Tag Archives: Christianity

THE HOBBIT New Trailer

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Most people like a good story but everyone loves to be raptured into a world of imagination as they’re escorted by a skillful author through a story of hope, redemption, and the inevitable triumph of good over evil. This is what we’ve come to expect from J. R. R. Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” saga and the newest installment called, “The Hobbit” won’t disappoint.

As you enjoy the latest trailer of The Hobbit, keep in mind that although it may not be overt, the gospel of Jesus Christ permeates every square inch of Middle-earth! (More on this to come:)

A Christmas Revelation

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It’s that time again! The beautiful Fall colors that lit up the countryside with brilliant yellow, and bright orange have all disappeared. The local department stores have announced their “one time only” sales. Our televisions are filled with commercials for the latest toys that thrill our children at the very thought of having that one thing they can’t live without. The Grinch, George Bailey, Eddie Griswold, and my favorite, Ralphie Parker (who desperately wants a Genuine Red Ryder 200 Shot Carbine Action Air Rifle for Christmas), all find their way into our homes as well as our hearts and bring the much need cure for that holiday nostalgia.

Countless hours are spent preparing food and even more are used to gorge ourselves with one last bite. It’s Christmas time of course! And if you haven’t already gotten your holiday shopping done, you may be in trouble. But, we must be careful that in all of our preparations we don’t forget the purpose for Christmas. It seems that in the rush of the season we tend to forget the real reason for the season. As we scurry to gather gifts for people we don’t even like, we forget about the greatest gift of all; Jesus.

“And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever: and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Luke 1:31

Two thousand years ago, God gave the gift of His Son and it’s important that we understand the significance of that gift. This holiday season we are not celebrating the fact that He was born in a manger but simply the fact that He was born. God came down through the womb of a virgin girl and the Creator lived among His creation. The Independent One became all dependant on one teenage girl. Thus He is named Emmanuel – “God with us” (Matt. 1:23). The word, “Incarnation” is used by theologians to describe the invisible God becoming visible in the form of Christ. The word “incarnation” literally means “en-fleshment”.  John chapter one says it this way, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us”.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever

 Christmas didn’t change Jesus. It only changed how we see Him. He was still the same Jesus before that auspicious night when there was no room in the Inn. He was still the same Jesus before Mary said, “Be it unto me according to thy Word”. He was still the same Jesus when Nebuchadnezzar looked with amazement into the fiery furnace and said, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God”(Daniel 3:25). And He was the same Jesus that God the Father looked at and said, “Let US make man in OUR image and after OUR likeness” (Genesis 1:26).

So, what is it that changed on Christmas day two thousand years ago? Humanity got a revelation of Jesus! We are not celebrating the fact that Jesus was born into existence but rather that He was born into our lives. A revelation is nothing new. In fact a revelation is only the revealing of what has been there all along. The incarnation was simply a fresh revelation of Jesus. Now God had a face!

This is what we are celebrating! The infinite became finite and the unknowable became known by many. We are celebrating the fact that the Christ of Christmas is no stranger to this planet and there is no reason that He should be a stranger to you. It’s not difficult for most to understand that God already knew them. He knows everything about you; including the things you try to hide from everyone else. But, He wanted so desperately for you to know Him that He stripped Himself of His imperial garments and put on the homespuns of humanity. This is the glory of Christmas; that you can know Him!

Who do you say that He is?

The disciples were exhausted after a long week of ministry. They had just witnessed their Master feed over four thousand people with only seven loaves and a few fishes. Yet, in the face of this miracle they still hadn’t received a revelation of Jesus. Out of frustration Jesus asks them, “Whom do men say that I am?” The disciples by this time had heard every rumor under the sun and they began to relate to Him all they had heard, “some say that thou art John the Baptist: some Elias; and others Jeremias, or one of the prophets.” Interrupting His illustrious twelve as they all shot off at the mouth, Jesus asked this all-telling question, “But who do YOU say that I am?”

I think that we would all agree that it really doesn’t matter what other people think about Jesus, but I want to take it a step further. It doesn’t even matter what you think about Jesus. Jesus didn’t ask them, “Who do you THINK I am?” He asked them, “Who do you SAY that I am?” What you believe is meaningless if it stays tucked away and hidden from the world. Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the MOUTH CONFESSION is made unto salvation.”

Out of the silence we hear Peter that big two-fisted fisherman with steadiness in his voice and stability in his gaze, he declared, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” With relief Jesus exclaimed,

Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my father in heaven. And I say unto you, that thou art Peter and on this rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

What just happened? Peter got a revelation of Jesus! The “rock” that Jesus was referring to, against which the gates of hell could not prevail, is the “revelation” of Him. It was Christmas all over again! But what would Christmas be without presents? Jesus said, “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven…” This is the real reason for the season. You have an opportunity to get to know Him up close and personal. And when you get to know Him the Bible says, “the Truth that you know will make you free.”

This holiday season when you’re with your loved ones and friends, you will find that some may ignore Him and others may even mock Him. Regardless of your situation, all that matters is who you say that He is. As we commemorate this most holy day, be sure to tell everyone who Jesus is to you and who He can be to them if they get the Christmas revelation.

“Buzz Off!” Lessons from a Downtown Christmas

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It was a great time for family and friends at our annual Downtown Christmas. In recent years our church has tried to do what we can to take advantage of this wonderful event. One year we sold baked goods, fudge, assorted chocolates and many other delectable dishes to satisfy your sweet tooth in an effort to raise money for poverty-stricken families in Appalachia. It was a great success and we were able to raise hundreds of much-needed dollars to help many families have a “happy” holiday. On another occasion we decided to simply share the gospel of love with as many people as possible.

The night was a great success with many warm smiling faces and no negative responses until the night came to a close. We were wrapping things up and I had a few more tracts left. I noticed two gentlemen standing on the sidewalk chatting and having a good time, so I decided to approach them. I introduced myself, as I always do, and shook their hands. Not wanting to take up much of their time I proceeded to give them a tract and said, “Merry Christmas! There is no better time to seek God.” My intention was to move on quickly. Immediately the older gentleman refused to take the tract. The young man, who was still in High School at South Stanly wanted to follow in the older gentleman’s footsteps. Thankfully he had not yet accumulated enough vinegar in his young age, but I’m sure he’s well on his way!

They were both volunteers and strong advocates for a certain political party here in Albemarle. The older gentleman began to preach to me about an issue he felt strongly about; recycling. Between each of their comments about recycling I managed to find out that they both considered themselves to be Christians. Glad to be speaking with fellow believers, I said, “You know what’s really important to me?” And I began to share my heart concerning evangelism; that it is essential for all of us do more in regards to sharing Jesus with people one on one.

What followed took me by surprise. They began to tell me that all Christians don’t have to share their faith and I was apparently intolerant and bigoted for implying otherwise. I was then promptly told to, “Buzz Off!” (Which is kind of outdated and lame but rude nonetheless). I was flabbergasted and extremely hurt. Not by them or their comments! Oh No! I’ve had my life threatened for the sake of the Gospel, and been insulted by professionals, so these amateurs werent about to make a dent. Jesus said, if they hated Him (referring to the religious people of his day) they would hate us also.

The New Testament talks so much about being persecuted for preaching the gospel that it seems persecution is a litmus test for good evangelism. In other words, if everyone likes you… you must not be doing it right! John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Church said that if he went a week without being cursed, spat upon, or pelted with rotten eggs, he got on his face before God and repented because obviously, he had been preaching wrong.

As I was speaking to them I must have seemed distant because I began to imagine hundreds of so-called Christians in the “Bible Belt” making the same excuses and I was grieved for the thousands who will die and spend eternity separated from God because some churchgoer thought it was his or her right to be silent. We all agree that we must display moral character and let our light shine through good works on a daily basis but, is that enough?

The High School student asked me, “Do you believe that if I don’t testify about Jesus I will go to hell?” “Absolutely not” I said. Salvation can’t be earned by any good work. It only comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. However, if you have really given your life to Christ, you can’t help but tell everyone about it! If you’re willing to talk so passionately about sports, politics, the latest gossip, or recycling how much more should you be willing to talk about the One who delivered us from hell and gave us citizenship in Heaven? Now that is something that deserves to be heralded from every roof top… That is, if you really believe it. That’s what it all boils down to; during this Holiday season, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, do you really believe?

Paul said, “Examine yourselves to see whether or not you be in the faith”. I simply wish to encourage all Christians to re-examine themselves. What do you believe? Why do you believe it? Is it worth sharing?

Begin to study your Bible and discover all of the wonderful truths concerning your part in the work of redemption. Start with the verses listed below and get ready to experience a new level of peace, joy, and blessing as you embrace God’s vision to win the lost.

Isaiah 58; Ezekiel 33:7-9; Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:44-47; Acts 1:8; Romans 10:14-15; 2 Timothy 4:2-4

Merry Christmas!

Witches Are People Too!

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Tis the season to be scary! By scary, I’m not talking about the undiscerning masses of mask-wearing wanna-bes who parade around in He-Man and Hogwarts costumes. What is scary though, are fear-filled and fear-led Believers who run for the hills with their pitchforks and torches in hand on October 31st! The only mask these folks wear is a sanctimonious one, held on with cheaply manufactured righteous indignation.

“Turn off the Porch Light and lock up the children, Ethel! It’s Halloween!” After all we don’t want to contribute to the devil’s high holiday by turning our front doors into altars and a Snickers into a satanic sacrifice do we? Something has to be done! We cannot allow our children to be impressed upon by the imagery of witchcraft portrayed on Halloween. That’s why for the past several years many Wiccans have called for a boycott of these Fall festivities.

“Don’t you mean Christians have called for a boycott!?” No, I mean Wiccans! Apparently they feel that a grave injustice has been done and that their religion as been entirely misrepresented. In fact, some say that it could be equal to a Hate Crime. Due to legal pressure by one Wiccan Coven a School Board adjusted it’s policy quickly to read;

“the Wiccan religion is a bona fide religion under the law, and its followers  are entitled to all the protections afforded to more mainstream religions. Building  administrators should not tolerate such inappropriate stereotyping (images such  as Witches on flying brooms, stirring cauldrons, casting spells, or with long  noses and pointed hats) and instead address them as you would hurtful  stereotypes of any other minority.”

Could this mean that Christians and Witches will unite to take on these dually recognized evils of Halloween? I wouldn’t hold your breath! It is interesting however that what many Christians believe to be harmful forms of witchcraft, actually have no bearing on real Wiccan practices at all. I’m concerned that our lack of discernment combined with our tendency to overreact will actually cause our children to be unable to trust us where it matters.

That being said, there are some things Christians should be mindful of. Witchcraft, Tarot Cards, Ouija Boards and the like are real gateways to and openings to evil spiritual influences. We should teach our children to stay away from such things but the Wicked Witch of the West or Harry Potter for that matter, are fictional characters that have no relation to actual witchcraft. If we insist on telling our children that these benign entertainment figures are evil incarnate, they will grow up and learn that their parents weren’t telling the truth after all, about that children’s movie and, “I wonder what else they were wrong about?” This allows the real enemy of their soul to bring into question every truth that they have been taught. Our loved ones don’t need blanket statements, mindless maxims, or broad brushes; they need the truth and the truth will not only set them free but it will keep them free as well.

Do You Celebrate Halloween?

As a Pastor, I get asked every year about whether or not I celebrate Halloween. My response is normally, “I celebrate everyday!” But, it is a sincere question. People who are new to the things of God want to honor God and they certainly don’t want to give any place to the devil. The Bible does teach us that we are in a war with the forces of darkness. At the height of World War II it would have seemed odd or even treasonous for Americans to run around with Hitler masks on and yet we see Christians running around each year wearing demonic faces, attempting to inspire fear, and to scare one another.

As Christians we don’t need to worry about Trick-or-Treaters or Jack-o-Lanterns! In the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” We serve a Faith God and fear should be the one thing that we refuse to tolerate on any day  of the year. Ironically, in an effort to keep our children away from the devil, we teach them to be afraid of carved pumpkins. “Well Pastor, don’t you know the origins of Halloween?” Listen, motives are what really matter. What someone may have used a pumpkin for 300 years ago, isn’t nearly as important as what they’re using it for today. In my house I’m not near as concerned with Halloween symbolism as I am with fear getting into the hearts of my children.

Honestly, I don’t attend Halloween Parties with my family where scary images may be present but we do love our yearly Fall Festivals and Hallelujah Parties. Regardless of what your convictions may be, it’s vital that we never take anything away from our children, in the name of God that we don’t replace with something better! God’s children should always be having more fun than anyone else on the block. After all, we’re the ones with a real reason to celebrate!

If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out our blog on, Harry Potter!

The Gospel According to the Green Lantern

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I love superhero movies! Recently at our church, I preached a message titled, “The Gospel According to the Green Lantern” and we had a great time in the Word as we drew Biblical parallels and object lessons from the movie. Although I haven’t had time to write a full article on the subject, it has been highly recommended that I post some of my sermon notes from that particular message.

READER WARNING: This post is a sermon outline, which is why you may not find the standard quality we normally attempt to provide but we hope you’ll enjoy it nevertheless.

In the movies we often see our own longing for something beyond ourselves. Especially with the recent explosion of super hero titans on the big screen we can see that our culture is enamored with the idea of an average Joe obtaining unforseen power to overcome impossibilities. The Green Lantern is no exception.

The Green Lantern first appeared in comic books in 1940. It’s a story about a man named Hal Jordan who is a second generation fighter pilot whose dad died of a plane crash when he was just a boy. In an effort to sum up the movie without spoiling it for you, Hal, was given a ring by a dying alien. The ring’s power is only limited by the imagination and finds it’s strength in the “will” power of the wearer.

Hal puts on the ring and begins to recite the Green Lantern Oath;

In brightest day, in blackest night,
No evil shall escape my sight
Let those who worship evil’s might,
Beware my power… Green Lantern’s light!

Centuries ago a group of “Immortals” found a way to harness the most powerful energy in the universe; the power of WILL. In an effort to protect the universe, they created these rings that would give its wearers the ability to use this power. The ring was limited in the charge of power it could carry. When it would run down the wearer (Green Lantern) had to go back to the source to recharge the ring.

Parallaxed by Fear

We learn early on that one of the Immortals found another force almost as powerful as WILL that he tried to control and use for good. It was the force of fear. This Immortal’s name was Parallax. Once he had given himself over to the power of fear it changed him forever and if he was able to inspire fear in anyone, he could suck the life out of them. Fear fed his power!

There’s a few lessons we can learn from this fictional tale;

  1. The power ring was the source of strength, NOT Hal Jordan. Faith in God’s Word is the source of our Power and Strength NOT our own righteousness or ability.
  2. The power ring had to be taken back to the Lantern to recharge. We need to be recharged everyday and every week. God has provided a way for us to recharge our battery – Prayer & Church.
  3. The only power Parallax had, was fear and if he couldn’t make you fear him, he couldn’t harm you. The same is true with the enemy of our souls; he can only gain entrance into our lives through fear.

The problem with Hal Jordan is that he’s not fearless. The past loss of his father had placed a fear of failure, responsibility, and loss in him but when his friend tells him, “the ring didn’t see you as fearless but having the ability to overcome fear” it changes everything. Choosing to face his fears unleashes the full power of WILL on our hero’s behalf.

Fear is Faith in Reverse

FEAR is the opposite of faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for…”. Faith is the substance of things desired and FEAR is the substance of things not desired.

There’s this amazing final battle scene, after an army of Green Lanterns has been defeated, where Hal Jordan finds the courage and strength of WILL to fight Parallax all on his own and Parallax is about to overcome him! This evil-looking, smoky, octopus, type creature, the size of a city block is bombarding our hero and Hal is just barely keeping him off with the power of the ring.

Parallax is whispering in his ear trying to inspire fear and when Hal doesn’t know what else to do, he starts to recite the Oath… “Bright as day, black as night…” and as he speaks, his words begin to drown out the words of the enemy until he’s able to over come his fear…

Jesus has a similar situation when he was confronted by the enemy in the wilderness and His response was, “It is Written… It is Written… It is Written!”

I contend that our number one way to fight fear is to speak God’s word with boldness!

God has not given us a ring of power but a Word of promise and He says to us, “Fear NOT and Believe Only”!

I encourage you to watch “The Green Lantern” with this new perspective. Who knows what you might learn about yourself and how to overcome fear!

Baptist Pastor Calls Mormonism a Cult… This Is News?

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Dr. Robert Jeffress is the senior pastor of the 10,000-member First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. I had the privilege of meeting this pastor once on the set of the Daystar television network and I don’t recall seeing his horns, tail, or pitchfork at the time. He actually seemed like a stable, upstanding, Pastor but I guess you never can tell because according to the national media this week (and the political talking heads turned theologians) he’s a radical, bigoted, hate-monger, because he had the audacity to say that “Mormonism” was not compatible with traditional christianity.

Just a few days ago Pastor Jeffress is reported to have said, “Mitt Romney’s a good moral person, but he’s not a Christian. Mormonism is not Christianity and it has always been considered a cult by the mainstream of Christianity.” These comments created a firestorm of backlash causing even MSNBC hosts to speak out against this “intolerant” attack against Mormonism. We’ve also seen big wigs in the Republican Party calling the Pastor’s comments, “Downright Bigotry” even though Pastor Jeffress went on to say that he WOULD vote for Mitt Romney and that although religion is a factor when considering a candidate, “It’s not the only criteria we look for”.  Pastor Jeffress also said that when presented with a choice between a “non-christian” like Romney who possesses moral, christian characteristics and a professing Christian like Obama who supports non-christian issues like abortion, he would choose Romney.

Yet, despite his level-headedness Pastor Jeffress is being attacked on every side by liberals simply because they’re looking for any attempt to go after a christian pastor and by conservatives because they see Romney as their only hope for an election win in 2012. Establishment Republican Karl Rove… oh excuse me, Reverend Karl Rove emphatically defended Romney saying, “This is not where a pastor should be going…”. In Bishop Rove’s world, I’m not sure where a Pastor should go, if he can’t contend for the validity of traditional Christianity and be honest when asked for his educated opinion concerning a potential cult. Gov. Romney quickly jumped on this sudden wave of Mormon sympathy calling the comments, “poisonous language”.

Pastor Jeffress also had the honor of being called a “Moron” by presidential candidate Jon Huntsman who also happens to be a Mormon. What is a cult? “When I’m talking about a cult, I’m not talking about a sociological cult, but a theological cult… Mormonism was invented 1,800 years after Jesus Christ and the founding of Christianity. It has its own founder, Joseph Smith, its own set of doctrines and even its own book, the Book of Mormon, in addition to the Bible. That by definition is a theological cult” said Jeffress. If that makes you a “Moron”, I’ll have what he’s having! Pastor Jeffress also said, “I am a pastor first and when asked as a pastor about what I consider to be false religions I have to tell the truth as a pastor, regardless of how unpopular it might be.” Amen to that.

I’m not saying that we need to declare someone unfit for the office of the president solely based on their religious persuasion but I do think that we should be able to have an open and honest conversation about what we believe. Bigotry is a deep seeded hate for someone simply because they’re different or because you disagree. I would think that people in the political arena would know this but it seems that their skin is much thinner than expected. Just because I disagree with your religion, that doesn’t mean that I hate you! God forbid if a Christian believes that Jesus is the only way to Heaven! I honestly feel like I’m being punked right now! Is this really news? If the belief that Jesus is, “THE way, THE truth, THE Life, and that no man can come to the Father but by Him”, is bigoted then every professing Christian in America is guilty and so is the Bible.

Here are a few things that Mormons believe.

  • Satan is Jesus’ Brother.
  • Most know that Mormons have a Prophet. What many don’t know, is that anything that the prophet says in official capacity is considered official canon which is not only equal to but also supersedes the Bible.
  • The Bible is flawed and The book of Mormon is more correct than the Bible.
  • After Jesus’ Resurrection, He came to America and hung out with the “Israelites” (Native Americans) who were here.
  • Mormons believe in Polytheism (many gods).
  • Our God / Heavenly Father used to be a man on another planet.
  • If we obtain the highest level of Mormonism we can become gods ourselves and rule our own universe.
  • God is married to his goddess wife and has spirit children.
  • Jesus’ birth was NOT miraculous and he was conceived by his earthly father just as we are.
  • If it had not been for Joseph Smith and the restoration, there would be no salvation.
  • There is NO salvation outside of the Mormon Church.
  • Jesus’ sacrifice is NOT able to cleanse us from all our sins.
  • Works ARE necessary for salvation.
  • There is NO salvation without accepting Joseph Smith as a prophet of God.

How do these teachings mesh with traditional Christianity? They don’t! The Mormon people who I know are wonderful people but I certainly wouldn’t call them Christian. Misinformation is the basis for evangelistic success in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. It’s clear to anyone with half a brain that the God of Mormonism is not the One True God worshiped by Christians. Mormonism is probably one of the most deceptive cults out there because if you are speaking with a Mormon you might be using the same words, but you won’t be speaking the same language.

For example, when a Mormon says he believes in God he does not mean in the one true God, the creator of all things, the One who has always existed from all time. He means he believes in a god who used to be a man on another planet, who followed the laws and ordinances of that god on that planet and became exalted to godhood. And, to top it all off, he has a wife who happens to be a goddess. Again, I’m not suggesting that Mormons are evil people but we do need to make a distinction between Mormonism and traditional Christianity.

Like Pastor Jeffress, I would vote for a conservative candidate even if they were a Mormon but I would expect some humility and a willingness to have an open and honest discussion about a religion such as Mormonism that most americans still know very little about.

My Thoughts On Greatness

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The study of greatness (great people with great achievements) naturally produces aspirations for great things. Yet the knowledge gleaned from study and the visions of grandeur that follow aren’t enough to produce greatness in our own lives. Even though we may be impassioned by the study of great men and women to the point of worldly sacrifice, it seems that making our “mark” on the world still remains a distant dream.

Serving great leaders (which is invaluable) or moving across the country to chase your dreams brings no more substance to them, because you’ll always find lying at the door of your greatest dream, the watch-dog of your greatest weakness. I should also say that it seems to me that it is, “time” that builds a porch for this guardian to sit on; time spent in luxury. Don’t get me wrong… there’s nothing wrong with luxury but an excess of waisted time in ultimately frivolous activities is one of the greatest enemies to our God-given purposes and callings.

The swell of our “good intentions” can easily come crashing down on the rocks of our own personal leisure time, if we’re not careful. Could it be that history will judge our lives based on what we did on our days off? If you think about it, periodic spasms of greatness don’t define who you are. Only the free-flowing motion of a mind which feels alone and secure in its privacy can tell us who we really are. After all, we are only as strong as our most secret weakness.

Sin is a cancer to greatness and it finds its strength in secrecy. Luckily this soul affliction doesn’t have to be terminal. It can be cured with the sacrificial blood of He that was truly great when administered with a healthy dose of transparency and occupancy. Sin reacts to transparency like Dracula does to sunlight or Lady GaGa does to soap and water and occupancy removes any further opportunity for it to recover and move back in. We should really pay attention to how we occupy our time, especially those times when no one is looking. Jesus said, “Occupy till I come”. If we wish to truly accomplish great things we should occupy our time with things that are pleasing to Him.

The greatest of the greats, warned that we would be judged by, “every idle word” that comes out of our mouths. It’s not what we say before the masses that counts but what we utter in private that will determine what our real mark on history will be.

… just a few things to think about.

Still More

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Recently, as we have launched a new church, we’ve talked a great deal about “trust”. I’ve heard it said that, FAITH speaks to the storm but TRUST sleeps through it. The challenge to truly trust God is not an easy one but it’s a challenge we all must welcome, for without trust the storms of life will overtake and consume us.

Years ago I met a man who understood the courageous and heroic nature of ruthless trust and he wrote this poem. I hope it will be a blessing to you.

Still More by Ken Graves

We really thought we knew Him.

We answered His call and we followed.

A mis-matched band of men we were

Sailing off into tomorrow.

I never knew a man to work so hard

And spend himself like Him.

And at last I saw Him finally lay down

While His old light was growing dim.

And darkness came as did the wind.

That lake became a beast

That howled and roared and reached for us

Thirteen mortals for its feast.

All I believed now seemed a lie

And nothing made any sense.

Waves of terror washed over my soul.

Each one even more intense.

I felt my way to the back of the boat

To where I’d seen Him lay.

So human was He, that in His fatigue,

Despite those pounding waves,

He slept.

Like a man unaware that there was any reason for fear.

Like one who knew just where he was going,

And what He was doing here.

Then one angry thought broke through my fear

As my panic reached its peak.

It erupted out of the hostile question

I could not help but speak.

We’re going to Die! I cried out loud

To the one who would lead us there.

You said, “Let’s go over”

but we’re going under.

How is it that you don’t care?

At first He said nothing

But seemed to be struggling

With a mind not fully awakened.

Straight from His dream into our nightmare,

Yet He wasn’t the least bit shaken.

He stood up suddenly and steadied himself.

With one hand he held to the ropes.

Like holding the reins of a stallion he rode

That rising and falling boat.

One hand on the ropes, one hand in the air,

As we cowered along the sides.

He confronted that beast that caused us to cower

So frightened and terrified.

The words that He spoke were not a request;

they were not a victim’s plea.

His words were not louder than the howl of the wind

Or the roar of the Galilee.

But his words carried power,

Undeniable power!

Even the force of the wind had to flee.

Mightier than the thunder of great waters,

Mightier than breakers of the sea.

He spoke to that wind like it was a dog.

His command muzzled its jaw and it fled

With its tail tucked between its legs.

We huddled in silence and awe.

Everything was quiet upon hearing those words

The water, the earth, and the sky;

Nothing more silent and speechless than we

Who just witnessed this with our eyes.

This man who took lordship over nature,

For whom nature immediately complied,

Now turned His gaze upon us little men

Just beginning to slowly arise.

Why were you afraid? He asked us.

How is it that you have no faith?

We had no answer to give him then.

Looking back we could only say

That we were afraid of what was against us,

Because we did not realize

What manner of man He was that we followed

and trusted with our very lives.

We had no answer for His question to us,

But we had many questions of our own.

Someone finally spoke those words

That still echo in my soul.

What manner of man, indeed, is He? Still more than I can know.

Parables

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“Another parable put He forth unto them…” Matthew 13:24 – 30

What we have here in Matthew 13 is a common form of sermon delivery which Jesus used often during His earthly ministry. In fact the subject of these parables is one of the most important subjects in the Bible.

It’s sad that the average Christian believes that parables are not relevant today and even if they were they think they are impossible to understand. This is simply not the case. A parable is not some mythological story that could only be understood by the disciples in that ancient time. A parable is very simply an illustration.

The word “Parable” itself means; to throw by the side of for sake of comparison. A parable is a natural illustration which conveys eternal truth. A parable is not some deep spiritual story that is meant to hide truth from you. A parable is designed to hide truth for you.

Jesus said in John 15:15 “… I call you friends because everything that I have heard of My Father I have made known unto you.” Through parables Jesus is trying to teach us what He has learned from His Father.

You may ask, like the disciples in Matthew 13, “Why doesn’t He just come out and say it?” It’s because He is trying to conceal truth from uninterested hearers and reveal it to the interested ones. Are you interested?

“It’s the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honor of kings is to search out a matter.” Proverbs 25:2

 It is our honor and it is our privilege to search out the truths in these parables. Open up your Bible today and allow Jesus to reveal some hidden truth to you through these wonderful illustrations.

New Holiday Gets People Talking

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There’s a new holiday that’s turning heads in the Christian community. National Back To Church Sunday is a positive, cross-denominational celebration that encourages everyone to revisit congregational life. How many have said at one time or another this year, “I really need to get back into church”? Well, this year on September 18th they have as good an opportunity as any! (See Video Below)

Lending his voice to this year’s event is Texas Rangers all-star Josh Hamilton, the 2010 American League Championship Series MVP who credits his comeback from drug addiction and suspension from the game to his faith and church.

“God’s word tells us to spur one another on toward love and good deeds, and not give up meeting together,” Hamilton said. “We are to walk through life with other believers. My family and I have found that church is a wonderful way to do this, so I encourage you to join thousands of Americans as they go back to church on National Back To Church Sunday.”

National Back To Church Sunday has become the single largest community outreach in the nation with 10,000 churches expected to participate in 2011. This event reignites the power of personal invitation to empower church members to bring the community back to church. This simple notion seems to be renewing a passion for the Great Commission in our local churches.

Since the initiative began in 2009, National Back To Church Sunday has seen increased success with  church members inviting more than 1.4 million family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers to special services last year. Some 3,800 churches participated in 2010!

National Back To Church Sunday was launched in response to a 2008 study by LifeWay Research and the North American Mission Board of 15,000 adults that found that 67 percent of Americans say a personal invitation from a family member would be effective in getting them to visit a church. Sixty-three percent say an invitation from a friend or neighbor would likely get them to respond.

“We found that the effectiveness of the invitation was often tied to its form: the more personal, the more effective,” said Philip Nation, ministry development director of LifeWay Research.

“We were encouraged by the response and feedback from churches that participated in National Back to Church Sunday last year,” said Eric Abel, vice president of marketing for Outreach, Inc. “Creating ways to empower church members to reach out to their friends and neighbors is exciting. And we are looking forward to this event continuing to gain momentum.”

Church is essential to the life of the believer and this year at Encounter Christ Church on September 18th at 6PM we will be joining with nearly 10,000 churches for National Back to Church Sunday! We’ll have special musical guests and amazing activities for your children, so get your family together, INVITE and friend and come celebrate with us!