The Great Promise-Struggling with Doubt

Sometimes the historical accounts in scripture leave so much up to our imaginations. The account of the life of Abram is no exception. This past weekend, we took a close look at Genesis 15 where we find Abram seemingly doubting God's promises.

The chapter opens with "After these things...". This is an important detail for the story. What are "these things"? The answer is found in Genesis chapters 12,  13 and 14. In these chapters, Abram flees to Egypt to escape a famine in the promised land to save his neck, lies that his wife is his sister to save his neck, parts ways with his nephew Lot to save his family's neck, and then has to go on a military campaign in to order to save Lot's neck from the kings of Sodom.

Apparently all of this "neck saving" rattled Abram to his very soul because chapter 15 opens with God speaking to Abram "Do not be afraid Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward."

This is one of those places where we need to read between the lines of scripture. On first glance we are more drawn in by Abram's complaints than God's attempts at calming his soul. To me though, I am more deeply touched by God insistence in trying to calm Abram's fears. Abram's heart was gripped with fear and he was paralyzed by the thought that maybe he had heard God wrong.

Can you relate to this? I sure can. I can look back on more than one season where fear and uncertainty dominated my heart. It wasn't logical or rational, I knew the promises of God to be true, and yet I was traumatized by the panic that can come by asking to many "what ifs". I can attest that once this cycle gets started, it is hard to stop. I think that is why God's gentleness with Abram's heart speaks so deeply to mine.

Abram was seemingly stuck in an endless cycle of fear and doubt and doubt and fear. God simply (in not so many words) says, "Calm down Abram. I've got this. I am more powerful than your doubt. You can trust in Me."

Do you need to hear this today? Lately have you found yourself stuck in a cycle of doubt and fear?

Put your name in this statement, "Calm down ___________. I've got this. I am more powerful than your doubt. You can trust in Me." Let God speak this to you now.

Go back and read over Genesis 15 and let God's words to Abram speak to your heart today. Let God be your "very great reward."

The Great Call-What have we missed?

As we continue to think about this great call that God placed in Abram's life, we have to remember that have many advantages that Abram did not have. 

Each morning, we can make a cup of joe, open our Bibles and journals, and draw our hearts close to God through prayer an scripture meditation. As believers living in the golden age of the Holy Spirit, we have the Spirit who speaks to us "teaching us all things". When we need spiritual guidance and counsel, we can easily make a phione call or meet with someone who has walked with God much longer than we have.

Now let's consider Abram. He lived before there was any written scripture at all. We know that Moses wrote the Torah (The first five books of the Bible) and Moses lived many generations AFTER Abram. Although God had spoken to men who lived before Abram (namely Noah), It had been since the garden of Eden that God had walked in relationship with His creation.

Yet, here was Abram dealing with a profound voice from an unseen God calling him to leave everything he knew and to follow His guidance to a land of promise. 

I can't speak for you, but in many ways I envy Abram. He may not have had the Bible, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, or the benefit of spiritual mentors, but Abram spoke with God Himself.

Because none of these things were available to Abram, the scriptures teach that God appeared directly to Abram and spoke deeply into his heart. What an amazing experience that must have been!!! If you doubt it, just consider the results.

God appeared to Abram and called him into a deeper walk of faith and trust in Him. The scriptres tell us that Abram believed so strongly in God's call that he responded with obedience and lefy all he knew to journey to a new land filled with God's promises.

I imagine that Abram looked forward to His meetings with God and wondered when God would appear to him next.

We don't have to wait or wonder. We have God's word, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the time and availablity to seek God everyday. 

Do we make the most of this or do we waste our opportunities each day by being unfaithful to spend time with God each day? What have we missed because we haven't been faithful to spend time with Him each day?

If it has been a while since you talked with God, why don't you spend some time with him right now?

The Great Call-Return to The Lord

As we dive into this new sermon series, I want to start us off with one simple question...

What has God created you do to in life? What is your calling? 

One of the existential question every person struggles with in life is: why am I here? What is my purpose for living?

For those who don't have a relationship with God, who don't walk with Him...this question can be very intimidating, even depressing. But for those of us who have surrendered our heart and life to follow  God's plan for us, there is a clear answer to this question.

Jeremiah 29:11 is a much-loved passage that has been memorized throughout the ages...

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

This passage was written to the exiles in Babylon who believed that their hope had been crushed and that they had no future. Notice what God says in the peceding verse 10...

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 

Because of their idolatry and unfaithfulness to God, they had suffered the consequences of their sin. Jerusalm was destroyed and they were prisoners in exile on the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Babylon. Even so, God still had a plan for them as a people, a plan to bring them home an to prosper them as a people.

Maybe you can identify with the Israelites. Maybe you are paying the consequences of some unwise choices and maybe you feel that God will not give you a second chance. Maybe you had a dream once, but that was too long ago and so much has happened. But notice what God says next...

Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” 

Regardless of our past choices, of our current place in life...we can call on God and He will bring us back from our place of disobedience.  But that is the key...we must seek God with all that we are if we wish to be restored by His grace and mercy.

Then we can shout " Here I am God, what have you called me to do?"

Do you need to call out to God today? Do it right now and let God bring you back from your place of captivity onto His path for your life.

New Sermon series starts this Sunday!!

This Sunday, we are beginning a new sermon series called "Meant To Be". 

"Meant to Be" is a three week series about relationships, our relationships with God, our mates, and each other.

Week 1-Meant to Be Alive-exploring our relatiosnhip with God

Week 2-Meant to Be Together-exploring our relationship with our mate

Week 3-Meant to Be Loved-exploring our relationship with each other

To get started for this coming Sunday, begin to think about the following questions.

Are you the person God created you to be and meant for you to be?

Are you living life to the fullest...are you truly alive?

This Sunday is also "Jersey Sunday"...wear you favorite NFL team's jersey to service this week.

See you soon!!

Pastor Mark

Unstoppable Mission-Part 1

This past Sunday, we started a new series entitled "Unstoppable" as we work through the first five chapters of the book of Acts this summer. For many, Acts is considered to be the Acts of the Apostles, but I think it would be more accuately described as the Acts of the Holy Spirit.

Written by Luke, we can view this as a sort of Luke Part 2 in a way. The gospel of Luke tells the life an ministry of Jesus while Acts tells us about the gift of the Holy Spirit and the birth and propagation of the church.

Instead of opening with an adrenaline rush like most action movies today, the book of Acts opens slowly telling us about how Jesus appeared to the first believers over a period of 40 days.

After His suffering, He presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that He was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God. Acts 1:3 NIV

Knowing the heart of man, Jesus knew the disciples would doubt His resurrection. So over a period of 40 days, Jesus gave the early followers "many convincing proofs" that He was alive. They must have believed that He had risen from the dead because I am sitting here today writing this blog. These men and women were willing to go to their deaths for the cause of Christ...and it all started with the 40 days He spent with them after His resurrection.

Today, many doubt the truth of the Bible or the importance of the church. Do you think it would make a difference if Jesus came and spent 40 days with them? If He ate with them, lived with them, and taught them the truth about themselves?

What about you? Do you have doubts about Jesus? About the Bible? about everything?

Don't let that shake your faith because even the first followers had doubts...but they didn't have the Bible or the Holy Spirit...which we all have today.

How much time do we spend in Bible study and prayer each day? What would happen in your life if you committed to spending 40 days reading the Bible and praying every morning?

Let's find out!! I will be unveiling our "40 Days to Defeat Doubt" Plan this coming Sunday!!

Prayer emphasis: Ask God to revral Himself to you today in His wor and through the power of the Holy Spirit!! Ask Him to truly help you believe!!!

Remembering the heroes of D-Day

Read 2 Kings 3:1-5:27

On June 6, 1944, in the largest military land invasion during World War 2 and in the history of the world for that matter, the Allied forces breached Nazi Europe in what signaled the beginning of the end for the  Nazi forces. This invasion, known as Operation Overlord, involved 150,000 men, 5000 ships, and 11,000 airplanes. 

Years of planning, training, and preparation went into this day, now known as D-Day. With so many moving parts invloved, how did everything work so well together?

Simple obedience to the mission.

Each man had specific orders that were a crucial part of the operation. The commitment of the Allied servicemen to be faithful to their role in the mission won the day. No one demanded a bigger or more important role than their rank would give. Running on Normandy beach that morning one single man could not have been able to see the big picture. But with tens of thousans of men staying true to the plan, the Allied Forces were on their way victory inover the Nazis.

Learning to know and understand one's place and to be obedient to the authorities God has placed in a person's life is an important part of growing up.  "Yes Ma'am" and "No Ma'am" and "Yes sir"  and "No Sir" are some of the most important words a child ever learns to say. 

In this passage, a man named Naaman seems that he hasn't learned any of these lessons. Naaman was an important commander who had been struck with leprosy. Through a servant girl, he learns that there is a prophet of God in Israel who can cure him of his leposy. He comes to see Elisha, but Elisha doesn't personally come out to see him, he sends a servant with specific instructions.

Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.” But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy." I Kings 5:10-11 NIV

The commander came seeking healing but refused to follow orders and be obedient to the mission Elisha gave him. Thinking that he was mnore important than he was, Naaman first went away angry because he felt like he had been disrespected by Elisha.

God created you for a special purpose and mission. The Bible is your manual for this life mission. Each and every new day, you must make a decision to be obedient to God's word and stay true to your mission or to disregard your calling and live for yourself. This may be fun for a season, but ultimately you will fail the mission God has given you.

What is the mission God has given you for your life? What is your specific calling?

If the Bible is you mission manual, how obedient are you to the intructions God has given you?

Prayer Emphasis: Ask God today to reveal more of His plan for your life to you. Surrender to this plan and commit to be faithful to the instructions God has given you in the Bible.

The Patience of God

Read 1 Timothy 1:12-17

But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:16)

I am blessed to be the father of seven  children, five boys and two girls ranging in age from 15 years old to 2 years old. Each day my life is filled with so much wonder and excitement as my children are discovering their way in this world. Unfortunately, some of this “discovery” includes my children making very poor choices in how they deal with us as parents and how they deal with each other. Especially after a long day, I have a tendency to grow impatient with their arguing and stretching of our house rules.

But once the house is quiet, God has a way of reminding me how much I am like my own children. I think of how I constantly push the limits of what He wants for me, and how I too am in desperate need of mercy. I am humbled by His “unlimited patience” with me, and this humility creates a genuine desire in my heart to have the same kind of patience with those I love the most. God gently reminds me that I am an example of His love towards everyone I spend time with, especially my children.

God, today I am reminded of Your merciful and patient heart towards me. Help me to extend Your love and mercy towards those I love most today. In Jesus’ name, ame