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The Mission
A moment will pass and the world will be engrossed in the Christmas spirit. The celebration of the Lord’s birth is precious to us. The Lamb of God; the incarnate God; the Savior of the world. It is important for us to take time and recount the wonder of it all. Yet upon study, I wonder if the early church took as much notice as we do? I believe they were already looking for the Lord’s return. He had promised He would come again, John 14, but the times were unknown. Perhaps they were more concerned with His second coming…
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With Thanksgiving…
Psa 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving. Phil 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Psa 100:4-5 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Many years…
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Growth Through Trouble
Acts 5:40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Acts 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. Acts 5:42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ. Please consider the text above. The pharisees and ruling class attempted to marginalize the early church as best they could. It was a full…
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Freedom Is Never Free
A single line from the book of Judges strikes a chord of sorrow in every reader’s heart. “Another generation arose which knew not Joshua nor yet the works he had done for Israel.” They forgot the great battle of Jericho; the marching and the victory. It seems almost impossible for such a thing to be left on the heap of forsaken memories. How could the nation of Israel lose the memory of one of their greatest victories? How is it possible that they had no recollection of Joshua’s deeds or the Lord’s great deliverance? Perhaps the way to forget is…
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Pearl of Great Price
The Field. It has been defined in several ways: The place of harvest; a wilderness; the proving ground; the world. I cannot describe it completely, only to say that it is both literal and figurative. In the field is where Jesus said a great treasure was found. He called it “the pearl of great price.” The parable depicts a man of knowledge selling all that he had to buy it. By nature of the description, we can assume that the field and the pearl came together as a single purchase. One was not separate from the other. In order to…
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25 Years!
Twenty-five years ago, Tami and I walked into New Life Tabernacle with a smile on our faces. The congregation welcomed us with open arms as we entered with purpose. The vision was grand and somewhat overwhelming, but we believed in a God “which calleth those things which be not as though they were!” How honored we were to work alongside a determined group. With very little resources and no where to go but up, we simply believed! Faith in God was more than enough. The foundation which began on October 17, 1999 was prayer, fasting, witnessing, and working. New Life…
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The Spirit of the Age
The pressing of the times is often referred to as “The spirit of the age.” The initial chapters of Genesis entail God’s plan for mankind which include obedience, marriage, headship, and dominion. God made Adam and Eve to function in harmony. They were male and female. The earth was their domain and they were to replenish and populate. The spirit of the age refutes God’s commands. Self-identification and gender shifting is an anti-god philosophy. The home/marriage was the bedrock of divine design. Westernized countries are watching the absence of marital commitment. Meaning that people are not wanting to make the…
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Eleventh Hour
Mat 20:9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. The parables of Jesus are found in the Gospels. Each have relevance in particular ways to display the King and Kingdom. All scripture is God-breathed. All is of great importance, especially that of the parables. Jesus spoke in terms so that His disciples would discern truth. In some cases, they were hidden from the pharisees. Matthew chapter 20 speaks of a householder who hired workers in the early hours of the day. However, since the work of the vineyard was not…
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Pray, Seek, Witness, Work
Twice Jesus spoke the words, “my house.” Once in reference to the Temple and its purpose. Commerce had consumed the atmosphere when Jesus took a whip and beat the money changers. Jesus kicked over their tables, spilling shekels and silver coins across the Temple floor. The purpose had been stolen and Jesus came to declare its restoration. Luke 19:46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. The second reference was made in a parable, referring to the church and the inclusion of people. Jesus was…
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A Secret
Come close. I want to tell you a secret. It is an axiom of truth, i.e., it will never change. Here it is: “Give and it shall be given unto you!” A few thousand years have passed since Jesus, the Incarnate God – Emmanuel – The I AM that I AM, spoke these words. I suspect it has been repeated a million times over, and yet, so many have bypassed its power. We tend to believe the lessons and sermons of Jesus, but this one seems to have fallen by the wayside. Perhaps it is a matter of trust or…