Category Archives: Sermons

Nov 21 2010

Choose this Day – Whom You Will Serve.

I have never been so haunted by such a scripture as Joshua 24, and I will share a little more in detail here in a little bit, but the command in this passage has plagued my mind for going on a year now.

Choose this Day – Whom You Will Serve.

I came across this passage earlier in the year during a quiet time, and then Brandon preached this passage during his Journey through the Word Series, and it also happened to be the theme of this year’s church camp.

Everywhere I went this passage followed.  God has a way of getting his message across one way or another, and I believe it is something we all need to hear.

Joshua 24:14-15  Read/Pray                        Choose this Day – Whom you will serve.

The Sunday School answer quickly comes to our minds, “of course we choose to serve God”, but have you weighed the consequences of serving God?  We are so quick to say, “Yes, I will serve God”, without any thought of what is required of us in order to serve God.

In Order for us to serve God the Scripture clearly tells us that we must:

Continue reading →

Sep 1 2010

Spiritual Practices: Giving – Having God-like Generosity

Giving – Having God-like Generosity

God created us to be people who give.  We are to give our time, attention, possessions, money, and love for God’s service.  Jesus began this ministry of giving when he gave his life for us. (1 John 3:16-17)  Jesus is generous, and he expects us to be generous as well.  Giving is a tangible way to display that Jesus is first in our lives.  It is also to demonstrate our dependence upon God, and not on ourselves.  The easiest way to get started giving is to do just that and give.  Start by tithing a tenth of your finances to the church you attend.  Ten percent is a rule of thumb set up in the Old Testament – but don’t let that stop you from giving more.  Acts 4:32-35 (NLT) – “All the believers were united in heart and mind.  And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.  The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.  There were NO NEEDY people among them, because those who … (gave – PH) would bring the money to the apostles (church) to give to those in need.”

Steps to God-like Generosity: Acts 4:32-35

1.  Be united in Heart and Mind – Acts 4:32a

  • Being united in fellowship with fellow believers reveals the necessity to give
  • Our Hearts and minds should be centered on God and His Word
  • Our hearts should be in tune with what the Holy Spirit has for us to do

When our hearts and minds are centered on God and His word, and we are in tune with the Holy Spirit our awareness of the needs around us will be made more aware to us.

2. Recognize that everything you have is not your own – Acts 4:32b

  • Everything you own is a blessing from God
  • Everything you have belongs to God
  • God has the power to give and to take away Job 1:21

3. Share Everything you have – Acts 4:32c

  • Graciously – Give above and beyond.  Don’t just give a simple 10 percent; however give everything that God lays upon your heart to give.  2 Cor. 9:7  “Each must decide how much to give”
  • Willingly – 2 Cor. 9:7 “don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure.”  But we are to give willingly not out of fear of reproach.
  • Cheerfully – “If I give everything I have I will have nothing left.” – 2 Cor. 9:7b-8 “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.  And God will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” (NLT)
  • Freely – When you are united in Heart and mind, in tune with God, and you recognize everything you have is not your own then you will have no problem giving freely to those who are in need. 2 Cor. 9:9 “They share freely and give generously”

We desperately need to give of our time, resources, money, energy, and love.  Everyone that we encounter on a daily basis is in need of something.  It is our job to be compassionate toward others, determine their need, and give.    There is one thing that everyone is in need of, and that is Jesus Christ.  Let’s get out there and give.

Result of Being Ungenerous:

Malachi 3:8-10 (ESV) – “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me.  But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions (generosity). You are cursed with a curse for robbing me.”

We wonder why God is not providing for us, we wonder why we are struggling financially, we wonder why God is not answering our prayers… it is because we are being ungenerous and are robbing God.  I am not promoting this name it and claim it faith, but God’s Word is saying that we are to give, and when we give He will provide, and when we don’t we are cursed.

Result of Having God-like Generosity:

Acts 4:33 – God’s great blessing was upon them

Acts 4: 34 – There were no needy people among them

2 Cor. 9:8 – God will generously provide all you need

2 Cor. 9:8 – You will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

2 Cor. 9:9 – Because of their generosity “their generosity will be remembered forever.”   Example: “The Widow’s Mite: – Mark 12: 41-44

Aug 25 2010

Spiritual Practices: How to Study the Bible

Spiritual Practices – “How to Study Your Bible”

There are an innumerable ways to study your Bible, and some ways work better for some than others; however it is important for us to have a basic understanding of how to study our Bibles so that we might have a greater grasp of knowledge when it comes to applying scripture.

I highly recommend Rick Warren’s book – “Personal Bible Study Methods”, for 12 applicable ways to study the Bible on Your own.  Such methods include chapter, character, thematic, biographical, topical, word, book background, book survey, chapter analysis, and verse-by-verse studies.

I will be presenting a basic Bible study that can be applied by even the newest Christian.  It is a compilation of methods over the years that have really worked for me, and I am confident that they will work for you.  This method is a Book Study that encompasses verse-by-verse and chapter by chapter.

Before we get started with “How to Study your Bible” it is important that you have a basic understanding of the overview of the Bible.

Overview of the Bible

The Bible is divided into two major categories consisting of the Old and New Testament.

  • The Old Testament books are written prior to Christ
  • The New Testament books are written during and after Christ
  • 39 books in the Old Testament
  • 27 books in the New Testament
  • 66 books in the whole Bible

The Old Testament consist of the three types of books

  • Historical, Poetical, and Prophetical
    • The first seventeen books are historical
    • The next five books are poetical, and
    • The next seventeen books are prophetical

The New Testament consist of the three types of books

  • Historical, Pauline Epistles, and General Epistles
    • The first five books are Historical books
    • The next thirteen books are Pauline Epistles, and
    • The next nine books are General Epistles.

Application of the Bible

1. Getting Started – There are many ways to study your Bible, however this is a simple method that will help you get started. This particular method is great for beginners; however, it can be geared toward any level of study. As you become more comfortable with Bible study, you will begin to develop your own techniques and discover favorite resources that will make your Bible study very personal and meaningful. The first step to accomplishing anything is to first acknowledge that you are going to begin this journey called Bible Study. 

  • You need to determine in your heart that you will accomplish the task at hand. 
  • Consider telling others what you are about to study, and challenge them to ask questions along the way.
  • You need to find a prayer partner that will help hold you accountable to your studies.
  • You might consider doing a Bible Study with a partner in order to build confidence and your ability to Study the Bible with diligence.

2. Determine which Bible – Find a Bible that is Biblically accurate and user friendly.  Use a Bible with easy to read print, large margins, and preferably one with footnotes and references. The English Standard Version, New American Standard Version, and the New King James Version are all good translations.  Use the same Bible throughout each book study.  This will consolidate any and all notes and thoughts you will have obtained throughout your study.  If you decided to switch Bibles in the middle of a study, be sure to transfer all of your notes to guarantee the preservation of your research.  This does not mean you can’t read from other Bibles to compare translations; however it simply means to designate one as your primary Bible for studying.

3. Choose a Book to Study – In this method you will study an entire book of the Bible. If you’ve never done this before, start with a small book, preferably from the New Testament. The book of James, Titus, 1 Peter, or 1 John are all good choices for first-timers. Plan to spend 3-4 weeks studying the book you have chosen.  Once you feel more comfortable with some of the smaller books move on to the books of the Gospel, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  Also, consider studying Genesis, Job, and Revelation.

4. Start with Prayer – “I just don’t understand it!” is one of the most common excuses for not studying the Bible, and this is also the reason we have so many immature Christians. We understand not, because we ask not.  The Bible tells us that the Word of God is foolishness to those who don’t believe, and to those who are carnally minded. So before you start each study session, begin by praying and asking God to forgive you of any un-confessed sin and open your heart and mind to spiritual understanding. The Bible says in 2 Timothy 3:16,17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent (complete), equipped for every good work.” (ESV) So, as you pray, realize that the words you are studying are inspired by God, and are profitable in every aspect of your life.

5. Read the Entire Book – Next you’ll spend some time, perhaps several days, reading through the entire book. Read it verse-by-verse and chapter-by-chapter. Do this more than once. As you read, look for themes that may be woven into the chapters. Sometimes you’ll detect a general message in the book. For example, in the book of James an obvious theme is “Persevering through Trials.” Take notes on the ideas that jump out at you.

Look also for “life application principles.” An example of a life application principle in the book of James is: “Make sure my faith is more than just a statement – it should result in action.” It’s a good practice to try and pull out these themes and applications on your own as you meditate, even before you begin using other study tools. This gives an opportunity for God’s Word to speak personally to you. (Point #5 taken from About.com “Bible Study”)

6. Dig Deeper – Now you will start to slow down and read the book verse by verse, breaking down the text, looking for deeper understanding.  This is where you will begin to mark in your Bible, notes, applications, and references.  You will also use symbols, highlight, and underline significant phrases and key words.  Key words are words that stand out or tend to be repeated.  Key phrases are usually life applicable, or illustrate the main thought of the passage.  There are many ways of marking your Bible such as using as color coded system with highlighters, or a symbol chart.  I use a simple underlining method that works best for me, but feel free to use other methods.

For example: Job 1 – v.1“There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was (Job), and that man was blameless and upright, (one who feared God and turned away from evil).” v.4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sister to eat and drink with them *Party.  And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and (consecrate) them. v.21b-22 “+ The Lord Gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. +   In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.”

As you can see I parenthesized the word Job so that I knew who this passage was talking about.  I also underlined blameless and upright because they describe Job.  I then parenthesized “one who feared God and turned away from evil”, because it illustrates why Job was blameless and upright.  This is a life application statement, if I fear God, and turn away from evil I can become blameless and upright.  I then underlined feast, eat, and drink, and then I made a note to myself that this was more like a * drinking party.  I also circled the word “consecrate” because it stood out to me.  This word could have many possible meanings, and correlations to this passage.  This would be a word that I would do a word study on, and check references.  I then put cross symbols around the second to last statement, because it references LORD.  Finally, I underlined the last verse because it makes a crucial statement.

The biggest mistake many people make when it comes to marking their Bibles is that they mark a single passage so much that it becomes confusing, irrelevant, or hard to read.  The purpose of marking your Bible is so that certain parts will stand out, and will be easy to reference back to.  When you underline everything it defeats the whole purpose.

7. Equip Yourself – There’s no limit to the wealth of understanding and growth that will come from your time spent in God’s Word. Once you have established a basic understanding of the passage, as well as the key phrases, words, and principles then you will want to begin using Bible study tools in order to develop greater understanding. The major Bible study tools consist of a commentary, lexicon, Bible dictionary, and Concordance of the Bible.  You might also consider using a Bible Encyclopedia.

Some of my favorite Bible Study Tools consist of:

  • John McArthur Bible Handbook and Commentaries
  • Halley’s Bible Handbook
  • World’s Bible Dictionary
  • Wiersbe Commentary
  • Thru the Bible Commentary – J.Vernon Mcgee
  • Nelson’s Complete Bible Maps and Charts
  • ESV Study Bible Footnotes

8. Apply It – Now it’s time to apply it to your life. Don’t just study God’s Word for the sake of knowledge for that will lead to self-righteousness; however be sure to put the Word into practice in your life. Jesus said in Luke 11:28, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (NLT) When you apply the Word of God into your life people will begin to see Christ in you.  Your life may be the only Gospel that some people might read.  Be sure to also begin to apply Bible study into your prayer life.  This could consist of a favorite passage, a psalm, or even just flipping through the pages.

9. Map it Out – Once you’ve finished your first book, choose another one and follow the same steps.  Go ahead and map out a timeline of which books you plan to study over the next year.  Make sure you be consistent in your study time, and set a comfortable steady pace. Once you become more confident in your skill begin to incorporate longer books.  Once the practice of Bible study becomes habitual begin to mix up your timeline with books consisting of the Old and New Testament, and Gospels. You will want to spend much more time digging into the Old Testament and some of the longer books of the Bible. Don’t forget to set goals for yourself, and reward yourself when you accomplish those goals.  (Example: New Bible, Bible Study Tool or resource, or just some good old fashioned ice-cream). 

10. Pass it On – Now that you have grown in your Bible study skills, and you have completed your first book, it is now time to pass it on to others. Share with a friend, family, Bible class, or even start a Bible class.  When you begin to teach others, don’t expect to have all the answers.  If you are unsure of an answer inform the person that you will have to get back with them with an answer.  Seek counsel from other Biblical scholars, such as, teachers, preachers, and elders.  Never give questionable answers, and be sure to always confirm what you are teaching to prevent the Word of God from being taken out of context.

Warning

Many times people get so caught up in trying to comprehend the Word of God that they forget why they were reading it in the first place.  Be sure to make time to read the Bible for devotional, quiet time, and pure enjoyment.  Make sure to make Bible study an enjoyable practice, by being creative in your study.  Listen to soft music, consider different atmospheres (example: nature), and change up the pace if need be.  Remember to keep a strong prayer life, because this will prevent burn-out of reading God’s Word.  For a Study on prayer visit: www.justinsrefuge.com/2010/08/12/prayer

Aug 18 2010

How to Excel When Going Back 2 School

How to Excel When Going Back 2 School –  from the Life of Daniel (Dan.1)

In the third year (605 B.C.) of the reign of Jehoiakim King Judah, King Neuchadnezzar of Babylon conquered Judah, and after this the King commanded Ashpenaz the chief eunuch to assemble a group of youth together for education purposes.  So Daniel along with several other young men was chosen to serve in Nebuchadnessar’s court (Babylon High).  In a sense Ashpenaz was like an instructor/mentor/overseer, and Nebuchadnessar was like the principle.  v.1-3

We also see from scripture that each of these students were skillful, knowledgeable, and capable of surviving school.   However it is not about simply surviving; it is about how you survive.  Often times as students you tend to do just enough to get by, but find yourself unsatisfied with where you are in life, and that is because you are not living up to your full potential. Daniel along with these other students would be cared for and educated for three years.  The Bible says that each of them were competent to stand, but have you ever wanted to do more than just stand? I don’t want to just stand, I want to soar. V.4-5

Daniel along with his 3 friends could of easily gone along with the crowd, but they had set in their hearts that they didn’t just want to stand with the crowd, but they wanted to soar/excel above the rest.

We can learn a lot from Daniels example when it comes to Excelling in School.

1. Be competent in your ability to stand against the crowd. v.4 (Phil. 4:13)

2. Form a core group of friends that will be able to support one another. v.6-7

3. Inform a teacher/mentor/counselor/advisor of your desire to excel in school v.8-9 

                When you seek counsel from such individuals, God will see your desire to change, and will be likely to work in the hearts of that/those individual(s) to have compassion upon you. Some may show apprehension (v.10), however when you prove faithful you will have gained their approval and respect.

4. Determine what areas of your life you wish to advance or excel in. (Physical/Mental/Spiritual)

                Daniel wanted to be closer to God, and wanted to grow spiritually, but he also knew that by eating healthy he would not be as sluggish, and it would help him physically and mentally.v.12

5. Prove to be faithful, by challenging individuals to hold you accountable. V.11-14

6. Stay committed to the cause. v.14-16

As a result, they were healthier and brighter than the rest. They were blessed with learning and skill.  There was none like them.  They were 10 times better than the rest. v.17-20

Reflections:

  • What is one thing you can do in your life that is going to make you more confident in your ability to stand against the crowd?

 

  • Name 2-4 core people you could trust in to be your friend and help support you in your decision to excel in your life?  Name 1 teacher/mentor/counselor/advisor who would be able to hold you accountable at school?

 

  • What 1-2 areas in your life would you like to see most excel over the next school year?

 

  • What are some ways you can challenge your friends/mentors to hold you accountable?

 

  • What are some ways that you can stay committed to the cause?
Aug 12 2010

Spiritual Practices: Applications to Effective Prayer

6 “P” Principles for Affective Prayer:

(Matt 6:9-13) The Model Prayer practices

Praise – (v.9)

  • Adoration: In prayers of adoration or worship, we praise the greatness of God, and we acknowledge our dependence on him in all things.
  • Thanksgiving: Perhaps the most neglected type of prayer is prayer of thanksgiving.
  • Love: Prayers of love or charity are just that—expressions of our love for God

Purpose – (v.10) Our prayers should always include a statement of our willingness to accept God’s will, whether He directly answers our prayer or not. Seek God’s will for your life.

Provision – (v.11)

  • Provision: are the type of prayer we are most familiar with. In them, we ask God for things we need—primarily spiritual needs, but physical ones as well.
  • Petition/Supplication: Call out to God asking for certain things beyond your needs
  • Intercession: Pray for others, or praying seeking God’s intercession concerning circumstances.

Pardon – (v.12)

  • Expiation/Confession: In a prayer of expiation or contrition, we acknowledge our sinfulness and ask God for His forgiveness and mercy. Confess your “sins” Specifically, Personally, Immediately, Completely, Sincerely, & Confidently.  – Song “Count Your Bless” – Count your sins, count them one by one, count your sins see what you have done. 1 John 1:7-9  (God doesn’t want empty apologies)
  • Repentance: Turn away from your sin – STOP doing it!!

“The most miserable man on earth is not the un-saved man, but the saved man who is out of fellowship with God.” – Adrian Rogers

Protection – (v.13) Prayer for spiritual, physical, and mental protection for yourself and the ones you love. Put on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6)

Persistence – Consistent/Constant: Pray without ceasing  1 Thess. 5:17

Quick Four Step Process to Prayer

P- raise: Praise

R- epent: Pardon/ Confession / Repentance

A- sk: Provision/ Protection / Petition / Intercession

Y- ield: Purpose

2 Key Aspects to Prayer

Humility

Honesty

Jul 29 2010

“One Body” Sermon Series: #3 “Defending the Body of Christ”

1 Corinthians 3:16-23                          Defending the Body of Christ

The Corinthian Church was stewing with controversy and strife, and Paul wrote several letters to this struggling church and in this section he argues that the greatest threat to the church is usually from within. Each body of believers has their own Judas Iscariot running around with in them proclaiming to be Christ-like, when in reality it is just a matter of time before they are betraying the leadership and trust of the church.  We don’t like to admit it or acknowledge it, but they exist.  In the last part of chapter 3 the Apostle Paul counsels the church on how to defend against such trouble makers by asking 3 essential questions.  (Segments from Christians Gone Wild Series – by Mark Driscoll)

Paul’s teaching concerning this issue is a timely message that can be carried on throughout the ages.  The statistics within the church are alarming. 80% of churches have plateaued or are declining, and some 3,500 churches die every year.

You might be asking “why are we talking about this when everything is going good?”, but in reality if we wait to talk about it until crisis hits it’s too late.

1 Corinthians 3:16-23 / Pray

Question #1: Why should we care if the church is being destroyed?  v.16-17

The One Body is not an actual building but rather the people who live their lives together in worship to Jesus.  The most significant part of the body of Christ is that it is the place God has chosen as His home upon earth.  Paul compares the body to the Old Testament temple in which God dwelt.  We must care for the maturity, purity, and health of our body, because an attack upon it is nothing less than an attack on the holiness of God.

Question #2: What causes someone to destroy a descent Church?  v.18-20

What makes decisive church people so dangerous and difficult to deal with is that they are so skilled at deception that they have in fact been deceived themselves, much like Satan is both self-deceived and a deceiver.  They are very convincing about their holiness and good intentions.  Such people are often well-versed in the latest ideas, are intelligent, and competently defend their beliefs.  But what they lack is humility to agree with God and His wisdom.  Instead they favor prideful thinking that is contrary to God. Such people are often more concerned about what others think of them (particularly non-believers), and they abandon clear Biblical teaching.   – 1 Cor. 10:12  “Take heed” – Each of us are capable of being deceived.

Question #3: How can a church prevent its own destruction?   v.21-23

Thankfully God has provided us with the means to defend ourselves from destructive people, and still remain faithful to Him.  The key to overcoming this is ultimately “humility”, the humility to learn from many of God’s faithful servants.  God has richly provided an abundance of resources for His church.

Paul concludes his counsel by focusing on Jesus Christ. “Because Jesus who is our God, was willing to humbly become a person to live, die, and rise in our place for our sins, He connects us to God.  He serves as our example of a humble person who is willing to be despised and ridiculed by many in order to be loved and approved by the Father.