TO SERVE JESUS

11/18/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!!

Facebook Question: What’s Hard about Serving Others?
    While preparing a sermon, a pastor named Kevin Miller posted a question to friends on Facebook: “What makes it hard for you to serve other people?”
    They gave great answers, including:
    “Serving is hard when it doesn’t fit in to my schedule or plan. Like when I want to go for a walk or take a long bath, but my aging parent needs me to sort their meds, run an errand, or simply be with them.”
    “It’s hard when their need seems endless. I don’t want to risk helping/serving because I may get sucked in. Being swallowed up in the serving and not getting to be the me I think I am or should be.”
    “There is such limited energy left after a demanding workday meeting our basic responsibilities (whether with young kids or in the corporate world). How do you balance the need for rest and self-care with serving others?”
    But my favorite answer was this one: “What makes it hard to serve others? Others.”
Kevin Miller, Wheaton, Illinois
    Being a servant is often a challenge.  Sometimes it is fun, often it is simply hard.
    Then, there are times when something motivates you to step up and really do a good job.
Supervisor’s Presence Changes Flight Attendants’ Service
    I read about a man named Joe, an executive who did a lot of business traveling. One day when Joe was on a flight, he commented to himself, I cannot believe this flight crew. They are the most attentive, responsive flight crew that I’ve ever seen. So, toward the end of the flight, he stopped one of the flight crew members and said, “Excuse me, I don’t mean to bother you, but I fly a lot, and I have never seen a flight crew this. You are the most engaged, enthusiastic, service-oriented flight crew that I’ve ever seen.”
    The flight attendant got a little smile on her face as she bent down and whispered to Joe, “Thank you, sir, but for that you can thank the woman seated back there in 12B.  You see, sir, the woman in seat 12B is the head supervisor for all of the flight attendants for our airlines. And she’s on our flight!”
    When we really know that Jesus is in our midst, that he is “on our flight”, it has a profound way of changing the way we serve other people.
http://www.preachingtoday.com/search/?searcharea=illustrations&type=keyword&keywordid=4174
African Proverb About How Everyone Can Make a Difference
    If you think you are too small to make a difference, try spending the night in a closed room with a mosquito.
    None of us are too small or insignificant to make a difference.  Let’s talk about serving the Lord.  With His help, we will make an impact.
    Today we are going to use a chapter from Paul’s letter to the church at Philippi.
Philippians 3:1-21 NKJV
No Confidence in the Flesh
1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe. 2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the mutilation! 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 4 though I also might have confidence in the flesh. If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ.
    There is a spiritual battle going on.  It affected Paul so long ago.  It still impacts the church today.  Paul called them dogs - men who do evil.  Paul experienced great grief in ministry because of those who misrepresented and distorted the message of Christ.  He was also hurt by those who compromised their faith.  Paul wasn’t afraid to accurately tell it like it is.  Those who distort the truth, those who take the Bible out of context to make it say what they want it to say, are the enemy of God.
    There are places where compromise is a good thing.  But, not when it changes the message of the Bible.  They fit into the category of those who do evil.
Keep the World Out of the Christian
    “It’s not the ship in the water but the water in the ship that sinks it. So it’s not the Christian in the world but the world in the Christian that constitutes the danger.”
Evangelist and pastor J. Wilbur Chapman, 1859-1918
Men of Integrity May/June 2004
    Yes, keep the world out of the Christian, don’t let the world take over.  The world worships fame.
    Integrity understands the necessity of rejecting popularity.  One of the problems in our modern culture is the worship of popularity.  If it is popular, it must be just fine.  Many people live by opinion polls.  But, truth is not decided by public opinion.  They forget that the majority can be wrong.
    Paul said that the things that had been so important to him he considered loss, worthless.  It is more important to know and be connected to Christ.  All the other things that seem so important will fade away.
    As Paul matured in the faith, his love for Jesus, the church and the truth of salvation through faith was so intense that he boldly opposed all that perverted the truth.  He expressed this in another letter.
Galatians 1:9 NKJV
As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.
    That is a powerful statement that those who preach another gospel would come under God’s curse, doomed to destruction.
Paul’s Desire to Serve Christ
8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; 10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
    A very important insight and goal:  That I may gain Christ.  Nothing else mattered to him. We see his heart and the core of Christianity.
This is a powerful desire for believers:
**To know Jesus, not just know about Him
**To experience His close presence
**To have His companionship in daily life
**To understand that anything else was garbage
**To comprehend His nature and character
**To have the Word of God revealed so it can be applied in life
**To follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance
**To fully identify with Jesus
    Look at verse 10.
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
    I can’t imagine the power of resurrection.  The power over death to bring life where it doesn’t exist.  Only God can do that.  But, we can experience life that comes from God.
Romans 8:11 NKJV
11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.
    Life is renewed and transformed.  Miracles come and the power of sin is crushed.
    We would all love to experience this.  What we don’t want to have to experience is the self denial required.  The old nature must go.  God’s righteousness must grow in us.  Paul said he also wanted to know Jesus in the fellowship of His sufferings.  This is the full commitment necessary to impact the world.
    Verse 9 talks about the righteousness that comes from God. This is a right relationship with God and the power of His Spirit.  The result is living correctly by His standards.  This comes from Jesus living in our hearts.  His righteousness is expressed through us.
The High Calling of God
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. 16 Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.
    Paul expressed a goal.  He had not yet reached the point of perfection, of all he had hoped to accomplish.  But, he kept his focus.  He saw himself in an athletic competition, pushing to the finish line.  He was giving it everything he had.  He was focused and committed to winning.
1 Timothy 6:11-12 NKJV
11 But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
    Paul was writing to Timothy that he had to flee the love of money and pursue righteousness.  Fight the good fight of faith and focus on eternity.  This motivated Paul.  Nothing would sidetrack him from this passion.  His only purpose in life was to do what God had for him.
    Don’t let distractions, temptations, worries, riches or evil desires choke out your commitment to Jesus.  Keep your eyes on the prize.  Some day we will gladly leave the world behind.
    Don’t allow Satan to frustrate you with guilt.  We have been freed us from all of that.
    Keep on growing up in Jesus, maturing in the work of eternity.  Focus on your dedication to Jesus.  Apply the Biblical knowledge you have and gain more.

TO SERVE JESUS
❏    We will face a battle.
❏    Anything outside of eternity is eventually understood as rubbish.
❏    Press on faithfully in your service to Jesus.
    As we mature, we need to increase in our service to Jesus.  Faithful service will see eternal results.
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
Ready, Set, GROW!

What are the key points of this message?

How can we apply this message?

WATER BAPTISM

NR 11/11/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

    Water baptism is not just a routine or a ritual.  It is a testimony of belief in and commitment to Jesus.  Serving the Lord is a serious commitment.  When a person is baptized it is a very special time in their spiritual life and growth in the Lord.
Teen Brought Luggage to Her Baptism
    When Texas pastor Jim Denison was in college, he served as a summer missionary. While there he attended a small church. At one of the church’s worship services, a teenage girl came forward to announce her decision to follow Christ and be baptized.
    During the service, Denison noticed some worn-out luggage leaning against the wall of the church building. He asked the pastor about it. The pastor pointed to the girl who had just been baptized and told Denison, “Her father said that if she was baptized as a Christian she could never go home again. So she brought her luggage.”
Raymond McHenry, Stories for the Soul (Hendrickson, 2001), p. 48
    When Jesus died on the cross it was a total commitment on His part.  He did it for us.  He gave us the gift of eternal life, the gift of forgiveness of sin.  Our commitment to Him is just as serious.
    Today I will give a brief outline of baptism.  You have a good outline of the topic in your notes.
    In studying the Bible we find that Christians were baptized.  What does the Bible say about baptism?  Following the teaching of the Bible in water baptism is very important.  As Christians, we strive to do what God’s Word commands.  This includes baptism.
    Water Baptism is one of the ordinances of the church.  What is an ordinance?  It is a thing commanded.  The ordinance is given to us from the Bible, commanded of God.  Because it is commanded by God, we do it.
    When Jesus left this world, He told the disciples to baptize believers.  Water baptism is a matter of obedience to God.
Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV
19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
    From the very beginning, the church has been following this command.  On the day of Pentecost we read:
Acts 2:41 NKJV
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
    BAPTISM IS FOR CHRISTIANS.  Baptism will not save you.
    Baptismal Regeneration - this is the term used by some to be a sign that salvation that comes through baptism.  However, baptism does NOT save us.  I John 1:7 says that the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin.  It is the blood, not the baptism, that saves.  If you are not already saved, baptism will do you no good, in fact it could hurt you.  You could easily say that you don’t need to ask Jesus into your heart, since a church somewhere has already baptized you.  This is where infant baptism is so dangerous spiritually, because people think they are set, because they were sprinkled as a child.
WHAT DOES BAPTISM REALLY MEAN?
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE?
    Baptism represents an IDENTIFICATION of the believer with Christ.  We are made complete in Jesus,
Colossians 2:10 NKJV
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.
     As Christians, we want to be like Jesus.
Galatians 3:27 NKJV
For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
    We identify with Christ’s CRUCIFIXION/DEATH.
Romans 6:3 NKJV
Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Verse 6
knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
    The old man, the old nature of sin that controls you is destroyed.  We don’t serve sin any more.  It is only through the Blood of Jesus that any person can overcome sin.
    We identify with Christ’s BURIAL.
Romans 6:4 NKJV
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:11-12 Living Bible
When you came to Christ He set you free from your evil desires, not by a bodily operation of circumcision but by a spiritual operation, the baptism of your souls.  For in baptism you see how your old, evil nature died with Him and was buried with Him;  and then you came up out of death with Him into a new life because you trusted the Word of the mighty God who raised Christ from the dead.
Galatians 2:20 NKJV
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
    Baptism is a beautiful picture of the burial of the old nature and the resurrection to newness of life in Jesus.  The old nature is dead, and life is only thorough what Jesus is doing.  Because the old nature was crucified, you can live free from its bondage and terror.
    We identify with Christ’s RESURRECTION.
Romans 6:5 NKJV
For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,
    We have new life in Jesus.  We have a Christ-like life, NEW!!!!!
Romans 6:4 NKJV
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:6 NKJV
As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,
    The identification is followed completely as the person is immersed completely in the water.  A beautiful picture of what Christ did for us.  He died for us, He didn’t faint.  Total commitment.
THE MANNER/MODE OF BAPTISM
    The Greek word for Baptism literally means dip, immerse.  This was the way the early church baptized.
    There is a Biblical and simple way to answer the question of the mode of baptism.  If you had no previous teaching on the subject (absolutely no previous mental pictures of what baptism should be), and just looked through the Scriptures, this is what you would find:
1.  Baptism requires WATER
Acts 8:36 NKJV
Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?”
2.  Baptism requires MUCH WATER
John 3:23 NKJV
Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized.
3.  The participants go down INTO the water
Acts 8:38 NKJV
So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.
4.  Baptism requires BURIAL in the water
Romans 6:4 NKJV
Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
Colossians 2:12 NKJV
buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.
5.  Baptism requires COMING UP out of the water
Matthew 3:16 NKJV
When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
Acts 8:39 NKJV
Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing.
THE CANDIDATE FOR BAPTISM, WHO SHOULD BE BAPTIZED?
    The person seeking water baptism must first of all be truly born again.  It is only for believers.  In the Bible we find people being baptized AFTER they are saved.  In every situation in the Bible where it says people were baptized it is done in connection with or subsequent to believing in Jesus.
Acts 2:41 NKJV
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.
Acts 8:12-13 NKJV
12 But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. 13 Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
Acts 8:36-37 NKJV
36 Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, “See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?” 37 Then Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
Acts 9:17-18 NKJV
17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized.
Acts 10:47-48 NKJV
“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.
Salvation
II Corinthians 5:17 NKJV
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
John 1:12 NKJV
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:
Acts 3:19 NKJV
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
    When should a Christian be baptized?  The Biblical way was to baptize when a person got saved, ie. Peter at the house of Cornelius.  Christians should be baptized as soon as possible after conversion.
    Baptism is a powerful testimony of what Jesus has done in your life.  It is an outward sign of an inward commitment.

New Life - Growing God’s Way

11/4/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

Don’t Recycle Old Life - Len Sullivan, Tupelo, Mississippi
    In the late 1920s my grandparents married and moved into Grandpa’s old family home. It was a clapboard house with a hall down the middle. In the ‘30s they decided to tear down the old house and build another to be their home for the rest of their lives.
    Much to my grandmother’s dismay, many of the materials of the old house were re-used in their new house. They used old facings and doors, and many other pieces of the finishing lumber. Everywhere my grandmother looked, she saw that old house—old doors that wouldn’t shut properly, crown molding split and riddled with nail holes, unfinished window trimming. It was a source of grief to her. All her life she longed for a new house.
    When God brings us into the kingdom, the old way of living must be dismantled and discarded.
Len Sullivan, Tupelo, Mississippi
http://www.preachingtoday.com/search/?searcharea=illustrations&type=keyword&keywordid=4627&start=11
    Jesus didn’t die on the cross to save us to simply rearrange the old life we had.  He didn’t come to just take the mess and move things around.  He came to make us completely new.  The old things are passed away and all has become new.  He came to help us grow HIS WAY.
    I like a thought expressed by a well known author, Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Going Beyond What You Know
    Unless you try to do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.
    God takes new believers and makes them something they have never been. They experience spiritual growth. He takes people who have been following Him for a long time and continues to shape them and make them more and more like Him.  We will continually be experiencing New Life - Growing God’s Way.
    The theme that we have talked about much this year: Ready, Set, GROW!!  We have looked for growth as a church and also personal spiritual growth.  Today I want to talk about our personal spiritual growth using starting out with passages from Proverbs.
Proverbs 14:12 NKJV
There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Proverbs 16:25 NKJV
There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
    I always find it interesting when I read these chapters to find these two verses exactly the same.  God must want us to get the point.  Things that seem right in the eyes of humans, things that SEEM right only lead to death.
    Seems right. Humanistic wisdom and reasoning (based on individual satisfaction and benefit as its highest goal) is a poor basis for determining what is true or false, right or wrong, worthy or unworthy. No matter how convincing or well-intentioned our ideas and actions may be, if they are not in line with God’s plans and standards they will likely lead to unexpected consequences and disaster. In the end, doing things our own way (which is one of the definitions of sin, Isa 53:6) will lead to spiritual death. God’s written revelation—his Word as recorded in the Bible—is the only infallible (i.e., perfect, reliable, unfailing) source for determining the right path of life. The human way leads to death; God’s way leads to eternal life.
Fire Bible.
Isaiah 53:6 NKJV
All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Romans 6:16 NKJV
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
□    Obedience leads to righteousness
□    Sin leads to death.
Here, the Apostle Paul gives a solemn warning to Christians who think they can sin without consequence.  Some believe they can sin and, since they have already repented, they are OK.  However, they are missing a point.  Those who continue to actively sin become a slave to sin. This leads to spiritual death.
Romans 6:21-23 NKJV
21 What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
    What are the results, the fruit of continuing to sin?  Spiritual death.  Believers have been set free from sin and are slaves to God.  This leads to fruit of holiness and eternal life.  Sin brings death, God brings eternal life.
Proverbs 14:14 NKJV
The backslider in heart will be filled with his own ways, But a good man will be satisfied from above.
    Where is your heart?  Is it focused on God?
    The faithless, the backslider describes people who turn away from God with  their hearts and affections.  They become selfish and reject what God wants.  Eventually they will experience miserable consequences of their choices.  Faithfulness to God will bring the rewards God promises.  This reminds me of:
Proverbs 13:15 KJV
Good understanding giveth favour: but the way of transgressors is hard.
    Actions bring results.  As we serve God we will be SATISFIED.  In our Bible Study Wednesday we talked about the fact that the evil one continually tries to make us think that we are missing something by being faithful to God, by obeying His Word.  Yes, we are missing something.  To quote a silly old song, we are missing:
Gloom, despair and agony on me.
Deep dark depression, excessive misery.
If it weren’t for bad luck I’d have no luck at all.
Gloom, despair and agony on me.
Proverbs 14:34 NKJV
Righteousness exalts a nation, But sin is a reproach to any people.
    Do our actions make any difference?  Does righteousness mean anything? Does it really matter?
Righteous:  characterized as honest, generous, steadfast and courageous, merciful and just, covenant keeper, committed to God and living justly among His people.
**Righteousness is grounded in the character of God.
**People are not naturally righteous.
**God credits righteousness to those who exercise faith in Him. In Christ one becomes all that God requires.
**The Christian is to put on the breastplate of righteousness.
**Timothy was exhorted to flee youthful lusts and call on God from a pure heart, and pursue righteousness.
Thoughts from Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary
    Our trip to grow in righteousness is a process.  Billy Graham’s wife, Ruth, was traveling with him one day when they came to the end of road construction.  There was a sign that said, “End of construction. Thank you for your patience.”
    God is continually working in us to see our righteousness grow.  Whether a nation or a person, righteousness exalts, and sin destroys.  Let God continue to construct you till He has completed His task.
Proverbs 21:2 NKJV
Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, But the LORD weighs the hearts.
    This verse is a great wrap up to this topic today.  It is so common to think that I have it all figured out.  My own eyes.  But, God deals with and checks out the heart.
Discussion questions:
Why is the first part of this verse so true?
What is the result of people who insist on being right?
What is the implication of the second part of this verse?
New Life - Growing God’s Way
The Stories We Love Will Shape Our Character
    Professor Daniel Taylor notes that as a child Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Christian leader who was executed for resisting the Nazis, was greatly moved by reading a book entitled Heroes of Everyday. It was filled with stories of courageous young people who, with selflessness and clear thinking, often saved others’ lives, sometimes at the cost of their own. And, apparently, shortly before his execution, Bonhoeffer was also reading Plutarch’s Lives, a book that explores the courageous character of ancient figures. Based on Bonhoeffer’s example, Taylor asks:
    Can we doubt that Bonhoeffer’s reading shaped his acting, including his decision to risk his life to save others? Ethics are more formed by the stories with which we surround ourselves, than [just] by the rules that are drilled into us. Tell us what stories you value, and we have a good start on knowing who you are and how you will act in the world.
Daniel Taylor, “Story-Shaped Ethics,” Daniel Taylor Blog (8-8-11); source: Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer (Thomas Nelson, 2010), pp. 18-19
What do we fill our minds with?  The Bible is a good resource to use.  It will shape us.
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
Ready, Set, GROW!
What are the key points of this message?
How can we apply this message?

 Missions Follow Up -- SO ALL CAN HEAR

10/28/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

    The past two weeks we have had our annual Missions Convention.  Why have a missions convention and why get excited about missions?  Why the effort and sacrifice?
    Let me tell you about a man I met in Brazil.
Picture
    One interesting event when Pastor Richard and I were touring the coastal area.  Richard was thirsty and went to a building where he thought he could buy a bottle of water.  He started talking with the man there who said they didn’t sell water, but would give him some water to drink.
    As we were talking (they were talking and I listening and not understanding) we saw an open Bible on the counter. Richard asked him about it.  The place was not a store but a beach outreach from a church. Richard said he knew the church and the pastor.  The man was a surfer, party-life guy who had gotten saved.  He worked there at the ministry.  The surfer beach is very popular with the youth.  Every weekend the beach is full of kids and there is much sin that happens.  The church has the outreach to minister to the youth.  He showed us a wooden box.  He sat on it and the front is a drum.  He demonstrated and he could get amazing sounds out of it.  They are there to reach a generation of people looking for answers and thinking they will find them in sin.  It was very interesting and again, we ran in to a Christian.  Brazil has many Christians. The Brazilian Assemblies of God has 15 million people.  There are millions more in other fellowships.
    The reason why we have a missions convention, the reason why we have church services and teach the Bible, is because Jesus is the only hope of the world.  Like this young man who found that Jesus filled what he was seeking, millions have found the answer in Jesus.  The last thing Luke records Jesus saying in Acts 1 is this: “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” V.8.
    We are to be witnesses of Jesus and all He did. It starts locally, then spreads out farther and farther and goes to the ends of the earth.  We are to be witnesses because Jesus knew He was the only real hope for the world.
Acts 4:12 NKJV
Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
NLT
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.
The Message
Salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by which we can be saved, only this one.
WEYMOUTH
And in no other is the great salvation to be found; for, in fact, there is no second name under Heaven that has been given among men through which we are to be saved.
    This is the footnote from the Fire Bible:
Salvation... in no one else. Jesus’ disciples were convinced that the greatest need of every individual was to be rescued from the consequences of rebellion and opposition against God so they could enjoy a personal and eternal relationship with him. They preached that this need could be met by no one other than Jesus Christ. He is the only one whose perfect and sinless life (Heb 4:15) could have provided the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for sin once and for all (1Pe 3:18). This truth reveals the exclusive nature of spiritual salvation (i.e., the fact that it comes only one way—through faith in Jesus Christ; see Jn 14:6). It also highlights the church’s responsibility of communicating the message of Christ to every person. If there were other ways to be spiritually saved and to have a personal relationship with God, then the church would not have to face its mission with such urgency. But according to Christ himself (see Jn 14:6, note), there is no hope of salvation for anyone apart from Christ and faith in him (cf. 10:43; 1Ti 2:5-6). This fact is the basis for the church’s need to support missionary efforts (i.e., people and ministries that take Christ’s message to people in other places, nations and cultures).
Acts 4:7 NKJV
And when they had set them in the midst, they asked, “By what power or by what name have you done this?”
    Authority.  There must be power, authority to do the miraculous.  The disciples were asked how the healing of a crippled man happened.  Jesus is not limited by political power or the laws of evil leaders.  There is power in the name of Jesus.  Since Jesus never changes, His power is just as strong today.
John 14:6 NKJV
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
    This is a clear declaration by Jesus that He is the ONLY way.  While this may offend some people, it is still the truth.  How will people know this if no one tells them?
Romans 10:13-15 NKJV
13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” 14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
    Someone has to tell each individual person about the love and hope found in Jesus.  Someone must tell them the truth of Jesus.  This telling is local, regional, national and worldwide.
    What are the results of telling people around the world of Jesus?  People are changed.  Hope is given where there is no hope.  Eternity comes into focus.
    I have had the privilege of traveling and teaching in three other continents.  I want to share some of my experiences and the insights I have gained.
Brazil
Student ministries, Chi Alpha weekend conference.
Pic: the students had posters with Biblical themes.  Luke 9:62 NKJV
But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”  They painted their hands and put them to the plow.
Pic: Joyful students ready to serve the Lord.
Pic: prayer time with believers in the local church.  Anxious to seek God.  They expressed great joy in knowing Jesus.
Pic: George’s car.  Speed The Light.  Youth missions program the provides millions of dollars annually to purchase equipment, transportation for missionaries. The kind of vehicle purchased depends on the need.  Here, George lives in Amsterdam, a practical vehicle for the city.
Pic: This Toyota Land Cruiser diesel is what we drove in West Africa.  Four wheel drive, high clearance.  Why is this needed here?  Look at the roads.
Pic: This was my first day there, driving from the airport to Dassa-Zoume, where I would teach.  The main highway was flooded.  It was worse the day before.  Many vehicles got stuck there.  We drove right through.
Pic: BGMC  A well on the campus of the Bible School to provide water.  Water is hard to come by.  This well is a major blessing.
Pic: What are the options for water?  Pumping it by hand and pushing a cart.
Pic:  What were the streets like?  Dirt.  All these men are taxi drivers.  If you want a taxi you will have a motorcycle ride.
Pic: Do you need fuel for your bike?  Here it is at the local convenience store.
Pic: There was road construction going on.  We drove past this every day on the way to the Bible School.  This is how they were mixing cement for the curbs to help control rain runoff.
Pic: More streets.
Pic: More streets.
Pic: This is a street in the large city, Cotonou, where the airport was.
Pic: Do you want electricity?  Here is a local utility pole.
    I show you these pictures to see the setting the people live in.  Nothing was fancy.  No hot water in the motel I stayed in.  Electricity went off multiple times every day.  Medical care was almost not existent.  Yet, as the people find Jesus, there is joy in their hearts.  They love the Lord.
Pic: this is the chapel on campus.  The student body circled it and had a powerful prayer meeting.
    One more picture, transition to Amsterdam.  I spoke at a local church.  I met a young man who was wanting to go into youth ministry.  He had an interesting story.  He grew up there.  He went to Africa on a volunteer program.  He got saved THERE.  He told me that it was much harder to get saved in Amsterdam than Africa.  His goal was to get training and reach out to the street youth of Amsterdam.

    The needs of the world are overwhelming.  We know, we have the answer.  But, it takes effort, it takes sacrifice to get the job done.  A few weeks ago, Kevin Senapatiratne used an illustration about skiing.  Well, I have never gone skiing in my life.  But, as I thought of his story, I thought of something from my life.  Let me borrow and modify his story.
    There is a popular puzzle game called sudoku.  It is a number puzzle.  One day Andrea encouraged me to try it.  I did.  I decided that if I was going to do it I should learn about it.  So, I read about strategy and started out with the really easy ones.  Little by little I learned and got better.
    I make no claim to be a champion, but I can now figure out some hard ones.  The easy ones that I used to do are now boring.  I find myself only doing the hard ones in the book and the easy owes get ignored.  I enjoy the challenge of the harder puzzles.
    That is a good illustration of life.  We need a challenge.  We don’t just want to read about Dick and Jane and their dog, Spot.  Spiritually, we often want to do just the easy things.  But, the task is hard and the battle challenging.
**As we grow closer to the Lord
**As we see the world more the way God sees it
**As we see the need more clearly
*****We want to step out and let God take us to new areas of service for Him.
    God will take us to greater accomplishments for Him than we ever thought possible.
Missions will:
start locally
expand outward
include each one of us

LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
Ready, Set, GROW!

What are the key points of this message?

How can we apply this message?

Seven Stories - Saul to Paul – Accuser to Apologist

 
10/7/12 Ready, Set, GROW!!

    Two stories defending the faith.  Our faith in Jesus either can be defended or it is worthless.
Mount Rushmore Points to Its Designer/Creator
    You are hiking in the Black Hills of South Dakota. As you round a hill, you come upon a sight that stops you in your tracks. In front of you are four giant faces carved into stone. Each head is as tall as a six-story building. The faces are a perfect likeness of four American presidents— Washington, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, and Lincoln.
    After taking photos of this magnificent find, what conclusions would you come to concerning its origin? How did these faces appear on this mountainside? What reasonable options are there to explain it?
    Perhaps they happened through chance. Over the years, wind and rock slides combined to produce these four faces. But that seems silly, doesn’t it? We know that Mount Rushmore exhibits the three signs of design: forethought, planning, and intention.
    Mount Rushmore is the brainchild of sculptor John Gutzon Borglum. Borglum wanted to create a memorial of America’s most revered presidents (intention). Borglum and his four hundred workers devised an ingenious method of removing more than eight hundred million pounds of stone created by the blasting (planning). Before the blasting could begin, designers mapped out the size and shape of each president. The presidents’ noses are twenty feet long and rest above mouths that are eighteen feet wide. Each of the presidents’ eyes is eleven feet across. The carvings are scaled to individuals who would stand 465 feet tall (forethought). After fourteen years of work, the four busts were completed, and Mount Rushmore opened to the public in 1941.
    Just as we attribute the design of Mount Rushmore to the work of John Gutzon Borglum, so we ought to attribute the design found in nature and in the human body to the handiwork of God.
J. P. Moreland & Tim Muehlhoff, The God Conversation (InterVarsity Press, 2007)
    Nothing we use on a daily basis just happened.  The home you live in, the car you drive, the clothes you wear, everything came from an idea, a designer and builder.
    Another story.
Buddhism Also Claims to Be the Only Right Path
    In his book The Intolerance of Tolerance, D. A. Carson notes that, at least in popular thought, Buddhism is much more open, flexible, and tolerant than Christianity. But Buddhism also has its hard edges of exclusionary doctrines and beliefs. For instance, when the Dalai Lama was asked whether only the Buddha can provide “the ultimate source of refuge,” he replied:
    Here, you see, it is necessary to examine what is meant by liberation or salvation. Liberation in which “a mind that understands the sphere of reality annihilates all defilements in the sphere of reality” is a state that only Buddhists can accomplish. This kind of moksha or nirvana is only explained in the Buddhist scriptures, and is achieved only through Buddhist practice.
Quoted in D. A. Carson, The Intolerance of Tolerance (Eerdmans, 2012), pp. 116-117
    Our world today emphasizes that everyone is right, as long as they are comfortable with their decisions. Truth and right are what you make it.  They mock Christianity for claiming exclusivity in Jesus.  Yet, any religion claims that they are the right way.
    Jesus did claim that He is the ONLY way to God.  He showed the power of God in many miracles.  The ultimate miracle was His resurrection. He was publicly executed.  The people knew He was dead, killed by experts.  He also showed Himself to hundreds of people to prove He came back to life. The historical documents of this are extensive.
    Why did I take this time to give two stories defending the faith?  Because, as we wrap up this series of Seven Stories, today we are going to talk about the man known as the Apostle Paul.  Paul was a powerful defender of the faith.
    Let me share a term with you so you can grasp it, if you are not yet familiar with it.  The term is Apologist.  This is not someone who apologizes for things.  This is a defender of the faith.
    Dictionary-type definitions:
a person who offers an argument in defense of something
a person who makes a defense in speech or writing of a belief, idea, etc.
one of the authors of the early Christian apologies in defense of the faith.
    Apologetics:
the branch of theology concerned with the defense or proof of Christianity.
    There are modern apologists who study and then write or speak, giving solid reasons for belief in Jesus.
    Let’s look at Paul’s life and see where God took him from and how He used him.
The salvation and calling of Saul, who later changed his name to Paul.  God called him to be an Apostle to the Gentiles.
Acts 9:1-22 NIV
1 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. 3 As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”
5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”
7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. 9 For three days he was blind, and did not eat or drink anything.
10 In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, “Ananias!” “Yes, Lord,” he answered.
11 The Lord told him, “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. 12 In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight.”
13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”
15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.”
17 Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” 18 Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, 19 and after taking some food, he regained his strength. Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus.
20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Christ.     Paul wrote this letter to the church in Philippi to help them understand what God was doing in and through him as he was in prison for preaching the gospel. Yes, he was a prisoner, but God knew what He was doing and didn’t make a mistake.
Philippians 1:12-26 NIV
12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. 13 As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. 14 Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the Lord have been encouraged to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly.
15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice,
19 for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Living Bible: For to me, living means opportunities for Christ, and dying – well, that better yet!
22 If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23 I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24 but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that through my being with you again your joy in Christ Jesus will overflow on account of me.

    Under the anointing of the Holy Spirit, Paul fearlessly proclaimed Jesus as Lord and Savior.  He didn’t compromise, but learned how to give the truth without being afraid someone may prove him wrong.

Saul to Paul – Accuser to Apologist
□    There is no person who God cannot reach if they will listen to God’s call and submit to HIM.
□    There is no limit to what God can do through you if you are willing to pay the price.
□    The power of God will overcome lies and resistance to impact lives through a submitted believer.
□    No compromise on truth, for truth stands.

    Before we talk about the life application, I have a question for you.  If you were to close out this message today, what challenge would you give?  What is the key point you think we should take home, learning from the life of Paul?
LIFE APPLICATION: The Next Step
Ready, Set, GROW!
What are the key points of this message?
How can we apply this message?

Seven Stories - Ruth, A Faithful Woman
Ready, Set, GROW!!
Stories of FAITHFULNESS
    At a church in Binford, North Dakota, an elderly woman, Mary, fainted and struck her head on the end of the pew. Immediately, an EMT in the congregation called an ambulance.
    As they strapped her to a stretcher and got ready to head out the door, Mary regained consciousness. She motioned for her daughter to come near. Everyone thought she was summoning her strength to convey what could be her final words. The daughter leaned over until her ear was at her mother’s mouth. “My offering is in my purse,” she whispered.
Fresh Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership.
Couple Married 72 Years Die Holding Hands
    In October 2011, Gordon Yeager, 94, and his wife Norma, 90, died exactly one hour apart after 72 years of marriage. They were holding hands when they died.
    The couple left their home in Marshalltown, Iowa, to run some errands in town, but they never made it. A car accident sent the couple to the emergency room with broken bones and other injuries. When they were transferred to intensive care the nurses knew not to separate them. But, even in the hospital, they were more concerned about each other.
    Their son Dennis Yeager said, “She was saying her chest hurt and what’s wrong with Dad? Even laying there like that, she was worried about Dad. And his back was hurting and he was asking about Mom.”
    When it became clear that their conditions were not improving, they moved them in beds side-by-side so they could hold hands.
    Gordon died at 3:38 P.M. holding hands with his wife as the family they built surrounded them.
    Their son Dennis said,
    “It was really strange, they were holding hands, and dad stopped breathing but I couldn’t figure out what was going on because the heart monitor was still going. But we were like, he isn’t breathing. How does he still have a heart beat? The nurse checked and said that’s because they were holding hands and it’s going through them. Her heart was beating through him and picking it up.”
    At 4:38 p.m., exactly one hour after Gordon died, Norma passed away too.
    Dennis Yeager said, “They just loved being together …. They were old-fashioned. They believed in marriage till death do you part.”
    Dennis also added, “I don’t believe there was a big secret to their marriage. Sometimes one or the other would get mad, but they worked everything out. In the end, they chose each other, and that was it. They were committed.”
sources: KCCI Des Moines, “Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands” (2-14-12); Christina NG, “Iowa Couple Married 72 Years Dies Holding Hands, an Hour Apart,” ABC News (10-19-11)
    Beautiful stories of faithfulness.
    As we continue with Seven Stories, today we look at one of the two books named after a woman - Ruth. The other book is Esther.  Since this is not the most well-known book in the Bible, let’s do some foundational study to start.
Background (comments edited from Fire Bible)
    Historically, the book of Ruth describes events in the life of an Israelite family during the time of the judges.  Last week we looked at Gideon from Judges.
    Geographically, the setting for the first 18 verses is the land of Moab (east of the Dead Sea). The rest of the events took place in or near Bethlehem.
    The book traces Ruth’s descendants up to King David.  It most likely was written during the time when David was king.
Purpose
    Ruth was written to describe how a young Moabite woman who showed deep loyalty and love became the great-grandmother of Israel’s King David.  It tells about a godly family whose faithfulness served as a supreme example during the time of great spiritual and moral decline.  We saw the impact of that spiritual decline last week with how God used Gideon.
    The story of redeeming, saving love opened during a famine that caused Elimelech to leave Judah and move his family to Moab. Things got worse when Elimelech died.  Later his two sons died in Moab. This left Naomi, the mother and the two daughters-in-law as widows.  All three were in a very difficult position in that culture at that time.
Let’s get an overview of the whole story.
Ruth 1:1-9 NLT
1 In the days when the judges ruled in Israel, a severe famine came upon the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah left his home and went to live in the country of Moab, taking his wife and two sons with him. 2 The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife was Naomi. Their two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem in the land of Judah. And when they reached Moab, they settled there.
3 Then Elimelech died, and Naomi was left with her two sons. 4 The two sons married Moabite women. One married a woman named Orpah, and the other a woman named Ruth. But about ten years later, 5 both Mahlon and Kilion died. This left Naomi alone, without her two sons or her husband.
6 Then Naomi heard in Moab that the LORD had blessed his people in Judah by giving them good crops again. So Naomi and her daughters-in-law got ready to leave Moab to return to her homeland. 7 With her two daughters-in-law she set out from the place where she had been living, and they took the road that would lead them back to Judah. 8 But on the way, Naomi said to her two daughters-in-law, “Go back to your mothers’ homes. And may the LORD reward you for your kindness to your husbands and to me. 9 May the LORD bless you with the security of another marriage.” Then she kissed them good-bye, and they all broke down and wept.
    Orpha listened to Naomi and returned home.  Ruth insisted on going on with Naomi.  They returned to Bethlehem.  The people were excited to see Naomi return.  But she was sad for the great loss of her husband and sons.
    They arrived in Bethlehem in late spring, at the beginning of the barley harvest.  Survival was going to be a real issue for them.  God had given as part of His law that needy people could glean crops from fields after the harvesters had gone through them.  Naomi sent Ruth out and she went to the field of Boaz, a wealthy and influential relative.  She sent there to gather grain.
    Boaz saw her there and asked who she was.  He found out she was Naomi’s daughter-in-law.  Boaz told her to gather all the grain she wanted from his field.  She could work with the harvesters.  He warned the people to treat her kindly.  He told her to feel free to drink from the water they supplied to the workers.  He said she should join the workers for meals, and she could bring some leftovers home.
    Ruth was extremely grateful for his kindness and expressed to Boaz.  When she got home she showed Naomi the bountiful harvest she got and told her the whole story.
    Ruth worked with them through the barley harvest, and then joined them for the wheat harvest.
    As we go on, I need to help you understand an important term.
    Kinsman Redeemer: It comes from the law of Moses, Leviticus 25.  It speaks of a person whose right it is, because of being the nearest relative, to redeem or buy back a forfeited inheritance.  It was his right to purchase or acquire a relative’s property to keep it in the family.  He could redeem it from whoever had bought it.  This is the picture of Boaz, who was one of the nearest relations to Elimelech.  He married Ruth, an heiress of Elimelech, and reentered into the possession of her estate.
    The prophetic picture is that Jesus is our kinsman redeemer, we have been purchased, redeemed, through the Blood of Jesus.     Naomi gave Ruth instructions as to how to approach Boaz as her kinsman redeemer.  She followed her instructions exactly.  This was important for Boaz knew the customs and the law.  He recognized what was happening.
    Boaz told Ruth he would do what was right.  There was another person who was a closer relative.  He had to talk with him first to see if he wanted to marry Ruth and redeem the inheritance.  It turned out he didn’t want to do that.
    Boaz and Ruth were married.  They had a son and named him Obed.  Obed was the grandfather of King David.  Jesus was born from the line of King David.
    Ruth’s faithfulness was rewarded in ways far beyond anything she could ever imagine.
Mysterious Congo Missionary Deaths - an example of faithful.
    The daughter of missionaries to the Congo Republic told Pastor Leith Anderson this story: As a little girl, she participated in a daylong rally to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the coming of missionaries to that part of Africa. At the close of a long day of speeches and music, an old, old man stood before the crowd and insisted on speaking. He soon would die, he said, and if he didn’t speak, information that he alone possessed would go with him to his grave.
    He said that when the missionaries arrived, his people thought them strange and their message dubious. The tribal leaders decided to test the missionaries by slowly poisoning them to death. Over a period of months and years, missionary children died one by one. Then, the old man said, “It was as we watched how they died that we decided we wanted to live as Christians.”
    Those who died painful, strange deaths never knew why they were dying or what the impact of their lives and deaths would be. But through it all, they didn’t leave. They stayed because they trusted Jesus Christ.
Leith Anderson, “Mystery Martyrs,” Men of Integrity, (January/February 2004)
    We never know what God can accomplish through our faithfulness.
    The book of Ruth begins with great sorrow.  It ends with great joy and fulfillment — for Naomi, Ruth, Boaz and all of Israel.
    I want to quickly point out three applications of this book, although there are several more we could talk about.
Ruth 1:16 NLT
But Ruth replied, “Don’t ask me to leave you and turn back. Wherever you go, I will go; wherever you live, I will live. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
    Where you go, I will Go.  She was faithful to serve whatever the cost and inconvenience.
    Your God will be my God.  Ruth turned from the gods of her childhood to serve the Creator God.  Faithfulness to God is vital.
14 At mealtime Boaz called to her, “Come over here, and help yourself to some food. You can dip your bread in the sour wine.” So she sat with his harvesters, and Boaz gave her some roasted grain to eat. She ate all she wanted and still had some left over.
15 When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, “Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her.
16 And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don’t give her a hard time!”
    Here we see God’s provision.  I love the thought that he told them to leave extra for Ruth to pick up, do it on purpose.  Handfuls on purpose.  God has no problem providing for His people.  Ruth was rewarded for her faithfulness and service.
Ruth 4:14 NLT
Then the women of the town said to Naomi, “Praise the LORD, who has now provided a redeemer for your family! May this child be famous in Israel.     Some background.  At one time Naomi thought God had forsaken her.  Ruth 1:21 NLT
I went away full, but the LORD has brought me home empty. Why call me Naomi when the LORD has caused me to suffer and the Almighty has sent such tragedy upon me?
    Times of difficulty are God’s opportunity for advancing his purposes.  Naomi thought God had abandoned her, but that was not true.
    God does not abandon His children.  He is always there for us, no matter what the situation looks like.

    God honors faithfulness.  This is one of the most important characteristics we must develop as believers.  Out of faithfulness will grow God’s presence and power.  We prove faithfulness and grow in our relationship with Jesus.  Then, there is no limit to what God can do through YOU.

Blog On

Blog On

January was a fun month for blogging. Going through the Book of Acts gave me something to write about every day. It was often a challenge to get it done. There were often several things calling for my attention. It was fun to read the chapters of Acts, to read commentaries from various sources and figure out what I would write for the day. At the end of the month I found another source of commentary and I almost wanted to start all over again. Almost.

Now, we are in a new month. I trust that you are continuing to read your Bible. Keep reading till you know everything there is to know about the Bible. I hope you are still thinking about what it says and using the questions we used. They are:
1. What can we learn from the church in Acts?
2. What should be normative for the church?
3. How can we apply what we see in Acts?

As you read from any book of the Bible, you can adapt these questions and use them to think about and apply the Bible to your life. Think about what you read.

The title of this writing today is Blog On. Or, we can say, keep on keeping on. Never give up. Just as we are not to give up reading the Bible because the emphasis for January is past, we are to not give up doing all we can in our service to the Lord. Press on.

Keep the calling of God in your heart. Keep the eternal reward in your focus. Keep moving forward. Keep your eyes on the Lord, not the circumstances around you. Keep on.