Magnifying the Lord by Calling Attention to Him as Creator!

I was able to go up to the UMW with a friend and hand out over 100 copies of the 150 year anniversary edition of Charles Darwin’s, The Origin of Species this last Friday.  Ray Comfort wrote a 50 page introduction that gives a little history of Darwin’s life,  a brief rebuttal of evolution, and a clear gospel presentation.  We thank the Lord that 12 students indicated a desire to attend a Bible study where they can ask questions in a relaxed and respectful atmosphere.

We also did a brief survey which we want to continue doing as we have over 200 more books to give away.  When I am done I will try to post the results.  Early indications are that most people on campus who consider themselves evolutionists  have never read the Origin of Species and came to their position of evolution through the influence of academia.  Our hope is that they will look at both sides of the issue and make an informed decision. In chapter 6 of Darwin’s, Origin of Species, he outlines the difficulties of the theory.   One wonders with the advancements of science today if he would have debunked his theory more quickly than those who today close their eyes to the evidence against evolution.

Psalm 19 talks about God’s natural revelation (Creation) and His special revelation (The Bible).  For a listen to a message I brought from this Psalm click on the title:  Gods Revelation and Our Response

Magnifying the Lord by serving God with a willing heart by His grace!

Sunday Evening’s Message on November 15th

Series: Lessons from the Old Testament

Text: Exodus 31 and 35

Title: A Willing Heart and Divine Enablement

Lesson 1.  Whom God calls, He will make wise hearted, He will stir your heart to be willing to follow and do it.
Lesson 2. Whom God calls, He will enable by His Spirit to accomplish His work.

Magnifying the Lord through becoming a servant

Sunday Morning message – November 15th

Text:  Matthew 20:17-28

Title:  True Greatness

 

Magnifying the Lord by Remembering His Grace in My Step-Dad’s Life

In a recent message entitled, Forsaking All and Following Christ, I shared the testimony of my stepfather, Thomas V. Decker.  He went from being a rebel against God to being a follower of God!  I had the privilege of preaching his funeral message in April of 2004.   He made it easy for me. He had written the following poem with which I put Scripture to challenge all who were there to put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

So in awe of the grace of God and in honor and  memory of my stepfather, Thomas V. Decker (1930 – 2004), I once again share his poem.

Why You Love Me

I don’t know why you love me

I don’t even care.

I just know you love me

Cause, Jesus, you’re always there.

 

Life without you, Jesus

Would be no life at all

Cause you’re always with me

When I stumble and fall.

 

Jesus, you are always there to help me

You reach down with your hand

You pick me up so gently

And once more I can stand.

 

If it wasn’t for you, Jesus

The light would shine no more

But through your precious love

You open up the door.

 

Now, Father, don’t ever leave me

And think that I can stand

For I may be made in your image

But, Father, I’m only man.

 

So, Father, please stay with me

‘Till all the sheep are in

And, Father, I’ll give you all my praise

And all I have within.

Download the message Forsaking All and Following Christ by clicking on the title.

Magnifying the Lord from Matthew 19:16 through Matthew 20:19

I now have been preaching through the book of Matthew for nearly 3 years. Yesterday I preached my 94th message in the book.  What an adventure as I have beheld my Savior in new and wonderful ways.  What a challenge to bring accurate, challenging, and practical message to God’s flock.  The last three messages really hang together as a mini-series on The Reward of Eternal Life for Forsaking all and Following Christ which is all of Grace:

Text: Matthew 19:16-26
Title: Eternal Life

Text:  Matthew 19:16-30
Title:  Forsaking all and Following Christ

Text:  Matthew 20:1-16
Title: A Story of Grace

Click on the title to download the message for a listen.

Magnifying the Lord Through True Discipleship

Are you following Christ or are you just playing church games?

This past Lord’s Day I preached from the same passage as last week ( Matthew 19:16-26) with a different focus and included the last few verses to close out the chapter (Matthew 19:27-30).

The general outline to the message is as follows: The Call, the Response, and the Reward for Forsaking All and Following Christ. Click here to download the message for a listen.

Magnifying the Lamb of God our Savior!

November Pastor’s Chat

God is worthy! The things of which God are worthy, from Revelation 5:12, have challenged us this year: “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” Thus far, we have focused on what God is worthy of, but have not focused on the name of God in this verse. In this coming month of Thanksgiving let us focus on our God who is the Lamb.

This Lamb is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ whom John the Baptist identified as such in John 1:29 when he saw, “Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”  Thanksgiving and love should well up in our hearts toward our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who bore our sin on the cross of Calvary as the Lamb of God ( I Peter 1:18-21).  We who have been forgiven much should love much (Luke 7:47).  But do we?

Do you sometimes sense a lack of love and thanksgiving in your heart toward Christ?  My friend, I call you to remembrance!  Remember your sin before a Holy and Righteous God. Remember the times you unwittingly and wittingly broke his commands. The Lamb, Jesus Christ, died for your sins.  O praise Him! Thank Him! Stand in awe of the Lamb of God. It is by looking to our Savior that we can be delivered from the penalty of sin and the practice of sin.  Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” May God richly bless you as you look unto Jesus as the Lamb of God this coming Thanksgiving season!

With love and prayer, Pastor Mark

Selected Bible Verses on “The Lamb of God”

Genesis 22:8, “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.”

John 1:36, “And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”

I Peter 1:18-21, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:  Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,  Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.”

Acts 8:30-35, “And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.  The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Revelation 21:22, “And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.”

Revelation 21:23, “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”

Revelation 22:1, “And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

Revelation 22:3, “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him.”

Links to Recent sermon downloads from FBC

Title: The Foundation of Marriage
Text: Matthew 19:1-6
http://sermon.net/download.php?c=18884-count_audio_download-2254256

Title: The Enemy of Marriage
Text: Matthew 19:7-9
http://sermon.net/download.php?c=18884-count_audio_download-2258073

Title: The Alternative to Marriage
Text: Matthew 19:10-12
http://sermon.net/download.php?c=18884-count_audio_download-2266639

Title: The Blessing of Children
Text:  Matthew 19:13-15
http://sermon.net/download.php?c=18884-count_audio_download-2270870

Title: Eternal Life
Text: Matthew 19:16-26
http://sermon.net/download.php?c=18884-count_audio_download-2275000

 

Magnifying God through loving God and our neighbor

Love is the fulfillment of the law!   The law teaches us how to love God and our neighbor.  We can only do it by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Evening Sermon: Lessons from the Ten Commandments Text: Exodus 20:1-17

1 ¶ And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.
12 ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
13 Thou shalt not kill.
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.
15 Thou shalt not steal.
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

Magnifying God through bringing Children to Christ

Morning Sermon-  Title: The Blessing of Children

Text: Matthew 19:13-15   Can you see the three attitudes displayed toward children in this passage?

“Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.  And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence.”

Mini-Series on Marriage from Matthew 19:1-12

The response from these messages have been encouraging.  I have tried to preach the truth from Matthew 9:1-12  in love and compassion.  One dear lady said after sermon two, “Pastor, I almost did not come to church today because I knew you would be preaching on the divorce passage.  But boy am I glad I came; you preached a message of encouragement and hope even for us who have been divorced.”  Praise God! It is only by His grace!

Sermon one: The Foundation of Marriage. Matthew 19:1-6

Sermon two:  The Enemy of Marriage. Matthew 19:7-9

Sermon three: The Alternative to Marriage. Matthew 19:10-12

You can down load the messages by clicking on the titles. Please feel free to share these messages  with others  if they have been a help to you.