Put it on him!

At our men’s gathering on Thursday morning, I had the privilege of reading from Luke 15:11-24 about the downfall and up-pull of a son who was loved by his father, commonly known as the prodigal son.

As I read, a phrase evoked some vivid images in my mind. What the Father said to his servants as he welcomed his son home, came home to me!

“Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him . . .”

I envisioned the many time my mom purchased clothing for me as I grew-up.  Her clothing gifts were always the best and made me feel loved.

I remembered how just a few years ago my Mom bought me a red and black plaid vest and how now when I wear it I feel like I am getting a hug from my mom.

I pictured how my little 3-year-old grandson feels when I cover him with his special blanket his mother made for him.

“Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him . . .”

Amazingly, God has done this for me in his gift of Salvation in Jesus Christ.

The gift of covering means I am loved and cared for by my heavenly Father!  God provides a covering of white garments for those who are overcomers in the Lord Jesus Christ:

Jesus said, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches’ ” (Revelations 3:5-6). NKJV

Have you received God’s covering for you? He desires to cloth you in the Righteousness of Christ:

For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”  (Romans 4:3-8 ESV)

And finally, like the father in Jesus’ story, is there a “covering” you could give to someone to help them up?

“Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him . . .”

Words for Focus in the New Year!

If you have read my recent posts, you know that my word for change in 2016 is ALIGNMENT. However, our pastor has been giving the word HOPE to our church for this year:

H = healing – both spiritually, emotionally, and physically – Yes, I need this . . .

O = opportunity -for spiritual growth and  service of God and others . . .

P = prayer/promise – clinging to God’s promises in vigilant prayer  . . .

E = experience – a closer relationship in sensing the presence of God . . .

O Lord, please bring healing to my soul and body, help me see and not shrink back from the opportunities before me in 2016 for personal growth and selfless service,  give me grace to cling to your promises in constant prayer, and help me to experience your presence in my life in a new and thrilling way.  Lord I need you!  Come and fill me with Your Spirit to be all that you want me to be in Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior.

I have hope that my thinking can be aligned with God’s Word and will for my life in 2016.  May He be glorified and magnified in my life.

I would love to hear if God has given you a word for 2016 that brings you HOPE!

Alignment Is my Word for 2016

For years I have been ordering my life with a view toward balance.  I have tried to keep my life goals, activities, responsibilities, and my theology in balance.  Unwittingly this has led to much frustration because I have viewed the varying parts or elements to be in opposition to each other rather then complementing each other.   This week I was introduced to a new way of viewing life by replacing the concept of balance with alignment.  My goals, activities, responsibilities, and yes, even my theology do not have to balance they need to be in alignment.

Webster’s online definitions are as follows:

Alignment: the act of aligning or state of being aligned; especially :  the proper positioning or state of adjustment of parts (as of a mechanical or electronic device) in relation to each other

Align:
– to arrange things so that they form a line or are in proper position
– to change (something) so that it agrees with or matches something else

So, my goals for 2016 need to be in a proper relationship to each other or adjusted to work together like separate gears in synch.

My activities in 2016 must  support or line up with my goals.

My responsibilities can now be viewed as the oil that lubes the gears of my purpose in life which is reflected in my goals and activities.

And my theology must be brought into alignment or agreement with God’s truth revealed in His creation and Word, the Bible.

I am thinking that with the framework of alignment for 2016 rather than balance that I will be able to magnify the Lord for what He will do in my life as I seek Him and allow His Spirit to lead, guide, and support a life that is in alignment with Him.

Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!

Helps from previous Christmas posts: 

Advent thoughts #1: Jesus = Grace & Truth

Advent Thoughts #2: Jesus = Light

Advent thoughts #3: Jesus = Emmanuel = God with us!

Advent thoughts #4: Jesus = Savior

Advent thoughts #5: Jesus = Virgin Birth = Perplexing Situation

Advent thoughts #6: Jesus = God

Advent thoughts #7: Jesus = Two Advents

Advent thoughts #8: Jesus = Genealogy of the King =
A message of Grace

Advent thoughts #9: Jesus = Birth of The King = Miracle of Grace

Title: Grace Text: I Thessalonians 5:28

Message for a local congregation on January 18, 2015

Link to Audio:  http://dillonvineyard.org/church/sermons2015/DillonVCF-2015-01-18-MarkWorden.mp3

Introduction:  

• How I met Pastor Zane
• Sanctity of Human Life Sunday and New Hope of Dillon
• Prayer
• Testimony of Christian Rapper Lecrae
  with John Piper and John Ensor
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wauaI7rL0vM  Beginning to 9.33 minutes

Message Focus – Every one of us needs God’s mercy and grace and the healing it brings from sin!

Def: Mercy – not getting what we deserve. Grace – Getting what we don’t deserve.

Today I want to focus on God’s grace because that is what the book of I Thessalonians begins with and ends with – It is also a word I heard a lot last week in Zane’s message and the prayers that were offered up in worship of God.

•  . . . to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace. 1 Thessalonians 1:1

 

• The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.   1 Thessalonians 5:28

Question 1: What is grace?   The word occurs in the Bible over 130 times, mostly in the N.T.

1828 Noah Webster Dictionary – first American English Dictionary

 Def. # 2. “Appropriately, the free unmerited love and favor of God, the spring and source of all the benefits men receive from him.”

 Def. #3. “Favorable influence of God; divine influence or the influence of the Spirit, in renewing the heart and restraining from sin.”

 My definition:   A divine enablement, empowerment, or gifting, to have or to do what we could not have or do without God’s favorable help.

Key verses:

•  Gift of eternal life: Salvation – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

•  Gifts of the Spirit: Service of God and others – Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies–in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.   1 Peter 4:8-11

Question 2: How do you receive God’s grace?  Humble Ask in faith

•  Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. I Peter 5:5b-7

• What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the Scripture says, “He yearns jealously over the spirit that he has made to dwell in us”? But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be wretched and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.  James 4:1-10

 Question 3: What does God’s grace look like in real life? Paul’s example:

• For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 1 Corinthians 15:9-10

• So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
  2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Conclusion: Is there a victor over sin that God want for you this year, or a special good work that he is calling you to do for Him?  By His grace you can do it for the glory of God!

• And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

If time permits: Reading of Thomas Brooks exhortation on Romans 8:28

Thomas Brooks, 1662

All the sins of the saints

“We know that all things work together for good,
to those who love God, to those who are called
according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

All the afflictions, and
all the temptations, and
all the desertions, and
all the oppressions, and
all the oppositions, and
all the persecutions—
which befall a godly man,
shall work for his good.

Every cross, and
every loss, and
every disease—
which befall the holy man,
shall work for his good.

Every device,
every snare,
every deceit,
every depth,
every stratagem,
and every enterprise of Satan against
the holy man, shall work for his good.

They shall all help to make him . . .
more humble,
more holy,
more heavenly,
more spiritual,
more faithful,
more fruitful,
more watchful.

Every prosperity and every adversity;
every storm and every calm;
every bitter and every sweet;
every cross and every comfort—
shall work for the holy man’s good.

When God gives a mercy—
that shall work for his good.
When God takes away a mercy—
that shall work for his good.

Yes, even all the falls and all the sins of
the saints shall work for their good. Oh . . .
the care,
the fear,
the watchfulness,
the tenderness,
the zeal—
which God raises in the souls of His saints by their
very falls! Oh the hatred, the indignation, and the
detestation—which God raises in the hearts of His
children against sin—by their very falling into sin!

Oh what love to Christ,
what thankfulness for Christ,
what admiration of Christ,
what cleaving to Christ,
what exalting of Christ,
what drawings from Christ’s grace—
are saints led to, by their very falls!

It is the glory of God’s holiness, that . . .
He can turn spiritual diseases—into holy remedies!
He can turn soul poisons—into heavenly cordials!
He can prevent sin by sin, and cure falling by falling!

O Christian! What though friends and relations frown upon you,
what though enemies are plotting and conspiring against you,
what though needs, like armed men, are breaking in upon you,
what though men rage, and devils roar against you,
what though sickness is devastating your family,
what though death stands every day at your elbow—
yet there is no reason for you to fear nor faint, because
all these things shall work for your good! Yes, there is
wonderful cause of joy and rejoicing in all the afflictions
and tribulations which come upon you—considering that
they shall all work for your good.

O Christians! I am afraid, I am afraid—that you do not
run so often as you should—to the breasts of this promise,
nor draw that sweetness and comfort from it, that it would
yield, and that your several cases may require. “We know
that all things work together for good, to those who love
God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” I
have been the longer upon this verse, because the condition
of God’s people calls for the strongest cordials, and the
choicest and the sweetest comforts.

Ten Commandments Bible Study – Commandment 10

“Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.”
Exodus 20:17

This last commandment gets to the heart of our sin against God and our neighbor. How many of the other 9 commandments does this command, “not to covet,” relate? Was covetousness at the heart of David’s choice to sin with Bathsheba? How many of the Ten Commandments did David break in his sin with Bathsheba?

1.  The Definition of “covet”:

a.  “ To desire or wish for, with eagerness; to desire earnestly to obtain or possess; in a good sense.”  “Covet earnestly the best gifts” (1 Cor 12.).

b.  “To desire inordinately; to desire that which is unlawful to obtain or possess; in a bad sense” (1828 Noah Webster).

 2.  Covetousness is a sin of the heart that has grave consequences:

•  Mark 7:20-23
•    1 Timothy 6:6-10

 3.  The Prophets rebuked Israel for covetousness:

•  Jeremiah 6:13, 8:10, 22:17
•  Ezekiel 33:31

4.  The commandment against covetousness brought Paul under deep conviction of sin:

• Romans 7:7-12

 5.  Deliverance from a covetous heart:

•  Prayerful dependence on God – Psalm 119:33-40
•  Put off and put on – Ephesians 5:1-4, Colossians 3:5-10
•  Learn contentment – Hebrews 13:5

Forgiveness . . .

As I was eating breakfast this morning I had this thought about forgiveness:

Forgiveness is not minimizing how someone has wronged me it is maximizing how God has forgiven me.  By God’s grace I can be kind even to those who hate me.

 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths,
but only such as is good for building up,
as fits the occasion,
that it may give grace to those who hear.
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,
by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness
and wrath
and anger
and clamor
and slander
be put away from you,
along with all malice.
Be kind to one another,
tenderhearted,
forgiving one another,
as God in Christ forgave you.
Ephesians 4:29-32

O Lord, thank you for the forgiveness I have in Jesus. Please help me to forgive as I have been forgiven . . .

A Thanksgiving Service and Message

Opening Prayer:  Give thanks to God in prayer!

Hymn: “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”

Responsive Reading

Pastor: “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31

Congregation: “Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.” Psalm 65:9

Pastor: “Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness. They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side. The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.” Psalm 65:11-13

Congregation: “He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth . . . O LORD, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.” Psalm 104:14 & 24

Pastor: “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.   Psalm 107:8-9

Everyone:  “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.” Jonah 2:9

Chorus: “Thank you Lord for saving my Soul”

Chorus: “God is so Good”

Testimonies of God’s goodness:

Hymn: “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”

Testimonies of God’s leading, provision, or protection:

Special: Children’s Choir

Hymn: “All Creatures of Our God and King” – Stanzas 1,3,5

Devotional
Occasions of Thanksgiving and Praise
in the Old Testament

1.  When David brought the Ark of God into the City of David
(I Chronicles 16:1-12).

 2.   Levites were to thank and praise God ever morning and evening
(I Chronicles 23:30).

3.  When Solomon dedication  the Temple  (2 Chronicles 5:12-14).

4.  When the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid (Ezra 3:10-11).

5.   When the wall of Jerusalem was dedicated (Nehemiah 12:27, 31).

Conclusion:  The example of one can effect many: Mattaniah –Nehemiah 11:17

Challenge:  Will you be a Mattaniah in you home and be the first to begin the thanksgiving in Prayer?

Recite Psalm 100: “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with Thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Closing Hymn: “O Worship the King”

Closing Prayer:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ten Commandments Bible Study: Commandment Six

“Thou shalt not kill.” Exodus 5:13

I.  What does this command forbid?

 Define – “Kill” – raw-tsakh’ –“A primitive root; properly to dash in pieces, that is, kill (a human being), especially to murder: – put to death, kill, (man-) slay (-er), murder (-er)” (Strongs def.).

II.    First murderer recorded in Scripture:    Genesis 4:8-13

III.   What is God’s punishment for breaking this command?

•  Genesis 9:5-6
• Leviticus 24:17
•  Numbers 35:15-34
•  Revelation 21:7-8

IV.  This command does not forbid capital punishment – the death penalty for certain crimes. Under God’s law, Israel was to put people to death for the following sins against God and man:

• Exodus 21:16 ______________________________
• Exodus 35:2             ______________________________
• Numbers 35:31 ______________________________
• Leviticus 20:2 ______________________________
• Leviticus 20:9 ______________________________
• Leviticus 20:10 ______________________________
• Leviticus 20:11-12 ______________________________
• Leviticus 20:13 ______________________________
• Leviticus 20:15-16 ______________________________
• Leviticus 20:27 ______________________________
• Leviticus 24:16 ______________________________
• 13:6-9             ______________________________
• 21:18-21 ______________________________

V.   The New Testament teaching on this command makes it clear that we can be guilty of murder in our heart without committing the outward act:

• Matthew 5:21-22
•  I John 3:15We have only our own wicked hearts to blame when we sin!

• Mark 7:20-23

VII.    Can a murderer be forgiven by God or is there no hope?

• Barabbas was a murderer – Luke 23:18-19

• Murder is listed as a work of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21

• Murder is left out of this list: I Corinthians 6:9-11

 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”

• Paul testified that he persecuted believers to death:

Acts 22:4, I Corinthians 15:9

• Revelation 9:20-21 indicates that murderers can repent.

• Paul lists murder (Romans 1:29) along with many other sins against God’s law that causes us to become guilty before God (Romans 3:19-20). This guilt can lead us to understand our need of God’s forgiveness through faith in Christ’s provision for sin (Romans 3:21-31).

Praise God that Christ’s provision for sin covers the actual act of murder and the murder in our hearts when we are angry enough to kill. Otherwise there would be no hope for all us murderers.

Ten Commandments Bible Study: Commandment Four

“Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 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: 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.” Exodus 20:8-11

I.  Definition of key words:

 Remember –  The Hebrew word for “remember” actually is in the sense of “mark” or “set aside.”  “To bear in mind with regard; to keep as sacred; to observe”  (1828 Noah Webster).

Sabbath – Lit.- Rest after labor – “1. The day which God appointed to be observed by the Jews as a day of rest from all secular labor or employments, and to be kept holy and consecrated to his service and worship. This was originally the seventh day of the week, the day on which God rested from the work of creation; and this day is still observed by the Jews and some christians, as the sabbath. But the christian church very early begun and still continue to observe the first day of the week, in commemoration of the resurrection of Christ on that day, by which the work of redemption was completed. Hence it is often called the Lords day. The heathen nations in the north of Europe dedicated this day to the sun, and hence their christian descendants continue to call the day Sunday. But in the United States, Christians have to a great extent discarded the heathen name, and adopted the Jewish name sabbath” (1828 Noah Webster). Word occurs in 116 verses in KJV Bible

 Holy -“ to set apart as sacred, consecrate, dedicate”

 Discussion – According to the passage (Exodus 20:8-11):

•  Who was to keep this command?
• What is this command based upon?

II.  More Old Testament teaching about the Sabbath:

•  Exodus 31:12-18; Numbers 15:32-36
•  Isaiah 58:13-14

III.  Our Lord Jesus Christ’s teaching about the Sabbath:

•  Matthew 12:1-13

Jesus Christ is __________ of the Sabbath.

It is lawful to do ___________ on the Sabbath.

•  Mark 2:23-28

  “The Sabbath was made for _______ and not ______ for the Sabbath” (Mk.2:27).

• Luke 13:10-17

What is the danger in making rules up for Sabbath observance?

• John 7:21-24

What should characterize our judgement about honoring God by keeping a day set-aside for rest and worship?

See further Colossians 2:16

IV.   The New Testament sets the president for worshiping the Lord on the first day of the week: (Points from a pamphlet entitled, “Reclaiming the Lord’s day for the Lord” Dr. Mark Minnick

A.   By Event – The bodily resurrection of Christ

• 28:1; Mk. 16:2; Luke 24:1; John 20:1

B.  By Example – Practice of New Testament church

• Acts 20:6-7

C.  By Exhortation – Offerings were to be taken on the first day

• I Corinthians 16:2

D.  By Designation – The Lord’s Day

• Revelation 1:10

V.  New Testament saints need to honor God by not forsaking the assembly of themselves together.

• Acts 2:46-47
• Hebrews 10:23-25