The Year Of Change

Tomorrow is a new year and it is a time when many will be reflecting on what they accomplished or didn't accomplish this past year.  One thing is for certain, if we could do it all over we probably would do it a little bit differently.  But the past is the past.  We can't change it.  Like Paul said to the Philippians "This one thing I do, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on..." (Philippians 3:13-14a).  So the question is; What is it that you need to forget from the past and what new challenges do you anticipate for the new year? What I want to do with this post is to challenge each of you to examine your life and see what changes need to be made in your life in order for you to be and accomplish what God has so ordained for you in this new year.

1.  You Can Change

One reason people don't change is because they are afraid they can't change.  But if you want things to be different in 2014, then you have to make some changes and you have to know that you can change.  Change isn't always easy, but it is possible.  If you want to change, then you have to begin with changing your thinking (Romans 12:2).  Your thinking needs to align with the Word of God.  As you submit your life to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, He will help you to make the necessary changes.  These changes begin on the inside and move to the outside.  Remember, it is not your responsibility to change others.  Focus on you changing you and allow God to deal with others.

2.  You Must Have A Desire To Change

Change will always begin with a desire to change.  This is whether it is a good change or a bad change.  Not even God can help you until you desire to change.  If you are unhappy with your life and the results you are getting, then you probably need to make some changes in your life.

3.  Don't Resist Godly Change

God wants you to go from one level of glory to the next and change will make that possible (2 Corinthians 3:18).  When God changes you, you will begin to reflect His image in your life.  It is important that you have a personal relationship with God so He can affect the change.

4.  Why People Won't Change

There are basically three reasons why people wont change:

• Fear that they can't change.  If you are fearful, then change won't happen, because you won't initiate the process.  You have to know you have the ability with God's help to make changes in your life (2 Timothy 1:7).
• They see change as an admission of weakness.  People don't want to admit their weaknesses, so they deceive themselves into thinking they don't need to change.  It takes a strong person to look at themselves and admit they need to change.
• Too lazy to change.  Proverbs 26:13 tells us a lazy man will make excuses.  Change requires effort and lazy people won't make the effort.  Don't live a life of mediocrity because you are too lazy to change.

5.  You Have The Power To Change

Too often, we are like Moses and we make excuses as to why we can't do something even though God is telling us we can.  We have feelings of inadequacy or perhaps we think we are unqualified and too weak or it could be a case of low self-esteem.  It's time to eliminate our excuses and make a decision to change with God's help.

6.  What Brings Change

There are four actions necessary in order to change to take effect:

• Changing your thinking -- begin with changing how you think about yourself, your circumstances and the power of your God.  The 2013 "Verse of the Year" is Philippians 4:13.  This verse was shared, highlighted and bookmarked in the YouVersion Bible app more than any other verse and it states "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
• Changing your commitment -- Resolve in your spirit that 2014 will be different.  Make the commitment today to do what is necessary to see positive results in 12 months.
• Changing your priorities -- From time to time we must evaluate our priorities and make the necessary changes to put the important values first.
• Changing where you are spiritually -- This change begins with seeking a deeper and richer relationship with Jesus Christ.  Don't seek the "spiritual" seek the One who gives the Spirit! When you do that, the spiritual will naturally follow.

You are not stuck where you are, you have been given the power to change and this change begins with a desire to change.  It is a process, not a one time event.  Begin to implement change on a daily basis in order to see results.  The Holy Spirit will help you change, but you must do your part.

What changes will you make in 2014?

-- Pastor Temple

Peace

One of the most comforting passages in scripture is John 14:27 -- "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."  We may never have a "world" peace until Jesus comes, but one thing we can have is peace in our hearts regardless of what's happening in the world.  God's desire is for His peace to live and rule in your heart.  And until you have peace with God you will never experience the peace of God. Jesus, who is the "Prince of Peace," is the only true source of peace in a tumultuous world.  I want to share with you six facts about peace during this season of Christmas.

1.  Peace Is A Gift From God

Peace has nothing to do with church, denomination, or religion.  It is completely dependent upon a

person having a relationship with Christ, the "Prince of Peace."  Jesus made every provision for us to have peace and it is our decision as to whether or not we want to walk in it.  Peace with God means you and the Lord are in harmony with each other and it is the foundation of all peace in your life.  This peace with God comes only through a full surrender of your life to Him.

2.  Why We Don't Have The Peace Of God

Giving attention to a matter is very different than being "consumed" with anxiety.  Anxiety is a tormenting kind of worry that focuses on the circumstances and not on God.  Anxiety is an apprehension about future things and a fear of losing control.  All of us have to give attention to certain things in our life, but you know you have moved from just normal attention to a matter to an ever consuming anxiety when you find yourself hurried to make an unwise decision.  Others signs are when you are constantly agitated and perturbed about something or especially when you are, more concerned about the problem than you are the problem solver.

3.  How To Protect Your Peace

The best way to protect your peace is to protect your relationship with God.  Your relationship with God should be the most precious relationship you have.  You protect your relationship with God by keeping your priorities right.  God must always be first.  You also need to have a strong prayer life. Praying about your circumstances will cause you to be God centered and not circumstance centered.

4.  Where We Find True Peace

Most people look for peace through acquiring more and more possessions.  They look for it in positions or earthly physical relationships.  Unfortunately those things often lead to unhappiness and frustration.  Man's conflict is due to a broken relationship with the Heavenly Father.  When we have harmony with God it leads to a calmness and peace like no other. When you trust the Lord Jesus as your Savior, He unites you with the Father and it marks the beginning of your ability to experience true and lasting peace.

5.  Why We Fall Short Of Peace

One of the main reasons we fall short of God's peace for our lives, is that we try to control our circumstances or try to run away from our problems.  We can't trust in the peace that the world gives because it is based on our limited human mind and resources.  There isn't enough money, talent, or influence for us to make all of our situations come out fine.  We fall short because we aren't fully relying on the heavenly Father who has more resources, power, and insight than we do.

6.  Peace Is The Answer

The answer to our lack of peace is to give all our concerns over to the only One who can handle them.  That One person is the God of all the universe.  He is the reason we can be still and confident, when everything around us is falling apart.  "My peace I give you..." is the promise of God!

When was the last time you experienced absolute peace in your heart?  When you have Christ you have all the potential for peace you will ever need.  Are you willing to make whatever changes are necessary in order to gain and maintain an inner peace?

-- Pastor Temple

Why Christmas? (Guest Post)

This is a guest post by a young man who is a senior at Life Christian Academy.  His name is Danny and this is a paper he submitted for an English assignment about why Christmas. Let Danny know what you think by leaving a comment.

Why Christmas?

Christmas is one of the most important events to happen to human history second only to a biblical view of creation.  The birth of Christ is celebrated annually on Christmas day.  However, Christmas is much more than that.  In fact, the birth of Christ is so significant that our calendar dates are set around the time of his birth and is controversial enough to have court decision altered.

There is a very real need for Christ’s birth.  If one reads through Romans 1:16-32, one can see that humanity is in a desperate state.  Romans chapter one verse thirty-two speaks about how even though humans know what they do is wrong they not only continue to do these things, but also approve of them.  Humanity was in a desperate need of a Savior.

The birth of Christ has influenced millions of people throughout history.  Almost everyone in the world has heard of his birth, and the Bible is the number one selling book in the world.  John 1:14 talks about how the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  Before Jesus was ever born it was said that a redeemer would come to save the people.  His birth fulfilled hundreds of other prophesies that have been well documented throughout history.

Christmas has impacted the lives of people in a much bigger way than it appears.  The significance in Jesus’ birth and sinless life is that the people have a Savior.  The fact that the people have a Savior changes things entirely because they can now be followers of Christ.  By accepting Christ, they can spend eternity with him in heaven.  Without Christ, humanity is in a desperate state.  I found this out in my own life.  I saw that without God I was in a constantly empty state in which I would sin in order to try to fulfill some void in my life.  No matter what I did I could not fill the void.  One day I finally realized that I was missing God.

I do not believe that one can explain the birth of Christ properly by arguing about whether Christmas shouldn't be abbreviated “x-mas” or whether one would say “Happy Holidays” or “Merry Christmas.”  I do believe however that if others were to see true believers celebrating Christmas as it should be celebrated they would want to know out of curiosity why believers do not have to buy tons of presents to be happy.  A non-believer may constantly try to fill a void, just as I did.  One could argue that the void they feel is even bigger during the holidays.  By telling people about the reason behind Christmas, and by showing them the results in one’s actions, I believe the message could be spread more effectively around the world.

-- Danny L.

Understanding Redemption (Part 4)

This will be the final post on Understanding Redemption and in it I want to share with you the significance of what Jesus accomplished when He died and "led captivity captive" and how that we can now come "boldly before the throne of grace."

1.  Jesus, The Second Adam

The seed of the woman (Jesus) that came into the world was the "second Adam."  What the first Adam lost, the second Adam (Jesus) restored!  In 1 Corinthians 15:45 we see that "the first Adam was made a living soul; and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit." When Jesus came he came with no spiritual death since his conception was of the Holy Spirit and not of man. Scripture tells us "God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21).  As the second Adam Jesus:

• Redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13)
• Delivered us from "spiritual death."
• Became sin, sickness, and a curse for us.
• Became the "firstborn from the dead." (Colossians 1:18)

2.  Man Can Now Approach God

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil of the temple was rent (torn) in two.  This means no longer is there a veil that separates man from God and man can now approach God with confidence and boldness (Hebrews 4:16).  No longer is an earthly high priest needed for us to come before God.  Jesus became our High Priest and took His blood into the Holy of Holies and there attained eternal redemption for us and thereby allowing access to God.

3.  Where Jesus Went When He Died

In Matthew 12:40 Jesus said "For as Jonas was three days and nights, in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."  When Jesus died, he went to hell (Paradise) to rescue the righteous souls and take them to heaven.  It's important to note that during that time his body didn't see corruption, but was raised from the dead.  God loosed Christ from the bonds of death, which had no more claim on Him when He paid the debt for man and conquered death (Acts 2:24).

4.  What Jesus Did While In The Lower Parts Of The Earth

"For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."  (1 Peter 3:18:20).  Jesus went to the lower parts of the earth and it was there he preached doom to those in hell and took the keys of death and hell.

5.  Jesus Led Captivity Captive

"Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?  He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)" (Ephesians 4:8-10).  When a person dies now they don't go to paradise they go directly to heaven.  The Bible says "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."  Jesus actually took our place and died and suffered for us that we might be redeemed from spiritual death.  Jesus won back our authority over the devil that Adam gave up that we might have life and have it more abundantly.

Praise God that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have been redeemed from sin, sickness, poverty, and the curse of the law.  And have been given authority to tread on the devil and his demons.  Redemption is ours and can be yours!

-- Pastor Temple

Understanding Redemption (Part 3)

Part of God's plan of redemption for humanity includes God giving His redeemed a new spirit and making them a "new creation" on the inside.  What Adam lost Christ regained for us.  Religion can't change you neither can just forgiving your sins change you.  Humanity must be "born again" in their spirit.  We don't try to be a Christian, either we are or we aren't.  As a Christian we have the life of Christ within us and are born into God's family.  I want to share with you four aspects of redemption that are necessary for you to understand.

1.  When We Had Spiritual Death The Devil Was Our Father

The Pharisees had rejected Jesus as the Messiah.  When Jesus addressed them in John 8:44 he told them that because they refused to accept him as One who had come from God that they were of their "father the devil and the lusts of their father they will do."  Anyone who rejects Christ naturally has the spirit of disobedience working in them (Ephesians 2:1-3) and will naturally follow the spirit of their father the devil who is the prince and god of this world (John 14:30; 2 Corinthians 4:4).  When the devil is your father you don't care about spiritual things and you will follow the ways of the world.  But when you give your heart and life to Jesus, the life and spirit of God comes into you and changes everything.

2.  Jesus Conquered The Devil

Scripture tells us that God has given Jesus a name that is above every name and that at his name

every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that he is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).  There is no place in heaven, earth, or hell that any person or being does not recognize who Jesus is and that He is Lord. When we confess that Jesus is our Lord and Savior, we become new creatures.  Salvation is simply the process of a person changing their God from the god of this world, to the God of heaven.  And as a result they pass from death to life and they never have to go back to the old life of sin.  They have been delivered out of darkness into the glorious light of God and are now destined to conformed to His image.  Part of God's plan of redemption is for us to be just like His son Jesus.

3.  The Same Power That Raised Jesus From The Dead Dwells In Us

When you are born again the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power that raises us up from spiritual death and makes us new creatures in Jesus Christ.  If you are born again, you should see yourself as one that has spiritual life.  You are different from the world, because you have been born again. Living a moral life is not enough to get you to heaven.  You are not saved because you are a good person.  All of your righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God.  But when you are born again, you have the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.

4.  What God Thinks Of You

As a new creation God views you as "justified" and declared "righteous." (Romans 5:1; 1 Corinthians 1:30).  Not only are you righteous, but you are free from Satan's dominion and power. When you are born again the devil has no spiritual or legal right to any part of your life.  As Christians we are no more of this world than Jesus was when He walked the earth.  We are in this world, but we are not a part of this world.  As a new creature you have all authority over all the power of the devil.  God sees you as more than a conqueror and you should begin to see yourself as God sees you!

Be thankful that God has redeemed you and given you a new life and a new spirit!  No longer tied to the spirit of darkness and death, but now a part of the spirit of light and life!

-- Pastor Temple

Understanding Redemption (Part 2)

It has always been God's plan to redeem humankind from the fall and from the loss of man's lordship over this world.  When Adam and Eve sinned Satan become their god and spiritual death came into them and they died spiritually.  As a result of this, Satan took the lordship of this world from Adam, because when Adam sinned he relinquished his authority over the earth.  Yet at that time God promised the human race that the lordship would be taken back from Satan and given back to man.  This is all part of the "redemptive" process God has for us through the Savior Jesus Christ.

Four Truths In Genesis 3:15

1.  There will be enmity or "hatred" between Satan and womanhood throughout life.  To recognize this, all you have to do is study history to find out that the most subjected human being that has ever lived on the face of the earth in the heathen nations has been the woman. There has been a Satanic involvement to belittle and to push down women.

2.  God told the serpent that He would put enmity between thy seed (which is Satan) and her seed (which is Christ).  Notice that there has always been enmity between God's people and the world.

3.  God also told Satan that he had become the lord of this world.  But that the seed of the woman shall bruise his head, which is a term that means, shall take the lordship away from Satan.

4.  He (Satan) shall only bruise the heel of the woman's seed which would indicate something less than a fatal blow.

The Seed Of The Woman Shall Bruise The Head Of Satan

When we read the account of man's fall in Genesis we see that man handed over this world to

Satan and it would seem all hope was lost.  But God had a plan.  God would send another man from the seed of the woman and this man will take back the lordship that Adam had relinquished. Satan had no idea as to who this man would be. All he knew was that it would be from the seed of the woman and that this man was going to bruise his head.

Was Cain or Abel to be that seed?  Satan in his limited knowledge said maybe Abel is the one that is going to crush my head and as a result he drove Cain to kill Abel thinking perhaps Abel was that seed.

Was Seth the seed?  After the death of Abel, God gave Adam and Eve another son, Seth.  His name means "substitute."  Eve said God has appointed me another seed instead of Abel.  Through this birth, God was bringing forth a lineage in which He is going to bring forth Jesus.

Was Noah to be that seed?  In Genesis 6 we see that only Noah and his family are left after the flood and God used Noah and his seed as the next step to bring forth Jesus.

Was Abraham to be that seed?  After the flood God sets aside a nation and calls Abraham to be the father of that nation.  Satan now knows a little bit more.  Satan now knows that this is the nation that is to bring forth the seed that will defeat him.  Psalm 89:3-4 "I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant.  Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up the throne to all generations."

Was David to be that seed?  God is narrowing it down to a nation, to a family, then to the house of David.  That is why Satan fought David so much.  He hated David because he knew his family was the one in which the seed was going to come.

The seed would come from a virgin.  God finally narrows it down and marks off not a nation not a family, but an individual.  Isaiah 7:14 "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel."

Jesus is that seed!  Imagine what Satan was thinking when the birth of Jesus came to pass.  He had waited all those centuries wondering when it was going to happen.  Satan now knows who the person is and that is why every attempt was made on the life of Jesus and if it had not been for God's intervening and angelic protection, the Christ child would have been killed in infancy.

In Matthew 3 when Jesus was baptized, God Himself witnessed to the fact that Jesus was His son, when a voice from heaven announced "this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased."  It was at this moment that Satan knew for sure that Jesus was the one to take back authority and rule. That's why Satan came against Jesus in Matthew 4 with numerous temptations.

Towards the end of Jesus' earthly ministry, the opportunity came for the devil to enter into Judas and he sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Jesus was then crucified on the cross and laid in the tomb.  It was at this point that no doubt Satan thought he had won and had conquered the seed that was to bruise his head.

But Satan hadn't won.  Through the power of the Holy Spirit Jesus rose from the grave and made a show of the devil openly (Colossians 2:15).   Now Jesus takes from Satan the keys, that is the authority of death and hell, and goes over to paradise and opens it and leads those that had been kept captive in paradise to heaven.  In doing this, Jesus took the lordship away from Satan and delivered it back to us.  No longer do we have to live in spiritual death, but Jesus has won it all back for us that we can have life and have it more abundantly.

Jesus has a name that is above every name; and things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth will all have to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  All this has been part of God's redemptive plan for humanity.

God has a redemptive plan for you!  All you need to do is accept it!

-- Pastor Temple

Understanding Redemption (Part 1)

To fully understand redemption it is necessary to begin at the place where spiritual and physical death began and that is in the garden of Eden.  In Genesis, Adam was given specific instructions concerning which trees he could eat the fruit of and which one he couldn't (Genesis 2:15-17). Although Eve was deceived in the transgression, Adam was the real transgressor because God had spoken directly to Adam concerning which trees they could and couldn't eat from.  Had Adam not disobeyed God and eaten of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, he never would have experienced death (spiritual or physical).  When God made Adam and Eve He breathed into them life and when they sinned they passed from life to death and then Satan became their father and lord. So because of his disobedience, sin and death became his fate as well as the fate of the entire human race (Romans 5:12) and therefore God's redemptive plan was put into effect to save humanity.  When Adam sinned the spirit side of Adam died immediately although he lived on physically for 930 more years. I want to share with you what spiritual death will do and how God brought about redemption.

What Spiritual Death Will Do

Once Adam and Eve disobeyed God, fear came upon them and they hid themselves from God (Genesis 3:7-10). This was the first sign of their spiritual death.   A person who is spiritually dead will naturally hide from God.  They will not desire spiritual things nor will they desire to be with God's spiritual people of light because they are in darkness.  If a man says that he is a Christian yet walks in the darkness and loves not God the Bible tells us that man is a liar and the truth is not in him (1 John 1:6).  After Adam sinned he no longer was in fellowship with God and he wanted to hide from God. God's plan from the sin of Adam and Eve was not to just forgive man, but  to work out a way to where the spirit of man could be made alive again!

How God Brought Redemption

To bring redemption, God's plan was to bring a human being into the world; One that was divine and human yet had no spiritual death in him.  This was accomplished through the miraculous power of God through the seed of a woman.

John the Baptist recognized who Jesus was when he declared "Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world."  Jesus knew who He was because when he was baptized the Father declared "this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Jesus was the first human to walk the face of the earth since Adam and Eve who had no spiritual death in his spirit.

If you are saved you have no spiritual death in your spirit either.  You are a new creature and you are to rule and reign in this life by Jesus Christ.  You are to walk as Jesus walked, with authority, power, and dominion.  This is part of the redemption process God has brought to humankind.  It is in Jesus that we live, and have life!

If you haven't been "born again" and entered into spiritual life with Christ then your spirit man is dead.  Yet when you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior you are not only forgiven but you receive what Adam lost, your spirit is made alive with eternal life.  My associate Keith Fife wrote a post you might want to check out called "Changing Clothes."  It talks about putting off the old and putting on the new Christ life.

What about you?  Are you ready to enter into the spiritual life of Christ?  It will change your future forever!  Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

-- Pastor Temple

Why Discouragement (Part 3)

This is the final post on "Why Discouragement."  In my first post I explained the difference between disappointment and discouragement.  In Part 2 I covered what discouragement is and listed fifteen causes of discouragement (the list could be endless).  In this post I want to identify some of the consequences of discouragement and how to avoid it.

Consequences of Discouragement

There is no reason you and I have to live a life of discouragement.  God has made it possible for us to live free of discouragement.  There are times I'm sure you might not think so, but nothing is impossible with God (this is a link to Bethel's Praise and Worship Band singing "Healer" and it's a free download if you like).   Even though God desires for us to live free of discouragement there are still many people who are discouraged.  And because of that we have to understand that there will be negative consequences when we live a discouraged life.  I want to list nine consequences followed by four strategies that will help you avoid discouragement.

1. Unhappiness.  This is the opposite of where God wants you.  God's people should be the happiest people in the world, but because of discouragement we often are not.  You need to make a choice to be happy.  Living in unhappiness will never bring happiness!
2. You look for someone else to blame for your discouragement. The blame game can be a very popular yet unhealthy game among people, especially couples.  It's time we stop blaming others for our situation. 
3. You become angry at your circumstances. Sometimes we get upset with the circumstances we ourselves have created! Be careful not to create circumstances you will have to live with.
4. You become estranged from people.  Discouragement will cause you to become a loner to the point where you disassociate yourself from everyone.  
5. You have a poor self-image and your self-esteem gets lower and lower. A lot of people have low self-esteem.  The only remedy for that is to begin to see yourself as God sees you.
6. You begin to make unwise decisions.  Discouragement will take you to the place that you can't make any good clear decision and as a result you begin to get into a bigger mess than you were already in.
7. You become self-centered.  Usually discouragement will cause people to think more about themselves rather than other people.
8. You have a critical attitude.  You begin to be critical of your spouse, your children, your job, your church, etc.  
9. You begin to drift spiritually.  This is one of the most devastating consequences of discouragement.  You will begin to drift and not attend church.  You stop reading your Bible, and fellowshiping with others.  Be careful of this else you will remain in your discouragement.

How To Avoid Discouragement

Here are four strategies you can employ to ensure you avoid discouragement.

1. Have a growing relationship with the Lord.  Being close to God will make all the difference in the world.  When your trust and faith is in Him first, all the things you need will be there.
2. Stay in the Word.  The Word is food for our soul.  You should be reading your Bible every day. Not just read it, but study it.  Allow God's Word to speak to your spirit.  God's Word isn't just another book.  It is unique in that it is a "spiritual" book and should be understood with the mind of the Spirit.  It is alive and life changing.  Allow God's Word to change your life.
3. Stay prayed up.  Prayer is two way communication.  Once you have prayed, then it's important for you to listen and allow God to speak to you and reveal to you what He wants for you.
4. Stay in church.  Fellowship with other believers is vital for you to stay encouraged.  When we don't have the communion with our fellow believers it will lead us to discouragement.

God really desires for you to live discouragement free.  Allow Him to rule and direct your life today and you will find the strength to live an encouraged life!

-- Pastor Temple

Why Discouragement (Part 2)

This will be a relatively short post but nonetheless a very important one.  I think it is vital that people understand what causes their discouragement.  There is no way I could list every situation you  may encounter that could bring discouragement over your lifetime.  But I think there are some common causes that we all should be aware of and I want to list fifteen of them here.

Some Causes Of Discouragement

1. Unresolved disappointment.  If you have had disappointment in your life, which we all have, then it is critical to your mental and emotional health and well being that you come to a resolution regarding the disappointment.
2. Constant criticism.  Too many people have come under the onslaught of constant negative
   
   criticism.  They may have been raised in a dysfunctional family where they never received any type of positive reinforcement.  If that's the case, then this constant criticism can be a cause for discouragement later in their life.
3. Unanswered prayer.  All of us have had unanswered prayers.  We can be confident that God will answer the prayers of our needs, but too often we pray for things we want and not for things we need.  Don't allow and unanswered prayer to discourage you in your life.
4. Feel like you can't please God.  There are many people who are Christians and for whatever reason they feel like they can't please God. But you need to know that God loves you and accepts you no matter what your feelings!  
5. Habits or addictions you can't conquer.  Here is what you need to know about this, "God is bigger than your addiction."  God wants you to get beyond that and He stands ready to deliver you!
6. You live with someone you can't please.  Unfortunately there are a lot of couples who live together but they are not "one" together in the spirit.  When your mate makes constant demands and you can never live up to them, that will definitely discourage you.  If that's the case you need to seek some help through counseling to resolve this issue.
7. Verbal and physical abuse.  Verbal abuse can be just as devastating as physical abuse.  The constant putting down of others will bring about discouragement in their life.
8. You are considered a failure.  Many people grow up feeling like they are a failure.  This low self esteem will lead people to think they can never be a success.  God doesn't see you as a failure and you should learn to look at yourself the way God does.
9. Financial pressures because of bad decisions.  I'm not talking about financial problems because of layoff or sickness, I'm talking about financial pressures because of spending money carelessly.  Often we buy something we know we shouldn't then have "buyers remorse" and get discouraged because we have put a strain on our finances.
10. Lack of opportunity at work.  Sometimes we have to make our own opportunity and a lot of that depends on our work ethic.  If you want to succeed at work, be sure to develop a good work ethic and opportunities will come.
11. You do not feel like anybody loves you.  Everyone has felt this way at sometime or other. Whether or not anyone else loves you, you must remember, that God loves you!  To feel love, you must give love.
12. A bad health problem.  Sickness is a major cause of discouragement.  When the doctors give you a bad report, it is easy to get discouraged.  But it is important that you remain positive and believe that God has a better report.  Put the situation in God's hands and allow him to bring about the resolution.
13. News that you don't have long to live.  This is definitely a cause of discouragement.  But even in the face of this type of news, you can be encouraged because God has a bigger plan for your life.  Paul said for me to "live is Christ, and to die is gain."
14. A negative work situation.  Since so much of your time is spent with your career, it is easy to become discouraged when your work environment is negative.
15. Unrealistic expectations of oneself.  There are often things we require of ourselves that realistically we can't do.  So be realistic with what you can do.

Next time I will cover the consequences of discouragement and how to avoid discouragement.

Leave a comment and let me know if there are any other cause of discouragement that you have experienced in your life.

-- Pastor Temple

Why Discouragement (Part 1)

With everything that is going on in our world, the odds of you being discouraged are pretty high. Between the things that are beyond our control like the economy, politics, healthcare, terrorism, world problems, etc. and the ones that are a little closer to home like family issues, sickness, bills, etc. there is a good chance you will find yourself on the receiving end of some "discouraging" news. We often associate discouragement with disappointment, but disappointment and discouragement are not the same thing.  Disappointment is an emotional response to a failed expectation whereas discouragement is becoming fainthearted to the point of wanting to give up and quit. Discouragement develops when we allow disappointments to continue "unresolved."  In this post I want to share with you how disappointment and discouragement differ and in the following post what are the causes and how to avoid discouragement.

Disappointment

There are two characteristics that are always a part of disappointment.  The first is, disappointments are "inevitable."  As you live your life, you will encounter disappointments.  I don't care if it's the disappointment of not getting a raise, or being disappointed because you didn't make an "A" on your test.  Life is full of disappointments because they are inevitable.  The second characteristic of disappointments is that they are "unpredictable." You never know when a disappointment will occur. Everything could be going just great in your life and then you find out your son got a speeding ticket on his way to school. Disappointments are inevitable and unpredictable and can lead to discouragement when left "unresolved."

Discouragement

There are five characteristics that help distinguish between disappointment and discouragement.

• Discouragement is a "choice."  You make the choice whether or not you will embrace discouragement.  Don't live in self pity, but rather live in the life of fulfillment that God has given you.
• Discouragement is "reoccurring."  You have to know that there will always be events that will threaten you with discouragement.  That is just the nature of life in this world.  Jesus said: "...In this world you will have tribulation.  But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)  
• Discouragement is "contagious."  Not only do you have to be careful what you say because you can spread discouragement to others, you have to be careful what you listen to because others can spread discouragement to you!
• Discouragement is very "destructive."  Discouragement can put you into a deep depression. It will cloud your thinking and your ability to make clear decisions.  
• Discouragement is "conquerable."  It's conquerable if you want to.  If you don't have a desire to overcome and conquer discouragement you will remain in your self pity and depression.  But praise God, there is hope when we put our trust and dependence in the Lord!  (More on this in my next post.)

Next week I will cover the causes of discouragement, the consequences of discouragement and how to avoid it.  Until then, you can begin today on the road to victory over discouragement by recognizing the difference between disappointment and discouragement and ask God to help you overcome.

-- Pastor Temple

Facing Your Anxiety

No matter how hard we may try to avoid worry and anxiety it's just not possible to always be worry free!  But there is a difference between anxiety over an upcoming final exam or business presentation and living a life that is fraught with constant worry and fretting over everything.  The Lord doesn't want us to live in a constant state of dread due to life's uncertainties.  It is important for us to know what anxiety is, what we should do with it and why we can't let it control us.  In this post I want to address these issues as well as show you the correct manner in which to deal with anxiety and worry.

1.  What Is Anxiety?

The word anxiety means "to be distracted or pulled apart."  By definition it is the opposite of peace, which means "to be bound together."  Anxiety can also be defined as "dread, apprehension, and uncertainty" and can be caused by past, present, or future events.  Sometimes, anxiety can be caused by a fear of not being in control or of feeling vulnerable.

2.  What Are The Sources Of Anxiety?

It is important to note that God is not the source of anxiety or worry.  These two emotions do not fit our identity as followers of Christ.  Instead, God is the "cure" for anxiety.  Jesus told His disciples that they need not worry about what they were going to eat or drink or wear.  He said if the Father takes care of the birds in air, that how much more would He take care of His children. It's important to understand that there are three sources for our anxieties.

• Legitimate Causes:  There are times that we will be anxious about something that is legitimate.  For example, if you are making a big presentation to your boss it is natural that you would be a little nervous maybe even somewhat anxious.  But it is only temporary and shouldn't be something that totally paralyzes you.
• Inappropriate Reasons:  Some reasons for anxiety that aren't legitimate and we would call
  
  inappropriate are things like not getting what you want.  For instance suppose you desire to have a relationship with someone, but you know it isn't right because they are married or they are in another state and there is no way you can be together.  Worrying over things that you can't control is inappropriate.
• Unacknowledged Issues:  When we don't take the time and energy to deal with the cause of our anxiety, it takes up long-term residence within us, causing all sorts of emotional and even physical problems.  God doesn't want His children to live this way.

3.  Why Should We Avoid Anxiety?

There are many reasons we should avoid anxiety but the most important one is that it isn't scriptural.  In Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus admonishes His disciples three times with the words "do not be anxious."  The reason for us to not be anxious is because of the negative effect it has in our lives.  Anxiety will:

• Divide our minds.  Apprehension pulls us in two different directions making it hard to focus on important matters.  It divides and clouds our mind.
• Slow down our productivity.  Because we are distracted with worry, we can't give anything else our best efforts.  It causes indecision.
• Affect our personal relationships with others.  It's hard to keep our anxieties to ourselves. When we're filled with fear, we burden those around us.
• Lead to unwise decisions.  Those who are overly concerned about the future are prone to make hasty decisions to stop feeling uncertain.
• Steal our joy and peace.  You become irritable and angry.  It's impossible for us to be fretful and peaceful at the same time.
• Proves to be a terrible waste of time and energy.  Uncertainty, frustration, and worry are exhausting and achieve nothing and can even have a devastating effect on our health and causes us to anticipate problems. It can be mental cruelty and torment.

4.  What Is The Correct Way To Deal With Anxiety?

With so much at stake, it's foolish to give in to anxiety or seek a quick, easy fix and temporary relief.  If your days and weeks and months are filled with continual anxiety and worry here are six strategies to help you.

• Bring your worries to God.  Whatever is troubling you is a matter for prayer.  The first step to freedom is confessing your fears to the Lord rather than let them rule you.  1 Peter 5:7 tells us to "cast all our cares on him, because he cares for us."
• Come to the Lord with an attitude of thanksgiving.  In the midst of your apprehension, you may not feel grateful, but when you think about God's loving involvement in your life, you can't help but praise him.  "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;" Philippians 4:6
• Come with an expectation.  Remember the Lord loves you unconditionally and wants the best for you.  Also, He has the desire and power to help, so you can expect Him to do just that.
• Recognize that anxiety is a faith battle.  We must believe that God will set us free from our anxieties.  If we surrender our concerns into His hands, we can have His amazing peace, no matter what we face in life.
• Equip yourself with the Word.  Confess the Word over every situation.
• Refuse to worry.  Learn to trust God and not your feelings.

Don't be guilty of giving your cares to the Lord when you pray and then pick them back up minutes later.  God wants to take all of your cares away.  He is fully capable of handling them when they become too great of a burden for you to bear.  You don't have to live with anxiety.  God will give you grace to overcome.

What are you worried about today, that God is ready to handle for you? Give it to Him so you can be free from the cares of the world.

Resting In The Faithfulness Of God

Everyone, at some time in their life, will have feelings of frustration.  This is especially true when you have prayed and asked God to meet some need and that prayer goes unanswered.  Some times when that happens there are people who give up and claim God is not who He says He is.  This happens because we tend to judge our situations based on how we feel and as a result we question God's faithfulness.  To show God's absolute reliability and faithfulness I want to share with you four truths about God and His faithfulness.

1.  The Attributes Of God

God has many attributes that we could discuss but there five that speak directly to His faithfulness to humanity.

• Omniscient -- To be omniscient means to be "all knowing."  God can be faithful because He knows everything!  Everything in the past, present, and future.  He knows our needs, wants, and desire as well as our weaknesses and frailties.  Speaking to His disciples and others, Jesus said that "...your Father knows what you have need of before you ask Him" (Matthew 6:8b). 
• Omnipotent -- This simply means God is "all powerful."  Because God is omnipotent He can accomplish anything He needs to accomplish to help us work through our circumstances
  
  and provide for us what is needed.
• Omnipresent -- God is everywhere and available at all times.  We will never find ourselves in a situation where He's not present and able to come to our aid when we cry out to Him in prayer. 
• Truthful -- God's character of truthfulness is essential to His faithfulness.  Titus 1:2 tells us that God will never lie or misguide us.  He also cannot deny Himself and will always remain true to His own nature.
• Immutable -- God never changes.  His character is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If God changed who He was, then everything would be uncertain. This immutable attribute of God should be a great source of assurance for believers.

2.  God Makes Two Kinds Of Promises

• Unconditional -- Many of the promises of God are unconditional and nothing we can do will change them.  Examples would be the rainbow as a symbol of God's promise to never destroy the earth again with a flood; another is God's promise is that the dead in Christ will rise and we which are alive will be caught up with them.  And there are many others.
• Conditional -- Conditional promises of God depend upon the choices we make.  An example would be "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness (condition) and all these other things will be added to you" (promise) Matthew 6:33.

3. Promises We Can Rely On

Below is a list of just a few of wonderful promises of God that speak to His faithfulness that we can rest in.

• His compassion never fails (Lamentations 3:22-23)
• He is faithful to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9)
• He will hasten His Word to perform it (Jeremiah 1:12)
• He will keep us from evil (2 Thessalonians 3:3)
• Rescue the godly from temptation (2 Peter 2:9)
• He will empower us to do whatever He has called us to accomplish (Philippians 4:13)
• If we confess our sins, He's faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9)
• God will never allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13)
• God will meet our needs (Philippians 4:19)
• All things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28)
• All who believe in Jesus Christ have eternal life (John 3:36)

4.  God Is Also Faithful To The Unbeliever

Those who only pretend to be Christians or who deny the truth of Jesus Christ are also promised punishment because of their unbelief or their false witness (Matthew 7:13; Revelation 20:11-15). God loves us unconditionally, but He is a God of truthfulness.  He keeps His promises as well as His warnings.

We aren't promised trial free lives when we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, but we have a faithful God who will always help us through our difficulties.  Our Father will never fail to keep His promises, and this is why we can be strong and confident in Him.

What are you facing today that you need to give over to Him so that you can begin to "rest in the faithfulness of God?"

-- Pastor Temple

The Courage To Keep Going

If you have ever faced a difficult and painful situation in your life, you can identify with many people who, when faced with what seems to be overwhelming circumstances, just don't know what to do so they give up.  All of us have faced situations where we just have reached our human limits and are tired of fighting and we think giving up is the only answer.  The encouraging hope for every Christian is that God has given us a wonderful example in Christ and the Apostle Paul, of those who endured great hardship, yet had the courage to keep going.  I have eight observations from the life of Paul that should help you to have the courage to keep going in the face of adversity.

1.  He Had An Awareness That God Was With Him

In 2 Corinthians 11:22-28, Paul describes some of the adversities he faced.  Yet through them all, he knew the Lord was with him.  It's easy to believe God is with us when everything's fine, but when times are tough, we must cling to this truth so we won't become discouraged and give up.

2.  He Had The Experience Of The Lord's Strength Within Him

It was Paul who recognized that his strength did not come from himself.  In Philippians 4:13 he said "I can do all things through Him (Christ) who strengthens me."  If we are depending upon our own strength to overcome these difficult situations in our life, we will be disappointed.  There are times you will face situations you simply cannot handle and you have to give God the opportunity to show you how faithful and powerful He is and how adequate you can be when you trust Him.

3.  He Had The Assurance Of Being In God's Will

Knowing that he was accomplishing what the Lord had called him to do gave Paul the determination to keep going despite the hardship, rejection, and persecution.  Doing what we know God wants us to do will keep us going.

4.  He Had The Overflowing Joy Of Christ

Paul's joy was obvious.  He viewed all the things that had happened to him as an opportunity for the gospel to be spread.  It's easy to praise God and have joy when things are going well.  The test of who we believe our Lord to be, comes when we face the hardship.  Do we still have our confidence and joy in God or is it dependent on our circumstances?

5.  He Had An Appreciation For Life-Changing Lessons

Paul understood God's Word, that's why he could respond to trials with joy and perseverance.  Each situation was a chance to learn valuable lessons and grow in maturity.  God is always working for our good even during the hard times.  God hasn't forgotten us.

6.  He Had The Fruit God Produced Through Him

Paul traveled throughout the Roman Empire telling people about Christ and establishing churches in various cities.  After leaving those churches there were false teachers who led those churches astray.  Paul could have become discouraged and walked away from his ministry, but he didn't. Knowing that God is producing fruit through you, especially during the hardships, should give you the courage to keep going.

7.  He Had The Vision Of The Cross Before Him

Paul's only boast was in the cross of Christ because he knew it was the reason he could survive and keep going.  When Jesus willingly sacrificed Himself on our behalf, He set the ultimate example of perseverance.  Keep your eyes set on the cross!

8.  He Had A Love And Devotion To Jesus Christ

If we truly love Jesus, our loyalty will not be reserved only for the good times, but we'll remain faithful and obedient even when we experience the bad times.  Paul's devotion is described in these words to the Philippians "for to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."

Are you tempted to give up today?  If so, take some encouragement from the life of the Apostle Paul and see how you too can have the courage to keep going.

-- Pastor Temple

Worship Is More Than A Word (Part 2)

All of humanity was created by God and was created to worship God.  Worship should not be approached with drudgery, but as a way of life that brings freedom.  Religion and tradition is a drudgery and brings bondage but it is true spiritual worship that sets us free.  In Part 2  of this series I want to bring out some aspects of worship that we don't often think about.  I want to share with you five truths about worship that will help you become more passionate in your worship of God.

1.  Worship Begins With Repentance

When a person truly repents and turns from the old way of life and embraces their "new life" in Christ the desire to worship our Savior grows more intense.  When we repent, our focus of worship changes from the "gods" of this world to the One true God of heaven.  In Exodus 20:3-5 God tells Israel that they are to have "no other god before Him" and when we repent, the Lord God will be the focus of our adoration and worship.

2.  Worship Is Not Optional

I realize that who and what we worship is a decision that each person makes.  But as a believer, worship should never be looked at as an "option."  We were created to worship and serve God. When Jesus was coming into Jerusalem many of His disciples were praising and worshiping him saying, "Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest" (Luke 19:38). When the Pharisees heard this they told Jesus to rebuke his disciples.  Jesus responded with "I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out" (Luke 19:40). Make no mistake about it, Jesus and the Father will be worshiped.  It's not an option.  If we don't worship God, the stones will or others of creation will, and the reason is that God is worthy of our worship and He will be worshiped!

3.  God Is Worthy Of Our Worship

There is no one nor anything that is as worthy of our worship as our heavenly Father!  The reasons to worship God are many.  God not only created us, but He saved us and He has promised to take care of us.  Those reason alone are adequate for us to worship Him.  If God did nothing else for His children the fact that He gives us eternal life is the only reason we need to worship and love Him with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength!

4.  Worship Is A Relationship

A right relationship with God will release the right kind of worship.  As His children we are to offer our lives as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1).  Our worship of God blossoms out of an atmosphere of love.  Not that we loved Him first but He loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:1-12).  When we are in a relationship with God and worship Him we enter into His very presence and power.

5.  Worship Is Fellowship

How well we know God will be determined by how much time we spend with Him.  You can't know anyone without spending time with them.  If Christians spent as much time worshiping and confessing God’s Word as they spend complaining and repeating their problems to their friends, victory would appear much sooner.  Most answers to our questions and revelations from God will come out of a time of worship.

As believers our life should be a time of praise and worship of God.  We will never have the success God desires for us unless we are in a true relationship with Him.  Are you ready to surrender all to the Father?  Are you ready to worship Him in spirit and in truth?  That's the way God desires for us to worship Him and that's the worship He deserves.

-- Pastor Temple

Worship Is More Than A Word (Part 1)

God desires and deserves our worship.  As the title of this post indicates, worship, is more than just a word.  Worship is a way of life for everyone, because everyone is engaged in and worships something.  For the Christian the focus of our worship must be God!  And to worship God is to make Him the most important person in your life.  To love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and desires.  When we worship God we are bowing our hearts and will to Him.  Worship is not something we do because it is convenient.  It is something we do because we love God with all our being.  As His children, we were created to worship God and to do it continually.  I want to share with you five facts about worship.

1.  Worship Is Inseparable From Life

Worship is written on the heart of man by the hand of God.  It is an inherent drive, because man was mad to worship as surely as he was made to breathe and eat.  Worship has been paramount to every civilization.  Even the Apostle Paul encountered people who had an altar built and inscribed with the inscription "TO THE UNKNOWN GOD" (Acts 17:16-23).  People all over the world worship something.  It is a created instinct and is inseparable from life.

2.  Worship Flows Out Of Redemption

Paul told the Corinthians that they were "bought with a price."  Their redemption was purchased through the life and blood of Jesus.  Jesus is the message of the Bible.  In the Bible He is the creator, the deliverer, the King of kings, the Prince of Peace, our Substitute, the Head of the Church, our Mediator, the Healer, the Redeemer, our coming King.  We are to worship the King and not the kingdom.  And we are to worship God from our redemptive being!

3.  Worship Brings Manifestations

Worship is the blending of man with God. Worship is a love experience that blends two as though they were one.  The book of Revelation was written out of John's worship experience as he was "in the Spirit on the Lord's day" on the isle of Patmos. All of Daniel's dreams and visions came out of worship experiences.  Most revelations come out of worship.  People want to hear from God, but don't want to spend anytime worshiping Him.

4.  Worship Is A Celebration

Worship is not a drudgery.  It is a celebration and everyone enjoys a celebration.  To worship God is to enjoy God and to enjoy and bask in His presence and to celebrate who He is and what He has done for us.

5.  Worship Is Eternal

Just as praise is eternal, worship is eternal.  God will always have a people that will worship Him. Jesus declared to His disciples if the people held their peace and didn't praise and worship Him, the "rocks would cry out."  There will always be someone or something to praise and worship our Savior.

Don't allow worship to just be another "religious" word that you are familiar with.  Let it be a deep and abiding desire of your heart to worship your Savior!   What can you do today to make your worship more meaningful than ever?

-- Pastor Temple

Turning A Crisis Into An Opportunity

At some point in time, everyone will face a crisis.  That's just the way life is.  The test for us comes in how we respond to the adversity or crisis.  Our response will determine if the crisis destroys us or if we grow from it and become a better person.  I want to share with you the story of Joseph and the crisis's he faced.  Then I want to show you how to turn your crisis into an opportunity.

Seven Crisis's In The Life Of Joseph (Genesis 37-50)

• He was hated by his brothers.  Most of us would agree, that if all our siblings "hated" us it would be a definite adversity.  Yet this is the situation that Joseph found himself in.  It didn't help matters any that he told them they would one day "bow" down to him.
  
• He was thrown into a pit.  Angry with Joseph, his brothers threw him into a pit and left him to die.  They were going to leave him there with no food or water.  For most of us, our crisis seems like a "pit of despair." No way out.  But through it all Joseph was confident that God would deliver him because of the future God had promised.
• He was sold into slavery by his brothers.  While waiting for their older brother Reuben to return and deciding what to do with Joseph, his brothers saw a band of Ishmeelite slave traders and they sold Joseph into slavery and he ended up in Egypt.
• Forced to work as a slave for Potiphar, the captain of Pharaoh's guard.  As a slave Joseph learned many valuable skills while working for Potiphar.  Even in a crisis, you can learn new things and your character can be developed.
• Targeted for seduction by Potiphar's wife.  This was a critical point in Joseph's life.  Many would have given in to the advances of Potiphar's wife.  But Joseph stayed true to himself and to God and overcame  this crisis.
• He was sent to prison unjustly.  Potiphar's wife lied about Joseph and as a result Joseph was sent to prison.  But even in prison, Joseph found favor with the jail keeper and he was shown mercy and given charge over all the other prisoners.
• He was asked to interpret Pharaoh's dream.  Because Joseph had an ability to interpret dreams he was asked to interpret one of Pharaoh's dreams.  Joseph told him that his dream meant there would be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.  He advise Pharaoh to put back grain during the years of abundance so there would be plenty in the years of famine.  Pharaoh was so impressed, that he put Joseph second in command!

How To Turn A Crisis Into An Opportunity

There are fifteen strategies you need to follow if you want to turn your current crisis into an opportunity.

1. Trust that God is working everything in your life for good. (Romans 8:28).
2. Believe that the Heavenly Father is in control.
3. Accept that the Lord's ways are higher than yours (Isaiah 55:8-9).
4. Refuse to make quick judgments during the crisis.  Don't have a knee jerk reaction.
5. Focus on the Father instead of the circumstances and meditate on the Scriptures.
6. Avoid dwelling on the pain.
7. Recall past crisis and the opportunities that followed.
8. Let go of anger immediately (Ephesians 4:26).
9. Submit to God's will.
10. Demonstrate a spirit of gratitude.
11. Determine to view the trial as a chance to see God at work.
12. Refuse to listen to unscriptural interpretations of the situation.
13. Remain in constant prayer listening to the Father for instructions.
14. Don't give in to fluctuating emotions.
15. Obey God and leave all the consequences up to Him.

What crisis are you facing today.  Be of good courage, your Heavenly Father has it all in control. Lean on Him for understanding and He will deliver you.

--Pastor Temple 

The Battle For Truth

Truth is one of the most powerful weapons we possess when dealing with the enemy. Unfortunately, in many cases, the truth has been replaced by lies from the devil.  Our culture is inundated with lies and falsehoods and those who refute the lies and falsehoods, by sharing the truth, are mocked and ridiculed as "extremists" and those who stand for the Bible and it's sound doctrine are labeled as legalistic.  The absence of truth has given the devil a real stronghold over people.  The Bible is full of scriptures that speak of the strong deception that will come upon the world in the last days and that it will even cause many to depart from the faith.

There are two areas God wants His truth securely established.  Those areas are in our own personal lives and in the church or Body of Christ.

1.  The Battle For Truth As A Weapon In Our Personal Life

If we are to stand we must gird ourselves with the truth and walk in the uncompromising truth of God's Word because Satan is sure to attack us with lies.  Ephesians 6:13 tells us: "Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand."  Walking in the truth of God's Word is one of the most powerful weapons we have against the enemy and his schemes.  Satan has nowhere to stand when he is confronted with the Truth of God's Word.

2.  The Battle For Truth In The Church

God has chosen the church to be the place from which His truth flows.  The church of Jesus Christ has been guilty of compromising and watering down the truth of God's Word to make it more acceptable to society.  As a result there is a battle that is raging in the church today over truth.  This battle includes whether or not the Scripture is divinely inspired and whether Jesus was really God manifest in the flesh.  There are others, but these two are of utmost importance.  What does the church have to do in order to live free from Satan's deceptions and lies?  I believe there are "truths" that we must embrace if we are to win this battle.

• We Must Accept The Entirety Of God's Word As His Truth.  We can't pick and chose what parts of the Bible we want to believe as truth.  It is all truth!  2 Timothy 3:16 validates this: "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness."
• We Must Rightly Divide The Word Of Truth.  2 Timothy 2:15 gives us instruction that we are to approach the interpretation of God's Word without personal preferences. Unfortunately there are those who twist the scriptures to make them say anything they want to say.  When reading and interpreting the Bible it must be taken in context!  As one person stated "A text without a context is a pretext for a proof text." All scripture must be examined in light of the whole and we should allow the scripture to interpret itself.
• The Word Of Truth Must Take Precedence Over Experience.  One of the disturbing trends I see happening in the church today, is that there is more of a focus on experiences than sound doctrine. This is especially evident in the Charismatic churches.  Don't misunderstand me, relating experiences is fine, but they must be based on "sound doctrine" as taught in the Word of God.  God's Word must be the final authority.
• We Must Have A Love For The Truth Of God's Word.  David walked in faith and victory throughout most of his life because he had a genuine love and appreciation for God's Word. David declared that "I rejoice at thy Word as one that findeth great spoil."  Do you have a genuine love for the truth of God's Word?"

Being a part of a local church that is Bible centered and adheres to God's Word of Truth give us a strong foundation to walk in the truth that God so desires for us.  We must all take personal responsibility for walking in the truth of God's Word.  Are you ready to take up the "battle for the truth?"

--Pastor Temple

Spiritual Baggage

If you have ever traveled on an airplane, you know the hassle of having to deal with baggage!  It can be very frustrating and taxing on your patience.  However, have you ever stopped to consider how the intangible baggage of past experiences or personal sin hinders your journey with Christ? Hebrews 12:1-3 compares the Christian life to a race and encourages us to "lay aside" those things that block our progress.

Hebrews 12:1 uses two different words to describe those things that slow us down and create obstacles in our lives.  These two words are "hindrances" and "sins."  The first one I want to deal with is hindrances.

Hindrances

A hindrance is anything that keeps us from effectively living the Christian life.  A hindrance doesn't necessarily have to be a sin.  It can even be something that is "good."  Although hindrances come in many forms here is a list of some of the most common ones that people have to deal with.

• A poor self-image.  Negative comments can cause us to doubt our value.  When we listen to what the world says about us rather than what God (the One who made us) says about us it will lead to a poor self-image.
• An attitude of defeatism.  If we think we are beaten by our circumstances, we will never try!
• Feelings of rejection.  Being devalued by others is painful and leaves us feeling unworthy.
• A fear of failure.  When we allow fear to hinder us, we miss out on many wonderful opportunities that God has for us.
• A lack of self-control.  If we can't control our impulses, we are easily persuaded and led off track.
• A negative attitude.  Pessimism has a negative impact on our work and our relationships.
• Indecision.  An inability to make decisions prevents us from progressing.

Sin

The other word used in Hebrews 12:1 is sin.  The writer speaks of the "sin which so easily entangles us."  The Bible informs us that a man who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. Hebrews 12:1 is referring to a specific sin, one that is a primary area of weakness in our life that we must continually guard against.  It is the sin that ensnares us and divides our mind and hinders our relationship with others and with God.

Sins That Can Weigh Us Down

Here are some of the sins that will weigh us down:

• Unforgiveness.  When we can't let go of past hurts, it damages us and hinders our relationships with God.
• A critical spirit.  If all we do is criticize, we can hurt others and ourselves.
• A jealous spirit.  If we always desire what others have, we are never happy with ourselves.
• Greed.  A desire for more causes us to hurt others to get what we want.
• Pride.  God hates it when we are conceited about our social standing, possessions, or looks.
• Lust.  When love is replaced by lust, our desire is out of control.
• Unbelief.  Although we may claim to believe the Bible, too often we are unwilling to trust in God to provide for our needs.
• Anger.  Perpetual anger robs us of happiness.
• Bitterness.  This is a poison that prevents us from giving and receiving love.
• Idolatry.  Whatever we place before God is an idol.

What Sins And Hindrances Will Do

Like runners in a race, we must remove anything that slows us down.  If we refuse, we'll find that those things will:

• Distract us.
• Divide our minds and send us off track.
• Drain our energy.
• Slow our pace.
• Cause us to stumble.

The Solution

There are eight actions we can take to rid ourselves of spiritual baggage.

1. Admit to the Lord that we have a hindrance in our life.
2. Acknowledge the sin that so easily besets us.
3. Take responsibility for the baggage, no matter where it come from.
4. Make a definite decision to deal with it.
5. Lay it aside because it doesn't fit us as Christ's followers.
6. Rely on Christ's strength to put it down and walk away (Philippians 4:13).  God knows its hindering us, and He doesn't want it in our lives.
7. Know the Lord will enable us to lay it aside.
8. Understand it is discipline that determines the outcome of our decisions and destiny.

The Lord has planned the best race for each of us.  However, we can't win and fulfill His plan until every hindrance is laid aside.  We don't have to carry baggage and continue failing in our efforts to overcome the sins in our lives.  God will set us free if we'll believe Him and by faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, make a conscious choice to do away with whatever is displeasing to Him.

What are the hindrances or sin in your life that you need to turn over to God?

--Pastor Temple

The Importance Of A Vision (Part 3)

Bethel's God given vision is simple.  It is all about Outreach, Evangelism, Pastoral Care, Discipling, and Training.  I want to cover some aspects of our vision that are necessary for it to be effective.

1.  How A Vision Grows

The principles of a vision and how we arrive at the vision don't change.  But the methods of how

we accomplish the vision can and should change as necessary.  For example, forty years ago Training would not have involved electronic media as we know it today.  It would have been done face to face in a classroom maybe with a VHS tape and a TV.  However today with the proliferation of the internet and computers, a lot of training can be accomplished online via video and audio in the comfort of peoples homes.  The principles don't change, but the methods do.

2.  Workers/Leaders Are Our Greatest Need

Followers of Christ, activating their call and gift, is the greatest resource to fulfilling the vision.  It doesn't matter how big your facility is or how many ministries are needed to take care of the people, just know that nothing will happen without a sufficient number of workers and leaders. Jesus himself said the "harvest is plentiful but the workers are few" (Matthew 9:37).  Everyone wants a church that has all the benefits and that can take care of them and their needs, but few want to ever get involved.  The greatest challenge you have before you is the decision to get involved.

3.  Things To Know In Carrying Out The Vision

There are two important principles we need to understand if we are to carry out the vision:

• Every Believer Is A Minister.  Unfortunately too many believers view ministry as "Here am I Lord send Bill or Cathy!"  Many don't want to fulfill their role in the Kingdom.  It is the responsibility for every believer to be involved in outreach, evangelism, pastoral care, discipling, and training.  Every believer can do the supernatural (Mark 16:15-20).
• Every Believer Is To Do The Works Of Jesus.  In John 14:12 Jesus says "I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.  He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."  What did Jesus do?  He preached the gospel to the poor, he healed the broken hearted, He preached deliverance to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind and set free them that are bruised, and preached the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18-19).  You and I are charged to do the same thing.

4.  What We Must Commit To In Carrying Out The Vision

There are fives areas where we must be absolutely committed if the vision is to be fulfilled:

• Prayer -- We should commit to pray for the harvest, pray for our national and local leaders, pray for one another in the church, pray for the leadership and ministries of the church and pray that your love would abound to all people.  Commit to pray for people more than you complain about people!
• Attendance -- Fellowship of the believers is vital.  We need each other for spiritual growth. Hebrews 10:25 informs us to "not forsake the assembling of ourselves together..."  Whether it is in a home like the early church or if it is in a church building we must commit ourselves to fellowship with other believers.
• Involvement -- Be a doer of the Word and not a hearer only.  Do the work of the ministry. Don't sit back and expect others to do it.  You need to get involved doing what God has called you to do.
• Finances -- Let's face it, everything cost money.  Finances are extremely important to the ability of the church to fulfill it's vision.  Malachi 3:10 tells us to bring the tithe into the storehouse.  Jesus instructs us to "give and it shall be given unto you" (Luke 6:38).  And Paul informed the Corinthians about the principle of sowing and reaping.  When we sow bountifully, we will reap bountifully.  It takes money and God has blessed you and I to give.
• Witnessing -- Every believer has to commit to being a witness.  We are all responsible for the fulfillment of the "Great Commission" to "go and teach and make disciples..."  How committed are you to fulfilling this command?

It's time we get off the sideline and get into the game!  Make your commitment today to get involved in fulfilling the vision of outreach, evangelism, pastoral care, discipling, and training.  Ask yourself, what can I do to get involved and help fulfill the vision?

-- Pastor Temple

The Importance Of A Vision (Part 2)

Any successful endeavor requires a vision and for the vision to be effective, it must be: 1) God driven, 2) individual, and 3) corporate.  In other words a local may have a corporate vision, but for the vision to be fulfilled, it has to implemented by individuals.  Each person must embrace the vision.  It is my firm belief, that God intends great things for His church, especially for those with a willingness to work the vision.

What A Vision Needs

There are four qualities to any vision:

1.  A vision needs specific action or steps in how to accomplish it.  Without the action to go with the vision, our efforts will be futile.  Vision without action is meaningless!

2.  A vision needs faith.  Faith in the power of the gospel and faith in the power of the Lord to prepare us and empower us for service.

3.  A vision needs boldness.  Boldness was a virtue displayed by the early Christians.  They had boldness to speak the Word of God no matter what the consequences.  We need that same boldness to speak what we know is the truth but to do it in a spirit of love.

4.  A vision need persistence.  Too often we give up just before the fruition of the vision.  It's important that we not lose heart because we shall reap in due time (Galatians 6:9).  Many visions are never realized because someone gave up too soon.

What Bethel's Vision Is All About

Bethel Church Choctaw has a five fold vision that God gave when the church was started.

1.  Outreach

Outreach is very crucial to the growth of the local church.  The church must have a vision to reach out into the community and world in obedience to the Great Commission.  Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.  It is our responsibility to do the same.

2.  Evangelism

Similar to outreach, evangelism is what God has called us to do...evangelize the world!  This  isn't a task for just one person, but the entire Body of Christ.  With each person doing their part this great task can be accomplished.

3.  Pastoral Care

This is an area to is too often neglected in the local church, but pastoral care is extremely important for people of every local church.  It encompasses counseling, home visits, caring for people in time of death and other needs.

4.  Discipling

A disciple is a follower of Christ who is able to give direction to new followers as well as encouragement, involvement, and fellowship.  Discipleship is a way of life.

5.  Training

The final part of Bethel's vision is that of training.  The local church is under the mandate of God to train its people for service.  Strong leadership comes through training not teaching alone. Leadership must be developed, monitored, matured through discipline and seasoned with love, it doesn't just develop on its own. (2 Timothy 2:1-7).

So that's the vision! Now, what are you going to do with the vision?  It's your job to discover where you fit in!  God want's to involve you in reaching the world.  If Bethel is the place for you, then join with us and find your God given direction.  If it's not, then find another community of believers you can join with to help fulfill God's plan for the salvation of the world!

-- Pastor Temple