October
Sun, Oct 01, 2017
Duration:50 mins 43 secs
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Ephesians 5:18-20
Be Ye Filled
Today we will observe The Lord’s Supper. It is a time for us to reflect upon and remember the priceless sacrifice that Jesus Christ paid for our sin. Jesus said, “…do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19 NKJV) Our study this morning also reminds us of the promise of Jesus that He would baptize us with The Holy Spirit, that we may bear fruit, and have the very power or ability from on high to live for Him and the glory of God. Jesus said that without Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5). We could also say that without The Holy Spirit working in us and through us, we lack the very power of God to effectively live for Jesus as vessels of honor.
Jesus did not ascend into heaven and send us a set program or programs to follow. He sent The Holy Spirit. He sent The Spirit to dwell in us. He sent The Spirit to teach us and lead us into truth. He sent The Spirit to guide us. He sent The Spirit to empower us. Paul exhorted the saved and sealed saints at Ephesus to be filled with The Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). Jesus describes this filling as a gushing torrent of living water. Powerful, refreshing, and flowing. As we remember the sacrifice of Jesus this morning, let us also remember that He told (and still tells) His disciples to receive The Spirit (John 20:22). Selah
Wed, Oct 04, 2017
Duration:53 mins 23 secs
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Sun, Oct 08, 2017
Duration:32 mins 52 secs
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The Grace that Angered Jonah
Really God? The Assyrians? Are You kidding me? Don’t You know how cruel, immoral, brutal, and pagan they are? I can hear Jehovah clearing His throat and whispering tenderly to Jonah’s hard heart, “As a matter of fact, I do!” The grace that Jonah received from The Lord gladdened Him. But when that very same grace was bestowed upon the wicked Assyrians in the city of Nineveh, it maddened him to the core. He pouted. He brewed. He stewed. Wasn’t that display of unmerited grace the same scenario in Luke 7 in the account of the “immoral woman” and the self righteous Pharisee (vv. 37-48)? Wasn’t that display of grace the same ending to the story of the prodigal son when the father bestowed upon his wayward, freshly-home-from-the- pigpen son in such a celebratory way that it angered the prim and proper elder son (Luke 15:13-32)?
As we conclude our study of Jonah this morning, it would serve us all well to take a “grace check.” When God forgives or restores a sinner, does it gladden us or madden us? Do we pout, or do we praise? Do we give God a thumbs up for His incredible grace, or a thumbs down? Do we imitate Jonah and wait for them to fall and for God to drop the hammer, or do we come along side of them with arms wide open and a place at the table of fellowship? Jehovah does. Jesus does. Do I? Do you? Selah
Wed, Oct 11, 2017
Duration:56 mins 14 secs
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Sun, Oct 15, 2017
Duration:36 mins 23 secs
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Haggai 1
But Seek Ye First
Jesus said, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33). What does “first” mean? Before all things. Above all things. But how easy it is for other things to choke the very hunger for the things of God. It never ceases to amaze me the time and money that people have for entertainment or to build “bigger barns.” The people of God in the days of Haggai were guilty of that very thing. The remnant from Babylon returned to Jerusalem and laid the foundation for the temple. Then opposition to the work set in and the work ceased. Oh they did not deny that building the temple was important. They were saying that it was not the time for the temple to be built.
That scenario is all too common in today’s church world. People get saved and all excited about Jesus, and about reading Scripture and sharing their faith and serving, and then....opposition comes, or the pursuit of other things enters in and chokes the hunger and thirst for the Word of God and the things of God. Haggai would say to reader and writer alike, “Consider your ways.” (Haggai 1:5,7) What motivates you to live the way you do? What brings you joy? What makes you cry? Is your temple in disrepair this morning, beloved? Consider your ways and seek first the kingdom of God! Selah
Sun, Oct 22, 2017
Duration:39 mins 58 secs
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John Chapter 9
Open the eyes of the blind
Mankind is spirit, soul and body. That is, we’re basically physical and spiritual in nature, and we need sight in both arenas. Our Lord Jesus is still the One who opens the eyes of the blind. It appears that when Jesus ministered on earth, whenever He heard the cry, “Have mercy on us”, He responded (Matthew 9:27-30a, 20:30-34). Healing in both the physical and spiritual realms is God’s business. That should be obvious.
Even though physical blindness is addressed and healed in the Scriptures (Luke 7:21b), spiritual blindness is of even greater concern. The Pharisees may have had 20/20 vision physically, but they were “blind as bats” spiritually (Matthew 15:14). Interestingly, after Jesus cleansed the temple in Matthew 21:12, He then stated its intended purpose as a place for prayer, and demonstrated its use as a place to open blind eyes. Satan is the one who blinds the minds of the unbelievers. Therefore, we must continue to do in our prayer lives what people did on earth 2,000 years ago, which is bring the blind to Jesus. Only the Lord can make them see.
Blindness and unbelief go hand in hand, as shown by Israel’s rejection of Jesus as their Messiah. As Christians, it’s vitally important for us to understand that hatred towards a fellow saint is spiritual darkness and blindness as well. Purity in heart precedes maturity in heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any blind spots in your life, and then allow the Master to change you through His written word and Spirit.