From Eating Humble Pie to Man of Integrity

“From eating Humble Pie to Man of Integrity”

Text: Book of Philemon!

Introduction: The book of Philemon introduces us to three unique men, different backgrounds, ages, culture, and even a difference in purpose in life. However, they all had something in common, let look at these three men! Some say that I have a wild imagination, the scripture don’t give a personal account of each the men character, or thinking … Here some of my thoughts!

1)         Omenius (Name means Useful/profitable) … “Walked away and had to humbly return!”

·         Slave/Servant … scripture is not clear! What is clear is that he was indebted to Philemon!

□   I’m not staying here in this house!

□   They can’t tell me what I should do!

□   They owe me, so I’m taking their stuff with me!

◊    God Movement in his life … Early Church Father Ignatius wrote in 111 A.D. about the Bishop in Ephesus named Omenius.

2)         Paul … had to get to know Oneimus, and humbly encourage him!

·         Paul meets him in Prison! Wonder what his thoughts were?

□   This kid is a punk …

□   If he did that to my friend Philemon, what will he do to me!

□   Why don’t he get it … it not that hard

□   He isn’t like me, he don’t walk and talk like me! … So I don’t if I have time for him!

·         Paul to humbly agree to help him develop an understanding of Christ!

3)         Philemon had to except him back and humbly teach/mentor him!

·         I don’t know what Philemon was like as a Boss/Master … Task Master or Compassionate.

·         Couple things are clear when Oneimus returned the had some choices.

□   Had to forgive him

□   Had to move on with him

□   Help him be accountable

□   Help him learn the scripture

□   Help him find God’s purpose

Tradition tells us! I’m not staying here in this house!

 Philemon was stoned while still serving in Colossae until the faithful end!

4)         God had to challenge them, that they could be used by him!

·         God has a unique calling for each man! Yet they are similar in a lot of ways.

□   Challenge their Christian walk

□   Challenge them to continue to learn

□   Challenge them to follow him

□   Challenge them to teach others

□   Challenge them to be faithful until the end

Question!

We know that we are not doing God’s part, so the question is which are you currently doing?

□   Are you like Omenius, need a touch and forgiveness for what you have done, and someone to step in your life and care?

□   Are you like Paul, encouraging someone and helping them come to a personal knowledge of Christ?

□   Are you like Philemon, leading and teaching men to become the man of God they should and can being?

God Give Me Time!

Message Preached Sunday (January 23, 2011) @

Milford Assembly of God, in Milford, Ohio...

By Rev. Don Allen, Jr.

God Give Me Time!

I continued to struggle with this message from the very beginning as God laid it on my heart, it didn’t make since, why now, why me, this is a message that Pastor Les should preach. However, In light of the news that I received at work this past Friday that a dear friend that I have worked with for the past four years, and have know for over 14 years passed away, my message that God laid on my heart seem more relevant than ever... I stood looking out the window talking to Diaz about our plans for the evening; he shared about the next Bible Study he was going to teach with his Small Group. I later even heard him on the phone finalizing the plan with the travel agency for him and his wife cruise to Alaska this summer. However, the plans stopped at some point Friday Morning … He had No more time!

Hezekiah faced the same dilemma BUT:

"Hezekiah cried to God GIVE ME TIME”...

Two texts for this message:

Isaiah 38:1-5 & II Kings 20: 1-6

Scripture tells us that Hezekiah was sick, and going to die. However, he cried to “God Give me Time” and God heard and he was given 15 years to make an impact. If God told you that you only had a certain amount of time what would you do?

What would you want to do if God gave you a short period of time?

I believe that my list would include!

1.    Serve God more faithfully than ever before!

a.    Read my Bible

· Henry Ward Beecher[1] … The Bible is God's chart for you to steer by, to keep you from the bottom of the sea, and to show you where the harbor is, and how to reach it without running on rocks or bars.

· Find a quite place to spend time learning and receiving from God’s word.

b.    Pray and fellowship with HIM every moment of the day

· John Bunyan[2] … Prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.

§  Jesus taught the Disciple to Pray ^{…  1} One day Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he finished, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” ² He said to them, “When you pray, say:  “‘Father,^[a] hallowed be your name, your kingdom come.^{[b] 3} Give us each day our daily bread. ⁴ Forgive us our sins,    for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.^[c] And lead us not into temptation

c.     Disciple (Teaching) my family and friends

· Teaching them the things of the Lord …

§  I know some Christian that knows more about their favorite professional sports player, than about Jesus.

· Matthew 28 … ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

2.    Teach my Children about HIM

a.     Teaching them the importance of attending Church

· Hebrews 10:25 … 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

§  Important FACT … Monkey see, Monkey do applies to church as well as life … if you don’t find church important neither will your children!

b.    To have a testimony and what it should be like

§  Teaching them to walk the walk and talk the talk.

c.     That Sin is Sin, and nothing in the world is going to change it.

3.    To be a Witness (Soul-winner)

a.     Share the Gospel wherever and whenever I can

· Acts 1:8 … “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

b.    Do everything in my power to keep people out of Hell’s grasp

· Peter Kreeft [3].."The national anthem of hell is, "I Did It My Way."To be the True-Witness (sharing the facts with my)

· Proverbs 12:17 … “An honest witness tells the truth, but a false witness tells lies.”

§  Family

§  Friends

§  Co-workers

§  Individual within the church

2.    To see a Revival …

a.     II Chronicles  7:14 … “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

b.    Charles Finney[4] … “"A revival is nothing else than a new beginning of obedience to God."

c.     When it comes to Revival I want to …

· To be a part of it

· To be encouraging in it

· To be faithful to it

3.    To Get Saved!

a.     Today is the day … No better time!

· God has given you this moment …Hezekiah, said “Give me Time” what you waiting for!

· How will you stand before God

§  Will HE know you or reject you?

My friend stood before God this morning, and his testimony was that of a true SAINT … God knew him and he knew God, and I know that today he sits in the very lap of ABBA, Father …

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[1] Henry Ward Beecher, (1813-1887) … Prominent American Congregational minister. Son of Lyman Beecher; sister was Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom's Cabin.

[2] John Bunyan(1628-1688) was an English Christian writer and preacher, famous for writing the classic Pilgrim\'s Progress.

[3] Peter Kreeft, Ph.D., is a professor of philosophy at Boston College. As an author of over 40 books and a regular contributor to several Christian publications,

[4] Charles Grandison Finney (August 29, 1792(1792-08-29) – August 16, 1875(1875-08-16)) was a Presbyterian and Congregationalist figure in the Second Great Awakening. His influence during this period was enough that he has been called The Father of Modern Revivalism.[1]

I'm Sorry We Forgot!

I’m Sorry we forgot …

Psalm 78:11

Introduction:

On September 1^st. 1923 an 8.3 (Richter scale) earthquake hit Tokyo, Japan. 

Ham Radio operators all over the island of Japan sent out cries for help.  However, only one nation responded to there plead for help.  The nation was the United States.

The Emperor wanted to send a response to the president of the United States and the American people …

¨     the first note 25 words did not say it,

¨     the second note of 50 words did not express his thoughts,

¨     and finally he sent a telegram of only five simple words “America we will never forget”

However, 18 years, 3 months, and 7 days Japan forgot as they bombed Pearl Harbor!

have we forgotten what God has done for us!

I)       The joy of serving

a.   Remember when you wanted to attend church to help people.

b.   I remember when I first told my pastor I was called to preach @ 13 years they gave me a Sunday school class of 4 and 5 years olds. What memories.

II)    The Joys of Singing

a.   Praise & Worship

b.   Remember when you attended church and enjoyed the music because it up lifted god/Christ … and didn’t even have to sound professional.

c.  

III) The joy of sharing giving

a.   Tithing

b.   Not Robbing God

IV) The joy of soul winning

a.   Sharing our faith with anyone that we can!

b.   Acts 1:8

c.   Philemon vs 6

V)    The joy of salvation

a.   Remembering what Christ did for me at Calvary!

b.   Understanding the power of what happen on Sunday Morning three days later!

                                                            i.      He is not here, He is Risen!!!!

A Radical Faith

A Radical Faith (Forsaking All I Trust HIM)

Lewis Sperry Chafer … Systematic Theology! “According to the simplest conviction of it, faith is a personal confidence in God.

Luke 7: 1-7 …  & … Hebrews 11:1

Matthew 8:5-13

Jim Cymbala book …Fresh Faith! “Faith is happy to step out not knowing where it’s going so long as it knows who is going along”…

I.                  Faith Challenges … The Centurion faith was challenged (vs3)

a.     To believe in the unseen!

b.     To trust in the unknown!

c.      To believe the improvable!

As Christians today we are asked to do the same …

Derek Prince … The Spirit Filled Handbook!  “Scriptural faith may be defined as believing that God means what he has said in Word-that God will do what He has promised in His word to do.”

II.                Faith brings Healing …

James 5: 13-16

Vs 16b … The Prayer of a Righteous Man (right with God) is man is powerful is powerful and effective!

a.     Asking the Healer!

                                                             i.      Matthew 7:7 … “Ask and it shall be given to you; seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you:”

b.     Trusting the Healer!

                                                             i.      Christ is the Great Physician …

c.      Excepting the Healing!

                                                             i.      Matthew 8:13…  Jesus said to the centurion “Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.”

III.             Faith brings Salvation …

a.     By faith we are saved!

                                                             i.      We must believe that confession of sin is and belief in Christ as Savior brings Salvation”

1.     I John 1:9 … if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us of our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

b.     By faith we have a home in Heaven!

                                                             i.      God is Preparing us a Mansion  … John 14: 1-6

                                                           ii.      Hebrew 11:16 … “Instead, they were longing for a better country – A heavenly, one therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

c.      By faith we except Christ died for our Sins!

                                                             i.      Romans 10:13 … “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”

The simples faith is found in a little verse of scripture … Martin Luther wrote it “So simple a child can understand it, so deep a theologian can study if for a life time.”

John 3:16 …

What God's people had!!!!

First Thessalonians 1:1 – 8 …

What God’s people had!!

Introduction …

      Estimated Date of writing of Thessalonians is 50-60 A.D. (Some believe that First Thessalonians was the first book written in the First Century church.

      “Thessalonica was the capital of the province of Macedonia and a large seaport. The letter to the Thessalonians is thought to have been written by Paul from Corinth a few months after founding a congregation there”[1]

      The establishment of the church is recorded in Ac 17:1-9.  On his second missionary journey, Paul and his companions (Silas and Timothy) had just left Philippi and passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia to arrive at Thessalonica.  As was his custom, Paul immediately located the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews for three Sabbaths concerning Jesus Christ. [2]

      People with Paul when he writes the book of First Thessalonians these individuals were familiar to the church … Silvanus--a "chief man among the brethren" (Acts 15:22

          Paul writes to the church of Thessalonians and comments them for some very key things in their church and personal Christian walk

Key verse is # 3 …

        The Amplified Bible reads … “Recalling unceasingly before our God and Father your work energized by faith and service motivated by love and unwavering hope in [the return of] our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).”

        The New Living Translation reads …”We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ”

I.           Work of faith

      Hebrews 11: 1  … “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (KJV)

    Greatness act of faith is found in … John 6:27-29 - The “Work” of Faith… Salvation

      Not lip service to God

      Doing something that is seen and realized.

      “He summed it up himself in verse 9. There he recognized that the Thessalonians had "turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God." That is faith at work. Faith is not merely belief; faith works. It has the power to change. Faith enables us to turn from what is wrong to what is right, from dark and hurtful things to bright and helpful things, from the worship of idols to the worship of God”[3]

II.       Labor of love

      What leads you serve God … Love or Fear?

      Toil (To labor continuously; work strenuously) for others caused by love for them and for Christ

      1Co 13:7 – “Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance” (NLT)

III.    Patience of hope

      Patient endurance of toil (To proceed with difficulty), hardship and persecution through a hope in Christ.

      Romans 15:4 … “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. They give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God's promises” (NLT)

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[1] http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/1thessalonians.html

[2] http://www.ccel.org/contrib/exec_outlines/1th/1th_00.htm

[3] http://www.rbc.org/ds/hp901/page2.html