Subject

Quote

Sickness

Sermon: The Three Miracles of Sickness

I begin the sermon this way:

We all have probably been sick at one time or another and several of us will experience a sickness that could result in death. It occurred to me the other day that sickness is actually the start point for one of three miracles by Almighty God. To me, when God intercedes into the sickness of a firstfruit, whatever action He takes is a miracle. Let us take a look at these miracles.

When we become sick, there are three possible outcomes, each one a miracle:

1. God allows us to be healed.
2. God allows us to live with our sickness.
3. God allows us to die.

The rest of the sermon is me giving scriptures to confirm each.  I will give you one for each.

1. God allows us to be healed.
Isaiah 53:5
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 

2. God allows us to live with our sickness.
1 Corinthians 10:13 
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

3. God allows us to die.

Psalm 116:15 
Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. 

I then end the sermon with this statement:

All three miracles are authored by God and all His ways are perfect.

 

Trials & Tribulations

Sermon: The Trial …a sermon about 1 Peter 1:7

I begin the sermon with these words:

As several of you have noticed in my sermons from time-to-time, I love to finish with quotes by famous and wise people.  Often times, such quotes can put into plain language what we have learned from scripture.  For this sermon I wish to begin with a famous quote:

“It is one thing to read the Scriptures and affirm their truth. But until you are in the trenches of trial, until you are faced with life circumstances that test your faith, until you are pressed to the absolute limit of your physical and emotional capacity, until you face the unrelenting stress of ongoing trauma, you never really know how you'll respond to what you may have embraced so easily during a comfortable Bible study.”

I then give the key verses:

1 Peter 1:6-7
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

I then speak to the fact that our trials and tribulations are needful to our salvation process.  Verse 7 says they are more precious than gold.  I then make the following statement:

“Considering the statement in the commentary, ‘Consider that all thy afflictions are needful’ I want to point out that some trials we experience are the result of sin, ignorance or poor judgment/decisions.  These trials are just as needful at the trials/afflictions God leads us to otherwise.”

I spend a portion of the sermon on the concept of rejoicing in trials.  I say:

There are important reasons why we all ought to be joyful Christians.
(1) It is our privilege as Christians. When we may be so much happier than we are, what folly not to exercise our right!
(2) Our influence for good over others depends greatly upon the apparent result which religion produces in our own case.
(3) Very much of our own stability as Christians depends upon our joyfulness

I end the sermon by saying:

So now I have shown you many of the things God has to say about trials.  Go now and continue working through your trials with rejoicing for your Savior Jesus Christ is going to return in great glory.

Thralldom or being in slavery to some outside influence.

Sermon: Thralldom …or how not to become a thrall

I began the sermon this way:

The title for this sermon is, “Thralldom” or how not to become a thrall.  Have you ever been a thrall?  I guess we have to ask the question first, “What is a thrall?”  If we have been a thrall, what was the cause and what steps can we take to never be a thrall again?

Today we will answer these questions as I encourage all of us to avoid being a thrall.  Let us begin with some definitions.

Thralldom
The state of being a thrall; bondage; slavery; servitude.  The antonym to [or opposite of] "thrall" is mastery.

Thrall
A person who is morally or mentally enslaved by some power and/or influence.

The definition of, “Thralldom” here is easy to grasp.  One is either a thrall in bondage or they are masters of their domains [physical, mental, emotional and spiritual].

However, there is much more involved in the definition of, “Thrall.”  Clearly the thrall is enslaved but then it says, “by some power and/or influence.”  The list we could create for powers and/or influences is legion.  If we were to set ourselves to this task, we would have to make four separate and surely, overlapping lists.  We would need a list for the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

I then spend time in the sermon filling out each of those 4 lists with the elements that can and do make us thralls or enslaved to negative influences.  After presenting those four filled out list, I simplify the lists this way:

If these examples seem a little complex, let me give you a more simplified list of elements that can and do exert power and influence over us.

1] The world, which is full of influence—individuals, leaders, media, entertainment, literature, education, philosophies, worldly religions, corporations, friends and family.
2] Satan, who rules the world and runs the list I gave you from the world and who is the prince of the power of the air.
3] Our human nature, which embodies our childhood and full life experience, which affects the way we think and reason.  That is, everything that has ever happened in your life from birth has made you what you are today.  I am talking about your birth, your upbringing and family life, your education, early religion and every relationship you have ever had.  You are the sub-total of all these things.  Many elements can affect the way you think.

Virtually every one of these elements reside in thoughts.  Indeed, even a behavioral disorder will generate a thought.  What does the Bible say about all this?  What does the Bible say about our thoughts?  Turn to our key verse for this sermon.  It is found in 2 Corinthians.

2 Corinthians 10:5 
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; 

I next spend much time in going through the three parts of this verse and demonstrating the impact on our spiritual lives.  I give several verses for each part.  Finally, I come to a place where I ask two questions:

How do we make this admonition work?  How do we proceed?

How to Proceed [this will accompany our final Procedure below]
1] Do a study in which you identify faulty beliefs and faulty reasoning.
2] Identify if you are invoking faulty beliefs and reasoning.
3] Keep a diary or journal where you identify and catalog reactions, emotional and mental reasoning as well as beliefs.
4] Immerse yourself in the Word of God and compare everything in your journal against it.
5] Cast out all false reasoning. 
6] Bring every thought/reasoning into obedience to Christ.

I then say:

There is a text that has been around a long time.  I have modified it to fit this sermon and our key verse.
“Sow a righteous thought and you'll reap a righteous action;

Sow a righteous action, and you'll reap a right habit;

Sow a righteous habit and you'll ultimately reap the Kingdom of God.”

I end the sermon with the procedure.  I say:

Let us finish with the final procedure to fulfill 2 Corinthians 10:5 in our life.

Procedure:

1] Begin thinking about your thoughts and actions.  Meditate on them.  Catalogue them or keep a thought/action journal.
2] Ascertain why you hold that thought and/or took that action [or inaction].  Take special note of how you react to everything.
3] Cast down the negative thought or action.  At this point they are identified.  Cast them down or out as they come.  Do not accept bad thoughts.  Cast them out in the name of Jesus Christ, the Captain of your warfare.
4] Give the underlying causes to God.  He is the only being who can ultimately destroy them.
5] Watch as your thinking and actions change.
6] Identify the thoughts and actions that reflect the gospel---God's way of truth.  Rejoice in these.
7] Give all thought and actions to God in Assiduity.

 

The Enemy

Sermon: Thwart!!

I open this way:

The closer we get to end times and the Great Tribulation and/or the natural end of our lives, certain Salvation Process-related scriptures come to mind. They become very important. They are admonitions, that if followed will insure our making it to the Kingdom of God with eternal life. We will discuss one of those scriptures today. 

My purpose today is to encourage all of us to be stedfast in the faith. Thwart the enemy.

Thwart the enemy.

In this sermon, I give a recap that hits every main point.

1] Be sober -1 Peter 5:8
2] Be vigilant -1 Peter 5:8
3] Gird up your loins with truth -1 Peter 1:13 and see Ephesians 6:14
4] Be sober, avoid errors and false doctrines. 1 Peter 1:13
5]. Hope to the end. Do not be weary in trials. Cherish the gospel hope to the end of life. 1 Peter 1:13

6] Be serious, thoughtful and considerate. Let the end time make an impression on your mind. -1 Peter 4:7
7] Watch for the end. Let that watching lead you to embrace all proper opportunities to every element of the Salvation Process. -1 Peter 4:7
8] Never think that Jesus is delaying His coming. -Matthew 24:48
9] Refrain from excesses in eating, drinking, intoxication, worry. - Luke 21:34
10] Watch against every sin, snare, and temptation. - Luke 21:36

11] Invoke urgency. - Romans 13:11
12] Do not fall asleep spiritually. -Romans 13:11
13] Bring in good, force out all works of darkness. -Romans 13:12
14] Let your conduct be decent, orderly and grave. -Romans 13:13
15] Avoid chambering and wantonness. -Romans 12:13

16] Be prudent, modest, humble and thinking rightly of self and others. -Titus 1:8
17] Be faithful in counsel, admonitions and reproofs. -Titus 1:8
18] Be holy; devout towards God, constant in all religious action from closet to world. -Titus 1:8
19] Be an example of restraint and doing things lawfully. Do all to the glory of God. -Titus 1:8
20] Be righteous...proper performance of duties. -Titus 2:12

21] Be Godly...faithful performance of duties. -Titus 2:12
22] Understand that Satan is the enemy. -Ephesians 6:12
23] Give no place to the devil. -Ephesians 4:27
24] Do good. - Ephesians 4:28
25] Edify others. -Ephesians 4:29

26] Put away bitterness, wrath, anger, clamour, and evil speaking. -Ephesians 4:31
27] Be kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving. -Ephesians 4:32
28] Resist the devil. -James 4:7
29] Remain steadfast in the faith. -1 Peter 5:9
30] Stop the mouths of lions. Hebrews 11:33 with James 4:7

31] Have faith in a Living God. Hebrew 11:33
32] Make the future you goal. Hebrew 11:33
33] See to your duty.  Hebrew 11:33

...and immerse yourself into the Word of God!!

 

Doing One’s Best

Sermon: Transcendent

Here is the introduction I gave to this sermon:

Some years back, I had a counseling session with a member over the phone.  In the course of the session, it came out that this person was engaged in a situation which warranted spiritual attention in the form of repentance.  When I questioned the person about this need for spiritual remedy, the person exclaimed, “Well, I am doing the best I can.”

“I’m doing the best I can.”  Is this a valid statement for a firstfruit in any area of our lives?  What does the statement mean anyway?  Why do we use it?  How is it used?  When it comes to our moment of judgment and God asks us about our spiritual progress, could a firstfruit ever say, “I did the best I could”?

Today we are going to explore this statement and see if it has any place in the vocabulary of a firstfruit.  In doing so, my purpose today will be to encourage you to do better than your best in everything you do.

What we are going to see is that God has called us to go way beyond our powers and talents.  He has called us to transcend our best.  He wants us to do His best.

Let us begin by looking at the title of this sermon, the word, “Transcendent.”  What does this word mean?

Tran·scend·ent
---going beyond ordinary limits; surpassing; exceeding. 

God has called us to go beyond our ordinary, human limits.  He wants us to surpass them and exceedingly more than maybe what you imagine you could do.

I am not talking just spiritually here but in all aspects of your life under the headings of physical, emotional and mental.  You are going to readily see that God wants you to transcend, He commands you to go beyond your ordinary limits, He will give you the means to surpass your best and will only allow you into the Kingdom by doing His best exceedingly.

To transcend your personal best in every area and to do His best, you will need His power.  We are about to review just how this is done

I have prepared nine areas from the Word of God on this subject of doing His best. 
By “His best” I am speaking to the biblical concept of allowing Christ to do His best in and through us by the power of God, which is His Holy Spirit in us. ~end quote~

The nine areas I discuss are:
1] Power of God
2] God gives strength
3] Christ in you
4] In the name of Jesus Christ
5] The Holy Spirit
6] Examples …of biblical characters using the power of God to do the best.
7] Our Attitude
8] Transcending Physically, Emotionally and Mentally.
9] Doing His Best

I give several scriptures for each area.  I end the sermon with these words this way:

 This sermon is about removing from your vocabulary the phrase, "I'm doing the best I can" and invoking the power of the Holy Spirit doing God's best.  As you proceed through this life, you still DO the best you can with God-given talents, gifts, knowledge and understanding.  The point here is that when you attain your best, you then go beyond the human limit and do His best.  The person declaring, "Well, I did the best I could" is usually, if not always, stopping at the human limit and failing to do God's best.  Firstfruits have the power in them to do God's best every time they invoke the power of the Holy Spirit.  Firstfruits count on God and give Him the glory for both the best they humanly do and for the best He does in and through them.

One famous person once said, “God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.”

So go now and continue your journey through the Salvation Process going beyond your ordinary limits and invoking His best.