Endangered Christian Series - Part 1 - Satan, Sin, and Self - The Big 3

 

Listen as Pastor Rick teaches about the danger of becoming extinct as Christians if we are not following God closely!  But, also affirms of how we can overcome if we do follow God closely!

What Hinders You?

Today's Message was not recorded so here are Pastor Rick's notes for your perusal:

Today’s sermon is not a Father’s Day Sermon.  I would have liked to preach on our “Abba” Father today or to talk about the attributes of God’s Fatherhood as I have in the past or admonished us to be godly fathers ourselves.  But that is not what I feel on my heart.  Instead, today, I feel on my heart this question: What Hinders You?

Hebrews chapter 11 is the Biblical Hall of Fame or Hall of Faith as some have called it.  Beginning in Genesis and continuing down through the time of the prophets, many are listed who had great faith.  Toward the end of the chapter the writer says,

Hebrews 11:32 ¶ And what shall I more say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets:
 33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,
 34 Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens [invaders].
 35 Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection:
 36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
 38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
 39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
 40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Then turn the page: Let us read together Hebrews 12:1-3
1 ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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,
 2 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.
3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Here in Hebrews, Paul is using the metaphor of the games held in the great Roman amphitheaters.  Surrounded by the spectators, the runners would strip naked, laying aside every burden, removing anything that would cause resistance, so that they could run at their very best without any encumbrance.  They wanted nothing in the way of victory.

Paul also uses this metaphor in another place as he addresses the Christians of Galatia.  Into their church had come strong influences that were leading them astray.  Paul questions them with our text today:
Galatians 5:7 – “Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?”

Let us consider today: What hinders you from obeying God?  What weight is holding you back in the race?  What sin besets you?  What hinders you from obeying the truth?  What is going to keep you from winning the race?

I want to share with you a few metaphors as well and use them to apply this thought to our hearts. 

What are some other words for hinder or hindrance?  Block, Blockage, Hamper, Impede, Impediment, Weight, Encumbrance, Burden, Problem, Resistance, Obstruction, Prevent, Delay, Interference, Slow Down, Set Back, Hold Back, Barrier, Restraint, Limitation.
As I thought on this a few pictures/things came to my mind:
Barbed Wire/Fencing
Jersey Wall
Cones/Barrels
Ball & Chain / Ankle Weights
A Plumbing Blockage – Hinders things from working properly. (Parking Lot/Objects/Tree Roots)
A Hearing Blockage – Hinders communication (Birth or Situational)
An Airway Blockage – Hinders Life!  (Sudden & Emergency)
A Heart Blockage – Hinders Life! (Brought on by diet/lifestyle)
A Heavy Burden
Light Pollution

Of these, I want to take 3 of them and apply them.

Heart Blockage
Plumbing Blockage
Light Pollution

Heart Blockage – When I think of heart blockage, what I am really thinking of is coronary artery disease.  (There is “heart block” which is a different medical condition involving the electrical impulses of the heart – I am not thinking of that.) “CAD is caused by plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart (called coronary arteries) and other parts of the body. Plaque is made up of deposits of cholesterol and other substances in the artery. Plaque buildup causes the inside of the arteries to narrow over time, which could partially or totally block the blood flow. This process is called atherosclerosis.  Over time, CAD can weaken the heart muscle.”  How you reduce your risk for CAD is by eating less sodium and less fat, increasing physical activity, avoiding obesity, and reducing high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  While not entire, most of the cause of CAD is poor diet and exercise.  Over time, these bad habits result in serious damage to the body.  As the blockages build, they can literally result in discomfort, pain, and even death.  Spiritually I would ask you today, what hinders your heart?  What is your spiritual diet and exercise like?  Are you feeding yourself a constant diet of spiritual junk food?  Are you avoiding or skimping on healthy reading and meditation on God’s Word?  Are you spiritually exercising your muscles?  Are you walking in humility, loving your neighbor, putting God’s priorities first?  Are you exercising the spiritual disciplines of reading and meditation, fasting and prayer?  Or, are you building all the wrong spiritual habits of neglect, laziness, apathy, and carelessness?  Are you committing sin and letting it leave its debris in your heart?  If so, you are setting yourself up for a spiritual heart attack – spiritual death!  Are you following Christ closely on your way to being a spiritual athlete or are you lagging behind to become a spiritual couch potato?  What hinders you?
Plumbing Blockage – A plumbing blockage usually occurs in only a few ways. One, something is flushed or inserted into the pipe that doesn’t belong there.  Two, a slow buildup of grease/minerals/debris can eventually clog the pipe.  Three, a slow creeping of tree roots into the pipe to constrict and obstruct the flow.  I want you to think of this in terms of the Holy Spirit in your heart.  The Holy Spirit is often thought of as oil that flows.  It is like oil in a lamp…particularly think of an oil menorah: In each of the menorah branches, olive oil flows into the wick.  But imagine if one of the branches had an obstruction or blockage?  The oil eventually would cease to flow to the wick through that tube and that flame would go out.  We want nothing to obstruct the spiritual plumbing of our heart that would hinder the work and movement of the Holy Spirit in us.  We don’t want this to happen quickly with an action or spoken word that blocks the pipe.  We don’t want it to happen over time because we don’t maintain the pipe and it becomes greasy and obstructed by the buildup of various things.  Hebrews 12 also talks about roots of bitterness springing up (15).  We don’t want anything to creep in and begin to obstruct or hinder the flow in our spiritual plumbing.  What hinders you?
Light Pollution – Thursday night, Emma and I went grocery shopping.  It was after dark when we got to Wal-Mart.  As we left the van, we noticed the planet Venus shining brightly in the sky.  Emma asked why we couldn’t see other stars.  I told her it was because we had too many other lights around us that were hindering us from being able to see them.  It’s known as “light pollution.”  That immediately struck my heart.  Think about it: the brilliance of our spectacular universe obscured by pitiful man-made electrified night.  Immediately I made the connection spiritually.  How often is our view of the holiness and brilliance of God obstructed by the dimmer lights of earth?  What is obstructing my view of Him?  Is it media, politics, entertainment?  Is it my own dreams and ambition?  Is it someone else who is more important to me and outshines God in my mind?  What earthly person or thing keeps me from seeing Jesus as I ought?  What hinders you?

And may I say that I am talking to all of us today wherever we are on our spiritual pathway. 
If you are not a believer, then I ask, “What hinders you?”  What prevents you from taking hold of faith?  Lay it aside.  Do not be like King Agrippa who was “almost persuaded” to be a Christian. 
If you are a believer, but not yet sanctified, I ask, “What hinders you?”  What prevents you from making a full and complete surrender?  What prevents you from receiving the infilling of the Holy Spirit and His purging fire? 
If you are a believer, born of God, washed and cleansed, and filled with the Holy Spirit, I ask, “What Hinders You?”  What is holding you back from fulfilling His perfect will?  What tempts you, what causes you to stumble?  What is in your way to prevent you from walking in complete obedience?  What battle are you facing in which you need the victory? 

This brings me back to our Scripture texts.  In the first, Paul says, “Lay aside everything that obstructs your ability to run the race.  And set aside the besetting sin – that is the all-encompassing sin – the sin that surrounds you: whether this is external in your environment or internal from a carnal heart.  Lay it all aside, and run…run the race that is set before you patiently, persistently, and without faltering.  Fix your eyes of faith on Jesus Christ who is the example.  He ran His race with the greatest endurance – even embracing the cross, despising its shame.  He did not even let the cross slow Him down or hinder Him from completing the course that had been set before him.  He ran without wavering.  We are to follow in His footsteps and run the race.  What hinders you?

Finally in the second text, Paul makes it clear that it is possible to lose sight, lose faith, lose hope, lose perspective, lose momentum, and lose the race: “You did run well…who hindered you?”  Don’t take your eyes off Christ.  Don’t give in to the tempter.  Don’t hold onto your carnal selfishness.  Don’t listen to the voices of earth.  Don’t let your spiritual heart get CAD.  Don’t let your spiritual plumbing get blocked from allowing the free flow of the Holy Spirit within.  Don’t let the things of earth block the light of His glory in your life.  Don’t let anything hinder you!

1 ¶ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, 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,
 2 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.

Lent - Consider the Cross

 

REDEMPTION, FORGIVENESS, GRACE

 

The Building Series - Building God's Children

   

The three principles today:

• Our children are Treasures from God.
• Our children must be Trained Biblically.
• Our children must be Trusted to the Father.

My fellow parents, if we anchor our parenting in these three principles, we will be well on our way toward building children in the way we ought.

"Everything Happens for a Reason?"

     I have a few thoughts on this saying for what they are worth. "Everything happens for a reason" is a statement begging for clarification. What is meant by "everything?" What is meant by "happens?" What is meant by "for a reason?"

     We could go into a lengthy discussion about these terms and their implied versus actual meanings.  I will avoid that for now.  Suffice it to say, I do believe the statement is factually correct.  Everything does happen for a reason.  Every effect is the result of some cause.  And those effects ripple through generations all the way down through history.  So when things happen, good or bad, they do originate somewhere.  Study chaos theory and the “butterfly effect” for further comprehension of this concept.

     I believe that when good things happen they are the result of some inherent good woven into the fabric of Creation by the Creator or by good choices that are made by the creatures He designed.  So when the weather is perfect and the flowers are beautiful and the creatures are full of joy this stems from the goodness of God woven into the fabric of His design.  When one human reaches out in humble service to another creature, they are intentionally or unintentionally reflecting the goodness of the One whose image they bear. 

     When bad things happen they are the result of the corruption of the Fall of Mankind through sin.  This is true of ALL bad things.  Before the choice to sin, the nature of man was never corrupt.  Before the choice to sin there was no possibility of death.  Before the choice to sin there was no pain or sickness.  Before the choice to sin there was no destruction or decay.  Before the choice to sin even nature itself was in perfect balance with no storms or earthquakes or volcanoes or any other destructive force.  So before the choice to sin there was no disease, there were no hurricanes, and there was no corruption, harm, or suffering.

     Conclusively then, one can truthfully say, “everything happens for a reason.” It does: good or bad it does result from the good or bad in the universe one way or another.  The problem is that I don’t think this is the rationale behind the statement when people make it.  What I think people mean when they say it is this: “All the bad stuff in life happens for reasons I can’t understand or explain but I choose to irrationally believe even bad stuff somehow has a meaningful purpose that will work out somehow in the end.”  The problem is that this is untrue and unbiblical.

     The Bible is clear that we live in a world shattered by sinfulness.  Every horrible thing we experience in one way or another is a rippling consequence from that first sin compounded by the sins of us all.  Without some spectacular intervention from outside our vicious spiral into destruction and despair, utter doom is the only reasonable expectation.  That is what is glorious about our God.  He is the Great Interposer.  He alone has the power, authority, and ability to change the trajectory of devastation.  The key is that we must permit Him to do so.  This is why Romans 8:28 is so specific: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

     God makes no promise that He will turn the circumstances of wicked people into good – though He reserves the right to do so.  He only promises that He can turn to good all the circumstances of those who love Him and are the called according to HIS purpose (study this verse in context for all the theological implications).  Notice he does not promise to remove the possibility of bad things affecting His children.  He only promises to work ALL things for good to them.  This makes me rejoice to know that in the midst of a world shattered by sin and suffering, if I place my trust in Him, He alone can take the bad things and use them for our good and His glory. 

     Practically, this means that hurricanes will come but in the aftermath we can stand in awe of Providence that both spoils and spares.  We can discover His grace and learn about His judgment.  We can observe His power, and see His mercy.  We can see the destruction and encounter rescue, rebirth, redemption, and restoration. 

     Practically, this means that harm may happen but God can use it to teach us valuable lessons about life and maybe open new opportunities for growth, joy, and future strength amid even greater storms.  It means a new opportunity to learn new things about Him and about ourselves and about how those perceptions influence who we are in the world.

     Sometimes, though, we may never know the full scope of good that God will bring until eternity.  This is where it is hardest: when we must trust what we cannot see – which is the essence of faith (Hebrews 11:1 & 6).   

     Therefore:

Everything happens for a reason = Every effect is the result of some cause.

Everything happens for a reason ≠ God will unconditionally and mysteriously work every little detail of my life out for some higher purpose that is somehow good for me.

     Ultimately, we must surrender every facet of ourselves and every detail of our lives to His good hand.  When we do this – accepting His free gifts of grace, salvation, and sanctification – we abandon ourselves into the mighty hands of Providence Who is unfathomably all GOOD all the time without any exception ever.  Whatever may come in life, I am willing to place my trust in Him. 

And those are my thoughts…for whatever they are worth.  :0)

Righteousness

This matters a lot.  Not only are we called to walk in the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, standing secure in His righteousness now, the fact is that we must be righteous to enter heaven.  It is a place that is full of the righteousness of God.  No unrighteousness will possibly dwell there.  The Apostle Peter wrote, “2 Peter 3: 13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. 14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.”


Isaiah 32:17 – “And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.”