Defining Faith

Do we possess unshakable confidence in the Person, power and plan of God for our life?  Abraham did.  That is why he is called the “father of faith”.  Yet even he had times when questions arose and challenged his faith.  In those times when he came to have questions and doubts, he took them to the Lord.  God told Abraham that he his descendants would number as many as the stars on a clear night.  The questions and doubts came as God clearly told Abraham that He was not to be afraid; that He was his shield and reward.  Yet Abraham and Sarah were still childless and unless things changed, his chief servant, Eliezer from Damascus would be his beneficiary.  God promised protection, progeny and reward, and after years of following God, things in Abraham’s eyes remained doubtful.  Faith is holding to the Person, Character and Love of God absolute, even in the face of discouragement and defeat; to have utmost confidence in our covenant God.

Verse of the Week:

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.

_{Genesis 15:1}

Resurrection Celebration!

Easter is a time of celebration; a time when we commemorate the resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.  God celebrates it each year with the passing of Winter into Spring when everything seems to come alive with vibrant color and life. That’s exactly what happened when Jesus arose.  Death was defeated!  Our justification and redemption was assured and secured in Christ’s life and death.  Jesus died that we might have life by becoming our substitute; the sinless for the sinner.  But because He was without personal sin, death could not hold Him!  Easter has become commercialized to some extent.  It seems that the world wants to ignore the significance of the resurrection event and what it means.  But to those of us who are saved by the precious blood of Christ, Easter marks the day we’ve set aside to rejoice in the fact that the tomb is empty; Jesus is alive and will soon come again.  Our prayer is that each one here is ready for that day.  If not, perhaps this is the day that you too accept Jesus into your heart.  

Verses of the Week:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

_{1 Peter 1:3-5}

The LBC Worship Choir did a great job on their Easter Cantata.  We were blessed to have a number of guests and look to see God add to the church through the worship and celebration of Easter as well as the recent Mission Conference.  

Pride, Arrogance and Confusion

Ever since the fall, man has had to deal with the problem of his own pride and arrogance.  It was the downfall of Lucifer and it is the downfall of humanity as well.  I was always amazed at the teen patients I dealt with in a lockup medical facility I worked at in Arkansas.  They saw former patients killed or maimed because of life style choices they had made.  But each time that was brought home to them we always heard that was them, this is me.  It seemed that what had caused others to fail was not going to be their history.  Somehow they would be smarter or immune to the consequences of the choices that they had made.  I have seen the same attitude in church members as well as they began to be less committed in their walk and make decisions that would bring them to compromise their faith and conviction.  Just like the Sunday School lesson the adult class studied today.  David felt that as King, he was above the rules and could forego the consequences of sin.  We need to take care that we don’t get caught up in our pride and deceive ourselves into thinking that with us, we are the exception rather than the rule when it comes to the consequences of sin.

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.

_{Proverbs 16:18}  

Christ in the Storm

One of my favorite contemporary Christian groups is Casting Crowns.  They sing a song that I’ve come to love and reflect upon every time I find myself in the midst of a life storm.  Part of the song simply states, “…And I'll praise You in this storm, And I will lift my hands; For You are who You are No matter where I am…”  It is good to know that the Lord is in the midst of the storm; that he is in control.  It is assuring to know that He is in the midst of the storm, and that we are in His capable hands.  He is our anchor as well as our refuge.  The storms are going to rage and there will be losses as well as times of anxiety and fear.  But the Child of God can rest in the sure hope and love that is Jesus Christ.  In Him we have a haven of rest; a place of peace and assurance.  When we face life storms we can trust in our Master.  He will see us through the storm and bring us safely home.  We can rest and hope in Him come what may.  So in the midst of the storm, we can worship and give Him praise.  He is in control.

Verses of the Week:

Psalm 23:4a

Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me….

Finding Grace through God's Plan

From My Heart to Yours: The prophet Jeremiah reminds us that the heart of man is deceitful and desperately wicked.  The measure of sin is defined by God.  In Noah’s day, God saw the wickedness of man and sent a flood to eradicate evil.  But Noah found grace.  There were those who made the choice to walk with God and seek His face.  As a result, Noah and his family survived the deluge of judgment that would come upon the earth.  We are naïve to think that God will not judge our sin.  The Bible clearly teaches us otherwise.  But as in Noah’s day, so too today God has provided an Ark of safety and refuge.  It is found in the Cross of Christ.  Have you fled for refuge in His provision?  Will you obey the voice of the Lord as the Bible said Noah did?  
 



VERSE OF THE WEEK

Thus did Noah; according to all that God commanded him, so did he.

Genesis 6:22

 

 

 

  

March 2nd 2014

From the Pastor's Desk: The influence of generations can be clearly seen in the life of Enoch.  God forever defined this man’s life as that of a man who walked with God.  We see the influence of Enoch upon the lives of those who followed him all the way to Noah and beyond.  There are times when we are under the false impression that what we do doesn’t really matter.  But we couldn’t be further from the truth.  As stated last week, our actions, good or bad, influence the following generations.  If we reverence the Lord and teach our children and grandchildren what it is to respect God and His Word, then we can impact not only them, but all who they will touch by their life example and influence.  God had something to say about Enoch and it is forever etched in His Word.  Enoch walked with God.  What about you and me?  What can be said of our life and habits?  Can others see the high regard we have for the Lord and His Word?  Do our lives show our love for Him as well as our loyalty to Him?  Enoch’s did, and so can ours.    

Verse of the Week:

By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

Hebrews 11:5  

The Problem of Sin

Sin opens the door for dysfunction in our lives as well as that of our families.  Adam and Eve found out that their sin affected more than just them, but all those with whom they had to do.  It was sin that caused division and strife between them.  They saw that strife grow to hate between Cain their eldest and his younger brother Able.  The first family came to fit the definition of dysfunctional.  What God created and declared to be very good, had been corrupted by sin and turned ugly.  Heartache and hardship was the result of their self-indulgence.  It is ever the case.  No person is an island unto themselves.  Our decisions, good or bad, impact those around us.  Unfortunately it seems that the bad is more easily modeled than the good.  Paul stated it in this way; (I paraphrase) the good I should do I don’t do and the evil I shouldn’t do, I do.  This is the struggle each of us faces because of the nature of sin we are all born with.  This is the consequence of Adam’s sin and the first couple would see it firsthand.   

Verse of the Week:

    For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.

_{Romans 5:19}

Life Giving Waters

World events depict a world of great unrest and turmoil.  When we read about the events that will culminate with the return of our Lord, we see a world racked by war, famine, disease and death.  When the Lord returns, He will restore not only the nation, but bring healing to the nations.  The prophet Ezekiel foresaw destruction and judgment to Israel and the nations.  He now foresees restoration, hope and healing.  In Christ, we have the promise of forgiveness and justification as well as restoration and healing.  Many people are hurting and suffering around the world and in need of Jesus Christ.  In the coming days we need to stay focused and rest upon the promises of God which are found in Jesus Christ.  We need to stay active in our service and ministry of the Gospel through our witness and participation in missions both local and around the world.  It is important as we look at where we’ve been to not get distracted from where we need to be going in our service to Jesus.

 

Verses of the Week:

        In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 

^{Revelation 22:2-3}

Faith Promise

We have seen a drop in our Faith Promise Giving of late.  In part, this is due to the fact that you have been faithful to continue your Faith Promise without having to revisit it.  Yet there has been attrition since we last focused upon faith promise and what it is.  We all understand that things in the economy are tight.  That holds true to the missionaries that we support as well.  So today, we will focus upon our what Faith Promise is to those who may not know, and review it for those of us who do.  Our gift this Christmas as a church will be in the Faith Promise promotion.  The Heavenly Father gave the best He had, Himself, so that we could be saved.  Let’s take a look at what we might be able to do above our tithe toward helping meet the needs of those missionaries that need our faithful support.  Begin to pray now for what you might be able to give to help others know the marvelous grace and gift of God; His Son, Jesus.  The world needs hope today, and He is not only our hope, but our joy and love.  It’s why we celebrate Christmas.  Faith Promise Sunday will be the 23^rd of this month.

What will they remember you for?

What will you be remembered for; what will be your epitaph?  There are some great statements made by God about certain men in the Bible.  As we continue our series, Man Up, we want to take a look at a couple of these men and what it takes to follow their example.  Specifically, we want to look at the life of Abraham.  It was due to his faith and willingness to obey and follow God that resulted in him being the source of blessing for all humanity.  The question each of us should be asking is this; how can I live a life so that God can use me to bless the world?  Too many don’t believe that it is possible for one man to make a difference.  But that isn’t the teaching of Scripture.  Sadly, it was one man missing that resulted in the fall of Israel to captivity.  And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.   Ezekiel 22:30.  I often wonder if God is looking for that one person to make a difference, a time for a man to step up and make all the difference in his family, his church, or his country.  Thank God that in Abraham, God found a man willing to make a difference!

Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection upon all God has done for us and seen us through.  That first Thanksgiving followed hardships that saw hard winter, hunger and sickness among the pilgrim forefathers.  Surviving that first winter, not to mention the kindness of the Indians in that area helped the Pilgrim people make it through.  The harvest that fall was something that was a blessing and sent them reflecting upon the goodness of God.  The men of those families had taken the role of leadership and led their families in private devotion, but also pursued taking their families out of harm’s way where they could worship God corporately and freely.  These families were hounded and persecuted for their faith in Christ and desire to find religious freedom.  They were men who were willing to lead without the compromise of Scripture or convictions.  We need such people today; people willing to live for Christ and pay for their convictions of faith regardless the cost.  Just as they were thankful for God’s care, so too we should be appreciative and thankful for all that we have in Christ.

From My Heart to Yours:  We all think about it from time to time.  How do we want to be remembered?  Do we want to be remembered for our achievements or perhaps our attitude?  Most of us would like to be remembered in a positive way.  In the end, it isn’t so much what others think of us but rather what God thinks that is important.  In Malachi, the people of Israel were confronted for their spiritual compromises and lack of commitment.  They were indicted as nominal people of faith rather than as a sincere people of faith.  If we want to be positioned for the blessings of God; for a Heaven sent revival, then we must be sincere.  This is an interesting word, meaning not hypocritical or deceitful.  It is to be open and genuine.  Sculptures and potters who were insincere would cover their mistakes or blemishes with wax.  When heat was applied the wax would begin to melt away showing the imperfections.  Life has a way of heating things up, and it is then that we begin to see the sincerity of our faith or its lack displayed for all to see.  In the midst of the social, global, and religious  upheavals we currently see, those with sincere faith will stand out.  These are the type of people God desires and takes note of; those who seek to worship Him with pure hearts and motives.  

Verse of the Week:  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth:

John 4:23

FROM MY HEART TO YOURS:  Being positioned for the blessings of God, especially as it pertains to revival, involves confession and repentance.  Confession is an admission of wrong thoughts and actions that are usually a result of self-sufficiency and dependency rather than relying upon God and His Word.  Such is born of pride and human wisdom, and it always leads to a breach of fellowship and resultant corrective measures.  When we are confronted with our wrong attitudes and actions we can confess that they are indeed wrong and then repent of them.  Repentance is Key to Revival.  I often ask if you think that we need revival.  The response is almost always unanimous.  The confessed need for restoration and revival points out the clear need for repentance.  In 2nd Chronicles 7:14, God required that a return to God must be with a whole heart that involves a turning from evil ways.  We can define an evil way as one that isn’t God’s way.  It could be that we don’t recognize that the decisions and directions we have made are wrong, that we’ve left God out of them and not sought His wisdom or will, or just outright gone against His clear teaching and leading.  Let us pray that God will reveal to us the areas in which we need to confess and repent so that we can experience His joy, assurance and the blessings of true Revival.

VERSE OF THE WEEK:  If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

From My Heart to Yours:  Is the Bible clear on what I need to do to be positioned for God’s blessing upon my life?  The answer is a definite Yes!  God’s Word tells us what we need to do to expect God’s blessing upon our life.  We all have our ideas as to what we should do to make God grant us grace and favor.   Some kick in a little bit more in their offering on Sundays, others quit or commit to something that they believe will trigger the door to open God’s blessings upon their life.  What is that key that will place us in the position to receive God’s blessing and bring His smile upon our life?  Micah tells the nation Israel what it is that God requires.  It isn't what you or I think that it takes to bring God’s blessings, but rather what God has revealed in His Word.  We don’t have to guess at it until we hit it.  God Himself has told us what it is He expects from us in order to receive His blessing upon our life.  Micah 6:8 gives us the answer to discovering the key to unlocking God’s blessings for our life.     


   He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; 
   And what doth the LORD require of thee, 
   But to do justly, and to love mercy, 
   And to walk humbly with thy God? 

Verse of the Week:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in Heavenly places in Christ.

Ephesians 1:3

To encourage means to give somebody hope or confidence; to motivate somebody to take a course of action or to continue doing something.  (Encarta Dictionary)  When it comes to our walk with Christ, we as a church need to be a source of encouragement.  We need to instill hope and confidence as we seek to grow in Christ an walk daily with Him.  There are many avenues this encouragement can take.  It might be a visit or call simply to show your care.  It could be just in showing up for class or worship to encourage those who lead.  It could be a simple act of kindness to take a bit of the load off of someone’s plate.  It is thinking and doing as Christ would think and do.  The question we ought to ask daily is, “How can I show the love of Christ?”  When we go about our day and people cross our paths, showing the love of Christ, and encouraging others into a deeper walk with Him should be uppermost in our mind.  By setting our focus early in the day, we can ask God for direction and wisdom to be a source of encouragement to others.

Verse of the Week:

Fear thou not; for I am with thee: Be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; Yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

_{Isaiah 41:10}

A Jesus Encounter

Too often, when we come to know Christ, we delegate Him to just a certain aspect of our life.  He becomes the center of our “religious or spiritual” life.  We fail to involve or incorporate Him into other aspects of our life.  God is interested in every aspect of our lives.   He cares about your family life, your work life; who you date and marry.  He cares about your heartache and hardships too, and desires not only to be with you through them, but to grow you through the process of healing to be more like Him.  Yet too often, we seem to think that God is about that one area of our life.  God doesn’t really know about factory work, or politics, or nursing, or administration.  It’s as if we say, “God you’re good at what you do, but this is what I do.”  Peter had a conversation very much like that with the Lord.  Today we’re going to learn from that event as well as the subsequent events in their relationship together.  Peter makes an interesting study because in so many ways, I see myself in him.

Verse of the Week:  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.     _{Hebrews 4:15}                                    

Post Revival Thoughts

We are grateful for the messages brought by Brother Danny Fudge, Missionary to Omaha, Nebraska.  The messages from God's Word were boldly proclaimed and in time, we will see if they bring about the fruit of real revival.  What is the fruit of revival?  Restoration and a reinvigorated commitment to the Lord resulting in real life change and transformation.  The fruit is also seen by lost people coming to Christ as a result of the impact upon the church.  That is because true revival is transformational to individuals, families, churches and communities.  Real revival endures.   Bible precedents reveal that the generation that experiences genuine revival sees the impact and effect of revival throughout their life time.  In other words, real revival isn’t transitory but lasting; reaching, influencing and  impacting generations.  So what took place at LBC?  We've yet to see the lasting impact but this we do know.  We enjoyed the fellowship of God’s Spirit as well as that of His people.  We heard the Word of God boldly proclaimed, and witnessed people responding to the Spirit.  Praise God for His immeasurable goodness!

From My Heart to Yours

God has, in Christ, provided not only for our forgiveness and redemption; but also for all essential to fulfill our purpose for the Kingdom Work.  God wants to be glorified in us.  As we abide in Him and in His Word, He makes us to be fruitful so that we become a living testimony to His love and grace.  Paul prays that the church at Ephesus might come to know more fully God’s grace, love, strength and knowledge. In essence, he prays that they might come to a fullness of God that will empower and enable them to do even beyond all that they can imagine.  Could it be that we have a myopic view for what God can do here at LBC and in the Anderson area?  God’s desire is that He might receive honor and glory in us and through us as we obediently and submissively trust and follow Him.  God has provided all that is needed.  We must be willing to trust Him and obediently follow His leading.

From My Heart to Yours

We can not live a Christian life in our strength, but only in the strength of Christ who is the Vine.  All necessary for life and fruitfulness is provided through Him.  There are times that I make the attempt to do the work of God in my strength and find myself discouraged and dissuaded rather quickly.  Despondency and despair attack many believers who strive to do God’s work and fulfill God’s purpose in their own wisdom, ability and power.  Paul reminds us that it is Christ who strengthens us; that the life we now live as Christians we are to live by the faith of Christ and in the power of Christ.  Revival is a work of God and if we are to realize it, then we must position ourselves to receive it and wait upon God to deliver it in His time and for His glory and purpose.  Love, joy and peace are to epitomize the attitude and life of the believer, but sin that is not confessed, or self dependency rather than God dependency will rob us of them.  

From My Heart to Yours

Too many are living under the influence of the flesh rather than the influence of the Spirit.  But what does that mean?  We’ve been talking about the need for Revival; praying that God will graciously send it down to us.  Yet too often we look for Revival without meeting the conditions.  Those conditions are spelled out for us in the Word of God.  We use that phrase quite often, but our actions often reveal an unwillingness to heed.  We hear what God is saying, but are we really listening.  Jesus told the religious leaders of His day that they were reading but not heeding the Word of God.  Daily reading and memorization are commendable, but useless unless we take their teaching to heart and make the life application.  The Bible is God’s Holy Word, and we need to be listening to what it is saying to the intent of putting it into action in our lives.  Until we are ready to do that, revival won't be realized.