Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
More Scripture-Gleanings
Exodus and Leviticus
- Two types of fear: “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of Him may be before you, that you may not sin.” Exodus 20:20
- Lord, move us to be generous givers! “The LORD said to Moses, ‘…From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for Me.’” Exodus 25:2
- Imagine what the writing of God is like… “And He gave to Moses…the two tablets…written with the finger of God.” Awesome! Exodus 31:18
- Yes, Jesus is greater than Moses! Moses said to the people, “Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” Exodus 32:30 Jesus: “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God…” Hebrews 10:12
- Be horrified at even the thought of worshiping idols! Idolatry is whoring after false gods! Exodus 34:15-17
- The LORD proclaims the LORD! How shall we respond? When God met Moses on the mountain—“The LORD descended in the cloud and stood with him there and proclaimed the name of the LORD. The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, ‘The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty…And Moses quickly bowed his head toward the earth and worshiped.” Exodus 34:5-8
- Let us be generous, giving people! Wouldn’t it be cool and astoundingly God-glorifying if this happened? “…All the craftsmen…came…and said to Moses, ‘The people bring more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded…’ So Moses gave a command… ‘Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary…’” Exodus 36:3-6
Leviticus
- Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God and High Priest, fulfills the Levitical sacrifices. “And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.” Leviticus 4:35
- God is committed to His glory and it is a fearful thing. When Aaron’s sons got drunk (apparently) and offered strange fire before the LORD, God killed them with fire! “Then Moses said to Aaron, ‘This is what the LORD has said, Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” Leviticus 10:1-3
- Calling for pastors: “You are to distinguish between the holy and the common, and between the unclean and the clean, and you are to teach the of Israel all the statutes that the LORD has spoken to them by Moses.” Exodus 10:10
Psalms
- I thank God for my friend Larry Ward’s life! Now gone to be with the Lord, he poured our his life for the hungry and poor of the world. I think of him when I read Psalm 34:6, a verse from which he drew the title for his small biography. “This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him…”
- How precious are the LORD’s eyes, ears and face! “The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil…” Psalm 34:15-16
- If my bones could talk, I would want them to speak like this! “All my bones shall say, ‘O LORD, who is like you?” Psalm 35:10
- Pascal wrote, “Sinners lick the earth, that is to say, earthly pleasures.” Lord, guard me from licking the earth and preferring the taste of dirt! Give me increasing tastes like these in Psalm 36:8-9—that I would “feast on the abundance of your house”…and “drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life.”
- “Fret not…Trust in the LORD…Delight in the LORD...Trust in Him…Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him…Fret not yourself…Fret not yourself…” Psalm 37:1-7 Lord, that you would make me a Psalm 37 man!
- Know your tongue! “I said, ‘I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue; I will guard my mouth with a muzzle.” Psalm 39:1
- New heart-songs point others to Christ, songs that are seen! “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.”
- Are you poor and needy? Take heart, God takes thought for you! Psalm 40:17
Matthew
- Cleanse my heart, O God! Matthew 15:18-19
- Jesus took time to pray. Do you? “After He dismissed the crowds, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray.” Matthew 14:23
- Jesus satisfies! “And they all ate and were satisfied.” Matthew 15:37
- Turning to Christ involves suffering. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24
- It sounds like mustard seed faith is greater than little faith! Why? I think maybe it’s because of the One trusted. Matthew 17:14-21
- How serious are we about battling our sin? Serious enough to do without a hand or foot or eye? Matthew 18:7-9
Acts
- Note to preachers: Keep listeners off window sills! Acts 20:7-12
- Elders, be transparent. Paul said the Ephesian elders, “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time…” Acts 20:18
- It is good and biblical to kneel when we pray. “And when [Paul] had said all these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.” Acts 20:36 (also, 21:5)
- Make sure God is glorified for what God does! “[Paul] related one by one the things God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified God”—not Paul! Acts 21:19-20
The Power of Half:
I don't know if this family are followers of Jesus, but I'm reminded of Acts 2:42-47.
Read, watch and ask, "What if...?
http://takeyourvitaminz.blogspot.com/2010/02/power-of-half.html
Praying for Muslims:
Here is a prayer from an old, veteran missionary to Muslims. Let's pray it back to God in 2010!
Blog: Founders Ministries Blog
Post: Samuel Zwemer's prayer for Muslims
Link: http://www.founders.org/blog/2010/02/samuel-zwemers-prayer-for-muslims.html
GREEDY IN A GODLY WAY
This morning I read this from David Mathis: “Do you dare to pray for big things— really big things? Have you been set free enough by God enormous gospel to be greedy in a godly way?”
On Sunday, February 21, I will ask the Rocky family to dare to pray for really big things! As I preach from Acts 4:1-12, I will challenge you to commit yourselves to pray for at least five lost people, asking God to move and rescue them from sin and death. Only God can do this because only He can bring life to spiritually dead sinners, so let’s plead with Him to save! We will call the list of five your “Romans 10:1 5”. I urge you to seek the Lord for your five names and be ready to commit yourself to “evangelistic praying” on Sunday.
Romans 10:1 “Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved.”
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Thursday, February 11, 2010
An Awesome, Angelic Proclamation of the Gospel
“Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come, and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.’” Rev. 14:6-7
The gospel = Fear God, glorify God, God’s judgment is coming, worship God.
And An Arresting Quote from C.S. Lewis
“Die before you die, There is no chance after.”
See Galatians 2:20 please.
More Gleanings from Reading Through the Bible From Pastor Carey
From Exodus
- Are you suffering? God sees and knows: “God saw the people of Israel— and God knew.” (2:25)
- Pharaoh models the essence of unbelief and rebellion, “ego”. “But Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice and let Israel go? I do not know the LORD...’” (5:2)
- Why did the LORD harden Pharaoh’s heart again and again? For His glory! “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may show these signs of mine among them...that you may know that I am the LORD.’” (10:1-2) “Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Pharaoh will not listen to you, that my wonders may be multiplied in the land of Egypt.’” (11:9) “And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD.”
- Sometimes God tests us by providing for us. (16:2-30)
- The LORD not only provided ready-to-eat meals for His people for 40 years, the food was tasty, too! “Now the house of Israel called its name manna. It was like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.” (16:31)
- One reason why we encourage LIFE groups at Rocky... (18:13-26)
- Reasons why God tests us: That we may fear Him and not sin against Him. (20:20)
- The world and idolatry can be sneaky, like hidden snares. (23:32-33)
From Psalms
- What does God’s voice sound like? It is strong! “The voice of the LORD...thunders...is powerful...is full of majesty...breaks cedars...flashes forth flames of fire...shakes the wilderness...makes the deer give birth...strips the forests bare.” (29)
- How shall we respond to His stunning voice? “...In His temple all cry, ‘Glory!’” (29:9)
From Matthew
- Is Christ my brother? “And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said, ‘Here are my mother and by brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.’” (12:49-50) Why did Jesus not include “father” in verse 50?
- Praise God for eyes that see and ears that hear! What gifts! Lord, please grant them to more! “But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.” (13:16)
- “And they took offense at Him (Jesus).” May it not be! (13:57)
From Acts
- Even evil spirits can recognize who Jesus is, and evil men can make a profit! (Acts 16:16-24)
- Midnight prison prayers and singing to the God of earthquakes, and a truly captive audience. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken.” (16:25-26)
- Why didn’t Paul and Silas bolt when the prison doors flew open? The gospel is for hard places and suicidal jailers! “Paul cried with a loud voice, ‘Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.’” (16:26-31)
- Dear people of RBBC, let us be Berean! (17:10-12) “They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily...”
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
This Is Fun and Funny, Like, You Know?
Blog: Founders Ministries Blog
Post: Totally Like Whatever, You Know?
Link: http://www.founders.org/blog/2010/01/totally-like-whatever-you-know.html
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
The Blessing of Spiritual Leaders
Last Sunday morning Bob Walker was ordained into elder ministry in our church and I preached from Hebrews 13:17, a verse that reminds us that the Lord means for us to experience spiritual profit, gain, advantage and blessing through our leaders. I love and appreciate our elders and pastors very much! They are huge blessings to our church and to me! Please pray for them faithfully.
Here is a follow-up to the sermon: There are three God-given dynamics that make his design for leadership and follower-ship work in the church:
- Humility among leaders and church family, following the example of Christ-- “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a bondservant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Phil. 2:3-8) Humility, humility, humility before our Lord!
2. Pursuit of joy--
Leaders pursing joy for their people: “Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy...” (2 Cor. 1:24)
People pursuing joy for their leaders: “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who have to give an account. Let them do
this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (Heb. 13:17)
Joy, joy, joy in obeying our Lord!
3. Love for one another-- “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers...By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:14, 16)
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Great Resources Available!
Great resources from the Bethlehem Conference for Pastors is available on line at www.desiringgod.org. Check it out! You need not be a pastor to be blessed by it.