of the promises of God,and we create a scenario that is too big for anyone to handle. Worry rarely gives any consideration to the intervention of God, or to the fact that He may want to use the current situation to bring about change in us, or to bring glory to Himself.

Instead of filling your heart and mind with all the things that could go wrong, why not take some time to memorize a few of God’s precious promises, then instead of inventing scenarios in your mind that may never come to pass, take time to meditate on the Word of God.

Pastor Jim

 

A Terrible Thing To Waste 

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Nehemiah 5:7
“After serious thought, I rebuked the nobles and rulers, and said…”

Nehemiah serves as an example of godly leadership. He mobilized the people to finish a seemingly impossible task, and did it in record time. He was a man of the Word, as well as a man of prayer, but those things did not mean he wasn’t also a man of careful thought. This is perhaps one of the most neglected weapons in the arsenal of the Christian. It is wise for us not to forget, Jesus told us to love Him with all our minds.

Over the years I have encountered many Christians who make big, life altering decisions based entirely upon their emotions. When asked for justification for these choices, they will often claim it is “the Lord”; almost as if that was a trump card overriding all other considerations. While I am not in any way suggesting the Lord does not speak to His people, I am saying not everything God receives blame for, is actually His fault. I think many bad decisions could be avoided if we were to slow down and use our minds. Consider what His Word already declares about the subject.

If you are in the midst of the decision making process, allow me to make a few suggestions. First, take time to pray. Ask God to speak clearly to you and to direct you. Ask Him to make His plan apparent, so you might follow it. Second, keep in mind, God answers prayer through the counsel of His Word. Prayer was not designed to be exercised apart from the Word of God, but in line with it. The proper model would be to pray and search out the Scripture for direction.

It is high time we began to use our minds to love the Lord.

Pastor Jim

 

No Man Is An Island 

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Romans 14:7
“For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.”

A Christian by the name of John Donne (1572-1631), is credited for the saying, “No man is an island.” He wrote it in a devotional message speaking of how our lives effect one another. Paul is writing about the same idea, because we are part of the body of Christ, our lives effect one another. The decision I make to follow the Lord will have an impact upon those around me, and their decision will impact me. In more recent times, a song was written with the chorus, “I don’t need anyone, I am really having fun being all alone, I am an island.” The song was a parody, where the artist was addressing the modern idea that our lives are our own, and our sins do not effect anyone else. Paul goes on to write,

Romans 14:8 “For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”

What a beautiful concept and wise way to live. When we come to the realization our lives do not really belong to us, but have been purchased by the Lord, we are free to live for His glory. There is no greater freedom in life than to live for the purpose for which we were designed. Instead of thinking of freedom as the ability to do whatever we want, we should realize, true freedom is found in living for Christ and others.

Pastor Jim

 

Fellowship

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Nehemiah 4:19-20
“Then I said to the nobles, the rulers, and the rest of the people, ‘The work is great and extensive, and we are separated far from one another on the wall. Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, rally to us there. Our God will fight for us.’”

Nehemiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem were facing the challenge of rebuilding the walls of the city, while facing opposition from the enemy. Their task was difficult and dangerous. In order to secure the success of the project, and the safety of the people, Nehemiah established a means of aiding one another. Each section of the city was assigned a trumpeter. When the situation became intense, he would blow the trumpet calling others to aid those in the midst of opposition. This practice drew the people to one another, and ensured the success of their endeavor.

One of the key components of success in following Christ, is to surround yourself with others who want to walk with the Lord. The New Testament calls this, “fellowship”, and encourages each Christian to get involved with others who will help us follow Christ. Too often, we let pride, hurt feelings, selfishness, or some other petty thing, get in the way of admitting our dependence upon one another. The fact is, we are all facing trials and temptations too much for us to handle. We need to “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2).

If you are facing a difficult time, blow your trumpet and call others to your side to pray with you and encourage you with the promises of the Word.

Pastor Jim

 

Can’t Spell Team Without Me

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Nehemiah 3:1
“Then Eliashib the high priest rose up with his brethren the priests and built the Sheep Gate; they consecrated it and hung its doors. They built as far as the Tower of the Hundred, and consecrated it, then as far as the Tower of Hananel.”

In the midst of conflict, hostility and opposition, the remnant of Israel, under the leadership of Nehemiah, set out to rebuild the city walls. This was no small task because of the size of the city and the extent of the damage. All around the city the wall had been destroyed. In some places the rubble was so thick it was nearly impossible to get to. Regardless of the difficulty, this was a necessary endeavor, for the city could not grow if the walls were not secure. Nehemiah had a very limited workforce and a seemingly unlimited amount of work, yet in a few short weeks they were able to complete the walls and secure the city. We are given keen insight into the secret of their success.

This chapter is more than a list of names that are difficult to pronounce. It is the record of those who put their own lives on hold, responded to the call of God, and invested in the the work of God. While we are not given a lot of details, what is recorded speaks volumes. In the record of those who got involved in the work, I notice four things.

1. There were people from many walks of life.

2. Most of the people served close to home.

3. All of the people, though assigned different tasks, were involved in the same work.

4. We are even told which ones refused to work.

Within the list of those who served were goldsmiths, perfumers, leaders, priests, merchants and families. The people did not let their lack of training stand in the way of their service. We find a reoccurring phrase in the text, reminding us that many of the people worked on the wall right in front of their own houses. They saw the value of the project as it related to their families. They seemed to understand that the investments made in eternity have an impact upon the home. We are even told of a few “Nobles” who refused to join the work force. Without knowing for sure, it may have been that they considered themselves above the task. After all, in what world would a nobleman stand alongside a commoner and lift heavy stone or clean up trash. It may have been a refusal to humble themselves that caused them to miss out on being part of the work. Finally, I notice that some jobs may have been worse than others but all of them needed to be accomplished. We read of one group that was assigned to rebuilding the refuse gate. One translation calls it the dung gate, for it was the area where all the rubbish of the city was taken out. This smelly, dirty part of the project may have been the most important task. If the trash is not removed people will get sick and the nation will be weakened.

It is not difficult to see similarity between Nehemiah’s project and the work of the church. If we will begin to see value in making investments in the work of God, and give ourselves to he task, who knows what Christ may accomplish through us, and how quickly the work might be completed.

Take some time to pray about how you can get involved in your local church.

Pastor Jim

 

Time To Wake Up

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Romans 13:11
“And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.”

I can remember times, as a child, when I had to wake up very early for an event I was looking forward to. I would set my alarm, and a backup, then wake up over and over again through the night to check the time. I did not want to sleep in and miss out. I recall, one morning, hearing the alarm go off, getting out of bed, getting dressed and walking out to the living room, where I put on my shoes. After a few moments, I heard my mom’s voice asking me what I was doing. As I began to answer, I noticed all the lights were on and my parents were watching television. It was eleven p.m., I had only been asleep for about an hour, and had dreamt I heard the sound of my alarm clock.

Paul is writing about the most important of all events, encouraging us not to sleep in and miss out. He writes concerning Salvation, reminding us, we are nearer to the return of Christ than any other time in human history. Just as there are signs that morning is approaching, so there are signs that Christ is coming. It is foolish to ignore the warnings and continue on in our spiritual slumber. Instead, we must live life prepared to face eternity. Paul tells us three necessary things to do in order to be prepared when the trumpet sounds and Christ calls us home.

First, we are to cast off the works of darkness. After Lazarus was resurrected, Jesus commanded that his burial clothes be removed. Those clothes were fitting for a dead man, but not for the living. They would stink of death and restrict life. In the same way, there are behaviors that might have ‘fit’ us before we came to Christ, but we must be cast aside. Paul mentions partying, drinking, sexual sin, lust, envy and strife. These things should remain in our past.

Second, we are to put on Christ. Christianity is not all about what we don’t do. Instead, it is about living for Jesus and becoming like Him. As we focus on growing in Him, we find His character traits become a part of us. We become more loving, merciful, kind, giving, compassionate and selfless. Paul referred to these as the fruit of the Spirit. It is important, at times, to do a Spiritual checkup to see if those traits are developing in our lives.

Finally, we are told not to make provision for the flesh. In other words, we must be careful not to make it easy to sin. If you are on a diet, it is probably not a great idea to watch “Cup Cake Wars”, or hang out at a bakery. In the same way, we all know the temptations we face and must remove ourselves as far from them as possible. Christians who live near the fence are the ones who are constantly falling in and out of sin.

Jesus is coming back! Let’s be ready when He comes. Let’s live so that we hear Him say, “Well Done!”

Pastor Jim

 

Be Prepared 

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Nehemiah 2:8
“…And the king granted them to me according to the good hand of my God upon me.”

The walls around the city of Jerusalem lay in rubble, and the people who returned to rebuild the Temple had become discouraged by the enormous task, and the constant attack of their enemies.

If we were writing this story, I wonder who we would choose to be the hero? I wonder where we would look to find a man or woman who could lead a discouraged group of frightened people to complete a job. A job that would have both immediate, and long lasting impact for the kingdom of heaven. Since God wrote the story, we can be sure the solution will be found in what, at first glance, may seem like the most unlikely of places, but in the end will reveal His incredible wisdom and forethought. God’s solution to this problem was Nehemiah, a man who served as the cupbearer to the king.

Being the cupbearer might not have afforded Nehemiah the skills needed for construction, or the ability to ward off the constant threat of hostile neighbors, but it would give him access to the king, that many others could never achieved. This daily access to the throne room would one day pay off when the king surprised him with a personal question regarding his emotional condition. This was the open door Nehemiah had been waiting for, and he poured forth his three fold request before the throne. He asked to be sent to Jerusalem, that the king would send letters to protect his travels, and that the king pay the enormous expense of his travel and the building project.

It was not just his position that prepared him for his future ministry, but it was what he did with that position. Nehemiah knew what to ask the king because he had spent months in continual prayer for Jerusalem and its inhabitants. It was the prayer life of Nehemiah that prepared him for the call of God.

You may have a sense that God wants to use you, but you are currently in a role that seems so far removed from the work of God. Instead of feeling frustrated, take this time to be seeking the Lord for what He wants to do in and through you. As time goes on, you will find that He not only calls you to His perfect service, but uses whatever station you are in right now as part of the process.

Since God loves and wants to reach the whole world, it is necessary that His saints be stationed everywhere.

Pastor Jim

 

Dark Days 

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Nehemiah 1:4
“So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of heaven.”

Nehemiah received word concerning conditions in Jerusalem. No doubt, he hoped to hear the work of God was being accomplished, and the people were living righteous and holy lives. Instead, he heard of how the people had let the sin of discouragement keep them from serving the Lord, and the city walls remained a pile of rubble.

The news Nehemiah received is all too common. The conditions of the world and the church are often much less than we hope. Believers commonly allow things to hinder them from serving Christ, and the world is constantly being devastated by the effects of rebellion against a holy and loving God. The uncommon element to this story is not the condition of things, as much as it is the response of the man. Instead of allowing these things to discourage him, Nehemiah determined to make a difference. His reaction to the news is one that is not only telling of his character, but should stir each of us to emulate his actions, and make a difference in our world.

We read, Nehemiah sought the Lord. As the story unfolds, we find Nehemiah’s efforts to seek God include, confession for personal sin, prayer that God would accomplish His work, and diligent, targeted ministry to see the kingdom of God furthered on earth.

There is no doubt, we are living in dark days. Man’s moral compass has been compromised. It seems almost every sinful action is being espoused as a right and a freedom. Anyone who would even suggest certain behaviors are sinful, is immediately tagged as being intolerant, judgmental, and a threat to the common good. How is the Christian to respond to this? I believe it is time to take a page from Nehemiah’s book. I think we need to seek the face of God. We should confess any personal sin and get rid of it, while at the same time, praying on behalf of those who are caught up in immoral living. We should also seek every way possible to bring the light of the glory of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a confused a dying world.

Will you pray today that God would give us an open door to take the truth to the world like never before?

Pastor Jim

 

The Will Of God

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Romans 12
Over the years, I have found most of us are trying to determine God’s will for our lives. We have come to understand, His ways are better than our ways and if we desire abundant life, we want to be in the center of His will. Most of us have heard the story of Jonah, a man who refused to go where God wanted him and was consequently swallowed by a large fish. I do not want to spend any time in the belly of the beast, and would much rather go where God wants, and do what God wants. Part of His will can be difficult to decipher and is only determined by following the example of Mary, sitting at His feet. If you are trying to decide what job to take, who to marry, or if you should have another child, the best thing to do is spend time with Jesus.

As you fast, pray and read His Word, you will find He gives direction to your life. But there is another side to the will of God, one that is of even greater importance, and is much easier to determine. It is His will for how we are to live. While at times it may be hard to obey, it it is never difficult to determine. Here in Romans 12, Paul gives 25 specific details as to how the Christian ought to behave.

1. Let love be without hypocrisy.
2. Abhor what is evil.
3. Cling to what is good.
4. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love.
5. In honor giving preference to one another.
6. Don’t lag in diligence.
7. Be fervent in spirit.
8. Serve the Lord.
9. Rejoice in hope.
10. Be patient in tribulation.
11. Continue steadfastly in prayer.
12. Distribute to the needs of the saints.
13. Be given to hospitality.
14. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
15. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.
16. Be of the same mind toward one another.
17. Do not set your mind on high things.
18. Associate with the humble.
19. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
20. Repay no one evil for evil.
21. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.
22. If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.
23. Do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.
24. Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”
25. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

This list gives us plenty to focus upon as we seek to uncover what is next in the plan of God for our lives.

Pastor Jim