We missed the debate of the Century!

Christopher Hitchens (1949-2011) has died to today at 62 years old, the self-proclaimed atheist with a passion to challenge the religious establishment across denominational, religious, and cultural lines. He is being exalted as a free thinker, honored as a humanitarian, remembered as a radical voice for the masses. He stood his ground for the beliefs he had, he made you stop and think about why you believed what you claim to believe, and he gave the Christian community something to criticize.

I will be honest I never agreed with Mr. Hitchens while he was alive about many things, and I sure did not agree with him about his position that God was a crutch, and figment of a weak mind, and those who believe in God where responsible for all the evils of the world.  However, I enjoyed watching him debate with those that believed they were his equal in intellect, and knowledge. He had a keen grasp of history, politics, and yes even religions. And the unique ability of making even the most educated person feel uncomfortable.

With all that said … (I know it could never have happened) I think the debate of the century would have been Christopher Hitchens, and fellow Englishman C. S. Lewis. For those that have never read C. S. Lewis, take time to read his awesome writings. Then compare them to what Christopher Hitchens wrote about God, and compare them both to the Scripture, and then let me know where you stand.

Sad to say good bye to such a great mind, writer, and challenger to the faith, but even harder to realize that he made a choice for eternity that will be forever wrong!

Thougths on Acts Chapter 1

I wrote a great quote about the book of Acts in the margin of my Bible. (But, I neglected to record the author’s name.) “The focus is not merely upon a God who is, but a God who does.”

Clearly the book of Acts sets the stage for greatest religious movement of all time. Christianity would sweep the world within just a few short years and it continues to be the life-changing factor.  Lives would be radically changed because of the Message that 12 men would start to preach and teach.  The message to the disciples/apostles was clear:   Go in the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit and proclaim the Gospel throughout the World.

However, we notice in verse 11 that the disciples/apostles (like many of us today) needed a nudge to get moving as they stood and looked up into Heaven.  The angels asked a great question “Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?” And they gave a great promise, “The same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven” (KJV)

The greatest evangelism campaign started with a promise – HE is coming again.  The disciples/apostles recalled the memorable words spoken by Jesus just a few minutes earlier “You shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon; and ye shall be witness unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and the uttermost part of the earth.” (verse 8)

I personally like the philosophy of the great reform preacher of the 1500’s … Martin Luther, who wrote: “I preach as though Christ was crucified yesterday, rose from the dead today, and is coming back tomorrow.”  This is the essence of the Acts chapter one.

      Get a hold of God’s anointing

      Go and share the Gospel with everyone

      Get ready for His glorious return.

Is the Holy Spirit in Residence?

There is POWER in Acts 1:8…. It reveals a awesome force that a great majority of our Christian counter parts are missing in their very lives.   That is the very presence and power of  the Holy Spirit.   We find that God in his form of the Trinity allowed each personage of God to take on the role of a specific part of the human race.   God fortold itin Joel 2:28-32)

I.     God the Father planned our existence and salvation.

II.  God the Son willingly laid down his life for our salvation

III. God the Holy Spirit took up residence in our life, and keeps out the burglar. 

(I Peter 5:8 …  “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, about seeking whom he may devour)

A. The Holy Spirit stands there in the door and sounds the alarm and set of the warning (conviction) 

B.  Sealed us…. (Eph. 1:13 and 14)  This is the Holy Spirit give us assurance of God’s ownership of our lives.  He holds the deed to our hearts, until Christ return.  (II Corith. 1:21-22)

                Today I would like to talk about the Authority of the Holy Spirit to keep the Devil out if we will allow him.  The Holy Spirit is given three (3) specific task in the lives of a Christian.

1.Convict of Sin   (John 16:8-11)

A. Holy Spirit reveals the need

B.  Holy Spirit reveals the answer

C.  Holy Spirit reveals the way

2.Indwell us (I Corithians 6:19)

A. Take up resistance and living space in our heart

B.  Reveals things that should be thrown out

C.  Is always a perfect house guest… It is totally up to you.

3.Proclaims the Gospel through us (Acts 1:8)

A. Enables me to speak with Authority (Acts 4:33)

B.  Paul at the throne of King Harod.

C.  God gave the prophets the message, and power (authority)

     1.       Nathan telling David he Sinned with Bethseba.

          When we as believer allow the Holy Spirit the central place of our heart…. Allowing him to clean house of the dirt and cobwebs  some wonderful things take place.  We learn to:

I.     Be of Christ like Character (Gal. 5:22-23)

II.  Worship and Praise (Eph 5:18-20)

III. Submissive (Eph. 5:21)

IV. Committed to Service (John 7:37-39)

          If Jesus came to visit in your house were would you have him sit?   Outside, in the oldest and most uncomfortable chair, maybe on the floor.  Where would he sleep?   On the old roll away bed, On one of the kids beds,  maybe just sack out in a sleeping bag in the living room.  I personally don’t think so, he would sleep in my bed, eat of my best dishes, and sit in my best chair, and have the best of everything I have.  Except he can’t have the best of my heart ….. because that private and personal.

          Have you let him take up residence in your heart?

1.   He has the Authority

2.   He will give you that same Authority

3.   He will not force himself in

4.   However, he will always provide the great part of the experience.  You can never out give Him.

Reflecting on my memories of 9/11 …

As I sit here reflecting back to ten years ago, it is hard to believe the horror and fear that swept the nation and world that morning. I sat at my desk here in Cincinnati, when my wife called and said someone flew a plane into the World Trade Center in NYC. I was in shock, and even considered that she was joking. However, soon I realized that it was no joke; it was the nightmare that hit to close to home. I remember standing with friends at work watching the second plane hit the tower, the Pentagon getting hit, and hearing of the plane crashing in Pennsylvania.  I remember to this day hearing the words come out of my mouth, “I wish there was something I could do.” God heard those words.

Three months later my family and I are visiting in NYC as a candidate for the position as Director of the Hope Center, a post 9/11 organization being put together by the Assemblies of God churches on Staten Island, to minister to the folks affected by that horrifying day. In May of the 2002 I would move with my family to Staten Island, NYC and for the next ten months would talk with people in person, and on the phone about that day that had become seared into their mind. I spent time at ground zero with a police officer that was only yards away when the first tower came down, watching people being crushed under falling debris and nothing he could do. I talked and prayed on the phone with a fireman that was at home in Long Island with the flu, who had called in sick that morning, realizing as he watched the news his engine company went into the tower and never came out. I spent hours standing at the gate of recovery zone, with a Salvation Army Major that had been one of the first counselors there to help counsel folks that morning.  For nine months I drove by Fresh Kills Garbage dump where the remains of bodies, and debris were separated remembering the smell, and the sights of watching the trucks pull away, stays clear in my mind.  I still talk with many of my friends, that were counselors at Ground Zero, as bodies were found, and responders needed to talk.

It has been ten years; I still hear the stories in my mind and realize that even with not being there in NYC on that day, it has affected my life in an enormous way.  Today I reflect on the memory, realizing that too many individuals were affected by an event that was motivated by hatred of a radical few. But that has affected millions around the world, even today.

As you reflect on today … 9/11 …

·         What is your memory of that day? 

·         As a Man or Women of God what have you learned from the event and the aftermath over the past ten years?

·         Has the nightmare of that day, drawn you and kept you closer to God than you were on September 10, 2001?

A couple of Blinds guys meet Jesus!

Matthew 20: 29-34

Luke 18: 35-43 & Mark 10: 46-52

(Debate … if these are all the same instance or separate events, either way the story reflects some awesome points about how Jesus interact with a couple of guys that really needed a touch from the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords)

Introduction!

Jesus didn’t happen by; he had a plan and a purpose and lives to touch! Jesus continues to walk by those that need a touch from him. The only criteria are to ask; now of course being a sovereign God he has the final choice to answer. And remember he knows the correct answer every time.  

1)                  People followed Jesus … (vs. 29)

a.       They wanted to hear him teach

b.      They wanted to see him do miracles

c.       They wanted to be feel his compassion

Are you among the crowd really following Jesus today?

2)                  A couple of blind guys with a need … (vs. 30)

a.       They had a physical need that no one else could meet.

                                                  i.      Remember a doctor can’t cure everything, but the Great Physician can!

b.      They had a spiritual need, that no one else could meet

                                                  i.      NO ONE can, could, or would pay for the sin of the world!

c.       They had to admit they had a problem

d.      They had to seek  a solution

e.       They had to asked for help

                                                  i.      Ask for a touch from Christ

                                                ii.      Ask for a spiritual touch (forgives of sin)

3)                  The crowd had an opinion

a.       Seemed self righteous

                                                  i.      They are not like us, look at them!

b.      No time for this stuff

                                                  i.      Why are we wasting time stopping for them

c.       No vision for the spiritual needs of others.

4)                  THANK GOD, Jesus listen and then meet the need

a.       He had compassion on the guys

b.      He meet guys where they where

c.       He healed them when they needed it

d.      He did it his way

5)                  The blind guys followed Jesus

a.       They wanted to hear more (they needed to be disciples)

b.      They had a testimony to share

Closing Question …

□   Are you the blind guy’s needing a physical or spiritual touch from Jesus?

□   Are you the part of the crowd that is interfering with Jesus doing the miracle, it time to repent?

Daniel ... He was Faithful in HIS Manhood!

Introduction!

The back drop and foundation for this study is the Book of Daniel. The book is about a man of unique integrity, influence, and strength. He influenced a people, kings, and religious leaders. He was a man of conviction, with a loyalty to God that was unwavering even when confronted by death.

I would like to review four (4) key points of his life, not from his view, or even from Gods view, but from his contemporizes view.

            A friend of mine told me all the time! There is only two types of men in the world. They are not rich and poor, nor are they black and white, nor are democrats and republicans, nor are Baptist and Methodist. But they are!

• Those that need a personal Relationship with Jesus (Salvation experience)
• And those that need more of a Relationship with Jesus (Closer walk with HIM)

1      His integrity preceded him.

·         “Definition of INTEGRITY … firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values : incorruptibility”[1]

1st.           …       Man of Honesty

2nd.       …        Man of Character

3rd.        …        Man of Consistence 

Choose not to eat the Kings/Worlds food or drink the wine!

2.   His relationship with God was visible

1st.           …                   People saw him praying

2nd.        …       People heard him talk about God

3rd.        …                    People seen him stand for righteousness

He choose to be faithful and pray, despite the knowledge that there was a law stating, if you pray to any God besides the King you will be thrown in the Lions Den.

He said … “I don’t about you, but I’m going to pray anyways”

3.   His wisdom was admired

1st.          …        He stood with wisdom & interpretation of the Kings dream.

2nd.       …        He an awesome student of Gods Word

3rd.         …       He was not scared to learn

4.   His vision was contagious.

1st.           …       Kings/rulers wanted to learn more

2nd.       …        People where willing to be like him

He had friends that stood up to the King … They would not bend, would not bow, and they would not burn … I know if Daniel was there it would have been 5 men in the furnace not 4…

5.    He continued in his faith (Christian walk)!

1st.          …        With his family

2nd.       …        With his church

3rd.        …        Within him community

---

[1] http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/integrity

Truth or Dare with God's Word ....

II Timothy 2:15 &II Timothy 3:16

Truth or Dare with God’s Word …

      Do you know the Truth and our your ready to defend God’s Word when DARED at work, school or even in your own home.

      Why do you believe what you believe? (Pastor said so must be so, mom and dad believed it, I read it somewhere in the Bible, etc.)

Identify the Need!

•         What is important for me to learn today?

•         Who is important for spend time with to learn from?

•         How will apply it?

3 Things God wants us to learn

      To pray with conviction for results

·         What do you expect God to do?

      To be prepared and diligent in our study of the word of God.

·         There is a difference between reading the word and studying the Word of God.

·         Study to learn something new about Jesus.

·         Study within the context of scripture

Ö        Learn to use other resources:

x Bible Versions

x Commentary

x Early Church Writers

      To present HIM (Jesus ALIVE) with out compromise!

·         Knowledge needed to defend or present your knowledge of Christ Alive.

·         Not just a heart knowledge but a head knowledge

This Church

Preached at First Baptist Church of Kennedy Heights

with Pastor Robert Harper

This Church …

COLOSSIANS 1: 3 - 14

          The Church of Colossian represents many of the churches today around the world (INCLUDING THIS CHURCH). 

         

          They start out with strong foundations, sound teaching, and faithful workers.  However, over time the devil is given some lead way, the church allows others to lead them and difficulties arise.

          At the time God directed Paul to write this church, and talk about there good points and discuss their need.

          Today we are going to only focus on Verses 3 – 14 … looking at Paul’s challenges and encouragement for the THIS CHURCH…

Would they say the following about this church?

·                  Church of Prayer

ü Jesus taught in the Lords Prayer that prayer is about

v Matthew 6: 9-13

v Exalting God

v Asking God

v Repenting to God

v Maudame Guyon a writer/martyr in 1500’s writes “All men are capable of prayer, and therefore this is dreadful misfortune that as a general thing almost all person imagine that they are not called to prayer, but we are all called to prayer like as we are all called to salvation.”

·                  Truth is Taught

ü What is the Truth … it is simply the “GOSPEL … GOOD NEWS”

ü A CLEAR PRESENTATION OF THE GOD’S WORD.

ü Martin Luther the great reformer and founder of the Luther Church stated … “I preach as though Christ was crucified yesterday, arose from the dead today, and is coming back to earth again tomorrow.”

·                  A Faithful Pastor

ü Jeremiah 3:15 … “God’s man for this place, at this time, accountable for these people”

ü His Challenge is to

Ø Pray for you

Ø Teach you

Ø Challenge you

ü Your Challenge is to …

Ø “Stand in his Shadow, Joshua stood in the shadow with Moses and God blessed him.

Ø

·                  Asking for more from God

ü What are you seeking from God

ü Are you seeking material blessing?

ü Or … are you seeking more of HIM in your life?

ü A fresh and a knew in your life.

·                  A desire to produce more fruit

ü Our Challenge is … BRING PEOPLE TO CHRIST

ü Proverbs 11:30 … are you wise.

ü Acts 2:20 …

·                    Sharing in the Rewards.

ü Are you storing up crowns in Heaven?

ü Are you sure you have a HOME in Heaven?

The Church that Paul Sought to Visit

The Church that Paul sought to visit!

Romans 1: 1- 16

We see that throughout Paul ministry he sought to go to Roman and preach, and God eventually granted the request … just not the way he maybe wanted or hoped. This first chapter set the stage for an awesome letter that has changed every Christian life!  Because it is here in Romans that Martin Luther so diligently sought and taught “It is my faith not works we are saved”

As we celebrate this 2^nd Anniversary of this church, it is I believe fitting to seek God wisdom and direction. Paul is writing a letter to a young church with so much potential and setting the stage for a church that is going to change history.

He sought to visit a church that was …

v  Vs 8 …  

o    God is looking for a church that is going to speak to the nations!

v  Vs. 9 …

o    God looking for a people of prayer

v  Vs. 10 …              

o    Where is it you are willing to share …

o    Is this where Holy Spirit wants you to share right now?

v  Vs 11 …               

o    Paul, following his conversion only one thing on his mind, sharing his faith … What on your mind?

v  Vs 12 …               

o    Encourage others in their faith

§  You’re Pastor

§  Your Congregation, friends, and family

v  Vs 14 …               

o    Are you ready to share the Gospel … where ever whenever he asks?

o    Are you ready to build a church?