Wednesday, 27 January 2010
How Well Do You Know Jesus? 
How Well Do You Know Jesus?
John 6:15-21
As servants of the Lord, we can become overwhelmed with the size of the tasks we face in the ministry. We face many personal storms in our lives and those that the ministry and other people impose upon us as well. Storms can damage our faith or establish us more firmly in the faith as we get to know our Lord better in the storms. The disciples and the Lord had just fed thousands of people and were no doubt weary from the work. The Lord went alone into the mountain and the disciples got away from the people by getting into a boat and headed out into the Sea of Galilee. The disciples were caught up in a windstorm and this is the beginning of their getting to know the Lord better.
Jesus had been healing the sick and feeding the multitudes to prove to the people He was the Son of God. The people missed the whole point of His miracles and were seeking to force Him to be King of Israel. Isn’t it interesting that the people of Jesus’ day were seeking free health care and free food just like people today. When they found someone who met their physical needs, they wanted to make Him King. Jesus came to be Savior of the world, not King yet, so he quickly removed Himself from the situation. He was obedient to His Father’s will. When you really come to understand the obedience of the Son of God, it will be much easier for you to be obedient, even in storms.
Jesus was omnisciently aware of His disciples’ plight just like He is aware of yours. Jesus allows you to experience storms in life so you can find Him in the midst of them and get to know Him better. Do not despise the storms; look for Jesus in them! The disciples, like us, were so caught up in their dilemma they did not know the Lord when He showed Himself to them. He was doing the impossible in walking to them on the water. Do not question His ability as Almighty God to walk on water. He had divided the water of the Red Sea and the Jordan River for the children of Israel to walk through on dry ground. He was in the firestorm with the three Hebrew children so that even an unsaved king recognized Him. What a promise we claim of His presence in our storms from Isaiah 43:2, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle thee.” When you really know that you serve the Lord Jesus, the Almighty God, you can overcome your own personal storms and even those you are cast into by His strength!
Jesus compassionately saved and removed them from their storm. When they saw Jesus coming to them, they were afraid because they did not immediately know Him. In Matthew 14:27, Jesus told them, “Be of good cheer, it is I.” When Jesus saw their fear, He instantaneously identified Himself and told them to cheer up! The disciples then willingly received Him into their ship and witnessed another miracle. When they allowed Jesus on board, He immediately removed them from the storm and they were at their destination. Trust the Lord and His leadership and He will compassionately move you out of the storm. It might not be as swift as this occasion, but He will direct you in the appropriate way. He is not interested in you staying and suffering in the storm indefinitely. Just trust Him (Proverbs 3:5-6). When you experience a great storm of life, you can see and know the compassion of your Savior!
The storms of life may have engulfed you already or will in the future. While you are looking for Him to reveal Himself in the storm, remain calm and resolute in your faith. Do not question Him, trust Him. Isaiah 26:3-4 encourages you, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength.” Know the Lord well and you will be comforted and guided by Him in the storms of life.
Posted on 01/27/2010 8:32 AM by Pastor Tim Daniel
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
God Speaks Concerning Sacrifice – Article 1
God Speaks Concerning Sacrifice – Article 1
(Leviticus 1:1-17)
In the book of Leviticus, God speaks (dictates) His Word directly to Moses. He gives minute details of five different sacrifices to be offered of which three are voluntary and two are necessary. All of these sacrifices represent the future sacrifice of Jesus Christ, Himself. They are also pictures of the way every believer ought to be a living sacrifice to God. In examining these Old Testament sacrifices, let’s look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, and His great sacrifice for the world. Let’s also examine ourselves to evaluate what type of living sacrifice we are for the Lord God!
God desires sacrifice that is pure. The burnt sacrifice of the Old Testament was to be without blemish (1:3). Jesus Christ was a one-time for ever sacrifice without blemish or spot (1 Peter 1:19). Believers today are to be living sacrifices, holy, without spot, and blameless (Roman 12:1, 2 Peter 3:14). One of the reasons God gave in Malachi for the judgment on Israel was their carelessness in offering sacrifices that were lame, blind, and blemished. How often do we give God as a living sacrifice less than He requires?
God desires sacrifice that is voluntary. The burnt sacrifice was to be offered “ . . . of his own voluntary will.” Jesus Christ also expressed a concern about what he knew to be God’s will, but willingly laid down His life for the world. In John 10:17, He said, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.” In Romans 12:1, we are told to do the same as a living sacrifice. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” As a living sacrifice to God, are you presenting yourself voluntarily or is your service being mandated by someone else, an organization, or are you serving for some other motive?
God desires sacrifice to be presented at the door. I need not remind you that the tabernacle is a type of the atoning work of Jesus Christ. John 1:14 tells us He dwelt (tabernacled) among men. Jesus need not present Himself at the door of the tabernacle, He is the Door. He is the only means to pass from the curse of sin to service for the God of heaven. Every sinner must come to Jesus Christ for atonement of sin before he can ever please God. John 10:9 declares, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved. It is our business as ministers of the Gospel to bring people to the Door, Jesus Christ.
As living sacrifices for God, be holy in all of your personal and ministry responsibilities and activities. Too many are carelessly serving without concern for spots and blemishes today! Keep yourself pure and holy! As you serve as a missionary, serve God of your own voluntary will. No one should have to be constantly prodding you to do your service to the God of heaven. Serve voluntarily and victoriously. What a blessing to have entered God’s service through the Door of salvation! Be busy always bringing others to the Door for atonement for sin and salvation! Be a holy living sacrifice that is a sweet savor and acceptable unto the Lord!
Posted on 08/25/2009 10:26 AM by Pastor Tim Daniel
Thursday, 12 March 2009
2nd Timothy 4:22 The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you. Amen. <<The second [epistle unto Timotheus, ordained the first bishop of the church of the Ephesians, was written from Rome, when Paul was brought before Nero the second time.
Historically, when government is viewed as favoring Christianity and legalizing their religion, Christian people live in apparent ease and their enemies become internal ones-those they create for themselves- theological enemies. These men don’t attack the local church with swords, but with Bible arguments that result in a weakening of the local church. However, when government turns on religion and causes local church persecution, true believers scatter much as an explosion sends particles away from a formerly stable center. This persecution ultimately strengthens the faith, causes a geometric expansion of new local churches, and brings about the spread of the gospel. Living now in 2009, we can look back on history and see us coming full circle. Religion has experienced a relatively prosperous and peaceful position in America for nearly two centuries, but that time is soon drawing to a close as government realizes that it is no longer popular in a global community to be considered a Christian nation. As quickly as America became a haven for those people who suffered religious persecution at the hands of their governments and all-powerful state religious systems, America will withdraw its hand of protection from religion and turn its back on those churches which have made America the greatest nation on Earth. This is the lesson of history. This was the Apostle Paul’s experience in Rome as Roman citizen, Jew, and Christian church planter. When Judaism lost its power in Rome and Nero took the throne, Christianity was made illegal, and Paul beheaded. Nero blamed his inept governance and subsequent burning of Rome on the Christians. And, quite possibly this scenario is about to be replayed in the theatre of American history. Some great catastrophe may befall America in the near future, and government may use this crisis to label Christian people and Jews responsible, or at least the reason why a globally Muslim world would attack America.
Government has never been the guarantor of Christian safety and security. The world has never loved Christianity even though it has benefited from its religion. Safety is of the Lord, and if there is a lesson that Christians must learn it is this: Christian popularity is the devil’s Trojan horse, and the church at ease with its guard down and its hand outstretched to government, is a church that will be swallowed up by catastrophe.
Posted on 03/12/2009 9:21 AM by Pastor Paul Milner
Thursday, 12 February 2009
Witnessing to the Witnesses
I really appreciate the call from S.S. this morning about the visit from the JW's. It's exciting to see how the Holy Spirit can use the scriptures we memorized in Bible Doctrines Class when we are sharing our faith in Jesus Christ. Of all the major doctrines in scripture, there lies one upon which so much is built, that being the deity of Christ. I am always amazed at the common hatred for this particular doctrine. Men feel free to call Jesus a great teacher and a prophet, but most revile at the thought of His deity. For, if Jesus is God the Son, then far more than a great teacher hung on the cross. And, since He is just as much God as God the Father is God, then His death on the cross truly can be vicarious. Philippians 2:8 becomes all the more incredible when we understand who it was who hung on the cross, "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
The real reason why men stop their ears at the hearing of this great doctrine, and the reason they gnash their teeth at those who hold it so dear, is due to the convicting power in this truth and the line that it draws in the sand of humanity. John quotes Jesus responding to the Pharisee's attack in John 8:46-47, "Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." Our sinful flesh desires always to be right. We love to win every argument; our pride makes self the measuring rod of truth. Then, along comes one who is flesh and blood, but His flesh is like none other: it is sinless, pure, and incapable of sin with its accompanying sinful pride rooted in religious ritual. For it was none other than God come in the flesh. Someone whom the religious crowd could never win an argument because He was the embodiment of truth. This is why Jesus is the only one who can truthfully state in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
John chapter 8 chronicles the strongest attack the Pharisees could manage against a man they ridiculed and denounced as a demon-possessed Samaritan (verse 48). However, out of this fiery furnace would emerge the strongest, clearest, and most concise affirmation of the deity of Jesus Christ. Jesus teaches the Pharisees about life and death-especially how they relate to their father, Abraham. The Jews could not understand how Jesus could speak about Abraham as if He knew him personally; as if Jesus had actually met him and conversed with him. From this dialog flows the simplest of questions, "hast thou seen Abraham?" And, to their astonishment, Jesus answered in five simple words, "Before Abraham was, I am." Of course, any Jew would know the claim Jesus was making. He was drawing back the curtain of history and forcing the Jews to come face-to-face with the truth of the scriptures. Two thousand years prior to this event, Moses desired to know with whom he was speaking in the burning bush. "And God said unto Moses, 'I AM THAT I AM.'" Jesus Christ built a theological bridge between Old and New Testaments; He forever cemented this doctrine in all of time and eternity, and by so doing, He drove a dagger into the Pharisee's cruel blood-thirsty hearts. Jesus knew exactly what He was calling Himself- the I AM. The Jews understood that Jesus was revealing the eternal truth that Jesus and The Father are the same substance- One God . Their reaction to stone Him tells it all and lends further evidence to convict them of rejecting the deity of Jesus Christ. It has been correctly observed that Jesus is just as much Jehovah God as God is Jehovah God.
This is the crux of the theological battle that we wage. Jesus Christ is God!
1st Corinthians 1:18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
Posted on 02/12/2009 1:54 PM by Pastor Paul
Thursday, 12 February 2009
New Youth Page Under Construction
For those of you who watch this web site, I wanted you to know that I temporarily took down the youth page. I am in the process of constructing a page that will handle all of our youth stuff. It should become visible within the next few days. That is where we are placing the Philosophy of Youth statement drafted by our Youth Ministry Class. I'm very proud of the work that our class did on this statement, and especially grateful to them for their effort in this project. I don't know of any church that has two young people enrolled in community college and their church's Bible Institute at the same time. Rachel and Crystal, keep up the good work!
Also, thank you to those of you who are watching out for misspellings and really bizarre blank spaces that appear out of nowhere. I really appreciate the help in keeping us grammatically correct. I remembered to spell check this one, and it caught two. Mrs. K, good catch on "helful" instead of helpful.
Posted on 02/12/2009 1:43 PM by Pastor Paul
Monday, 09 February 2009
A Few Notes About the Web Site
Thanks to everyone who has taken a look at the new site and e-mailed congratulations. We pray it will be useful for people searching for a church like us but didn't know we existed. The Members Area and the Photo Gallery are really going to be an added benefit to our church family. As an example, we will post a cross section of pictures from a given event and you will be able to view them. But, you will also be able to right-click-copy them.
The Members Area is just about ready for our church family. I will probably allow access by tomorrow evening. For those of you who have requested membership, I'm delaying acceptance until the Members Area is fully functioning.
Posted on 02/09/2009 7:51 PM by Pastor Paul
Friday, 30 January 2009
We are just about to go live with our new website. I really hope it will be a help to our church folk. One of the truly amazing features for our church is the Members Page. We are still building this part of the site, but when it is ready to go, it is going to be a great way for church members to exchange information. Enjoy the site.
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Posted on 01/30/2009 11:49 PM by Pastor Paul
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