Monday, February 22, 2016

Are You Still Maintaining your Integrity?

Job 2:9-10 His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”In all this, Job did not sin in what he said. 


Are you still maintaining your integrity? 

Things happen in our lives which are tests from the LORD. Tragedy comes to many in one form or another. Decisions are put in front of us. People we had trusted in fall.

For Job it was the loss of his wealth, his children, his health and his friends. We can lose these things. We do not like to think about how fragile life is but it is.

The loss of a child is summed up in two verses in the scripture:


Genesis 42:36 Genesis 44:27-29 “Your servant my father said to us, ‘You know that my wife bore me two sons. One of them went away from me, and I said, “He has surely been torn to pieces.” And I have not seen him since. If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my gray head down to the grave in misery.’ Their father Jacob said to them, “You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!” 

Matthew 2:16-18 When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah,weeping and great mourning,Rachel weeping for her childrenand refusing to be comforted,because they are no more.” 


Job had this plus the loss of all his wealth and then his health.

The words of his wife (nameless) 
Are you still maintaining your integrity? 

You see your integrity cannot be taken away. Who you are, your character is yours to make and keep.

Only you can destroy it. That is the only way you can lose it.

Job's wife had bad theology. She looked at God as making life comfortable and happy without trials, or did she? May be she looked at God as Someone Who was there when you needed Him but not to get that involved in your life, particularly if it was going well.

The only comforter Job has left is his wife and she turns out to be a thorn in his flesh. She cannot understand faith in God in circumstances like these. Fair weather Christians always get shipwrecked in a storm like this. 


Are you still maintaining your integrity? Big loaded question.



1. Integrity Takes a Long Time For Others To Know About But It Can Be Destroyed In A Moment!

Job was a business man. The word perfect (1.1) means he had correct scales- weights and measurements. When I worked in the grocery store the State of New York would send in its agent of weights and mesaurements. They would check the produce and meat scales to make sure they were accurate. Job made sure of this. He was known by this.

Proverbs 11:1 The LORD detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with Him. 

You build a reputation as you live. Integrity is something you have and you keep. As you do others get to know about it.

WARNING: That can be lost in a moment by doing something stupid!

Note: Job did not set his heart on his riches.

Inegrity is earned by the life we live and the decisions we make. It is a way of life both publicly and privately.


2. Integrity Is Tested.
Integrity is an unswerving loyalty to the LORD.

Job was tested by the losses he sustained. Suffering tests integrity. C.S. Lewis said that it was not until a man was tortured that you found out what was really in him. 

“Nothing will shake a man-or at any rate a man like me-out of his merely verbal thinking and his merely notional beliefs. He has to be knocked silly before he comes to his senses. Only torture will bring out the truth. Only under torture does he discover it himself.”


Sometimes we are tested by the gains we experience. Those tests may be even more difficult. How we handle money shows our integrity. 

The true test of a person is what they are when no one is watching, how they conduct htemselves in the privacy of their homes.

No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you. Mrs. Brownman, greatest teacher I ever had. She labored to see us do well. She longed for us to do our best. Oral test on Middle East when I returned from being sick. God wanted Job to pass the tests. He knew He would. The same is true for us!

Sometimes maintaning our integrity means standing our ground. Psalm 27.14 is advice I often give t others and try to live by myself.


3. Maintaining Your Integrity In The Face of Suffering.

The book of Job is about that.

Here is how it is done.

Cast a glance at riches.

Always do what is right.

Never compromise.

Do it before the LORD.

Rest in His Grace and knowledge.



Are you still maintaining your integrity? 























Monday, February 15, 2016

Kingdom Authority

Esther 8:10 Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king. 

We have here an analogy, a forshadowing, an allegory to some extent of how things work in The Kingdom of God when it comes to authority.

Like every allegory, it breaks down at some point but we see certain principles here that carry over.

In Colossians 2:13-15 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. 

We see Jesus overcoming the power of sin, death, hell, Satan and the grave on the cross. He disarmed the powers and authorities of Satan. 

Throughout the Book of Esther there are inferences to this work of God which were completed on the cross by Jesus and continues to work out in the Kingdom of God.

There had been salvation through Esther and Mordecai for the Jews.



1. The Work of the Spirit through the Church Is Foreshadowed In Esther.
Esther 8:17 In every province and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there was joy and gladness among the Jews, with feasting and celebrating. And many people of other nationalities became Jews because fear of the Jews had seized them

Acts 2:1-5 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 

Acts 5:11-14 Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about these events. The apostles performed many signs and wonders among the people. And all the believers used to meet together in Solomon’s Colonnade. No one else dared join them, even though they were highly regarded by the people. Nevertheless, more and more men and women believed in the Lord and were added to their number. 

There was respect and awe in the Persian Empire for its laws and edicts. They were unalterable.

When the church is the church love and grace will flow freely from it.

As the Holy Spirit works there will be a sense of fear, awe, respect for the LORD, His Word, His Kingdom.

We have a problem today in our country. The church and the LORD are no longer feared or respected. Part of a spiritual healing we so desparately need is a revitalization of that fear of God. That follows along with with repentance. They go hand in hand. Many believers are believing the lie today that says certain rights within our nation have higher authority than the Word of God. They end up supporting things which God, His Word, are adamantly opposed to. They end up caling evil good and good evil. There is little or no fear of God.

Interestingly with that fear of the Jews in Esther's time, many people who weren't born Jews, weren't Jewish in their nationality became Jews, believers in the LORD God Almighty. 

The end result of the death of Annias and Saphira is the same: great fear, folllowed by many new believers.

Notice many people of other nationalities... This is the church!
Going into all the world... Jesus commands us to go.
People  of every nation, language, tongue, tribe hearing the Gospel 
Churches where there are many nationalities present, if it is being the church, will reflect that in the congregation. 

God worked in all the nations in Esther.
His Kingdom encompasses all nations here on earth.
How appropriate that the church built in the Garden of Gethsemane in Jerusalem is called The Church of All Nations.

Today, His Spirit is working amomng all nations. 



2. The Authority of the Church Comed From Heaven and The Word of God.
Esther 9:2 The Jews assembled in their cities in all the provinces of King Xerxes to attack those determined to destroy them. No one could stand against them, because the people of all the other nationalities were afraid of them. 

The church has no authority apart from Word of God and heaven. When it tries to exert authority apart from that the results are always disastrous! Less/More both are off center. 

If Satan cannot beat the church he will join it and when he does the first thing is an attack on the authority of the Word of God.

We see this in his temptaion of Jesus.

We see it in the first temptation:
Genesis 3:1-5 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 

Getting us to question what God really said.
Telling us that God's Word is not absolute Truth.
Suggesting that God's restrictions are in some way His desire to withhold good from us!

We see Him exercising authority in His ministry: 
Mark 5:12-13 The demons begged Jesus, “Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them.” He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. 

So the authority the church has is from Jesus. Jesus Christ the King. The Kingdom of God is among you!

We cannot take authority over Heaven.
 John 3:26-27 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 

Gifts of healing... praying for a person to be healed and they die.
Other gifts 
1 Corinthians 12:4, 7, 11 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines. Deliberately, Have a purpose

Preaching the Gospel
Establishing Churches

It is about God andHis Word and His will being done on earth as it is in heaven.
 

3. Kingdom Authority Always Has God's Glory and His People's Good In View.
Esther 9:22 as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor. 

We take authority for God's glory, for the good of His people.

A homeless ministry, a food pantry, missions trips, Christmas Shoe Boxes all come under this. It is God's people taking authority over things that hurt others. That is the pathway of grace. That is why in this kingdom there is no forced obedience.

Jesus opened the door to a kingdom unlike anything human sovereigns can provide. He calls the church to humble and honest service, not in a spirit of ineptness, but with Holy Spirit anointing that enables us to continue the things that Jesus began to do and teach. His kingdom is ours to embrace.


4. When Authority in the Kingdom of God is Handled Correctly His Servants Are Rewarded and Blessed. 
Esther 10:3 Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Xerxes, preeminent among the Jews, and held in high esteem by his many fellow Jews, because he worked for the good of his people and spoke up for the welfare of all the Jews. 

Matthew 25:21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 

We go from prisoners in Satan's Dominion of Darkness to the Kingdom of Love and Light! 

We serve Him now.

We will reign with Him on high.

Revelation 5:10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.” 

Psalm 2:8 Ask me,and I will make the nations your inheritance,the ends of the earth your possession. 

Matthew 5:5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 

We serve the LORD, in His Kingdom, under His authority we fight the good fight of the faith.


Monday, February 8, 2016

How To Value Our Lives

,Esther 4:12-16 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” 

Mark 8:34-35 Then He called the crowd to Him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me and for the gospel will save it. 

Acts 20:22-24 “And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. 


We must value life. Christians are prolife. We believe in the sanctity of human life. We believe God's Word that He knit is together in our mother's womb and we are fearfully and wonderfully made.It is the highest expression of our Creator's work.

The United States of America believes that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

When it comes to our own lives it is different. We are called in the Word of God to offer ourselves up as living sacrifices. Jesus calls us to lose our lives for Him and the Gospel. He is the LORD God Almighty. He set the example for us. He laid dow His life for us. He gave Himself up for the church. We proclaim His death until He comes by taking the LORD's Supper. Paul wrote that he determined to know nothing among the Corinthians except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

Esther: "If I perish, I perish."

Lose= 
  1. to destroy

    1. to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end, to ruin

    2. render useless

    3. to kill

    4. to declare that one must be put to deat

    5. to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed


Many who have followed Jesus fully go through very difficult circumstances, experience difficult things in their lives. When we follow Jesus He will lead us into places and people that stretch us so we can express his love to them. He went to some of the worst people in Galilee and the region around it while He was here on earth: the lepers, the demon possessed with unclean spirits, the poorest of the poor were among those He personally touched.

He calls us to follow Him, in His steps, in our walk with Him.
 

1. Our Life in Christ is Valued in How Much We are Becoming Like Jesus.

O To Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
I Want To Be Like Jesus- My deepest prayer, my highest goal, that I may be like Jesus.

1 John 3:16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 

Being like Jesus in the 21st century. There are so many opportunities! 

Concern for the true poor
Reflecting His Image
Eternal View

In the fruit of the Spirit, His Spirit... love, joy, peace, gentleness, kindness, meekness, self control.

In humility.. . being a servant.

Becoming like Him in His Death.

Philippians 3:10-11 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 



2. The Value of our Life is not How Much We Accumulate But In How Much We Give Away.

He who dies with the most amount of toys does not win!

I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace

We are not just talking about money although I have not found anyone who is giving other things to the LORD in abundance   who is still stuggling over tithing. Reading about Abraham and Jacob and how they "natually tithed". Jacob's promise as he left to flee from Esau.

Wreckless abandonment to the will of God.
Sticking our neck out for Jesus.

Esther: "If I perish, I perish."
Moses
Three Hebrew children
Daniel



3. The Value of our Life is Not In What We Have Here on Earth But What We Have Laid Up in Heaven.

Matthew 6:19-20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; 

I still do not fully understand how this is going to work out. I just know what Jesus said. Whatare you  depositing in the Bank of Heaven these days?

We place such a high value on our lives personally. Above all the people on the earth we pamper our bodies, have access to healthcare, have industries built around skincare, haircare, nailcare. We can shower every day, a luxury not available to most of the world's population. We have medicine to extend our existence, but not our lives.

We have 70 years, 80 if we have the strength. As I am months away from being 60 years of age... The finish line is up ahead. I have told the LORD, in whatever time I have left, I want it to be all out for Him. I want to go out hitting the finish line in full stride. Join me in this venture! Forget about the creature comforts, wrecklessly abandon yourself to being an Extreme Believer.

Philippians 3:7-8 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 

Watch The Sunday Morning Message herehttp://bambuser.com/v/6100535?v=m