Pay Attention to This!

SCRIPTURE Hebrew 2:1-3

Gifts for you!
1We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. 2For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him. 4God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.

OBSERVATION
Have you ever wondered if Heaven or salvation was a myth? Is Jesus coming down to earth as a baby in a manger just a cute story? As an adult we sometimes forget the miracle of Christmas. We forget what the Prophet Isaiah prophecied:

In Isaiah 6:9 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Jesus is wonderful person who has come to give us the gift of life, the gift of Salvation, Peace, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. He confirms everyday that he loves us through signs, wonders, miracles and gift of the Holy Spirit.
APPLICATION
I am so glad that God does confirm salvation for us. What he did thousands of years ago is still for us today. It is not just a good read. The bible is not just another New York times best seller, only to be put on our shelves in a couple of months. We need to focus and pay attention to what he is doing today through his people. He is still the STAR of Bethlehem. He performs all types of cool miracles, and gives us signs. Several months ago I preached a message on a Wed night. I used a Country Western song called, " The three Wooden Crosses" by Randy Travis. I showed the music video and preached on how we need the Salvation of the Lord. That night we had 12 teens give their life to the Lord. I was so excited to see so many people respond to this message, but for me the miracle and the sign happen after the service as my family was driving home from church. One of my children looked up into the sky and said out loud, look dad there are three crosses in the sky. I looked up and the sky was dark but over our car was three clouds in the shape of perfect crosses. You can ask my children if you do not believe me, but that night God was giving me a sign. My children did not here the message or know about the video,They just saw the sign. This sort of things happens to me all the time, but they are not just for me they are for all of us.

PRAYER
Today, I pray that you will make your self known to all of us. Thank you for helping us with our unbelief. I pray that you will make your self known to those that have doubt or unbelief about your love, that you will give them a sign. I pray that you will give them a sign, like you gave the shepherds in the field on the day that you where born. I pray that you would give them a miracle this Christmas. I love you Dad, thanks for all the cool gifts this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hR25g1JJJ6M

Fan into Flames

SCRIPTURE 2 Tim 1:3-7

3I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

OBSERVATION
God did not give us a spirit of timidity. God gave us power, love and self control. So many of us forget or spiritual heritage. We come from a long line of strong Christians. For example my Grandmother and my mother love the lord with all their heart, mind, and strength and they raised me to be a spiritual giant not some weak christian that is timid. I come from a family that put God first and made him #1. We did not bow to the spirit of fear, but we chased the spirit of fear down. I forget that God has given us the victory and that if we believe in him he will make us Victorious.

APPLICATION
Lord help me to fan into flame the little spark that of power that you have put inside of me. Like a fire that is being built, it needs oxygen to start. I need you to breath your Holy Spirit on me. Do not allow me to burn out or get smothered by the things of the world. I need the Spirit to blow on me like a fire needs someone to fan the flames. I do not want to die out like a poorly lit fire. I want to be a Christian that is on fire for you.
PRAYER
Lord send me your Spirit to fan my flames. I want to have a passion for you, a passion for lost and a passion for the world. I want people to see that you have raised me to be a victor and not timid christian. Please help me to have boldness and to let my light shine.

Let it Ring

SCRIPTURE
You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of sever suffering, you welcomed the message with joy given by the Holy Spirit.  And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.  The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia - your faith in God has become known everywhere.

I Thessalonians 1:4-8

OBSERVATION
What a success story of a new community of believers.  The church is Thessalonica began with a bang.  Paul commends the church for becoming a model to other believers.  It's interesting here that Paul uses the singular "model" emphasizing the community of believers rather than "models," which would emphasize individuals.  It seems like a portion of their success happened because they were a true community.  Of this community, Paul admired their "work produced by faith, their labor prompted by love, and their endurance inspired by hope."  The result, the message of the Lord rang out from Thessalonica to the ancient world.  

APPLICATION

What a community of faith!  Not only were the Thessalonicans a model to the believers in their day, but they are a model for us today.  And they are model not just how we are to live as individual believers, but as a community of Jesus' followers.  Together, we can pursue work produced by faith.  Together, we can develop labor prompted by love.  And together, we can experience endurance inspired by hope.  We truly are better together when we are a Christ-centered community.  If we can do this, then, like the Thessalonicans, our faith, love and hope will "ring out" to those around us.

PRAYER
Father, help Koinonia to be a place of true community characterized by faith, love and hope.  Use us to spread your message of grace and mercy to those who haven't heard.

Thanksgiving

SCRIPTURE
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.  At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

Matthew 27:50-51

OBSERVATION
The crucifixion was a violent and brutal event.  Jesus was beaten, bruised and bloodied even before he reached the cross.  All this was done for the sake of restoring God with his creation, so that we could have a new life in God.  At the moment of Jesus' death, the curtain of the temple was torn in two.  The curtain formed the entrance and barrier to the Holy of Holies.  It separated God's holiness from humanity's sinfulness.  Jesus' act on the cross removed this separation.  

APPLICATION
What a great reminder of Jesus' love for us.  He willingly endured suffering and death so that we could be made whole, so that we could experience a new life in God's presence.  How appropriate that this passage fell on Thanksgiving.  We have many things to be thankful for, but nothing should outweigh our thankfulness for God's love.  

PRAYER
Father, thank you for salvation.  Thank you for deliverance.  Thank you for grace and mercy.  Thank you for your love.

Religious Stuff

SCRIPTURE
Everything they do is done for men to see:  They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'

Matthew 23:5-7

OBSERVATION
Here, Jesus talks about the teachers of the law and the Pharisees.  He says that their source of motivation is pride and recognition.  On the outside, they do all the "religious" stuff.  They not only do the religious stuff, they excel at the religious stuff.  They wore big phylacteries. Phylacteries are a pair of black leather boxes containing scrolls with biblical verses.  They were worn to serve as a remembrance of God's deliverance.  The same was true of the tassels.  Two items that were supposed to remind the Jews of God's deliverance and faithfulness were twisted into objects of pride.

APPLICATION
Like the Jews, how often have I taken something that is intended to draw me closer to God and used it to bring attention to myself.  Maybe a prayer, a comment, a message, a blog entry....  Like the Pharisees, I've take religious stuff and used it to build myself up in the eyes of others.  At times, I've let the opinion and perception of others cloud my pursuit of God.  But, I'm not living my life for others.  I'm living my life for God.  Or, at least, I want to be.  I need to consistently place my focus of God.

PRAYER
Father, forgive me for those times when I have drawn attention to myself rather than to your glory.  Help me to live my life solely and wholly for you.

490

SCRIPTURE
The servant fell on his knees before him.  'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.'  The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.  But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii.  He grabbed him and began to choke him.  'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.

Matthew 18:26-28

OBSERVATION
Here is a story of a servant who has been forgiven greatly, but when given the opportunity to forgive another, he withholds grace.  Jesus tells this parable when asked by the disciples how many times we are to forgive someone.  The disciples were looking for a specific answer, something like, "7 times, that ought to do."  But Jesus responds by telling them they should forgive 70 times 7, 490 times.  490 times!  Jesus seems to take away the rational of trying to count how many times we've forgiven someone.  Who could remember that many instances?  Who would keep a tally?  And then, just after dropping the 490 bomb, he tells this parable.  The point?  It's not about numbers, it's about being a forgiving person.  Forgiveness is not something  a 'to do list,' but rather an inner attitude of the heart that stems from love.  

APPLICATION

I have to be careful not to look at forgiveness as something "to-do."  Sometimes, I can think I need to forgive someone out of Christian duty or obligation.  And while we are directed by Jesus to forgive others, Jesus seems to want us to be forgiving people.  People who forgive from the heart in response of the great forgiveness that has been extended to them.  That great forgiveness was motivated solely by love.  My forgiveness towards others should be the same.

PRAYER
Father, help me to become a person so full of your love, that I naturally forgive those who hurt me.

So What Are You Worried About?

SCRIPTURE
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.


OBSERVATION
Matthew 6 verses 25-34 are all about not worrying about personal needs being filled. Whether food, clothes or the future, the passage reminds us that God is big enough to care for each and every one of us. Worrying does no good at all!

Verse 27 says, "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" And yet that is what we do all the time. In this time of economic downturn, it is so easy to start worrying about the future and about whether there will be enough for tomorrow. We start to worry and we start to hoard and hold rather then give and release. What good is it? None at all.

Above all, the principle to remember is that when we seek God's kingdom first, then everything else will be taken care of. Keep the priorities straight and He will supply all of our needs. It is so simple and yet we get distracted and filled with disbelief so often.

I had a father in the faith tell me recently, "God's people will be just fine in this economic downturn." This man had learned the principle of seeking God first, and has seen, time and again, that God provides for His children. He wasn't worried and He wasn't going to worry.


APPLICATION
Today I am not going to worry about the future. I'm not going to worry about the economic markets or downturn. Yes, I am going to pray about it, but I'm not going to be panicked. I'm not going to stop giving and I may even give more! After all, if God is the one who supplies, His economics are not dependent upon the world's!

PRAYER
Lord, today help me to keep my focus on pursuing You and Your Kingdom. You promise that you will supply all my needs (not all my wants) according to Your riches in glory. Let me not spend wasted time on worrying about things I can do nothing about. I love you! Amen.