Points From The Pastor
3350 Manvel Road
Pearland Texas, 77584
7:45am   (Pearland)
10:00am (Pearland)
LOCATION & SERVICE TIMES
Are You A Soldier For Christ?                                                                                                                                                                                                  
Jonathan Edwards said, "THE STRENGTH OF A GOOD SOLDIER OF JESUS CHRIST APPEARS IN NOTHING MORE THAN IN STEDFASTLY MAINTAINING THE HOLY CALM, MEEKNESS, SWEETNESS AND BENEVOLENCE OF HIS MIND, AMIDST ALL THE STORMS, INJURIES, STRANGE BEHAVIOR AND SURPRISING ACTS  AND EVENTS OF THIS EVIL WORLD AND UNREASONABLE  WORLD."

The Apostle Paul writes to his son in the faith, Timothy and provides him with three images of a committed Christian: (1) He is like a soldier in his ability to endure hardships. (2) He is like an athlete who keeps training for competition. (3) He is like a farmer who works hard with expectation of enjoying the harvest.

In verses 1-4 of 2 Timothy 2, Paul admonishes Timothy to increase in strength and favor by empowering himself with what Paul has already spoken concerning Christ Jesus.  The things that Timothy recorded should be deposited in men who not only have competence and character, but those who are trustworthy and can be relied upon.  As a result, they will be able to teach others also.  Be a partaker of my afflictions and persecution.  Do not get so busy with negotiations in this life that you forget to please the one who enlisted you.

This week, let's strive to give God six minutes of our time a day.

We will continue on this same journey next week.  Until next time, be encouraged!
July 07, 2010
Invisible Barriers

Everything God created is equipped with the potential or ability to fulfill its God given purpose.  Accomplishment without a sense of purpose leads to a lack of fulfillment and a waste of time.  Ignorance of purpose robs us of our potential and leads us to abuse.  We need to know why something exists.  You must understand why you do what you do.  Not matter what you do; if you do not know why you are doing it, you are wasting time.

The most powerful enemy of mankind is not sin or Satan, but ignorance (Hosea 4:6).

Be conscious of "invisible barriers".  In other words be aware of potential obstacles.

There was a man named Hector who was a great shoemaker.  He made about 30 pair of shoes a week but he was broke.

He was bad at collecting debts and selling.  A friend of Hector's introduced him to a guy whose strengths were selling and collecting debts.  As a result, Hector was able to make 100 shoes a week and tripled his sales.
              
The Solution To Misplaced Purpose
  • Sacrifice - What am I willing to give up?
  • Self Evaluation - Where did I go wrong?

Renewal of Commitment
  • Who is my allegiance to?
  • Admit your contribution to the problem.
  • Stop blaming other people.
  • What could you have done differently?
  • Stay away from poisonous people.
No Cheating

"Also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules." (2 Timothy 2:5)

After appealing for qualities such as courage, willingness to suffer, and faithfulness in the life of a minister, Paul borrowed images from daily life to illustrate the traits necessary for effective service.  He pictures the effective minister in terms of a teacher (2:1-2), a soldier (2:3-4), an athlete (2:5), and a farmer.   From the athlete we learn the necessity of competing according to the rules to win the event (v. 5). God has set the rules for this contest and it involves suffering hardship.

Competitors in the Olympic Games, for example, were required to swear that they had trained diligently for at least 10 months. Every athletic event has its boundaries, its rules; all who fail to discipline themselves to observe these rules are disqualified.

In order to receive the reward, he must obey the rules of the game. So it is in Christian service. How many fall out before they reach the finish line, disqualified because they did not maintain an unquestioning obedience to the word of God!

When an athlete "competes," he must compete "according to the rules" if he wishes to "receive the victor's crown."  Paul does not specify what "rules" he intends Timothy to follow, perhaps simply the rule to endure hardship.  No matter how skilled the athletes were, they had to obey the rules of the game. If they won the race but broke the rules, they were disqualified.

Paul would not have been content with the slogan: "It's not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game." Based on his words to Timothy, Paul probably would have revised the slogan to say: "Whether you win or lose depends totally on how you play the game!" No competitor could be crowned unless he competed in accordance with the rules. Paul is saying that our daily spiritual activity must be conducted within the directives of devotion, dedication and determination; and it takes these same qualities to produce a winning Christian life.
July 13, 2010
July 20, 2010
The Heart Of A Farmer

"The hard working farmer ought to be the first to receive his share of crops." (2 Timothy 2:6)

Henri Alain says, "Life on a farm is a school of patience; you can't hurry the crops or make an ox in two days."  My brothers and sisters being a farmer is unattractive; until harvest time comes.  It takes qualities and virtues that we have deemed unimportant and unattractive to be a farmer. If we as Christians are going to have a heart of a farmer then we must be D.E.E.P. We must be diligent, must have endurance, expectation and patience. You need diligence so that you can be faithful throughout the journey. Diligence is defined as a zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work, exemplified by a decisive work ethic, budgeting of one's time, monitoring one's own activities to guard against laziness, and putting forth full concentration in one's work.  Secondly we must have endurance.  This is simply the power to withstand the hardships. Next you need expectation.  No farmer plants without expecting a harvest. Finally, you need patience to wait on what you planted to grow and develop into something that you can use.

So it is in the kingdom of God that we need these same qualities.  We have to be diligent in this work that God has given to us.  Often times we complain about our work schedules, how we have so much on our plate and in the end we give God leftovers.  Left over money, left over praise and even left over time.  We have to get to a point where we guard our God time so that we are faithful to the work in which He has called us to do.  In this Christian walk you also need some endurance.  In this life we shall have some hardships.  It is inevitable, unavoidable, and unexpected.  James tells us to "count it all joy when you fall."  Where does that power come from to endure? "Greater is He that is within you than he that is in the world." We have the power on the inside to withstand the hardships of life. Next we need expectation.  While we are planting and depositing in souls on our everyday Christian walk we have to start having a spirit of expectation.  We plant in spring expecting a harvest in the fall.  It is the evidence that fuels this expectation.  If I planted before and received a harvest I am expecting God to do it again.  We will never have any evidence if we never try.  Lastly, we must have patience. We have to learn how to wait on God.  There are times when you have done the planting, you have done the watering and you are in a process of waiting on God.  Don't be weary in well doing for in due season you will reap if you faint not.  We are a microwave generation where we want everything instantly but we have to have patience in this Christian walk.  If you wait on God I can guarantee that it is well worth the wait.

In closing BC Forbes says, "It is only the farmer who faithfully plants seeds in the Spring, who reaps a harvest in Autumn."  We must be faithful over this work that God has entrusted into our care.  I know that it gets hard on this Christian journey but the blessing is you not in it by yourself.  We have a helpmate called alongside to help us in this work.  Make the sacrifice to be D.E.E.P. and in due season you will be the first to see your harvest.
Jehovah Shalom: The Lord is Our Peace 

In the Holy Land when you hear the word Shalom, it is a greeting when you meet someone or it is a blessing when you depart.  Peace is translated as, "being well or whole".  It is wholeness that we obtain with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ. 
 
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July 27, 2010
Jehovah Nissi:  The Lord Is Our Banner

Genuine worship is not based upon form, but what God means to you.  Today, Jehovah (self-existent one); Nissi (a pole with a flag).  The Septuagint suggests that it means my refuge.
 
America's banner is the U.S. flag.   The 13 horizontal stripes are a reminder of the 13 original colonies that made up the early U.S.  The 50 stars symbolize the 50 states in the union.  The red, white and blue represent innocence, valor and justice.  But when we look at the flag it reminds of more than a song written by an attorney named Francis Scott Key.  More than a seamstress named Betsy Ross.  It reminds us of the War of 1812 and America's battle for independence from Great Britain.

Israel has gone from the bitter sweet waters in Marah to camp out in Elim by 12 springs of water.  Today, they are in the wilderness of Sin.  It looks like they are going through one thing after another.  In Exodus 16 they were complaining to Moses because they had no food and God fed them.  In Chapter 17 the people argued with Moses again because they didn't have water.  I think these people had to be bi-polar.  They saw God make bitter water sweet when they were out of water, and then he took them to 12 springs of water.

Moses cried unto the Lord and God said take the elders of Israel and your rod.  Between Exodus 4 and 17, this rod is mentioned more than 20 times.  Moses became the shepherd of his father-in-law's flock.  To tend to a flock you need a staff or a rod to pull or beat the wayward animals.  In Exodus 3, when God called Moses, Moses already had what he needed to lead Israel.  In Exodus 4 the rod turns into a serpent; when they came to the Red Sea, God said use what you have in your hand; now that there is no water God says take the elders, but don't forget your rod.  When they go to fight Amalek at Rephidim God says take your rod.  Amalek was the descendant of Esau; the brother who sold his birthright to Jacob for a bowl of stew.  Esau saw no need to secure his future; so he chose to satisfy his pressing, present need rather than preserve a future blessing.  How much of the next generation's future are we forfeiting for temporary satisfaction?

Moses tells Joshua to choose some men and go fight Amalek at Rephidim.  Moses went on top of the mountain and held up the rod.  As long as his arms were raised Israel, had the victory.  When his hands were heavy, Israel started losing the battle. Moses had Aaron, his brother and Hur, his brother-in-law to hold his arms up while Joshua fought in the valley.  After the battle they put a flag on Moses' staff, built an altar and shouted Jehovah Nissi, The Lord Is Our Banner!

Do you have any symbols and signs that identify some victories God has given you?

In Exodus 17:16, Moses states that the Lord will battle with the Amalekites from generation to generation.  Joshua doesn't know why Moses calls him for the difficult tasks, but Moses is training Joshua to be Israel's next leader.  The same thing they are fighting now, they will see it again.  If they have a banner of what God did before, they will have the confidence that he can do it again.


August & September 2010 referenced the recent KBL Conference
Jehovah Shalom: The Lord is Our Peace 

In the Holy Land when you hear the word Shalom, it is a greeting when you meet someone or it is a blessing when you depart.  Peace is translated as, "being well or whole".  It is wholeness that we obtain with God through a relationship with Jesus Christ.  This relationship breeds harmony.  Peace does not mean that outward conflict disappears.   It means a sense of contentment, freedom from guilt; satisfaction.  Paul says in Philippians 4, I have learned to be content.  I understand from what I have suffered, that my sufficiency in Christ is enough to keep me satisfied.

In the Old Testament peace was obtained by following the Law of God.  Obedience to the Law of God brought security, prosperity and the absence of war.  The New Testament scripture defines peace in a different way; it is inner tranquility that dispels anxiety.  It quiets our mind and our souls when we trust God.  Romans 5, says when we put our faith in Jesus, we have peace.  There is a requirement for this peace; a pure heart (Psalms 51:10).  We cannot experience the peace of God without accepting the Prince of Peace.

The hope of the Promised Land had become a reality, but Israel earnestly desired peace.  Moses and Joshua are dead and there is no godly leadership in Israel.  They are in the Promised Land, but they are paupers and slaves, living in caves and dens.  They did evil in the sight of the Lord and he delivered them into the hands of the Midianites.  Their new sins brought on fresh judgment.  Midian and the Amalekites took the harvest from Israel for 7 years.  The Amalekites have been waiting 200 years to get back at Israel.  Since the Lord defeated them at Rephidim, they have been waiting for the right moment.

Vs.7-10:  Israel cried to God.  He takes them down memory lane, he had brought them out of Egypt, provided for them in the wilderness, protected them from their enemies, but you have disobeyed me.

Vs.11:  God allowed Israel to sink so low that their extremity became God's opportunity.  He has Midian in one hand and is calling Gideon on the other hand.  Gideon is the youngest son in Joash's house.  He was not voted most likely to lead or succeed.  He was an unlikely candidate for the Hall of Fame of Faith.  When God called Gideon he was threshing out wheat.  He did not use cattle or a wooden floor.  He was walking on bare ground, near a wine press under a tree.  He was trying to keep the threshing noise down so the enemy would not hear it and take his food.

Vs.12:  The angel of the Lord called Gideon a Valiant Warrior; his name means one who hews down, but God called him a warrior.  The Lord is with you.

Vs.13:  If the Lord is with us why is my life in such a mess?  Where are the miracles he used to perform?  We cannot experience the peace of our Promised Land, being stubborn and rebellious towards God.  Some people think that peace is in location or vocation.  If I did not live in this complex, city, county or community.  If I had another job.  If I did not marry this person.  If I could just get married.  If we had children, we would have peace.  Changing the outward circumstances does not bring peace.  We have to return to our source of peace.  We think that the Lord has abandoned us.  If that were the case, he would have let your enemy destroy you 7 years ago.

Vs.15:  I'm the least in my family; I don't know if I'm qualified.

Vs.16:  The Lord said surely I will be with you.

Vs.17:  Show me a sign; I need evidence of your presence.  God has commissioned, called and confirmed and like Gideon we are saying show me a sign (Matt 16:3, Matt. 24:24, John 4:48).  It is not about the sign do you see the need.  Our reply is Lord I'm not qualified or I'm too busy.  God equips those he calls.  Seven years of suffering prepared him to lead Israel.  God will enroll us in the University of Adversity so we can get an education from tribulation.
October 1, 2010
The Road to Recovery
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