Nothing demonstrates the selfish pride in
our nature better than the times that we get
upset when good things happen to other people.
In Mark 3:1-6, we read a story about Jesus healing
a man who had a crippled hand. Instead of rejoicing
that the man had been healed, the Pharisees
became murderously angry at Jesus because He
pointed out the error in their hard hearted and hard
headed ways.
If we are honest, we will admit that we each
have a tendency to be hard-hearted and
hard-headed too. We do not always respond the
right way to God’s working and God’s blessing on
others. Sometimes we act skeptical, cynical, and
jealous. We would rather be seen as right, and
therefore superior, than to see something good
happen to someone in a way that we did not expect
or that we did not think was proper.
Such stubbornness grieves the heart of our
Savior. God does not always do things the way
we think they should be done. When God’s
methods contradict our traditions and preferences,
then we are the ones who are wrong. God is
never wrong. We must humble ourselves enough
to admit that we were mistaken, rejoice in what
God does, and give Him the glory for it.
- Mar 5, 2023Hard Hearted & Hard Headed (Mark 3:1-6 KJV)
Hard Hearted & Hard Headed (Mark 3:1-6 KJV)
Nothing demonstrates the selfish pride in
our nature better than the times that we get
upset when good things happen to other people.
In Mark 3:1-6, we read a story about Jesus healing
a man who had a crippled hand. Instead of rejoicing
that the man had been healed, the Pharisees
became murderously angry at Jesus because He
pointed out the error in their hard hearted and hard
headed ways.If we are honest, we will admit that we each
have a tendency to be hard-hearted and
hard-headed too. We do not always respond the
right way to God’s working and God’s blessing on
others. Sometimes we act skeptical, cynical, and
jealous. We would rather be seen as right, and
therefore superior, than to see something good
happen to someone in a way that we did not expect
or that we did not think was proper.Such stubbornness grieves the heart of our
Savior. God does not always do things the way
we think they should be done. When God’s
methods contradict our traditions and preferences,
then we are the ones who are wrong. God is
never wrong. We must humble ourselves enough
to admit that we were mistaken, rejoice in what
God does, and give Him the glory for it. - Mar 1, 2023A Marriage That Honors God – The Wife’s Role (I Peter 3:1-6 KJV)
A Marriage That Honors God – The Wife’s Role (I Peter 3:1-6 KJV)The Holy Spirit spends the first six verses of 1 Peter 3 instructing wives how they can have a positive impact on their marriage, even if their husband is not a saved man. Women have a tremendous amount of power and influence, even if they do not realize it. They have the power to alter the course of their marriage for good and bad. These verses should be an instruction to all, a warning to some, and an encouragement to many.
- Feb 26, 2023Gideon (Judges 6 KJV)
Gideon (Judges 6 KJV)
- Feb 26, 2023From Fear to Faith
From Fear to FaithPreached on May 16, 2021 and fits with our series on the book of Judges.
- Feb 26, 2023The Three “R’s” of Revival
- Feb 19, 2023Jail And The Nail Part 2 (Judges 5 KJV)
Jail And The Nail Part 2 (Judges 5 KJV)
- Feb 19, 2023Sin Sick Souls (Mark 2 KJV)
Sin Sick Souls (Mark 2 KJV)One of the criticisms leveled at Jesus by His opponents was that he was “a friend of publicans and sinners.” What they meant as an insult was actually a complement. Yes, Jesus loves sinners. He loves them so much that He left heaven, came to earth to live among them, died to save them from their sin, and then rose again to offer them eternal life.The world would have us believe that love is letting people do whatever they believe is best for themselves. But if what they are doing is destructive, it is not love to let them continue doing it. Jesus loved sinners enough to spend time with them, but not so that He could affirm them in their sin. He spent time with them so He could tell them the truth about their sin and their need to be saved.In Mark 2 we read of an instance where Jesus addressed this criticism. He answered it brilliantly with the very simple illustration of going to the doctor. If we are wise we will go to the doctor for regular well visits. But, other than that, we don’t go to the doctor just to hang out. We go to the doctor when we are sick and need something to cure us. Similarly, people who think that sin is not a problem don’t understand their need to be saved and do not seek help to remedy their sin problem. How, then, can we help sin sick souls see that need?In the medical field, they use the phrase “doctor-patient relationship.” We understand that if we want the best outcome in healthcare there must be a rapport between the physician and the patient. Jesus understood this principle and so must we. If we are going to be effective in reaching the lost, we have to connect with the lost in some fashion to do that.
- Feb 12, 2023The Courage of Revival Part 2
- Feb 12, 2023The Courage of Revival Part 1 (II Chronicles 15:8 KJV)
- Feb 8, 2023A Living Doxology (I Peter KJV)
A Living Doxology (I Peter KJV)"A Living Doxology" from Wednesday PM by Pastor Chambers. Released: 2023. Genre: Religious.
- Feb 5, 2023Jesus The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:5-8 KJV)
Jesus The Passover Lamb (Exodus 12:5-8 KJV)"Jesus The Passover Lamb" from Sunday PM by Pastor Chambers. Released: 2023. Genre: Religious.
- Feb 5, 2023The Loudmouthed Leper (Mark 1:40-45 KJV)
The Loudmouthed Leper (Mark 1:40-45 KJV)Mark 1:40-45 records one of the first miraculous healings that Jesus performed, and the reaction of the healed man is an encouraging example for us to follow. A man who came to Jesus had the disease of leprosy. Leprosy is an infectious disease for which there was no known cure in Jesus’ day. It resulted in a slow and painful death for the person infected. Because of its infectious nature, the person had to live in isolation or a leper colony. The fact that he broke protocol and approached Jesus so closely speaks of his courage and desperation. The Bible says that Jesus was “moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.” Immediately the man was healed. Jesus then instructed him to go straight to the priest to fulfill the regulations of the Old Testament Law regarding leprosy. Jesus commanded the man not to tell anyone else what had happened until that had been done. But the man was so overcome with joy he immediately began to tell everyone he could what Jesus had done for Him. The result was an enormous number of people went to see Jesus for themselves. If a man who was cleansed from a physical disease could have so much enthusiasm about telling others what Jesus did for him, then we who have been healed from the spiritual disease of sin can too. If this man made such an impact through his disobedience to Jesus’ command, then we can have an even greater impact through our obedience. God has done so much for us, and we should be eager to “publish it much.”
- Jan 29, 2023Biblical Philosophy of Childrens Ministry (Matthew 18)
Biblical Philosophy of Childrens Ministry (Matthew 18)
- Jan 29, 2023The Field is Out There (Luke 10:2-3 KJV)
The Field is Out There (Luke 10:2-3 KJV)There is something about the image of a big, old barn against the backdrop of green or golden fields that brings a sense of peace and serenity. Whether you are a farmhand or a city slicker, you can certainly appreciate the beauty of such a scene. While everyone loves the look of a pretty barn, what good is it if the fields around it are full of barren soil and rotting crops? A barn is where the supplies are kept, the equipment is maintained, and the harvest is stored. It is where the farmhands meet their boss in the morning and get their assignments for the day. And while a lot of work takes place in the barn, the work of sowing and reaping has to occur in the field. And the field is outside, not inside the barn. “For this reason, the church membership should not be considered the field but the force. Consequently, the entire program of the church should be geared to training and challenging its force to go out into the field and to spread the gospel of Christ.” Jesus told his disciples, “The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest. Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.” (Luke 10:2-3) The laborers in the spiritual harvest must be sent forth into the fields, and we are those laborers. God has commanded us to go, and as we are going, we are to preach and teach the gospel. Spending time in the barn is good, but we must get out in the fields to reap a harvest.
- Jan 22, 2023Jael and the Nail (Judges 4:11-21 KJV)
Jael and the Nail (Judges 4:11-21 KJV)Barak was listed in Hebrews 11 as an example of faith, but his faith was very weak because it depended on someone else. He refused to go into battle at the command of the Lord unless Deborah, the prophetess, came with him. She agreed but informed him that the credit for the victory would not go to him
but to a woman.Barak gathered his army, and word got to Sisera, the general of the Canaanite army, that the Israelites were preparing for battle. He made the first move and, with his superior forces, tried to surround them quickly. God, however, was on Israel’s side and discomfited the army of the Canaanites. As Sisera’s army fled in terror, he found himself on foot, running for his life. He made his way to the Homestead of Heber, a family with whom they were at peace. Jael, the wife of Heber, hid him in her tent and gave him milk to drink and a comfortable place to sleep. While he slept, she took advantage of the opportunity and drove a spike through his head, ending his life.From Barack, we learn the grace of God to give us victory even when our faith is weak. From Sisera, we learn the folly of trusting in our own strength, our own weapons, and our own ingenuity. The lesson is clear from both. Only by trusting God will we have victory.
