A City Upon "The Hill"

This is an interview of Mark Batterson who pastors in Washington D.C. He has some excellent thoughts on politics and the church.

Click on the Title or cut and paste this link

http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2008/003/15.44.html

Great Summary poem of the Book of Revelation

"The Lord Himself" -  Annie Johnson Flint

It is not for a sign we are watching -
For wonders above and below,
The pouring out of vials of judgment,
The sounding of trumpets of woe;

It is not for a Day that we are looking,
Not even the time yet to be
When the earth shall be filled with God's glory
As the waters cover the sea;

It is not for a King we are longing
To make the world-kingdom his own;
It is not for a Judge who shall summon
The nations of earth to his throne.

Not for these, though we know they are coming,
For they are but adjuncts of him,
before whom all splendor grows dim.

We wait for the Lord, our Beloved,
Our Comforter, Master, and Friend,
The substance of all that we hope for,
Beginning of faith, and its end;

We watch for our Savior and Bridegroom,
Who loved us and made us his own;
For him we are looking and longing;
For Jesus, and Jesus alone.

A Moment in Time

For the past 13 months we have been studying the book of Revelation at our Wednesday Night Bible Study.  It has been life changing.  Tonight it comes to an end and I am very sad about that.  It has become so much a part of my life that it is like closing a chapter on a dear friendship.  What I have learned I will carry with me the rest of my life and ministry.  I hope that those I tried to teach are as blessed as I am having studying this great and too often misunderstood book of the Bible.  Thank you to all of the scholars who have studied for years to prepare and write the commentaries I have used.  I especially want to thank Darrell Johnson for his book Discipleship on the Edge.  He helped me see the book of Revelation as more than just a what is going to happen next book and to see it as the Revealing of Jesus Christ.  He says, any interpretation that does not lead us to the feet of Jesus is simply off the mark.

I pray I stayed on point.

Statement On Revivals

This link is a great article written by Dr. George O. Wood our A/G General Superintendent.
Click the title or cut and paste this link

http://ag.org/top/General_Superintendent/Statement_on_Revival.cfm

VBS

My favorite part of VBS is not just the children but watching the fun the adults have as they serve. In fact, standing back and watching I wasn't sure who enjoyed it more! Great job everyone.

Sermons on this blog

All sermons posted on this blog are unedited. They are strictly cut and pasted from my sermon notes. Therefore, they are not always in complete sentences. What comes out of the my mouth during the sermon is often different than what is on the page.
These notes are given as a guide to the message with the scripture verses I used.
They are for your viewing and reviewing and not to be passed around in any way.
Most of the posted sermons are preached at one church, Malaga Assembly of God and are hopefully timely to that congregation.

Doctrine - A Sure Foundation - Part I - God is

God Is -

I wrote in the messenger for this month my first memory of the word doctrine. It was in Sunday School and I thought “oh how boring.”

But what I have come to realize is that doctrine – teaching – specifically the teachings of God through His Word – are essential to life. We will act on what we believe. Therefore what we believe matters. Secondly, we live in a day where there are all sorts of crazy teachings all around us. If we don’t know what we believe we become very vulnerable to false teaching. Which can lead us away from Jesus.

One of the problems we face in churches today is that people don’t know what they believe.
That is one of the ways societal beliefs creep into the belief system of the Christian.
The Israelites never became Atheists
They just believed you could worship and Yahweh and other gods at the same time.

An article in USA Today from the end of June states, Religion today in the USA is a salad bar where people heap on upbeat beliefs they like and often leave the veggies – like strict doctrine – behind.

The article goes on to give some startling statistics
• 78% of people believe in absolute standards of right and wrong
o Only 29% rely on their religion to delineate these standards
o 52% turn to practical experience
• 74% say “there is a heaven, where people who have led good lives are eternally rewarded”
o This is the exact opposite to Christianity
o We are miserable, rotten, stinking sinners, enemies of God
o Christ died on the cross to forgive us of our rotten, stinking sins
o We are not good – God is – then he makes us righteous and holy when we accept what Christ has done on the cross
• 70% including a majority of all major Christian groups say, “many religions can lead to eternal life
o We belief the opposite
o There is only one way to God
o That is through Jesus Christ
o That is why He died a sinners, suffering death on the cross because there was no other way
 John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
 Acts 2:21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'
 Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."

I want to show you a clip from one of the most famous and influential people in the world.
You might be startled by this but I wanted you to see it yourself.
¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬______________________________________________________________________________
Today I am starting a series on Doctrine – A Sure Foundation
In the next several weeks we will walk you through the major doctrines of Christianity
1. God is – we believe in God
2. God Speaks – we believe in the Bible
3. Man Sins – We believe we are not good apart from Christ
4. God Saves – Jesus is the Only Savior and acceptance of his finished work on the cross is the only way to be right with God
5. God Sends – He established the church to be His hands in this world.
6. God Fills – God the Holy Spirit fills us
7. God Returns – Jesus is coming back

We begin with – God is

God is – we believe in God’s eternal existence
He has no beginning and no end.
In the beginning – God -
• Gen 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The Bible doesn’t seek to prove there is a God. It just states it emphatically.

But there are some thoughts that taken in totality show there is a God.
1. God is - He is the First Cause of everything – everything has a cause, all events are dependant on some cause, if you push the causes back far enough you will eventually get to the first cause, God is the first cause
2. God is - He is the Designer of creation - the detail, intricacy and design points to a designer
3. What is made that doesn’t have a designer
4. God is – He is the Law giver – there is a universal sense of right and wrong throughout cultures

We believe - There is a God
Then we ask, what is God like?
He has Divine Attributes
God is Infinite – no limitations – not limited by space or boundaries
God is Eternal – no beginning and no end – he is not bound by time
God is Unchanging – there is no need to change – he doesn’t lack or make mistakes
God is All- Knowing – Omniscience – He knows everything
God is All – Powerful – Omnipotent – He can do anything
God is Everywhere – Omnipresent - we cannot flee from His presence – We cannot be in a circumstance where he is not there
God is Holy – without imperfection of any kind
God is Just – He does what is right
God is Good – He treats us with kindness, “He takes holy pleasure in the happiness of His people” – God is not against you He is for you.
God is Sovereign – He is in charge of His creation – no one rules Him is the ruler of all


God is Transcendent – He is above Creation because He created
• Pantheism – there is only one reality – Creation – the universe is all there is. The universe is God
From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done
There's far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life

Christianity – there are two realities – Creator – Creation
The Creator is above creation
He is greater than creation

God is Immanent – He is involved with His creation
The opposite of this is Deism
God created and then left everything alone - The disinterested clockmaker who got the universe started and then went away to let it run itself
• Acts 17:26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.
• Acts 17:27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

This is the essence of Christianity
When Jesus was born – God pierced Creation and was physically born
Although he is transcendent – he condescended to rescue us from our sin

He condescended so far as to die as a sinner on the cross. The humiliation of Christ.

Phil 2:6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
Phil 2:7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Phil 2:8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross!
Phil 2:9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,
Phil 2:10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
Phil 2:11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

God is –
God is Worthy to be praised
God is worth living for
God is worth dying for

God is

Eph 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Eph 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
Eph 1:19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
Eph 1:20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
Eph 1:21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
Eph 1:22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church,
Eph 1:23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.


This eternal – invisible – all powerful God wants to be known.
Therefore He speaks – Come back next week. – God Speaks

PGC Announcement

This is an announcement I have been waiting to make for several years now. And I couldn’t be more excited. We have sold the baseball field side of the PGC property. It has been a long time coming. Throughout the process of the sale there have been many ups and downs. Times we thought, this is it” and it ended up falling through. Last Monday June 30th the sale was completed. Hallelujah!!

Now the work begins. A word of caution first, the camp didn’t get in disrepair in a year it will not be updated in a year. It will be very important that we take our time before jumping in feet first. We will take time to pray, time to think and time to plan. We will do all of these things and then we will move forward.

Next, we will not accept dreams and vision from outside sources. For years people have had all sorts of dreams but there is a difference between having a dream and having the capacity to set a direction with the determination and resources to get it done. We have the people and the pieces in place to see the camp functioning again. The money we received for the sale will enable us to accomplish some of our immediate goals at the camp. This will include finishing the bathrooms, maintaining the tabernacle, building a pavilion, putting a roof on the pumphouse and updating the basketball courts. This will all take time and patience because we want it done right. We want it to last.

What does this mean for the church? First, my priority is Malaga Assembly of God. I am the pastor of Malaga Assembly of God. Should the Lord allow, I will continue the pastor of Malaga Assembly of God. It is essential to keep the church the main priority. If the church is not strong the camp will kill the church because of the amount of work and upkeep it will involve. Sometimes the emphasis was the camp at the expense of the church we are turning that around. The emphasis is the church with the camp as a tool. The camp will be added to the tools God has given us to reach out in this community. We are a strong church right now and we must continue to be in order to be an effective outreach in this community.

Secondly, as a church we need to renovate. Our platform works against our philosophy of team ministry, our décor is outdated, the bathrooms are embarrassing and we need some lobby space. We have never stopped working toward this goal, we have just shifted gears. The good news is with the pattern of giving to the building fund over the past couple of months it is obvious that the people want to see this renovation happen. If we could get a few more people on board with their monthly giving we can see the renovation happen.

What does the money we received from the property have to do with the renovation? Whether we borrow some from the sale or not we still need to pay for the renovation from this church and this people. We cannot and will not exhaust the money for the sale of the property in order to renovate. Should we borrow we must pay it back to continue the ministry of the church and the camp.

Let me reiterate, this is an exciting time! God has been and He is good. If we take our time to be good stewards we can see all of this happen and more. Let us maintain the spirit of unity as we work to reach this community, surrounding communities and around the world with the message of the gospel. Hallelujah!!

Doctrine - A Sure Foundation

On Sunday July 6th I am beginning a series on Doctrine - The essential Christian beliefs.
1. God is – We believe in God
2. God Speaks – We believe in the Bible
3. Man Sins – We believe we are not good apart from Christ
4. God Saves – We believe Jesus is the Only Savior and acceptance of his finished work on the cross is the only way to be right with God
5. God Sends – We believe God established the church to be His hands in this world.
6. God Fills – We believe in God the Holy Spirit who fills us
7. God Returns – We believe Jesus is coming back

Living Off the Blessings of the Last Generation

This past Sunday Pastor Leo shared a powerful message in our a.m. service. I asked him for permission to share the main points on this blog.

1. The next generation usually starts out better then the first
2. The next generation mistakes God's blessing for merit. As if we have earned it
3. The next generation can hide in yesterday's blessing.
4. The next generation exaggerates the godliness of the previous one, make their spirituality unattainable.
5. The next generation has the "times have changed syndrome" We pine for simpler days
6. The next generation is fooled into thinking the hard work is finished

We are the next generation. We are blessed because of the sacrifices and prayers of our predecessors. But, we must not simply live off of their blessings but strive to do what they did as we face the challenges of today.

Thanks for the challenge Pastor Leo

Overview of the Book of Revelation

We have been studying the book of Revelation for 9 months now. Most are afraid of it because of the imagery and symbolism. Don't be afraid. Here is a brief summary of the whole book. This is what God wants us to know. Don't worry about what he doesn't want us to know. If He wanted us to know He would have told us. The rest is called Faith.

The Book of Revelation is about Jesus. Its not about the end times or who the anti-Christ is or what 666 means. It is about Jesus. He is being Revealed.

There is nothing new in the Book of Revelation that hasn’t already been told elsewhere in the Bible.

1. Jesus is alive and well
2. Jesus oversees the church
3. The Cross is at the center of everything
4. Jesus will unravel God’s plan
5. God’s will will be done
6. Satan will be defeated
7. Christ will win
8. Those who are loyal and faithful will live with Him and He with them

The question of Revelation is:

Who or what will you worship

• Will you worship the world and its systems and structures.

Politics – Religion – Materialism

• Or will you worship the Lamb?

You will be persecuted
But Jesus will prevail

I WILL WORSHIP THE LAMB!

A Follow Up Thought to USA Today Article

A follow up scripture to this article

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-06-23-pew-religions_N.htm

Here is the lead paragraph,
Religion today in the USA is a salad bar where people heap on upbeat beliefs they like and often leave the veggies — like strict doctrines — behind.

Here is what the Bible says,
2 Tim 4:3 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
2 Tim 4:4 They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

The Bible is always relevant

Great Article on our Troops in Iraq

I was surprised but pleased to read this in the Philadelphia Inquirer.

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/kevin_ferris/20080622_Back_Channels__Iraqis_now_know_al-Qaeda__not_U_S___is_the_real_enemy.html

One World Religion

On Wednesday nights we are studying the book of Revelation. In chapter 17 when it mentions the Great Harlot it is speaking of a world religion dating back to the Tower of Babel, through to Nebuchadnezzar, to our day to the end times. This world religion is based in the thought that there is not one way to God. Your way, my way they are all the same.
Here is a link to an article in USA today that shows how prevalent this thinking is in our day.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2008-06-23-pew-religions_N.htm

1 John 4:3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

2 John 1:7 Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.
2 John 1:8 Watch out that you do not lose what you have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully.

The end of chapter 17 gives the "rest of the story" The anti-Christ will turn on the Harlot and kill her. He will set himself up as the only one to worship. This is what the devil has desired all along. He uses a water-down religious system to lead people toward worship of himself.

Better Caught than Taught - Lessons from Dad

I found a quote this week that reminds me of my dad, "He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." ~Clarence Budington Kelland
Growing up we didn't schedule family meetings, we called it supper. He didn't schedule times to be together, we went to baseball games. My dad didn't tell me I had to help others he just helped. He didn't tell me I had to go to church he just went. He didn't tell me I had to love God, he just loved God. He didn't tell me I had to love the Bible, he just read it and taught it. He didn't tell me to love my family, he just loved his. I figure, the best things in life aren't taught there caught.

Love you Dad,
Randy

Father's Day Sermon

When I share these notes they are often unedited. Straight from my notes. They are not meant to be published in a book just used to share the truths of God's Word. I hope they are a blessing.

I have some words of advice for Dads in different stages

• Not even a dad yet – grow in character now
• New dad – Patience
• Dad of Teenagers – Rolaids
• Dad of College age – second job
• Dad with grown kids – change your phone #

The Book of James gives us some better advice on being a Great Dad.

It starts with wisdom.

1. Wisdom is action and attitude

James 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

• Actions - Good life – deeds done
• Our works show our hearts
• Do good things for your family and others
• Attitudes – humility
• The opposite of humility is pride
• Putting ourselves ahead of others
• Looking down on others

We need wisdom in actions and attitudes.

2. worldly Wisdom brings disorder

James 3:14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.

James 3:15 Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.

James 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

• This is tough in our society where everything is based on competition
• House we live, car we drive, job we have
• We are pushed in the direction, bigger, stronger, faster
• If you won’t do it someone else will and they will get the promotion and you won’t – even though you are more qualified
• But wisdom says I won’t envy others and what they have – I will be thankful for what God has given me
• Selfish Ambition
• Ambition in itself isn’t bad
• Ambition pushes us to be better
• Someone without ambition the Bible calls a sluggard
• Selfish ambition is the desire to live for one’s self and no one or nothing else, only for what we can get out of it.
• Get ahead no matter the cost –
• Specifically – cost to relationships
• In context self-ambition involves – rallying others to your side to get your own way
• Church – instigator forcing people to choose sides
• Home – trying to make everyone see things your way

This wisdom although popular in the world is not to be part of our lives as Christians at home or in the church.

It comes not from God but from below.

And its outcome is always the same – disorder

• At home
• At church

Watch when things get out of balance – when things are in disorder

• Get the root cause and you will find bitter envy – selfish ambition
• I want what others have
• I’m going to get it no matter the cost

3. Godly Wisdom brings Peace

James 3:17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

• Pure – integrity – completeness – not hypocritical - honest
• Peace-loving - some people just love to fight or stir up trouble – be peaceloving
• Considerate – putting others first
• Submissive – willing to yield – flexible
• Full of Mercy – gracious forgiveness
• Good fruit - will naturally be produced as we sow these other traits
• Sow something bad – reap something bad
• Sow good – reap good
• Impartial
• Not favoring one side over the other
• Sincere
• Genuine – The real deal

James 3:18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

• The worlds wisdom leads to Disorder
• Godly Wisdom leads to peace and righteousness

How do we get this type of Wisdom?

4. Godly Wisdom comes from Prayer

James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you?

James 4:2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God.

• You have not because you ask not
• If you ask you will have.
• This is not talking about material things
• It is talking about wisdom
• James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Dad’s – God is on your side

He knows what it is like to Father children who don’t obey

To have children that won’t listen and don’t learn.

He knows – He Cares – He can help.

Ask – Why is it so hard to ask for help sometimes?

Can it be that pride sometimes hinders our best judgment

Humbly ask God for help and he will give it.

Lord,
I need your special care.
Like your earthly father, Joseph,
I want to do God's will,
even if I may not always understand.

Make me gentle and selfless
in the care of my family and children;
help me guide them in the toils and troubles,
the happiness and wonders of this life.

Like my Father in heaven,
make me strong in love and forgiveness
for those you entrust to my care.

No one can do these things rightly, Lord,
without your constant help and boundless mercy.
Be with me always,
and may I come to you in heaven,
and all my family with me.
Amen.

God bless our dads

In memory of Rose Livoti

Last week we lost a great saint of God. Rose was a part of this church for 77 years. In the days of instant everything it seems as if 77 years is an eternity.
I want to share some of the thoughts I shared at her funeral.

This is a day I have not been looking forward to. Sister Rose is so important to me and this church we never want to say good-bye. She lived the life I would want everyone to live. She loved Jesus and Jesus loved her. From this foundation of love she loved others. Oh how she loved. She loved everyone and everyone loved her. How could you not love Sister Rose?

She loved the Word of God. She would read the Bible everyday. She could quote it and she would tell others what it said. She loved coming to Bible Study and sharing great insights into the Word of God. But most of all she lived it.

She loved to Pray. I believe she has prayed for everyone in this room by name more than once. I honestly don’t know what I would have done without her daily prayers. When Rose said she prayed she meant she PRAYED. I know God heard and answered her prayers. We mentioned on Wednesday Night another aspect of prayer, what didn’t happen because she prayed. How we were protected and provided for because she cared enough about us to pray for us by name.

She loved her church. She was there whenever she could be. She never missed if her health permitted. She sat right there every service. Even when it was hard for her to walk she would make her way to her spot. She was a member for 75 years. She loved the people, she loved her pastor and her pastor loved her.

She loved to give. She would have given more if she had more to give. She reminded me of the woman Jesus commended above the wealthy at offering time, she gave all she had to God.

Yet in all of this there is a larger lesson to be learned from her life. She did not do all these things to get right with God she did those things because she was right with God. Herein lies the difference between Christianity and all other religions. Religion teaches that we must do something to get to God. Christianity teaches we could never do enough to get to God and so God came to us in the person of Jesus. Religion teaches we must give God gifts. Christianity teaches us he has given the ultimate gift. Religion teaches we must earn his love. Christianity teaches us he loves us first. Religion teaches us it is our good works. Christianity teaches us it is His Grace.

Religion has two by-products: pride or despair.

Pride comes when we think we have done enough that God will surely accept us when we die. Phrases like this are used, well I never killed anyone. I tried to help other people. At least I’m better than so and so. I am a good person. The problem is none of us are good.

Here is what the Bible says, Rom 3:10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one; Rom 3:11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.

Rom 3:12 All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one."

Rom 3:20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Religion can lead you to believe, “I am good.”

Rom 3:27 Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.

Rom 3:28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.

There is another outcome to religion, despair. Despair is coming to the realization we are not so good. We have made mistakes. We have chosen to do what is sinful. Despair sets in when we believe we have done so much wrong God would never welcome us to heaven. Religion leads others to believe “I am too bad.”

Rom 4:24 but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness--for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Rom 4:25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Here is Christianity in a nutshell. I am not good. But God is. I couldn’t get to Him. He came to us. He lived a perfect life. He died on the cross in my place. Through faith and repentance we receive Jesus’ righteousness (rightness). Christianity is the most unfair exchange in all of history. We give him our sin and he gives us his Grace.

This is why although Rose was one of the greatest people I have ever known her right living was not enough to get her into heaven. What got her into to heaven was the very fact she understood she was not good, she was a sinner in need of a Savior.

We have spoken of the by-products of Religion – Pride or despair.

What then is produced by Christianity?

Rom 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Rom 5:2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Peace – calm assurance that we have a right relationship with God

Grace – Right standing with God we haven’t earned or deserved

Joy – fruit of a right relationship with God. It is a delight of the mind arising from the consideration of a present or assured possession of a future good.

Hope – and assurance that what he has promised will happen

I told a story when I first came to Malaga that Rose loved and wanted me to share at her funeral. The story goes a lady who called her pastor to her house. She had just received bad news from the doctor and wanted to let the pastor know and begin making arrangements for the funeral service. They talked about songs and scripture and then the dear saint made a strange request, she asked to be buried with a fork in her hand. The pastor was puzzled as he had never heard of a request like this before. She explained to him how many church dinners she had been to and at the best dinners when someone was cleaning up the plates they would say, “keep your fork.” That meant dessert was coming. It meant the best was yet to come. Rose wanted you to know that on the day she past she received the best God has to offer, heaven. She died trusting in Jesus. She lived trusting in Jesus and knowing the best was yet to come.

Peace, Grace, Joy, Hope this is what Christianity is all about.

How do we receive what Rose had? Not by working for it. Paul in Romans tells us.

Rom 10:9 That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Rom 10:10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

Rom 10:11 As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."

Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,

Rom 10:13 for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

Have you asked for forgiveness? Have you received His Grace.

We love you Rose. We will miss you. We are happy for you but sad for us.

I am on Facebook now

Will you be my friend?

I'm Back

It has been a while since I have posted but I am going to try to keep up with it again.
Generally, I will add sermon thoughts and quotes I find interesting.
Check back once a week at least.