Home » Archives » July 2009
Lord I lift your name on high
July 30, 2009
How great is our God - Chris Tomlin
July 29, 2009
VERSE(1):
The splendor of a King,
Clothed in majesty
Let all the earth rejoice,
All the earth rejoice
He wraps himself in light,
And darkness tries to hide
And trembles at his voice,
And trembles at his voice
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
VERSE(2):
Age to age he stands
And time is in His Hands
Beginning and the End,
Beginning and the End
The Godhead, Three in one
Father, Spirit, Son
The Lion and the Lamb,
The Lion and the Lamb
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
CHORUS(2)
Name above all names
You are Worthy of all praise
and My heart will sing how great
Is our God
(x2)
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
CHORUS(1):
How great is our God,
Sing with me
How great is our God,
and all will see
How great, How great
Is our God
who am i - casting crowns
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lemon grass
Health Benefits of Lemon Grass
Citronella is known for its calming effect that relieves insomnia or stress. It is also considered as a mild insect repellant. But more than scent, tanglad or lemon grass provides a lot of health benefits. Studies have shown that the lemon grass has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Mixed with pepper, it’s a home therapy for menstrual troubles and nausea. Drank as tea, it is an effective diuretic. When it comes to pets, citronella is used to neutralize excessive barking of dogs. Since dogs hate citronella, it is sprayed to dogs to prevent them from barking or just to lessen the behavior.
The Lemon grass is a good cleanser that helps to detoxify the Liver, pancreas, kidney, bladder and the digestive tract. It cuts down uric acid, cholesterol, excess fats and other toxins in the body while stimulating digestion, blood circulation, and lactation; it also alleviates indigestion and gastroenteritis. It is said that lemongrass also helps improve the skin by reducing acne and pimples and acts as a muscle and tissue toner. Also, it can reduce blood pressure. Just make a concoction by boiling some lemon grass leaves, let it cool for a while and drink the liquid.
Health benefits of lemon grass
he has planted eternity in the human heart
Four Things We Should Know He has planted eternity in the human heart… There are four things we should know about every person on this earth. No matter how successful they are, how unsuccessful they are, how famous they are, how beautiful and handsome they are, or how unattractive and plain they may be, everyone shares these four traits. One, there is an essential emptiness in every person who hasn’t yet come to Christ. Everyone is essentially empty. No matter how much money or prestige someone has, everyone has to deal with that emptiness. Scripture says that God made His creation subject to vanity or emptiness, meaning there is a void–a hole, if you will–inside every man, woman, and child. Two, people are lonely. We can assume there is a sense of loneliness in every individual. Albert Einstein once wrote, “It is strange to be known so universally and yet be so lonely.” People are lonely. We need to know that. Three, people have a sense of guilt. They may try to mask it with alcohol or have a psychologist or psychiatrist tell them it is not there. But they have to deal with their guilt over the things they have done wrong. The head of a mental institution in London once said, “I could release half of my patients if I could find a way to relieve them of their sense of guilt.” Four, people are afraid to die. Some may strut around and say, “Not me. I’m not afraid to die.” But they are. So don’t be so intimidated by the facades that people hide behind and assume they don’t want to hear what you have to say about your faith in Christ. Remember, you used to be one of those people. I used to be one of those people. And we responded to the gospel. So will they. 
–Ecclesiastes 3:11
700 CLUB- OVERCOMING DEPRESSION
July 27, 2009CBN TEACHING SHEETS
Overcoming Depression
By CBN.com
CBN.com – Almost everyone at one time or another experiences a period of sadness. Most people get over it with a little time. But for some people, the sadness continues.
If you are caught in a prolonged period of sadness, you may recognize one or more of the signs that often accompany depression: a growing distrust of God, resentment of others, difficulty making decisions, guilt, inactivity, sleeplessness or oversleeping, not eating or overeating, doubting, complaining, worrying, and hopelessness, as though you’re in an inescapable pit.
Thankfully, as desperate as everything may look, there are real reasons for hope. God loves you. And He wants to fill you with joy, peace, fulfillment and so much more.
First Step to Help
The Bible says that Jesus came that we “might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10, NAS). Certainly, depression is not abundant life. But you can be assured, God wants you to find His peace and joy. He will help you because you are very, very important to Him.
Are you in a position to receive God’s gift of “abundant life”? If you are not certain, ask God right now to forgive you for your sins and to come and rule in your life (Romans 10:9, 10,13; I John 1:8,9; John 1:12,13). The Bible describes what happens the moment you first give your life to God as being “born again.” Spiritually you are a new person. But you now need to learn a new way of living. God will help you. Ask Him to fill you completely with His Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13). God’s Spirit will give you the power to live like God wants you to live. The Holy Spirit guides, comforts, teaches, empowers and produces within a Christian the actual characteristics of God — love, joy, peace, patience and more (Galatians 5:22-23). And it is when you are living the way God wants that you will experience the full and joyful life God has for you.
When you are born again, God takes up residence in your spirit. He brings with Him the promise of great joy and peace, sometimes immediately. But what if you are now a Christian and you are depressed? You are not alone. Many people of faith have experienced periods of deep depression. The Bible stories of Moses, David and so many others show us how God’s love continues even during these times and that He eventually brings great hope.
What You Can Do
What can you do to overcome depression? It depends on why you are depressed. There are many possible reasons, but since more than one may be present in your life, read all the sections below:
Physical: Some depression is caused by physical problems. Improper diet, lack of exercise, and not enough sleep can all contribute to depression. So if you are feeling “down,” make sure you are taking care of your body.
In addition, many illnesses can cause depression (others may be caused by depression). Also, some medications can cause depression. It’s always a good idea to see your doctor for a checkup t rule out physical reasons. But remember, God can heal any physical problem, including one that causes, or is caused by, depression (Psalm 103:3; Matthew 8:16-17).
If your doctor has diagnosed a particular problem, ask your prayer partner, pastor, Christian counselor or other Christian to pray with you for God’s healing (James 5:14-16). But if you are taking medication for any problem, consult your doctor before changing or stopping it.
Losses and Other Hurts: When something you see as bad happens to you, it’s normal to feel hurt. You may have lost your job or other financial security. You may have been wronged in some way, recently or in the past. You may have a bad relationship with a friend, family member, or spouse. A loved one may have died. Or you may even be hurting about something you’ve never had, but feel you should have, such as a spouse or children. It is okay for you to hurt over a situation like this. Tell God about your hurt. He already knows, but it is important for you to put the hurt into words and tell Him. Also tell a trusted friend or pastor, or consult a Christian counselor. Allow yourself to cry if you want to. Normal grieving, including crying, is healthy.
The Bible says that Jesus “bore our griefs” on the cross (Isaiah 53:4 NAS). He feels our pain as strongly as we do and will carry it for us. Give your hurt to Him. Then resolve not to dwell on it again.
Sin: Sometimes depression is rooted in sin. You will never be at peace if you ignore something in your life that you know is against God’s will (I Timothy 1:19). If you know you are doing or have done something against God’s will, admit to God that it is wrong. Then ask His help in doing what is right. If you admit your sin and turn from it, God has promised to forgive you completely, and cleanse you from the sin (I John 1:9). Trust Him to do it.
If it is an ongoing sin and it seems too big for you to deal with, just deal with it today, this moment. Tell God that with His help you will do the right thing right now. In addition, you may need to take some action to make up for your sin with those you have wronged. You may need a pastor or Christian counselor to help you decide what to do.
Don’t forget to obey God in the small things. Very often, it is because we have chosen to ignore Him in the small things that we slowly slip into deeper problems. You can reverse this slide. If you obey God in the small things, it will help put you back on track in the larger things. You may need to obey Him in something so simple as getting up early enough to get to work on time without rushing.
Wrong Thinking: What do you think about right before you feel depressed? Do you think such things as “I’m no good,” or “I can’t do anything right,” or “This situation will never change”? It’s vitally important for you to find out what God says is the truth about you and your life. Read the Bible closely to find out what is the real truth (Ephesians 1:18-19). Once you find out the wonderful things God says about you, stop repeating negative things to yourself. Instead, memorize and repeat to yourself the truths you find in the Bible that contradict the negative thoughts.
Fill your thoughts with such truths as : “For I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power” (Philippians 4:13); “It is he who will supply all (my) needs from his riches in glory, because of what Christ Jesus has done for (me)” (Philippians 4:19); “For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want (me) to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them” (II Timothy 1:7). “Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us” (Romans 8:37); “He personally carried the load our sins in his own body when he died on the cross, so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on. For his wounds have healed ours!” (I Peter 2:24).
In Conclusion: Admit to God you need His help in order to live rightly with peace and joy. Repent of any known sin. Accept God’s forgiveness and cleansing (I John 1:9).
Rebuild your spiritual life through Bible reading, prayer and fellowship with other Christians. Attend a local Bible-believing church faithfully. Being an active member in a church is a good way to begin to grow spiritually and learn an overcoming faith.
If your depression continues, seek help from your pastor or other qualified Christian counselor. There ARE answers for you. However, finding and solving the root causes of depression do not always happen quickly.
And finally, don’t be surprised if once you are on the other side of depression, you thank God for this time of hardship and the good that has come out of it.
As You Pray
Ask God to reveal specific thoughts and actions He wants you to change. Agree with Him when He points out sin and ask Him to help you change. Forgive others who have wronged you. Thank God for His love and ask Him for healing and a renewed joy in life.
For Further Study
God’s love for us — Psalm 42:4-11
The right way to think — Philippians 4:4-13
God is touched by our feelings — Hebrews 4:14-16
Repentance assures God’s presence — James 4:8
God gives peace — Isaiah 26:3; John 14:27
Reading
Prison to Praise by Merlin Carothers
How to Win over Depression by Tim LaHaye
Other helpful resources:
Find a local church in your area.
10 Tips for Managing Your Depression
Dispelling the Myths about Suicide
More teaching sheets from CBN.com
More from the Spiritual Life Channel
All Scripture is taken from The Living Bible, unless otherwise noted.
tRUTHS
Fill your thoughts with such truths as :
“For I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power” (Philippians 4:13);
“It is he who will supply all (my) needs from his riches in glory, because of what Christ Jesus has done for (me)” (Philippians 4:19);
“For the Holy Spirit, God’s gift, does not want (me) to be afraid of people, but to be wise and strong, and to love them and enjoy being with them” (II Timothy 1:7).
“Overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us enough to die for us” (Romans 8:37);
“He personally carried the load our sins in his own body when he died on the cross, so that we can be finished with sin and live a good life from now on. For his wounds have healed ours!” (I Peter 2:24).
approval seeking and low self esteem
July 21, 2009
suicide.org
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Suicide.org Suicide Survivors Forum - Click for Info!
i am angry at God
July 19, 2009I am Angry at God!
Hello,
I don’t know your name, other wise I would have written it, I would have looked for it but by the time I found It I probably would have dismissed the idea of e-mailing you. I was looking on the net for reasons for why God brings pain. Recently I have experienced a death in my life. Five days ago actually. This may sound stupid, but it is for some reason, a major lesson in my life. Back in april I got a little basset hound pup, that pup became my life, my only friend. He got sick june the fifth and died june the twelth. Night and day I prayed and prayed believing and knowing that Christ couldhave saved him, but he didn’t. A lesson I will never forget. I tried to make the death a sweet smell to the Lord, but as the hours pass I grow more and more angry. I feel horrible saying this, but I am angry, at God. I realize that I have nothing, nothing I can say or do will ever change his mind. I used to believe we were free but now I’m not so sure. In a sense, we’re prisioners. If you believe, you are saved; if you don’t, to hell with you. What kind of choice do I have? Believe me, it hurts me to say what I am saying, but this is how I feel, I have no one to tell this to. Perhaps you can be an instrument today.
My response is in Green:
Thank you for writing me. I am sorry to hear about your puppy’s death. I won’t try to tell you that I understand why God did not answer your prayer, but I will tell you some of the things that I believe about both God and how He handles our prayer. Maybe that will help and maybe not.
I believe that God does love us and wants to do good things for us. However, I believe His view of what is good for us is often different than ours. We look at this life as everything. We can’t see past what happens to us here and now, but God knows and truly understands that this life is no more than a whiff of smoke, less than the size of one atom in relationship to the universe compared to all eternity. He wants us to know Him and to trust Him and to be ready to live with Him for eternity. I have no idea why He does the things He does, however, I believe He often does things or does not do things so that we will grow spiritually. If He jumped every time we asked for something, when would we ever start accepting His will and His plan for us?
Why would God allow His people to suffer persecution? Again I can’t tell you, but I know He does. Look at the early believers, most of the disciples were martyred. Many of the Christians around the world are being persecuted and many of them are giving their lives for their faith. You know what? The church (meaning the Body of Christ) is stronger in those countries than it is in our country where we have the freedom to openly believe whatever we please. We can worship any time we want, most of us have two or more Bibles in our homes, yet we are soft and our faith is weak. I have to believe there is a relationship there. The people who are suffering under persecution are trusting God everyday. The people around them watching are seeing their faith and the peace in their lives and are coming to Christ in great numbers, just like the early church. Yet in America where we have the freedom, people don’t want to be like us because as they say we are; “hypocrites, have more problems than the world at large (did you realize that the divorce rate is higher in the church than in the general population?), we act like we are suffering when people call us names, etc… we (as a group) often walk around as if the weight of the world was on our backs, we fight among ourselves, we don’t help each other,” and the list goes on and on. Where is our joy? Where is the comforting thought that soon this life will be over and we will live for eternity with the King of the Universe? We lose sight of out goal so easily.
You said that as the hours go by you grow more and more angry. Why? Do you think God did this just to hurt you? Do you realize that before the fall in the garden of Eden there was no death? That is how God created this world, with no death and no pain, but mankind messed that up and allow sin in and now we all suffer the results. God does not take pleasure in your suffering, yet as I said above I believe there are times when He allows it so that we will grow and so we will get deeper roots.
You say that now you don’t believe you even have a choice. Why do you say that? If you mean that choosing eternity in hell is not what you would ever do, then I agree with you, but it is a choice. Why do you think now that you are not free? What has changed? I hope this does not hurt you but the only thing that has changed is that God did not do what you asked Him to do. He does not want to be a genie in the sky that we only go to when we want something, He wants us to trust Him in the good times and in the bad times. He wants us to know that He loves us even when He knows that what is best for us is not what we want. Again I have no idea why He did not saved your puppy, but the final point is this; do you trust God or don’t you? If your answer is ‘I did until this happened’ then your real answer is ‘no I never did I just didn’t realize it until now.’ Yes I am blunt and I am direct, but I am also as honest as I can be. If you lost your faith and your trust for God because of this, then maybe just maybe God already knew you only trusted Him until something bad happened and He was trying to show you that so that you could grow and start really trusting Him.
(Hebrews 12:5-11 NIV) And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: “My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, {6} because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.” {7} Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? {8} If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. {9} Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! {10} Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. {11} No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
I am not saying that God has told me this is how He is working in your life. I just know that He cares about us and because of that love He sometimes brings us through pain so that we will be more like Him. The Bible is full of such stories and people usually react one of two ways. They either get closer to God or then leave Him behind and look for solace somewhere else.
Try telling God (respectfully) that you don’t understand and that you are angry, then ask Him to help you understand and to trust Him. Ask Him to mold your heart into what He wants it to be, and then let go and allow Him to work in you. I won’t be easy but it will be worth it.
I hope I have not in any way hurt you, I sure did not mean to. Feel free to write me anytime you want to.
In Christ,
Ralph
faith beyond doubt
Faith Beyond Doubt
(John 20:19-31)
Today’s gospel reading is one of my favorites because it’s one I can relate to on a personal level, and I think it’s one that most Christians can identify with at some point along their Christian walk.
Back when I was 14, I had completed my two years of confirmation classes. During the last class my pastor told each of the confirmands that if we had any questions before confirmation Sunday, or any reservations about professing our faith, we needed to make and appointment to see him.
We were there for about an hour and I don’t remember all that was said by our pastor in response to our questions except that we needed to have faith. When we were finished he asked us both to let him know if we wanted to go through the confirmation service, and he assured us it was ok if we weren’t ready.
Well after thinking about it I decided to go forward with confirmation and my friend did not. I’m not sure I had an ah-ha moment or mountain-top experience, I think I went forward with confirmation because I didn’t want to disappoint anyone.
However, I did over time move beyond my doubt and uncertainty; to have complete faith in the Bible and in all I had been taught. This was possible because I didn’t give up on wanting to understand better the Christian faith.
I’m not sure what happened to Allen.
The Gospel of John presents us with three post-resurrection stories that range from Easter morning’s appearance to Mary Magdalene in the garden, to the two appearances in today’s scripture reading.
Jesus appears to his frightened disciples, all of them but Thomas at the first encounter, and then commissions them by giving them the Holy Spirit. Then Thomas shows up sometime later, and there is a dialog between Jesus and Thomas about faith and doubt.
Jesus invites Thomas to touch his wounds. And Thomas is moved to a confession of faith and says, “My Lord and my God!” Thomas met the risen Christ and that encounter has given him what he needed to believe.
In verse 29, the final verse of the episode, does Jesus rebuke Thomas for his disbelief? This is the conventional “doubting Thomas” interpretation. But this interpretation really is inadequate.
Thomas has come to belief in his own way. And his way is by sight and touch, and is not necessarily condemned by Jesus. Some come to belief through hearing, some through seeing, and some through different types of experiences.
All of us, in a sense, come to Jesus through hearing rather than through seeing. All of us believe on the basis of reports of the apostles writings, like the Gospel of John. And yet some of us, perhaps many of us, also believe on the basis of encounter, sight, and touch.
The issue with Thomas isn’t that he has less faith than the other disciples, you see they saw Jesus first and believed, who knows how many others may have reacted the way Thomas did if they weren’t present when Jesus first appeared to them.
It’s not that Thomas is a lesser person for needing to see and touch. 
Well there’s a story of a woman who had a daughter who was active in the church youth group. She, perhaps out of gratitude for what the church was doing for her daughter, asked if she could help with the church’s financial records. She was an accountant by profession.
She spent hours working for the church. But she never attended Sunday morning worship. The pastor asked her about this and she stated, “I’m just not very good at that sort of thing. I can’t see the point of it. Other people seem to enjoy the music, the sermon, and all the rest, but I confess that I just don’t get it. I’m not good at religion.”
There are also people who avoid church because they’re angry at some social stand that a given denomination or independent church has taken. Or they don’t like some of the people attending worship, or they don’t like being asked to serve in some way.
But when I speak of people who geniunely struggle with belief, I’m not talking about these folks. I’m speaking about the folks that seem to struggle to believe, those people for whatever reason spiritual matters don’t come naturally. It’s a struggle for them to believe. They may want to but just can’t get over the faith hurdle.
They hear the stirring testimonies of others whose lives have been touched in some dramatic way by God, but they listen as outsiders, as those who don’t have the foggiest idea of what people are talking about.
Just last Sunday we heard read the story of Jesus being raised from the dead. But how many people when hearing this story, rather than hearing the story and responding, “Wow thank you God,” are more inclined to say, “Are you kidding? We’re supposed to believe this?”
Now I know some of us here have perhaps never doubted the veracity of the account of the empty tomb. And if you are one of these folks than it’s easy for you to stand and shout, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” And that’s great.
But what about those folks 
Last Sunday’s gospel was about the women who went to the tomb, found it was empty, were told by an angel that Jesus had risen and raced back to Jerusalem to tell the joyous news. They heard and they believed. And if that’s how it is for you, fine.
They believed based on a second hand report. They believed what they heard.
But today’s story is for the rest of the folks who still have doubts. The disciples told Thomas that Jesus had been raised. They told Thomas that the risen Christ had appeared before the gathered disciples. But Thomas wasn’t there, so he struggled with what they told him.
Now we don’t know where Thomas was, all we know is he wasn’t with the other disciples when Jesus appeared to them. And because he didn’t see the risen Christ for himself, because he had only heard but had not seen him, he didn’t believe. And that’s what he said to them, “Unless, I can see and touch for myself, I won’t believe.”
And Jesus said to him, “Touch. Thrust you hands into my scars.” Now Jesus wasn’t rebuking Thomas for his doubt or lack of faith. Rather, he was giving Thomas the proof that he needed.
Jesus didn’t say to Thomas, “Now close your 
I don’t know about you, but I’m grateful for tangible proof. There are those who hear the historical reports of the gospels and despite the 2000 year space between our time and their time, they hear and believe.
There are people who need something else. The stories of the gospels are fine, but they need more than words. They need to touch, see, or smell.
For these people, the good news is that, Jesus gives them what they and the rest of us need. Touch, see and believe, Jesus says. For you I have provided the church.
There are those who say, “Christianity is a wonderful spiritual ideal.” But who really gets worked up over a spiritual ideal?
We need the church, a place, a congregation, a building, a tent, somewhere to go and know that God will tangibly and visibly be there. Sure we believe that God can be found anywhere at anyplace, but often times we need someplace special to go, a place where we can experience the real presence of Christ.
If you want to learn to be a martial artist you have to go to classes and practice, not just watch Steven Segal movies. If you want to make pottery you have to get your hands dirty with clay, not just look at finished pottery in the store.
Well if you want to develop a faith that goes beyond doubt 
Thank goodness Jesus is more than some noble idea, or spiritual concept. He meets us where we are, in the stuff of ordinary life. We, with all our doubts, questions, and hesitations can come to Christ’s church and taste, touch, hear, see, and believe once again, knowing as he ministered to Thomas, Jesus ministers to us.
Some Christians fear they are the only believers who wrestle with doubts. Consequently they build façades of spiritual confidence, but in reality feel like fakes. Fortunately, God understands such frustration and has provided stories of similar struggles to help us in the midst of our doubts.
One of my favorites comes from a man that you know I greatly respect, John Wesley. Many of you have heard of Wesley’s conversion at Aldersgate when he wrote of his experience as one in which his heart was “strangely warmed,” after he had previously taken a mission trip to America, only to discover he was not a minister but a lost soul. Most of the time the story ends at Aldersgate as if he lived “happily ever after.”
But less than a year later Wesley wrote in his journal, “I know that I am not a Christian. I know it because I don’t feel that I love God and his Son Jesus Christ as my Savior.”
Then of course later Wesley would lead England in a great spiritual awakening that sparked revival here in the United States as well. Then in 1784 he established the formal beginnings of the Methodist denomination.
The point is even great men and women of God have doubts. The key is, what we do with these doubts will dictate whether or not our faith is strengthened or weakened. (* All Things Are Possible through Prayer, Charles Allen, 1958, p. 48)
Getting to a place where our faith moves beyond doubt is often times a process, it takes intentionality and time, it takes being with other Christians, and making worship, fellowship, study, serving and sharing part of our daily lives.
This is why church is so important to us. We all need to meet together on a regular basis to praise God. When we come together in praise and worship, something special and powerful happens.
The Holy Spirit shows up and binds us together in love and strength. We can bask in God’s glory and grow together in faith. We become stronger and God’s purpose for us becomes clearer. We are his Church!
So I encourage you to explore your faith and
Amen.
pastor wade
Take up my yoke
“Take Up My Yoke”
Let us pray. Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and stir up in them the fire of your love. May your message today nourish our soul and change us forever. Amen
In our Epistle lesson today Paul is encountering internal conflict, probably much like many of us go through from time to time. We know what we are supposed to do as Christians but sometimes it’s hard to follow through with the appropriate actions. It’s a battle, sometimes a constant battle.
You see the battleground for Christians is not in the air, sea, or land; it’s in our mind. And for some the battle is fierce and is a mighty struggle. You’ve seen cartoons where on one shoulder sits the cartoon character of the devil and on the other an angel. They are each putting thoughts into the head of the person, arguing back and forth why their way is the better way until the person makes a decision.
Unfortunately, many times the sin represented by the devil wins because there is more influence around us to proceed in a more “devilish” direction. Every day we experience peer pressure; social pressure, media pressure and so on, which drives us to actions we know are wrong, but are difficult to stop.
Paul says, “I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” Paul calls the experience of being unable to do the good one desires “a law” because it is unavoidable. And the law Paul speaks of is the sin within us. Haven’t we all experienced this type of conflict within ourselves?
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At the time Paul wrote this letter he was a mature Christian, not a recent convert. So this conflict I speak of is not caused because Paul recently changed the way he lived, but rather he is experiencing this conflict as a mature Christian, and this is a common struggle among mature Christians trying to live the way Christ has called us to live.
My goodness if Paul struggled with this internal conflict how much harder it must be for us.
All Christians find themselves wanting to do what is right, because Christ lives within them, but often times we’re not able to do what we would like because of the continuing presence of indwelling sin. And Paul wasn’t the only prominent Christian to struggle with this conflict in his day.
Jesus disciples also struggled with this battle, and they followed Jesus and listened to Jesus teach day after day. So really, why should we expect it to be any easier for us today?
We must never get complacent and comfortable, and underestimate the power of sin, and we must never try to fight the temptation of sin on our own. Satan is a crafty tempter, and we as humans have an amazing capacity to make excuses for our actions.
In fact the problem is really worse than what I’ve already stated. As we mature in Christian faith, meaning we are growing closer to Jesus Christ, wanting to be more like him, the classic struggle between good and evil grows stronger rather than weaker. The truth is those who struggle most vigorously against sin are not immature Christians at all, but mature ones.
Perhaps you’ve noticed harder struggles in your own life as you have participated more in Bible Study and have improved your prayer life. This is not uncommon, as we continue to grow in faith together we will come face-to-face with some tough obstacles. After all the hardest battles are fought by God’s saints.
Whenever Paul experienced a battle raging within himself he would return to the basic truth that by grace he had already been freed by Jesus Christ, and he would focus on this fact.
Whenever we feel confused and overwhelmed with temptations, which we know are wrong, we ought to follow Paul’s example. Those of us participating in the First Place Weight Management class try to do just that. When we feel tempted by food we know we aren’t suppose to have we turn to prayer and to God’s Word. And you know what, it works!
We should thank God that he has given us freedom through Jesus Christ to resist temptation, and we should allow the power of Holy Spirit to lift us up to defeat the power of sin.
But a key point we ought to embrace is, instead of trying to overcome the power of sin on our own we must turn to Christ and take hold of the tremendous power available to us.
This is God’s provision for victory over sin - he sends his Spirit to live in us and to give us power. And when we fall, which we will from time to time, it’s important to remember that God stands there ready to help us up.
Our Gospel reading this morning is a part of the scriptures where Jesus is teaching about the kingdom to ease John the Baptist’s doubts about whom he is.
Jesus proceeds to strongly condemn the attitude of his generation. No matter what Jesus said or did, those listening took the opposite view. They were cynical and skeptical because he challenged their comfortable, secure, and self-assured lives.
Jesus is concerned with this way of living because it can serve as a greenhouse for temptation and falling captive to sin.
If Jesus were to come among us today I don’t think he would have a different opinion. Not much has changed over the past 2000 years with respect to temptation and sin.
Too often we work hard to justify our opinions and false beliefs because listening to God may require us to change the way we live. It may require us to leave our comfort zones, step out in faith, and take risks for the good of God’s kingdom, all of which is uncomfortable. We find ourselves offering Jesus an opposite view by remaining trapped in the Use-ta’s.
Oh, we all know the use-ta’s. We used to do this and we used to do that, and we have all fallen victim to this trap. All the comfortable, secure, and self-assured things in life.
When life becomes uncomfortable we want to return to the things we use-ta do, to regain that comfortable feeling once again, rather then looking ahead to the opportunities the future might hold.
At the end of our Gospel reading today Jesus mentions two kinds of people in his prayer: the wise, which are those who are arrogant in their own knowledge, and the “little children,” which are those people who are humbly open to receiving the truth of God’s word.
What we each need to come to terms with is are we wise in our own eyes and feel living in the Use-ta’s is the way to go, or do we seek the truth in childlike faith, realizing only God holds all the answers, realizing we need to leave the Use-ta’s, stepping out in faith for a better tomorrow under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
To help us with this Christian battle, Jesus offers us advice when he says, “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” This is one of the most comforting passages of scripture in the Bible.
As many of you know a yoke is a heavy wooden harness that fits over the shoulders of an ox or team of oxen. Then the yoke is attached to a piece of equipment that the oxen are to pull. The yoke aids in pulling the heavy burden, or equipment.
Jesus knows that we too carry heavy burdens, the burden of: sin, excessive demands of secular life, oppression and persecution, and tiredness in the search of God.
Jesus came to free people from all of these burdens by offering rest. The rest Jesus speaks of does not mean inactivity. Jesus did not come to abolish the Law of Moses but to fulfill it by providing its ultimate interpretation. What Jesus offers is not a vacation from the law but a less burdensome way of fulfilling it.
By rest, Jesus promises us love, healing, and peace with God. And it’s our relationship with God that changes meaningless, thankless toil into spiritual productivity and purpose. But as long as Jesus is one of our many options, he is no option at all.
We should not allow Jesus to sit on one shoulder and speak in our ear. Jesus must be the very center of our whole being. As long as we can take Jesus or leave him, we might as well leave him, because he won’t be taken half-heartedly.
Jesus offers us a good yoke, meaning one that is carefully shaped so that there will be minimal chafing. Jesus yoke will be kind to our shoulders, enabling us to carry the load more easily. You see Jesus does not diminish the weight of our accountability to God but helps us to bear this responsibility.
The yoke Jesus speaks of is not one he imposes but rather one he wears. I believe Jesus is saying to us, “Become my yoke-mate, and learn how to pull the load by working beside me and watching how I do it. The heavy labor will seem lighter when you allow me to help you with it.”
Learning from Jesus involves paying serious attention to the fact that he is “gentle and humble in heart.” This reminds us that the service of God requires the spirit of gentleness and humility, as exhibited by Jesus. As apprentices of Jesus we must watch him closely as he crafts his obedience to God, and as he shows evidence of the kingdom in his deeds, his teaching, and his gentleness.
And to accomplish this we need a support system in our lives to nourish us in the faith. This is the role of the body of Christ. We need each other, we need time to praise and worship God, we need time in prayer and study; we need to put Christ first place in our hearts.
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Amen
Read other messages by Pastor Wade
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where are you God?
Where Are You God?
Today’s gospel reading is a familiar story about Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. It’s a story about healing, it’s a story about faith, and it’s a story about God’s love for his children.
And imbedded within this story is a profoundly important question, “Where are you God?” Essentially Martha was asking Jesus where he had been. “If you had been here, my brother would not have died,” she said. She was upset, her brother Lazarus had died and she knew that if Jesus would have been just been there, Lazarus might still be alive.
Mary, also upon her arrival to the tomb, fell at Jesus feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”
The questions being asked by Mary and Martha are typical questions we the faithful ask in times of need, suffering, and uncertainty. Where are you God, becomes our battle cry as we so desperately want a loved one to see the error of their ways, to be freed from suffering, or to be healed from a life-changing illness.
I sensed this question being asked several months ago by some who were present at my Grandmother’s funeral. Oh God, where were you when Nannie needed you most? I hurt, death seems so permanent, and I want assurance Nannie went to heaven.
And we hear similar questions being asked throughout the world, by both the believer and non-believer. Where are you God, as war and conflict have become the norm in my country? Where are you God as my loved one suffers with cancer? Where are you God, when I am in need of food and shelter? Where are you God in my time of uncertainty and hopelessness? Where are you God as my son seems to be wondering hopelessly looking for purpose? This question, “Where are you God,” more so than any other question tests our faith to the very core.
So why didn’t Jesus rush to Lazrus side in his time of need, after all Lazrus was one of Jesus’ best friends. Did Jesus really love his family and friends or is the Bible simply giving lip service to these hallmarks of Jesus life?
The truth is Jesus loved his family and he loved the family of Lazrus. In fact he stayed with them often. Jesus knew their pain, as he knows ours, but he didn’t respond immediately to their request. But we can be assure that his delay in responding did have a purpose, a divine purpose.
God’s timing, especially his delays, may make us think he’s not answering questions, or is not answering our requests the way we want him to. But God will meet all our needs according to his perfect schedule and purpose.
I can think of several times in my own life when I had a need and I asked God to fulfill it. Well, in most cases God didn’t respond right away. Sometimes I got mad, I couldn’t understand why God wouldn’t meet my need.
Then I can remember God meeting my need at a later date. And when I think about those circumstances I can say, “thankfully God did not meet my need when I wanted him to because, as it turns out, either that wasn’t what I really needed, or it would have created more of a problem then I was encountering at that time.” But God did meet my need, at a time and place when it was appropriate.
Maybe you have experienced this same sort of thing. Some of you have shared joys in your life with me, and in many of those cases I can remember praying for those needs a few months before, in one setting or another. We sometimes forget, as we are rejoicing, that the joy is a result of a prayer request made months or even years before. God was present, God did hear, and God did respond.
After having a couple of these experiences myself, the light bulb finally went on and I realized, it’s not an issue of God meeting our needs, that will happen, the issue is placing our trust in God knowing that he will meet our needs when it makes sense from Gods perspective. God carries the big picture of our lives around in his wallet, so God knows best what we need and when we need it.
We also have to be open to this understanding and look at how God does work in our lives. All too often we focus on the negative rather than the positive. It’s the glass half full or half empty analogy. No doubt about it God is at work among us all the time. The question is, are our eyes and hearts open to his presence?
It’s difficult for people, not raised as Christians, to recognize and worship a God who seems to allow pain and suffering to come to those he professes to love and care for. And regrettably this is one reason people today find it hard to come to the Christian faith. They can’t grasp the concept that it’s God’s timing not ours, God is in control we aren’t.
Of course we know that God does not cause the pain and suffering, but you can see very easily how someone from outside the faith looking in might see things from a totally different perspective. This is also true of those folks who are Christian but chose to live their lives on the fringe of the faith.
In our fast paced society and apparent high sense of urgency about life, we are looking for the quick, highly visible, and easy answers for life’s problems, so that we can keep moving forward. Because we are so competitive today, we are afraid if we slow down too long, to gain knowledge or understanding, our competition will pass us by, or we’re afraid we’ll be viewed as lazy or weak.
And I can relate to this pretty well. Some say I have a type “A” personality. And most of you know me pretty well by now and know that I am competitive in certain arenas, and I do like to have a lot of balls in the air and be constantly moving. This is just the way I am. Although I prefer to think of myself more as a type B+ rather than an A.
But anyway, I understand why some people who have no faith find it difficult to accept the Christian faith, because on the surface it looks, sounds and feels like a passive faith. They equate the Christian faith to sitting in Church on Sunday morning, rather than seeing the faith as an active lifestyle. Therefore, Christianity isn’t the kind of thing that gets their motors revved.
But the truth is Christianity is not passive it’s very much active because it is a lifestyle that is full of action. And it’s in the midst of all this action that we find God working in us, through us, and with us; often times quietly behind the scenes. This is the message we need to communicate to a very active generation of people.
This “got-to-have-the-answer-now” attitude seeps over to our spiritual life as well. We want answers and we want them now. And for heavens sakes the answers must be easy to understand, requiring little thought or reflection.
But it doesn’t happen this way. We can’t simply pick up one book whether it be the “Bible” or a “How to be a Christian” book and get all you need to know in just a few short hours. Christianity is not like a math class, where once you take the class you know how to add and subtract.
When we take a birds eye view of Christianity we begin to realize it takes a lifetime of study and practice to only begin to understand, it’s a lifestyle requiring study, worship, prayer, and fellowship to comprehend. And just when we think we understand, God throws us a curve ball, requiring us to study, worship, pray, and fellowship some more.
It’s a continual cycle or process that grows our faith, and moves us to a deeper and meaningful relationship with God. And for this effort what do we get, a house, a boat, a vacation, no? We receive the blessings of joy, peace, a life full of hope, and the ability to deal with difficult situations. We also receive the very real blessing of recognizing God’s presence among us. Our senses are better tuned to God’s ever-present spirit.
A woman standing next to the bed of her sick child raised her arms and look to the heavens crying out, “Where are you God?” God replied, “I’m down here among my people.” I’m with the doctors and nurses who are taking care of your child, prolonging her life, and making her comfortable.
I’m here with those who are bringing you your meals, so you can stay by your child’s bedside. I’m with your husband as he paces the hallways looking for answers. I’m with your church as they pray for you and your family daily. I’m with you as I feel and hear your pain.
“Are you with my child God?” “Yes I am. Know that I am with your child throughout this ordeal and I will welcome her into my heavenly kingdom to reside for all eternity. I will also be with you following your child’s death until you are reunited with her for all time.” Where are you God? “I’m here among my people.”
This illustration, is a common one, and one many of us can relate to. Perhaps it’s not a child dying but a spouse, a loved one, a friend, or even a pet. This story is played out many times every day. The question of “where is God,” is asked, perhaps not verbally, but is asked in our hearts, time and time again.
Is there anything wrong with asking this question? I don’t think so, as long as we remain open to the answer, and recognize God is all around us, in the people we encounter, and in the situations that come our way.
The truth is because God is our creator; he knows everything about us, including our needs. And God is intimately involved with all aspects of the world he created, and wants to be intimate and active in our lives as well.
God, the creator of all things, points to the world and says, “I have enough power to create all of this. Don’t you think I have enough power to address the things and situations in your life?”
Reflect on this statement for just a moment. God says, “I have enough power to create all of this. Don’t you think I have enough power to address the things and situations in your life?”
If we believe God created this entire earth, created us as well, and allowed his son to die for us, why wouldn’t we think he has the power and the desire to meet our needs as well.
How soon we forget that God has promised to be with us always, even when we have a need and we don’t feel it’s being met, or is not being met as we conceived it being met.
As Christians we live with God’s promise that he is always with us. Wherever we are, whatever we do, and whatever we are going through, God is there feeling and seeing all that we do. God is our anchor, God is our hope, and God is there when everyone one else fails us.
Oswald Chambers said, “Whenever we have difficulty, we are in danger of blaming God. But in reality it’s not God who is wrong, it’s us. As long as we strive to serve two ends, God, and ourselves, there is perplexity. Our attitude must be one of complete reliance on God. When once we get there, there is nothing easier than living the saintly life. Difficulty comes when we want to seize the authority of the Holy Spirit for our own ends.”
Just look around, God is among us today. God was present in the baptism we took part in this morning. God is present in the smiles we greet one another with. God is present in the kind word we offer to one another. God is present in the comfort we provide to a friend or family member in need.
God where are you? “I’m here among my people!”
Amen
pastor wade