I hope and pray all of you had a wonderful Christmas...

 ...celebrating Jesus and enjoying family. Today I want us to look at the day after the birth of Christ for Joseph and Mary. Luke 2:7 (NKJV) “And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” As I meditated on this beautiful story and was trying to look ahead to what was happening on our church calendar, I noticed this Sunday was the day after Christmas. How profound! All of you who have ever had children will be able to relate to the things that I will share. Joseph and Mary, I am sure had wonderful mixed emotions about this Christ child.

1. Imagine Joseph and Mary gazing into the face of Jesus. I have said for years that it is hard to understand the heart of God and His love for us until you have your own children. I started thinking about Jesus’ mom and dad gazing into His face and holding on to Jesus, and of course, my mind went to what we should be doing. What did David say was his one thing he wanted to do? Psalm 27:4-8 (NIV) “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” Joseph and Mary and David had a common desire that should be in every one of our hearts. To spend time with Jesus and to gaze upon His beauty. 

2. Imagine Joseph and Mary thinking about Jesus’ future. It is virtually impossible when you have a child to not think about what that child’s future will be. I remember Jeremy and Joshua’s births being so traumatic and thinking God had a great plan. I think about Stephanie being born literally as Tricia was laughing and just imaging what joy she was going to bring into the lives of many. Our minds and hearts were racing with thoughts. With everything spoken to Joseph and Mary, what would be the future of Jesus? A sword will pierce my own soul. I am sure she had such mixed emotions…extreme joy and apprehensive sadness.

3. Joseph and Mary probably started remembering the ancient prophecies of the Messiah. (The Word) Isaiah 53:5-6 (NKJV) “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Isaiah 9:6 (NKJV)  “For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”  We need to gaze on the beauty of the Lord, we need to think about our future with Jesus, and we need to remember all the prophecies about Jesus. He is coming again. 

In Luke 2:36-40 (NIV) “There was also a prophetess,...

 Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” As I began to look at the new year I was very aware that it is Christmas time and keenly aware that we will be challenging you to fast with us Jan.1. 21 days.I felt that God wanted me to tie Christmas and fasting together.

We feel at the beginning of 2022…if we can give our first fruits to the Lord…the first of our prayer, the first of our time, the first of our passion, the first of all we are and hope to be, blessings will come! Also, I felt He spoke to me and said that our previous fasting, prayers, and persevering have accumulated before Him and He was about to reveal His great love and presence to us…Himself! 

1. To be ready for Jesus to come Anna had a dedication to God’s House...She never left the temple. 

Luke 2:37 (NIV) “She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Church was not optional for her because she had a passion for God’s house. With everything being shaken that can be shaken...get to God’s house...His refuge for us! What could be more important than spending time with God?

2. To be ready for Jesus to come Anna made a choice to worship God night and day. Luke 2:37 (NIV) “She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Just an observation: those who make the choice to worship God night and day, thru the bad and good, thru blessed times and rough times, those individuals have peace with God and experience Him more often!

3. To be ready for Jesus to come Anna fasted and prayed. Luke 2:37 (NIV) “She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying.” Your pastor and church leadership are admonishing you to join with us in fasting and praying beginning January 1. Could it be that 2022 will be your year! Our year! We are asking for 100% participation...we are asking for you to especially join with us starting Sunday January 2 for our Annual week of Prayer. We believe that as we are unified in this fasting and praying that God will reveal Jesus to us in a greater way. Isn’t that the purpose…Jesus to be revealed! 

Merry Christmas! We pray you are moved...

 ...more toward Jesus as we present “Thrill of Hope” Luke 2:8-11 (NIV) “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Can you imagine these poor shepherds…verse 9 says they were terrified? Well yes! But their terror would soon turn into a thrill of hope. 

1. Come and see. Luke 2:15 (NIV)
¹⁵  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about." Before you completely brush Jesus off do like the shepherds…Come and see! I understand you may not be totally convinced (I have been there) but don’t stay where you are without at least checking out this beautiful story. As you come and see you may discover the thrill of hope.

2. Good News of Great Joy. Luke 2:10 (NIV) ^“But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” Think about that statement…Good News of Great Joy! When was the last time you turned on the news and heard good news or great joy?

--There is a wonderful message to the world and these angels were declaring the glory of the Lord and this good news but here is the best news…good news for all the people.

3. A Savior is Born. Luke 2:11 (NIV) “Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” I love how the Word of God is so specific. This is not just a savior…this is the Savior…the One and only Savior…Christ the Lord! This is how detailed God is: Acts 4:12 (NKJV) “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." The shepherds found or discovered the Thrill of Hope and you can to. It is wrapped up in Jesus…the Savior of the World. Today is your opportunity. John 1:12 (NKJV) “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.”

Today we are talking about the joy of Christmas...

...and in particularly the quest of the Magi.  Matthew 2:1-2 (NIV) “After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him." Nobody knows who the Magi were, though everyone’s heard of them. They embody the quest for truth, meaning, and purpose in life. 

1. Quest for Truth. One day Herod’s court is disturbed by the arrival of these foreign dignitaries who come asking to meet the king of the Jews. They meet Herod and tell him sorry but this is not the right address to deliver their packages. These truth seekers had followed the clues that drove them west. They see the palace was not the destination but a detour that could be a distraction, so they didn’t stay there. They kept following until they found Jesus. But what do you do when you’re a truth seeker—and you find it? Or rather you find Jesus, Who is “The Way, The Truth and the Life”? What you do when you find him is the test of whether you’re really a seeker or a perpetual wanderer—still lost.

2. Quest for Meaning. Maybe you made a decision once as part of your spiritual journey in life. But that may not mean you’re a disciple. Here is it is. Verse 11 says when they found Jesus, “The Magi bowed down and worshipped Him.” That was what they wanted to do from the start, they set out to follow the star but the quest was not the point, they already told Herod they knew that the end of their journey was the beginning of true worship. They came to worship Jesus.

3. Quest for Purpose. The Magi let what they saw going on in their times and their world take them on a journey, but they did not define themselves as lifelong seekers. When they met Jesus, the search was over! They started as seekers, but when they found him, they became worshippers. They brought themselves, the very best that they had, and literally “offered it” to him. Their gifts represented not so much who they were—because this was no longer about them—but who He is. The purpose of their quest was Jesus! What is your quest today? Matthew 2:11 (NIV) “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.”

We have been on this series for several weeks...

 ... and today we continue, “Give Us This Day”. Matthew 6:11 (NKJV) “Give us this day our daily bread.” Luke 14:16-23 (NKJV) “Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” It has been on my heart for years for Life Church to grow to one thousand plus and I still do. Sometimes dreams or visions come quickly and sometime you have to wait. But when the time is right: Habakkuk 2:3 (NKJV) ^“For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.” The vision, if it is God’s vision, will show up at the appointed time and it will be fulfilled. Though it takes some time, keep waiting for it because it will surely come. A thankful heart will trust the One Who said He would build His church.

1. To see Life Church, the Village Campus, and La Vida Church grow of Life Church grow, we must go. We must be convinced that there is an invitation from the Master, from Jesus, that is worthy enough for us to go into the highways and hedges. Plenty of streets and hedges to go into. No where do I get the idea from Jesus that His word to “Go!” is optional or just a pretty good suggestion. Mark 16:14-20 (NKJV) “And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” Because we call Jesus Lord, because He has the authority in heaven and on earth, we are commanded to go. We see they obeyed…they went out and preached everywhere. Lord, help us do the same.

2. To see Life Church, the Village Campus of La Vida Church grow, we must find Jesus worthy. I don’t know about you, but I believe Jesus is worthy of us being obedient to go into our Jerusalem seeking and wanting to see saved those who are lost. Jesus is worthy of our effort, heaven is worthy of our effort, salvation is worthy of our effort, the banquet is worthy of our effort. We must go because the banquet is ready and there is room at His table.

3. To see Life Church, the Village Campus, and La Vida Church grow, we must compel them to come in. Luke 14:23 (NKJV) “Then the master said to the servant, 'Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” Compel - to force or drive, especially to a course of action: to secure or bring about by force. to force to submit; subdue. To urge toward an action. What this is saying to me is this; Jesus is not playing when He tells us to compel them to come in. The Great Commission was never intended to be the great suggestion. 

With Thanksgiving this week, I thought this article...

... would be appropriate. There are many “catch phrases” that circulate through Christendom...sometimes they have great meaning and other times not so much.  One such phrase is, “It is not about me” but reality tells us that most of what we do is about us and it is for us.  Max Lucado in his book with the same title as the phrase It Is Not About Me is attempting to help us see that whatever we do should be done for the glory of God.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV) “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Whatever we do we should be doing for God’s glory and because we are thankful but all too many times “me” gets in the way.

Lucado says, “Our society is not wired for this kind of thinking. It’s a “me-centric” world out there, which destroys much of what should be good. Marriages are ruined because one or both partners are focused on their own happiness. Successful men and women are ruined by their own success, believing they don’t need anyone else’s input. And for some, life’s troubles are magnified because they believe life is all about them.”  The Gospel of Jesus Christ seems to be completely backward to our self-centered lifestyle here in the United States of America. We are taught and are even conditioned to believe that we have the right or entitlement to have what we want when we want it. We simply are not thankful for what we have.

I have said for years that God is not so much interested in our happiness as He is our holiness. He wants us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, follow Him and, of course, be thankful. This seems so difficult when we are so comfortable taking care of number one. Lucado says, “Our comfort is not God’s priority. If it is, something has gone awry. If we are the marquee event, how do we explain flat-earth challenges like death, disease, slumping economies, or rumbling earthquakes? If God exists to please us, then shouldn’t we always be pleased?” The truth is that God does not exist to make a big deal out of us but we should exist to make a big deal out of Him.  It is not about you and for a certainty it is not about me, it is all about Him.  Psalm 34:3 (NKJV) “Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together.” Let us give thanks!

As we draw near to Thanksgiving it is easier to concentrate...

... on all the things we are thankful for. In light of this series “Give Us This Day” we see in the Lord’s prayer what prayer, worship, and thanksgiving looks like. Matthew 6:9-13 (NKJV) “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” We see worship as a part of prayer…Our Father, Hallowed be Your Name. Worship is definitely one of the main ways that we are thankful for all He has done. If we are thankful for His wonderful salvation and His daily provision, it will be easy to give Him thanks on a daily basis. Before we can truly pray “Lord, Give me this day” we must understand this aspect of prayer along with thanksgiving. Matthew 8:2-3 (NKJV) ^“And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. What Jesus sees in this leper.

1. Jesus sees a man not deterred by the crowd. The multitude was all around Jesus and that can be intimidating for someone who has leprosy or any of today’s societal ills. People can be reluctant to come to Jesus or church because they fear what people will think. What we should think is thank God they are coming to Jesus. They should always be welcomed at Life Church. 

2. Jesus sees a man who is willing to worship before he is healed. Batterson – “Gratitude is thanking God after He does the miracle. Faith is thanking God before He does the miracle.” True people of worship and thanksgiving do not have to see the signs and wonders to worship. They see Jesus as the object of their worship instead of what He can do for them. They know He is their source and that there is really no other help they can run to for their answer.

3. Jesus sees a man who understands the power and the authority He has. The leper came to Jesus worshiping and saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." The leper knew what many of us have forgotten…Jesus is still the answer for today. As you pray “Give Us This Day” make sure you understand Who Jesus is and what He has the authority to do. Give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever!

Today we continue sharing the series “Give Us This Day”

... and today we are going to deal with something in which we will call “Eat the Frog!” Matthew 6:11 (NKJV)  “Give us this day our daily bread.”
If you ever have to eat the frog, the best time to do it is first thing in the morning. If you have one of those days where you have to eat two frogs, then eat the big frog first. Mark Twain’s advice. Why eat the frog first thing in the morning you may ask? It is because you can go through the rest of your day knowing that the most difficult thing is behind you. Conflict in church is never easy but we have a biblical pattern to follow. Eat the frog!

1. Stop Avoiding Conflict. Eat the Frog. Matthew 18:15 (NCV) “If your fellow believer sins against you, go and tell him in private what he did wrong. If he listens to you, you have helped that person to be your brother or sister again.” The whole purpose of conflict, especially in the church, should be for restoration. Paul said in Gal. 6:1 “if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness… Contrary to what you may have heard or even believe, biblical conflict is healthy for the church and the person who practices it is someone who is spiritual and mature. Please understand that practicing biblical conflict according to Mat. 18 is only good and effective when we realize that it works both ways. If you go to someone to confront them, being willing for people to come to you. Be sensitive to Holy Spirit.

2. Sometimes You Have to Eat Another Frog – Take Others with You. Matthew 18:16 (NLT2) “But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.”  We can actually think that this is a negative because it seems like or feels like you are ganging up on the person. If the witnesses also have a heart for restoration and for the situation to be healed, it can be a positive thing for everyone in the room.

3. One More Frog to Eat – Tell It to the Church. Matthew 18:17 (NLT2) “If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.” We only had to do this once in almost 31 years and I brought in my presbyter to give wisdom and guidance. It always helps to have those in authority over you to help you eat really nasty frogs. Eating frogs and praying Lord, give me this day may not seem to be the easy route, but hear your pastor, it is the healthy route for the body of Christ. Please know this principle works at home too (tough love) and at work. God’s Word works everywhere. Pray, Lord, give me this day, and, then, eat the frog.

Today I want you to ask yourself; why do I want to be filled with Holy Spirit?

 Because you attend a church that being filled with Holy Spirit power is one of our tenets of faith...I must surmise that you would love to be filled with supernatural power. You probably would not keep coming here if you did not want Him but here’s my question for you today: Why do you want Him...what is your motive? Before you think I am being rude for asking...the scriptures are clear about people asking for things with the wrong motives.  James 4:3 (NKJV) “You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.”  Our desire should be to live for the cause and the glory of God Who put us on this earth in the first place.

So really, why do you want Holy Spirit to work in your life or to fill you up...is it for your own benefit or for the glory of God?  Many believe Holy Spirit is much like a pawn that they have access to so that they can manipulate others and to look spiritual in other people’s eyes. They believe that when they give a “word” people will ooh and awe over their ability to walk so closely to the Lord. What they fail to see is that all of the spiritual gifts of Holy Spirit are for the edification, exhortation, and building up of the body of Christ, not our own grandiose ideas. How much do you love the church? How much do you love your brothers and sisters in Christ? Do you want to build them up or tear them down...encourage them or control them? What’s your motive?

It is so important to remember these verses:1 Corinthians 12:7 11 (NKJV) “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.  But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” Let me sum this up: Holy Spirit gives the gifts as He wills (not as we will) and He does it for the profit of all! Be filled with Holy Spirit power and be used by God to glorify His Name!

Today we continue “Give Us This Day”.

 I personally believe there is reason people normally leave off verses 14-15 because this is the more difficult part of the Lord’s Prayer – Forgiving people. Matthew 6:14-15 (NKJV "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Gothard: Forgiveness deals with our emotional response toward an offender. Pardon deals with the consequences of his offense. Unless we have the authority we may not be able to pardon an offense, but we can always forgive. Six aspects of forgiveness:

1. Forgiveness involves a positive attitude toward the offense rather than a negative attitude toward the offender. Our initial focus after being offended is on the offender...difficult not to become bitter. If we first focus on the offense instead of the offender, it becomes easier to see the offense as a way of God developing our character.

2. Forgiveness views or sees the offender as God’s instrument for my life. Psalm 76:10 (NLT2) ^“Human defiance only enhances your glory, for you use it as a weapon.” 

3. Forgiveness looks at the wounds of the offense as God’s way of helping us see the offenders needs. We must learn to see past the surface of people and see their hearts need. Wounded people wound others. They need our help and our love.

4. Forgiveness recognizes that bitterness is assuming or exercising a right we don’t have. Bitterness is like drinking poison and watching for the other person to die. It only hurts us.

5. Forgiveness realizes that the offender has already begun receiving the consequences of his offenses. God uses the conviction of the Holy Spirit, the reproofs of friends, and life’s circumstances as tools to expose the person’s offenses.

6. Forgiveness involves working with God in the offender’s life. Gothard: Forgiveness is having a greater concern for a person after he offends me than I did before he offended me. It is using the hurts of others as the basis of demonstrating Christ’s love back to them. Forgiveness is the ultimate exercise of “Lord, give me this day.” It is the toughest but also the most rewarding.

Today we are celebrating...

... the wonderful blessing that people have been saved. We are celebrating with these folks `by being obedient to the commands of Jesus and the disciples to repent and then, be baptized in water. Matthew 3:11&13 (NKJV) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. Looking at three baptisms.

1. Baptism in the Holy Spirit. Matthew 3:11 (NKJV) ^“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit” Listen to this simple illustration. Our baptismal candidates have water in them (made up mostly of water) but in a few moments they will be completely submerged or covered with water…inside and out. When you received the Lord Jesus Christ the Spirit of God came to live inside of you. This is salvation. John 20:22 (NKJV) “And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.” Then, He told them to go to Jerusalem and wait for the Promise of the Father which was the outpouring of Holy Spirit. They needed more than salvation. Acts 1:8 (NKJV) “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;” 

2. Baptism in Fire. Matthew 3:11 (NKJV) ^“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” I believe the disciples were so much like us…they were filled with sin, filled with self, filled with doubt, filled with fear, filled with guilt, filled with shame. They needed to be cleansed. Jesus said He would baptize them (us) with Holy Spirit and with fire. Why? To clean us, to purify us, and to set us free from our old life that would hold us back. We still need a baptism of fire.

3. Baptism in Water. Okay, Pastor, we understand why we need to be baptized in Holy Spirit and in fire but why be baptized in water? Simple answer: The kind of heart that can be baptized with Holy Spirit and with fire is an obedient heart. On the Day of Pentecost when 3000 people were saved what did Peter tell them about water baptism? Acts 2:37-38 (NLT2) “Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?” Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins, turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ to show that you have received forgiveness for your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Water baptism identifies us with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus said it was to fulfill all righteousness. Enough said!

Holy Spirit! Holy Spirit! Holy Spirit! ...

...Why, Pastor Rick, do we hear so much from you in these last days about Holy Spirit? Great question! The first reason is obvious from Scriptures. I believe what we do and what we believe should be based on the Word of God. Peter, on the Day of Pentecost, after Holy Spirit had been poured out was quoting Joel when he said: Acts 2:17‑18 (NKJV)  “And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.” The first reason we are talking about Holy Spirit is because we are living in the last days when He is being poured out!

The second reason we are talking about Holy Spirit so much is about as obvious as the first reason.  Jesus said in John 16:7‑8 &13-14 (NLT)   “But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will convict the world of its sin, and of God’s righteousness, and of the coming judgment. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me.” How cool is that?  Jesus said it will be better for you when I leave because Holy Spirit will come to reveal to people their sin, His righteousness, His judgment, His truth, the future, and He will glorify Me! Wow! Why wouldn’t we want Holy Spirit to come? We need Him every day!

The third reason is also very important. We want to grow to one thousand plus so that souls will be won into God’s Kingdom...Holy Spirit will enable us to do that! Acts 1:8 (NLT)  “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  I hope you can see why we speak of Holy Spirit so much and why we constantly are inviting Him...He is the life of Life Church in these last days!

Again this Sunday we continue the series “Give Us This Day.” ...

...Matthew 6:9-11 (NKJV) “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.” I hope all of us are growing as disciples of Christ and that we are praying every day…Give us this day. Today we are going to look at the entirety of verse 11…Give us this day our daily bread. Jesus is so powerful and He is our bread, our sustenance, our salvation, our Lord, and soon coming King. But He says something very powerful to us when He was going through His temptations with Satan. It is written… Don’t only give me bread but give me every word that comes from God. Let’s talk about words.

1. The power of words. How many of you have ever wondered what is the big deal about text messages, Messenger, Snap Chat, Twitter, and a host of other Social Media venues…I can tell you…it is the power of words. A presidential candidate can either make friends or enemies by the words that he or she tweets. What about when you send the right word but send it to the wrong person. Be careful when you are texting more than one person at a time. I received a text from one of our pastors that said simply…I love you! After I got over the shock, I simply said excuse me! They said, oh no it was for my wife. Please be careful who gets your message. Proverbs 18:21 (NCV) ^“What you say can mean life or death. Those who speak with care will be rewarded.” 

2. Give us this day our daily bread. In the Book of Ruth there is a story about a man by the name of Elimelech. He lived in Bethlehem which means “House of Bread.” There was a famine…no bread in the house of bread. She leaves Bethlehem looking for bread somewhere else. We need to make sure we are faithful to the House of Bread and we pastors need to make sure what we are sharing is true Bread from Heaven…The Living Word of God…The Written Word of God, the Bible. Our Words matter…Give us this day our daily bread. 

3. We all need daily bread. Just like one word of encouragement can be life transforming from a true friend or the love of our life, so the Word of God can transform us every day. Your Word I have hidden in my heart…

Luke 4:4 (NKJV) “But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”  Give us this day our daily bread – The Word!

Today we continue the series “Give Us This Day” and particularly talking about kissing the wave.

      Matthew 6:11 (NKJV) “Give us this day our daily bread.” Last week we spoke about Joseph Merrick, he was the infamous Elephant Man. We also talked about how Doctor Frederick Treves took an interest in him, had compassion, and provided a place of healing spiritually and emotionally. Spurgeon, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” Hear your pastor, all of us are fighting some kind of battle or obstacle. Usually, it is a battle that no one else is aware. Good news, we have seen God turn some of our toughest tests into our most treasured testimonies. We would not want to go thru that stuff again, but we wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. Every testimony starts with a test. Praying “Lord, give me this day” is never about a quick fix. It is about kissing the wave that throws you against the Rock of Ages. Be thankful for the pain that made you run to Jesus.

1. Kiss the wave, and know, it is okay to grieve. We all know of and have heard much about Charles Spurgeon and rightfully so. Along with pastoring the largest church in the world, he wrote 150 books, started a college, and led sixty charities. On October 19, 1856, he was preaching to 10,000 people in London’s Surrey Gardens Music Hall when someone yelled “Fire!” It was chaos. Those trying to get out were blocked by those trying to get in. A balcony collapsed beneath the stampede and when the commotion had stopped, seven people had died and twenty-eight were seriously injured. It is no wonder that Spurgeon admitted reluctantly that his thorn in the flesh was depression. Go ahead a grieve, it is one way that we kiss the wave. Good news, we don’t have to grieve like others. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NIV) ^“Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.” 

2. The best of times, the worst of times. We want the best of times without the worst. We want wisdom without foolishness, light without darkness, hope without despair. This is not reality. Christianity is not the avoidance of evil in the world and bad things happening to you, it is, however, having a Savior Who will walk with you thru every test and trial. He’ll never leave you or forsake you. 

3. From it or through it. Sometimes God delivers us from suffering. More often than not, He delivers us through it. Why? So we can help others going through similar mess. Reinhold Niebuhr, “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and wisdom to know the difference.” I encourage you to kiss the wave that pushed you to Jesus and pray, Lord, give me this day. 

Today we continue the series “Give Us This Day”

     Matthew 6:11 (NKJV) “Give us this day our daily bread.” I were to mention the name Joseph Merrick, would have no clue who I am talking about. He was born in Leicester, England, on August 5, 1862. If I said he was the Elephant Man, we would know. Very few people have ever suffered from more physical deformities than him. All of his fingers were useless nubs. His misshapen head was the circumference of a man’s waist, his distorted mouth made his speech almost impossible to understand. His right arm was twice the size of his left arm. His deformed legs barely supported his weight. In nineteenth century England, a perverse form of entertainment was human novelty exhibitions. Joseph was a headliner and posters about him said he was half man/half elephant. One day a surgeon named Frederick Treves wandered into the human circus. Doctor Treves, “He was the most disgusting specimen of humanity I had ever seen.” But Dr. Treves didn’t shriek and turn away. The sight of Merrick stirred his scientific curiosity and his empathy for this man. He gave him his business card. It was that business card that the London police found on him as he huddled in a dark corner of a train station like a wounded animal. The police called Treves who came and took Merrick to the London Hospital.

Shortly after Merrick arrived, Dr. Treves ordered him a tray of food but failed to warn the nurse about his appearance. When she saw him she dropped the tray and went out of the room screaming. Over time they adjusted to his appearance. Dr. Trevor orchestrated a very careful experiment for Merrick. He had a woman enter his room, smile at him, wish him a good morning, and shake his hand. Treves, “The effect on poor Merrick was not quite what I expected. As he let go her hand he bent his head on his knees and sobbed until I thought he would never cease. He told me afterwards that was the first woman who had ever smiled at him, and the first woman, in the whole of his life, who had shaken hands with him.” The smile…the touch proved to be the tipping point, the turning point. He began to change from a disfigured thing into a man. The doctor found out about Merrick, he was a veracious reader of the Scriptures. Through this love and attention Merrick said many times, “I am happy every hour of the day.” Merrick died at 27 and Dr. Treves eulogized the infamous Elephant Man this way: I have never heard him complain. Never heard him complain? How is that even possible with the kind of trauma he experienced? Happy every hour of the day? How does someone who was mistreated for so many years profess happiness every hour of the day? Our lesson learned from Merrick is this…the obstacles we face are not the enemy. More times than not, we are the enemy. The obstacle, believe it or not, is the way. Kiss the Wave. This is actually a quote from the great Charles Spurgeon, “I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.” Paul said, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Kiss the wave! Lord, give us this day!

oday we continue with the third in the series “Give us this day.”

     TMatthew 6:11 (NKJV) “Give us this day our daily bread.” We will be talking about what it means to be ambidextrous somewhat. Judges 3:15 (NKJV) “But when the children of Israel cried out to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for them: Ehud the son of Gera, the Benjamite, a left-handed man.” Batterson – Your brave is someone else’s breakthrough. We think right here, right now. God is thinking nations and generations. We think what God does for us is for us, but it’s never just for us. It’s always for third and fourth generations. When we win the day, in our own unique way we enable future generations to dream a little bigger and think a little longer. 

1. Be deliberate in developing your skills. We can assume that these men of Benjamin were not born with this skill set of using both the right hand and the left, sense only about one percent of the population is born ambidextrous. So how did these men of Benjamin develop this unusual skill of using both hands for battle? To become an expert archer or rock slinger takes lots of practice. The Benjamites may have been the first to truly use the Cross-fit training method. It took many years and lots of blisters to get where they were awesomely ambidextrous. 

2. Ehud’s victory became the tribe of Benjamin’s story. The Benjamites cultivating right and left hand skills in battle, was a way of honoring Ehud, and his deliverance for Israel. His brave in winning the victory was not just their breakthrough, it became their inspiration. Everything we do, we should be thinking future generations. Batterson – God wants to use you at your point of greatest giftedness. That’s a given. He is the One Who gave you those gifts in the first place. But God wants to also use you at your point of greatest weakness. Why? Because that is when His power is made perfect. That is where we provide double trouble for the enemy.

3. Connect the dots. There is probably no phrase used more than “David verses Goliath.” We have the tendency to read stories the wrong way, we always think David had the disadvantage. If it was hand to hand combat, yes. There is no way David could win that fight. But David had an advantage. When it seemed like God had forgotten David, God was preparing him for something bigger than he could ever imagine. He was becoming an expert with a slingshot. This is how our brave can be someone’s breakthrough. David had to just win the day to change his life and other’s too. Give me this day!

Today we continue the series “Give us this day”.

     Matthew 6:9-15 (NKJV) “Give us this day our daily bread.” Paul said in Philippians 3:13 (NKJV) “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” If you live long enough you will experience profound pain and suffering. There is no escaping this reality. Life is unfair, and then you die. Slightly depressing. The good news, you can move past your past! Sir Walter Osler – So many people are so overwhelmed by so many things. We’re paralyzed by things we cannot change—the past. We’re crippled by things we cannot control—the future. The solution? Let go of “dead yesterdays” and “unborn tomorrows.”

1. We have to let go of dead yesterdays. The Apostle Paul wrote trying to help us with the process of forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead. All of us have felt the sting of death when we lose a loved one. It sometimes feels insurmountable but we have to be willing to pray “Lord, give me this day”. Just one day at a time with God’s help. 2 Corinthians 5:8 (NKJV) “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” When we are experiencing profound grief, pain, and a broken heart, whether from the loss of a loved one, a betrayal, an unexpected tragedy, we have to pray…Father, give me this day. Today. Get me thru today.

2. We owe it to everyone to pray for God’s help each day. This may be a shock for someone to hear today but life does not stop for those around you just because you are going through something terrible. It may be your time of greatest influence. Romans 14:7 (NKJV) “For none of us lives to himself, and no one dies to himself.” When we fail to bury our dead yesterdays whatever they were or how bad they hurt, we are not just cheating ourselves. We are cheating those who could be touched by our influence and our touch. Hear your pastor, we also cheat God because we are saying we can’t trust Him or believe He can give us this day.

3. Keep straining forward and keep praying, “Give me this day.” Let’s face it, none of us are all God wants us to be. We have not arrived by any means but we keep trying and why we keep praying. Yesterday is done and tomorrow is still unknown but today I can apply myself to strain forward through whatever it is I am going through. I am preaching to myself as much as I am you. Give me this day.

How is it possible for we “humans” to be faithful...

 

... to be obedient...to be generous...to be extra-ordinary in any way in a world that tears away from anything spiritual we would want to be?  Have we set you up for failure when we tell you to be extra-ordinary or is there something more that will help you in this endeavor?  Let me establish this point...we serve an extra-ordinary God...we serve an extra-ordinary Savior Jesus Christ and He has sent to us extra-ordinary help thru Holy Spirit! This being the case why would we ever settle to be ordinary?

Jesus Himself said this: Acts 1:8 (NLT) “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” If we have decided Jesus is extra-ordinary in His life, His love, and His promises we can be sure that He will supply us with the power we need to live lives that are full of life!  Again He said: John 10:10 (NKJV) “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

You shall receive power and He has come that you might have life and have it to the full. This being said by our Lord Jesus Christ...where do we stand today with having this incredible power and having this life.  Remember LIFE stands for Living In Freedom Every day...are you?  Paul said: Ephesians 5:15‑18 (NLT) “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Pastor Rick, how can I know if I am filled with the power of Holy Spirit?  Do you pray in the Holy Spirit daily, are you walking in power or defeat, are you walking in freedom of the Holy Spirit?  My challenge for you is this...Seek the Lord while He may be found with all your heart and implore Him to fill you with power from on high. Thru the power of the Holy Spirit you can live an extra-ordinary life! 

Today we start a new series, Give Us This Day.

This is taken from the Lord’s prayer where He is actually teaching us to pray this most wonderful request. Matthew 6:11 (NKJV) ^“Give us this day our daily bread.” I believe Christians should be the example to the world, to young believers, and to new converts what it means to live a disciplined life. We all need to be disciples. So how can we become Christ’s disciples and be able to overcome the day of endless distractions and ceaseless change? Listen to these words from a self-proclaimed average man, the Father of Modern Medicine: Sir Walter Osler – So many people are so overwhelmed by so many things. We’re paralyzed by things we cannot change—the past. We’re crippled by things we cannot control—the future. The solution? Let get rid of “dead yesterdays” and “unborn tomorrows.” Philippians 3:13 (NKJV) “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.” If yesterday is history and tomorrow a mystery, pray a simple prayer that can totally change your life. Give me this day. When you win today, tomorrow will take care of itself. Do it every day and nothing is impossible.

1. You are Only One Decision Away from a Totally Different Life. Show me the size of your dream and I will show you the size of your God. If you are going to dream big you need to pray…Give me this day. You arrive at your dreams one day at a time. Discipleship is so important to the believer and the daily decisions we make will either project us into a better future or continually keep us in the mire of a disappointing life. Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) ^“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

2. The Twenty-Four-Hour Rule. That one decision to pray “Give us this day” is much easier said than done. We probably wish it said, “Give us this week.” Or “Give us this month.” Or “Give us this year.” That would be so much easier, wouldn’t it? That way we wouldn’t have to depend on God every day. But that, of course is the point of the Lord’s prayer. Our one decision to pray the prayer, “Give us this day” is to remind us of our dependency on God every day.

3. Do It for a Day. Mathew Barnett is the co-founder of the LA Dream Center which has helped tens of thousands of people who find themselves at the end of their ropes. An amazing complex. Many of the people who go there are trying to overcome life-controlling addictions or rebuild broken lives. No matter what habit they are trying to break or what their goals are, Matthew always asks them this question: Can you do it for a day? If you can do it today, you can do it tomorrow! You have a streak going! Give me this day!

oshua has always been one of my favorite Bible characters, ...

 

... so much so that we named our second son by that name. I believe that Joshua (the one in the Bible) can be such an inspiration to us by the things that God commanded him and how he walked those things out in his life. Can you imagine trying to fill the shoes of Moses? Over and over in Joshua 1 God tells Joshua to be strong and courageous...I believe He is saying those things to us. As a review here are the points God gave me to give to you comparing our lives to Joshua! Study these verses and let them be an encouragement to you. 

 1. God wants us to put our past into perspective!  Joshua 1:1-2(NIV)

2. God wants us to realize He has a place for us!  Joshua 1:2-4(NIV)

3. God wants us to know that His power and presence will go with us to defeat our enemies!  Joshua 1:5 (NIV)  

4. God wants us to know that He will keep His promises to us!  Joshua 1:6 (NIV)

5. God wants us to have true Biblical prosperity!  Joshua 1:7-8 (NIV) 

6. God wants us to take possession of what He has promised!  Joshua 1:11 (NIV)

7. God wants us to be passionate about being obedient to Him! Joshua 1:16-17 (NIV)

  A.W.Tozer said, “The true follower of Christ will not ask, "If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?" Rather he will say, "This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!"  What I am saying about 2021 is that this is God’s truth, and with His help, we can and will walk victoriously in it!

Jim Cymbala says, “Prayer links us to the promises and power of the Almighty.

Calling out to God threatens Satan’s kingdom because it brings the blessings of heaven to earth and grants salvation to the ungodly.” 1 Corinthians 16:9 (NKJV) “For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. The truth is that if we will go through that great door and even the double doors (Isa. 45) it will be accomplished by praying!

The early church devoted itself to prayer (Acts 2:42), it prayed the Apostle Peter out of prison the night before his scheduled execution (Acts 12), and they responded to persecution for the first time by prayer (Acts 4:42).  God responded by granting them a fresh filling of the Holy Spirit and a boldness to witness for Christ.  When Ananias was so fearful to go in obedience to Saul who became Paul God gave him this sign to let him know he had changed: Acts 9:11 (NKJV) “...behold, he is praying.”

We all in one accord say that we want to go through that great and effective door and we all acknowledge that there are many adversaries.  Listen to the exhortation of our Lord: Luke 18:1 (NIV) “Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.”  If you have not arrived at your destination yet...do not give up and do not stop praying.  The Scriptures we read about putting on God’s armor also tells us:  Ephesians 6:18 (NKJV)   “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.”  Brothers and Sisters, keep praying and you will get through God’s door! 

All of us, if we are honest with ourselves, have weaknesses ...

     ... and even sins that easily harass us. As I am writing this I am watching a hawk try to dry it wings while sitting on a fence. A pesky mockingbird does not think the hawk should be resting or drying out so he feels it necessary to fly at him over and over. What is that thing in your life where the enemy is attacking you and constantly harassing you so you cannot rest in the Lord? 1 Peter 5:8-9 (NKJV) “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

Maybe you have trouble loving someone...been there, done that and have the t-shirt. Has life sucked out your joy and you are having trouble coping with one day at a time? Peace is far from you because of trouble in the family or the events coming on our world. You have no self-control when it comes to saying “no” to the temptation of the enemy or “yes” in your obedience to Jesus. What are we to do?

In Galatians 5:22-23 the Apostle Paul says: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” As we seek God and are filled with the Holy Spirit, He will provide everything we need for life and godliness!  Again Paul says “I say then: Galatians 5:16 NKJV “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” Be filled with the Spirit and walk in the Spirit and you will Live in Freedom Every Day!  

A couple of months ago God began to speak to me that 2021...

  ... would be a year of transition, and little did I know how much change would be coming. Let’s face it, most of us do not like transition but if you study God’s economy (His way of doing things), transition is inevitable. Today we witness Pastor Juan and Kacie Rodriguez being obedient to God and His call and we are here to bless them and send them out.

1. Obedience comes first, understanding comes later. 2 Corinthians 9:13 (NIV) “Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ…” Pastor Juan and Kacie have shown us what this obedience looks like…how it is walked out. He offered their resignation, we announced it to the church. He did this in obedience to what God spoke to him. They did this not really knowing what their future looked like even though they knew God was their source. About four days after we announced it to the church, word came they were being put on staff at Nation’s Church. The obedience came first and the understanding followed. I hope we all get this. A beautiful faith step.

2. An Amazing Opportunity Today – Pastor Juan and Kacie. Today we get to actually put into practice everything we have been teaching. We get the awesome opportunity to bless two faithful servants of God in whom we know and love. Every week we give away money and food to people we barely know and we are always willing to bless those who need our help. It is a beautiful thing. How much more should we be willing to bless a spiritual son and daughter who are not leaving us, but are being sent out from among us. 1 Timothy 5:17 (TLB) “Pastors who do their work well should be paid well and should be highly appreciated, especially those who work hard at both preaching and teaching.” I take that literally…we are giving twice as much as we normally give to opportunities like this. I challenge you to do the same. Maybe more, if God speaks to your heart. Pastor Juan and Kacie have exemplified what I have taught for years here at Life Church, Servant Leadership. It is one thing to teach it but even better when we live it. But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. These guys have served God, served Life Church, me, our other pastors, La Vida, our youth, our young adults, our community, our mission’s endeavors, and even other churches. They are the greatest among us. Let’s truly bless them today as we send them out. 

Today we conclude the series The Joy of Discovering Hidden Treasure.

Matthew 13:44 (NKJV) "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” As a point of review, let’s look at some of the keys we have learned in this series. Maybe you have forgotten this but even one of our Distinctives as a church is Generous Giving. Randy Alcorn – “Our approach to money and possessions is central to our spiritual lives. Anything we try to hang on to here will be lost. But anything we put in God’s hands will be ours for eternity. You can’t take it with you—but you can send it on ahead of you.” Psalm 24:1 (NLT2) ¹ The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. This is so powerful…even the poor can be generous. 2 Corinthians 8:2 (NIV) “Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” 

My heart always goes where I put God’s money. What we do with our money doesn’t simply indicate where our hearts are, according to Jesus, it determines where our hearts go. Our hearts follow our treasure. Where we invest our treasure largely determines where we put our treasure. We have to realize that this earth is not our home, we are only passing through. Philippians 3:20 (NIV) ^“But our citizenship is in heaven…” We need to consider our giving is absolutely worship to God. 2 Corinthians 9:12 (NIV) ^“This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” Alcorn – “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living but to raise my standard of giving.” 

Let me challenge with a few things to help you lay up treasure in Heaven and how to live generously.

1. A good place to start is being faithful with the tithe and with something for missions.

2. If you have never made a Faith Promise to missions, do it. You will be so glad.

3. If the amount you give above your tithe to missions is merely a token, double it and watch God.

4. Look for and pray for opportunities to be generous in the church and outside the church.

5. Prayerfully ask God what it really means to lay up treasures in Heaven.

6. Finally, find someone or some ministry to bless this week with a generous love gift.

The Joy of Discovering Hidden Treasure. I hope God is revealing ...

... things to you that you have never considered about being generous and that you are following His leading. Matthew 13:44 (NKJV) "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Maybe (hopefully) you are asking “How much is God asking me to give beyond my ten percent (tithe). Truthfully, only God can answer that question. That means we need to ask Him. Obedience should never be a burden to us. 1 John 5:3 (NIV) ^“This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.”

1. Where Our Giving Should Start. Giving should always start with your local Bible believing Christ centered church, the spiritual community to which you are accountable. Malachi 3:10 (NIV) “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

2. Your Giving Commitment – A Review

A. I affirm God’s full ownership of me and everything I own. Psalm 24:1 (NIV) ¹ The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; 

B. I will set aside the first fruits—starting with at least 10 percent of all I receive. I will be treating it as belonging exclusively to the Lord. I do this in obedience to the Him, desiring His blessings. By faith I take God up on His challenge to test Him in in this. 

C. Out of the remaining treasure God entrust to me, I will prayerfully seek to make generous freewill gifts. I recognize and understand God has entrusted wealth to me so that I can be “generous on every occasion.”

D. I ask God to teach me to give sacrificially to His purposes. This includes helping the poor in my community and around the world. This also includes reaching the lost here in America. Missions. It is recognizing God’s greatest gift. 2 Corinthians 9:15 (NIV) ¹⁵ Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

E. Knowing, I cannot take earthly treasures with me, I determine to store up treasure in Heaven. Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth…But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Today we continue with the series The Joy of Discovering Hidden Treasures.

 2 Corinthians 8:7 (NIV) “But just as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us--see that you also excel in this grace of giving.” Suppose you have something very important you want to get to someone who really needs it. You wrap it up and hand it over to the UPS guy. What would you think if instead of delivering it, he took it home and kept it? You would be upset and rightly so. You would say, “The package doesn’t belong to him! He’s just the middle man. His job is to get the package from me and get it to the person it was intended for!” Think about it, we are the ones in the middle.

1. Money in Our Hands. Just because God puts money in our hands, it doesn’t mean He intends for it to stay there. A good question…Why does God give some of His children more than they need and others less than they need? So that He can use His children to help one another. He does not want us to have too much or too little. When those who have too much give to those with too little, two problems are solved. When they don’t, two problems are perpetuated. 

2. Five Minutes After I Die. We often talk about how sinners will not have the opportunity to go back and make changes in their lives that would change everything, but hear me today, neither will Christians. We have only one lifetime to live. Missionary C.T. Studd – “Only one life, twill soon be past; only what’s done for Christ will last.” Ask yourself, five minutes after I die, what will I wish I would have given away while I still had the chance? When you come up with your answer, why not start giving it away now. 

3. Giving is a Spiritual Gift. Romans 12 tells us we all have different gifts and we usually emphasis all of them but one…giving. Sadly, in our Western culture, probably the gift that is thought about the least is the gift of giving. We are all called to serve, to show mercy, and to give even if we do not think we have those particular gifts. Alcorn – Suppose God wanted to fulfill His plan of world evangelism and help an unprecedented number of suffering people. What gift would you expect Him to distribute widely? Why not the gift of giving? And what might you expect Him to provide for those to whom He’s given that gift? Perhaps unprecedented wealth to meet those needs and further His Kingdom. Look around. Isn’t that exactly what He has done? The question is, what are we doing with the wealth He’s entrusted to us?

We continue the series The Joy of Discovering Hidden Treasure.

Today we are looking at how to start this journey of a generous lifestyle. Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV) "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Paul tells us to excel in many things and he adds to that list, see that you also excel in this grace of giving. We can learn to give better, we can learn to give more, we can learn to give more often. As we study God’s Word about giving we can excel in this grace of giving. Example of the Macedonian believers: 2 Corinthians 8:3 (NIV) ^“For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” How is that possible?

1. Giving Now or Giving Later. People ask, “Should I give now, or should I hang on to it, hoping my investments will do well and I’ll have more to give in a year?” We respond with two questions: “How soon do you want to experience God’s blessing?” Do you want to make sure the money goes to God’s Kingdom, or are you willing to risk it won’t?” John Wesley – “Money never stays with me. It would burn me if it did. I throw it out of my hands as soon as possible, lest it should find its way into my heart.” 

2. Our Kid’s Inheritance. Alcorn – “What about our children?” you may ask. “Aren’t we supposed to leave them all our money?” The answer is no. We will leave to our daughters and their families enough to be of modest help, but not enough to change their lifestyles or undercut their need to pray with and depend upon their husbands. If we really want to leave our children a great inheritance, why don’t we work on leaving them a spiritual legacy of serving God and being generous with the poor and the Great Commission?

3. We Have Been Entrusted with so Much. R.G. LeTourneau invented earth moving machines. He gave 90% of his money back to God but money came in faster than he could give it. LeTourneau – “I shovel it out and God shovels it back---but God has a bigger shovel.” So why does God entrust so much to us? 2 Corinthians 9:11 (NIV) You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. Alcorn – “God prospers me not to raise my standard of living but to raise my standard of giving.” 

Today we continue the series The Joy of Discovering Hidden Treasure.

Today we will look at how we can start this journey of finding hidden treasure and the joy of generous giving. Matthew 6:20-21 (NIV) “But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.’ Pastor Rick, I want to start this journey of generous giving but I am not sure how to get started. As always, let’s go to God’s Word and see what He says. Leviticus 27:30 (NIV) “A tithe of everything from the land, whether grain from the soil or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD; it is holy to the LORD.” The meaning of the word “tithe” is “a tenth part.” Ten percent was to be given (brought to) the Lord. There were to be freewill offerings but the tithe belonged to God and was mandatory. 

1. Giving in the Church. Maybe you are one of those people who believe that each of us should only give what we feel in our hearts we should give. You may feel the early church fathers were wrong when they said the tithe was the minimal. Alcorn’s Prayer – “God, do you really expect less of me---who has your Holy Spirit within and lives in the wealthiest society in human history---than you expected of the poorest Israelite?” What is troubling to me is that in such a wealthy society like ours, that our giving amounts only to a fraction of the First Covenant Standard (a tenth) and the Word of God. Tithing is God’s biblical and historical means of getting His people on the path of generous giving. It is only the gateway. It’s unhealthy to think tithing is a place to stop but instead, a place to start.

2. Don’t Throw Out Tithing. Malachi 3:10 (NIV) “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.” It is ironic, many people say and suppose they can’t afford to give precisely because they are not giving and experiencing God’s blessings. What did God say to people when they failed to give.

3. Obedient Faith Can Bring Breakthrough. When we put God first (bringing the firstfruits – tithes and missions first), we invite the blessings of God to help us with our own finances and debts we owe. How much of our harvest (our money) is blown away because we don’t make giving to God, to missions, and to others a priority? No wonder we don’t have enough. Tithing is like a toddler’s first steps: they aren’t his last or best steps, but they are a good start. To start your journey to generous giving, start with obedience to giving 10%.

Today we welcome Doug Reed to Life Church...

... and we anticipate great teaching and the presence of Holy Spirit. Today is Pentecost Sunday and Doug will be preaching for the rally here at our church so be here and be praying for a Holy Spirit outpouring! Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:4-5 (NKJV) “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” We see the ‘what’ and the ‘why’. The ‘what’ that is needed is a demonstration of Holy Spirit and power and the ‘why’ is so men’s faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. If we will see a great sweeping revival with lives being totally transformed it will happen because we have sought God to the point that He begins to demonstrate Holy Spirit and power. We must hunger for such a move of Holy Spirit that we see the sick healed, the bound set free, and the lost being saved in mass. Amen! Right now there are people we love and people we call brothers and sisters in the Lord who need a miracle. They need a demonstration of God’s power not more empty words.

1. Unusual Miracles. Acts 19:11-12 (NKJV) “Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.” Handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul’s body brought healing. That’s unusual. People brought out sick people so that Peter’s shadow might fall on them. The implication was they were healed. Unusual. Are we ready for God to do some unusual things in His Church?

2. Evil spirits know. Acts 19:15 (NKJV) “And the evil spirit answered and said, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" Does hell know our name? You can say you want revival and you want unusual miracles to happen but are you going after God with all your heart, are you living in a constant state of repentance, and are you truly filled with Holy Spirit?

3. True repentance. We love what we consider revival. We love to be in exciting services where the worship has us dancing and people laying around like cord-wood. Modern day revivals seem to leave out what is, according to the Word of God, is a key ingredient. Unless there is a turning from our wicked ways, no lasting change will come. Psalm 85:6 (NKJV) ^“Will You not revive us again, That Your people may rejoice in You?”