There are times in our lives and the lives of churches and nations when the Lord shakes everything that can be shaken so that He can be revealed (Hebrews 12:26-29). He does that best in what are called desert experiences. You have either been in the desert, you are still in the hiddenness of the desert, or you are headed toward the desert. God uses desert experiences to reveal Himself in our lives and prepare us for the next assignment He has for us.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The Desert Experience
There are times in our lives and the lives of churches and nations when the Lord shakes everything that can be shaken so that He can be revealed (Hebrews 12:26-29). He does that best in what are called desert experiences. You have either been in the desert, you are still in the hiddenness of the desert, or you are headed toward the desert. God uses desert experiences to reveal Himself in our lives and prepare us for the next assignment He has for us.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Iran: Pastor flees; Somalia: 17yo beheaded
IRAN - Pastor Vahik Abrahamian and his wife, Sonia, fled Iran for the Netherlands on Sept 15 with the help of the Netherlands Embassy and with approval from the Iranian government. Vahik and Sonia continually expressed their desire to remain in Iran for the sake of their ministry; however, fears for their safety caused them to flee the country. The Abrahamians were arrested along with another couple in Sept 2010 for having home Bible studies. Sonia and the other couple were released from prison in April 2011. Sonia was told her husband would be released 10 days later, but Pastor Vahik was not released until August 29. Thank the Lord for guiding and protecting Vahik and Sonia. Pray that they would sense His presence and direction in the coming months. Pray for the many other Iranian Christians who are imprisoned for their faith, including Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani. Source: VOM Canada, FCNN
SOMALIA – The Islamic
terrorist group al Shabaab beheaded a 17-year-old Somali Christian in his home
near Mogadishu Sept. 25 while his parents were at work. The militants, who
are fighting Somalia’s transitional government and who have vowed to rid
the country of Christianity, had been observing Guled Jama Muktar's family
since 2008, monitoring the fact that they held secret Bible meetings in
their home. Muktar's parents, fearing the militants wanted to kill them
next, have fled to an unknown location. Source: Compass Direct
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Genesis 46-50 - Caring for Aging Family Members
 |
| "Jacob's Body is Taken to Canaan" (James J. Tissot, Jewish Museum, New York) |
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Face to Face
God said that he didn’t speak in riddles and visions with Moses, but he spoke with him plainly, face to face (Num. 12:8). David sat before the Lord (2 Sam. 7:18) and talked with him plainly.
What happens when we encounter God? What happens when we are, like the Hebrew expresses it, “before his face”?
He is totally other than what we expected. We are always aware of his complete “other-ness.” He is infinitely beyond our imagination. Upsetting for some, he is also totally beyond our management. How did your life change when you ran head-on into this extra-ordinary God? Life changes. The Scripture tells us about how we react when we encounter God.
He is totally other than what we expected. We are always aware of his complete “other-ness.” He is infinitely beyond our imagination. Upsetting for some, he is also totally beyond our management. How did your life change when you ran head-on into this extra-ordinary God? Life changes. The Scripture tells us about how we react when we encounter God.
Revival in Cuba, Persecution in Iran, Afghanistan
 |
| Cuba's Coat of Arms |
Revival in Cuba
Raul Castro's regime
has implemented economic reforms in Cuba including massive layoffs of hundreds
of thousands of public employees, but they don't appear to be working. The
resulting poverty and unemployment has given way to despair.
Instead, churches are ministering to the poor and growing rapidly. For years churches pushed the legal limits just by meeting, and it's still dangerous for students, religious teachers and leaders, especially in rural areas, to be outspoken Christians. Christians are still considered counter-revolutionary in Cuba, meaning they may be put under surveillance and denied employment and housing. The government has also restricted the size of churches, forcing believers to worship in homes.
Instead, churches are ministering to the poor and growing rapidly. For years churches pushed the legal limits just by meeting, and it's still dangerous for students, religious teachers and leaders, especially in rural areas, to be outspoken Christians. Christians are still considered counter-revolutionary in Cuba, meaning they may be put under surveillance and denied employment and housing. The government has also restricted the size of churches, forcing believers to worship in homes.
Even with these
challenges, opportunities are opening in Cuba as it changes politically and
socio-economically, making the gospel even more relevant to people there.
Cuba's believers have taken advantage of the opportunities with rapid house
church growth, evangelism, relief work, and community development. Cubans in
the difficult economic times are realizing that they have little power
themselves to change things, so they turn to the spiritual side. As a result,
revival is springing up in Cuba, and many are coming to Christ. A few months
ago a series of amazing meetings occurred in Guantanamo and spread to other
parts of eastern Cuba. In other areas of Cuba pastors are boldly planting new
churches.
Halloween's origin & the paranormal
The Origin of Halloween Truth Encounter, Dave Wyrtzen
October 31st is Halloween. Should we as Christian parents let our kids get dressed up and collect candy? Because of its origins in druid worship and the occult, should we not completely divorce ourselves from any involvement with it? The opinions about Halloween are wide ranging. Dave shares how he dealt with this issue as a dad in his own family. He isn't asking you to agree with him, but he does want you to think about how we as parents can make decisions about these controversial areas.
Halloween: Enter at Your Own Risk, Part 1
Halloween: Enter at Your Own Risk, Part 2
Eric Barger hosts and interviews ministry colleague David Benoit. They have co-authored books on the paranormal and both sound a warning about the so-called holiday known as Halloween. Avoid it at all costs. Learn of the cunning stealth of Satan and how it is on overdrive this time of year.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
On Halloween: Choose abstinence
Image via WikipediaFollowing is a brief case for abstinence from participation in Halloween adapted from two articles (1, 2) by John Ankerberg. Christians who choose to participate in Halloween need to decide whether their participation brings honor to the Lord. We hope believers will take a closer look at their involvement.
In participating in Halloween, do we help, even indirectly, to publicize what may be the single most important day in the world of the occult? Can we truly align ourselves innocently with something traditionally and currently involved with the occult and be certain it will not affect us or reflect negatively on our relationship with Christ?
I have previously written here about Halloween, explaining why we do not celebrate Halloween, showing how practicing pagans/witches view Halloween and Christians, addressing the question of redeeming Halloween for Christ, quoting Focus on the Family's H.B. London, and suggesting how to tell your children why your family will not celebrate that day. I have even set aside a webpage describing Halloween.
Based on what we know of Halloween, abstinence is the better of two choices: “‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is beneficial. ‘Everything is permissible’—but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” (1 Corinthians 10:23, 24).
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Deficit Reduction
With all the talk about the deficit and national debt, we realize that as believers we have a balance sheet as well. We have both a great debt and a large surplus. We have a surplus of selfishness and wanting my way right now. We have a great deficit of obedience and love for Christ.
What does your balance sheet look like? Perhaps it is time for an audit of your spiritual books. Those treasures you are laying up – where are they (Matthew 6:19-21, 33). In the economy of the Savior, less is more. Less of me makes room for more of Him.
Sunday, October 09, 2011
Genesis 1:26-31 - What about environmentalism?
 |
| Italy from space |
In the line at the store,
the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags
because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.
The woman apologized to him
and explained, "We didn't have the green thing back in my day." The
clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care
enough to save our environment.”
Thursday, October 06, 2011
House of Prayer or Den of Thieves?
 |
| Luca Giordano, Christ Cleansing the Temple |
What is hindering you from completely pursuing an intimate relationship with Christ? Are your attentions distracted? Is it busyness? Is it religious activities? Do you have a divided heart? What are you doing that is crowding the Lord out of your life (Jer. 7:13)? Why are you doing it? What would you do differently if you knew Jesus was in the house? Do you run around like Martha in a hectic blur and find yourself farther and farther behind? What did you choose yesterday that cannot be taken away? (Luke 10:38-41. Notice Jesus’ teaching on prayer immediately follows in Luke 11).
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Pastor Youcef's letter to believers
Saturday, January 08, 2011
Grace to you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a
cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which
doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is
set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews
12:1-2
When someone internalizes the revelation of the Truth, he will be
willing to share it with others and future generations. We are indebted
to the people who, in the past, fought for the Truth, allowing us to
have access to this glorious revelation of Jesus Christ. These believers
understood the richness and the beauty of the revelation and they were
ready to fight in order to pass down the fruit of the revelation.
How can we bear similar fruit for eternal life?
Sunday, October 02, 2011
Ephesians 2:11-22 - From Racism to Reconciliation
 |
| Pastors Michael Catt (l) & Daniel Simmons |
Opening thought:
This
weekend the movie Courageous opened across the nation, a movie about men being
the husbands and fathers God has called them to be. I urge you to see the movie
which was was made by a Southern Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia, and pastored
by Michael Catt. As a young white minister, Michael Catt was fired from a
Mississippi church for quoting Martin Luther King, Jr. in the pulpit. He never
forgot it.
“Getting
fired … was really a pivotal, defining moment for me,” Michael Catt said.
Now
58, he’s the pastor of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, GA, and among a few
churches taking steps to create – and maintain – the multi-ethnicity of Christ’s
body nearly a half a century after King’s death.
When
Catt became pastor of Sherwood Baptist in 1989, he noticed his predominantly
white congregation was a stark contrast to the small city of Albany, whose
population is about 65% black. He led the way in hiring its first black
associate pastor. A tragic flood in Albany in 1994 eroded racial barriers even
more and created a sense of unity that still exists today. Catt and his
congregation reached out to the predominantly black Mt. Zion Baptist Church,
which had been damaged by the flood.
There
Catt met Senior Pastor Daniel Simmons, who is black, and the two forged a
friendship and began swapping pulpits. Now, the two regularly preach at each
other’s churches, and their congregations come together for those occasions.
Catt,
Simmons and their mixed congregation are featured in the new movie Courageous, produced by
Sherwood Baptist, ranked #1 in per theater ticket sales its first weekend.
“We
learn from each other,” Simmons said of the two churches. “We mutually support
and encourage each other.”[1]
 |
| Pastor Fred Luter |
Contextual Notes:
Paul’s
letter to the Ephesians is an awesome study of the church of Jesus Christ. In
chapter 2 we see that God formed His church of flawed human beings, but He
formed it out of His great love for sinners of all kinds (Eph. 2:1-4). He takes
those who are dead in their sin and makes us alive in Christ, recreating us to
make us suitable for the good works He prepared in advance for us to do (Eph
2:5-10). That regenerating, recreating work closed the gap between Jews, who
enjoyed a covenant relationship with God, and the Gentiles, who were locked out
of that relationship (Eph 2:11-13). By bringing both Jew and Gentile to God
through the Cross, Jesus settled the long-standing hostility between the races,
removing its cause (Eph 2:14-18). As a result, Jew and Gentile are now “fellow
citizens” of God’s household and together parts of a holy temple that God’s
Spirit is building even today (Eph. 2:19-22).
Key Truth: Paul
wrote Ephesians 2:11-22 to teach believers that
believers are people of reconciliation through Christ’s blood, Christ’s peace,
and in Christ’s household.
Key Application: Today I
want to show you what God’s Word says about racism and reconciliation.
Key Verse: Ephesians 2:14
Pray and Read:
Ephesians 2:11-22
Sermon Points:
1. We
are all reconciled in Christ’s blood (Eph 2:11-13)
2. We
are all reconciled in Christ’s peace (Eph 2:14-18)
3. We
are all reconciled in Christ’s household (Eph 2:19-22)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)