08/16/2012 Broadcast Notes

08/16/2012Broadcast Notes 

you can watch the video at the link above

Good evening and welcome. Tonight I will talk about accepting Jesus but first let us open in prayer.

     Lord Jesus please give us the wisdom and understanding to receive the message you have for us so we may grow in the knowledge and share that knowledge with others

- Amen

There is a path to everlasting life set before us. The first step to following that path is the hardest. You must accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. I know some of you may say that's easy well its not. Well its not that easy for over come the ways you may have been taught or to over come the suffering and pain you may be in. Maybe its the negativity that others have directed at you. Sometimes other people may judge you based on the way you look, an addiction you may have, or the lifestyle you live. And you must be prepared for the things people you knew before you found Christ may say. Sometimes we judge ourselves and think we are unworthy of Gods grace. No were in the Bible does God exclude any from the gift of Jesus Christ.

Joh 3:16-17 KJV For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

God said all the world not just those of us that fit into the mold of what some people believe would make a good christian. There are many obstacles and types of negativity that we must overcome. When I think about the struggles we must face as Christians the song that come to mind is by dc Talk  Jesus Freak

I saw a man with tat on his big fat belly 
It wiggled around like marmalade jelly 
It took me a while to catch what it said 
Cause I had to match the rhythm of his belly with my head 
'Jesus Saves' is what it raved in a typical tattoo green 
He stood on a box in the middle of the city 
And claimed he had a dream 

What will people think 
When they hear that I'm a Jesus freak 
What will people do when they find that it's true 
I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak 
There ain't no disguising the truth 
[There ain't no disguising the truth] 
[I don't need to hide it... The truth] 

We must each find our own way to push past them and not let them take what is rightfully ours away from us and that is the love of Jesus Christ. We must pray; Jesus I accept that you have died for my sins and that you are my lord and savior, please forgive me of my sins and Prepare me for walking a path without sin as best I can. Amen

1Pe 3:13-15 ERV If you are always trying to do good, no one can really harm you. (14) But you may suffer for doing right. If that happens, you have God's blessing. "Don't be afraid of the people who make you suffer; don't be worried." (15) But keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer everyone who asks you to explain about the hope you have.

I faced allot of hardships in my life and have had to learn to not here what people said to me. I was once told by a woman that I was not christian enough for us to go out because of the things I did in my past. I told her it is my past experiences that make me a better christian. Because of the dark path I walked before coming to Christ I am able to look at people and say if Jesus will take me he will take anyone. I can testify that I walked that I thought I would never be able to do what I am doing now. I thought Jesus would never take me back because for so long I rejected him.

<Open to questions>

<Closing>

I would like to close with an old Irish blessing

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His

hand. -Amen

Find Your Own Way Part 3

The final part of receiving salvation is Baptism. Baptism is defined as a ceremonial immersion in water, or application of water, as an initiatory rite or sacrament of the Christian church. In the days of John the Baptist, he baptized people through the immersion in water.

Mar 1:4-5 ERV So John the Baptizer came and was baptizing people in the desert area. He told them to be baptized to show that they wanted to change their lives, and then their sins would be forgiven. (5) All the people from Judea, including everyone from Jerusalem, came out to John. They confessed the bad things they had done, and he baptized them in the Jordan River.

Baptism is outward showing of the washing away of your sins. When you come out of the water your begin a new life walking the path that Jesus Christ has set before you, turning away from a life of sin. How important is it to be baptized Jesus said

Mar 16:16-18 ERV  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved. But those who do not believe will be judged guilty.  (17)  And the people who believe will be able to do these things as proof: They will use my name to force demons out of people. They will speak in languages they never learned.  (18)  If they pick up snakes or drink any poison, they will not be hurt. They will lay their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

Jesus Christ sought out John the Baptist so that he could be baptized not to wash away his sins but because it was God's will

Mat 3:13-16 ERV Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan River. He came to John, wanting John to baptize him. (14) But John tried to stop him. John said, "Why do you come to me to be baptized? I should be baptized by you!" (15) Jesus answered, "Let it be this way for now. We should do whatever God says is right." Then John agreed. (16) So Jesus was baptized. As soon as he came up out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw God's Spirit coming down on him like a dove.

We cannot stop there and say I can go back to my sinful ways. We must do our best to follow the path of Love and goodness that was set before us by Jesus.

I have one final thought that I dont have the answer for. If one turns away from God when he come back should he be baptized again?

Find Your Own Way Part 2

The next step is repentance.Why do we have to repent? the Bible in Rom 3:23-27 ERV


 All have sinned and are not good enough to share God's divine greatness.  (24)  They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ.  (25)  God gave Jesus as a way to forgive people's sins through their faith in him. God can forgive them because the blood sacrifice of Jesus pays for their sins. God gave Jesus to show that he always does what is right and fair. He was right in the past when he was patient and did not punish people for their sins. And in our own time he still does what is right. God worked all this out in a way that allows him to judge people fairly and still make right any person who has faith in Jesus.  (27)  So do we have any reason to boast about ourselves? No reason at all. And why not? Because we are depending on the way of faith, not on what we have done in following the law.

Throughout our lives we have all done wrong. We are all born with the ability to do Good and the temptation to do bad (sin). This is how we work and we cant change those facts. Sin is doing stuff that you know is wrong. It can be any type of sin from telling a little white lie, having bad thoughts about a person, carrying a grudge, to robbing a bank or killing someone. 

Repentance is admitting that you know you have sinned in your life and ask for forgiveness. You must not just say the words. You must believe in your soul in Jesus and the fact that he died for your sins and want him to forgive you for your sins. Repentance does not stop there you must do your best to turn your life away from sin. 

Find Your Own Way Part 1

Find Your Own Way Part 1

There is only one path to righteousness and it has 3 steps. The first step is the hardest you must except Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. Its not easy to over come the ways you may have been taught or to over come the suffering and pain you may be in. Maybe its the negativity that others have directed at you. Sometimes other people may judge you based on the way you look, an addiction you may have, or the lifestyle you live. No were in the Bible does God preclude any from the gift of Jesus Christ.

Joh 3:16-17 KJV For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (17) For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

God said all the world not just those of us that fit into the mold of what some people believe would make a good christian. There are many obstacles and types of negativity that we must overcome. We must each find our own way to push past them and not let them take what is rightfully your away from you and that is the love of Jesus Christ. I was taught at a young age that Jesus loves us all in a simple children's song

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Black and yellow, red and white
They're all precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world

Whether you're rich or whether you're poor
It matters not to Him
He remembers where you're going
Not where you've been

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Black and yellow, red and white
They're all precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world

If your heart is troubled
Don't worry, don't you fret
He knows that you have heard His call
And he won't forget

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Black and yellow, red and white
They're all precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world

All around the world tonight
His children rest assured
That He will watch and He will keep us
Safe and secure

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Black and yellow, red and white
They're all precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world

The song has been around sense the 1800's and it sometimes seems that so many have forgotten that word and that we all are God's children. 

"That's Child abuse"

I was in a local walmart today when a woman was with her child and the child was having a fit and sitting on the ground and refusing to get up the woman proceeded to grab the child hand and began to walk. So picture this a woman holding a small baby walking as the boy on the ground slid on his but The woman in front of me says "That's Child abuse" I turned and looked at the woman as if she was crazy and   say "no its not" It was at this time I wanted to start preaching to the woman. The woman pulling the child was  establishing a limit to the child as to what was acceptable behavior. She was also was showing the child who was in charge.  We as parents have  to set limits and teach our children right from wrong, even if it means pulling our child along when they don't want to go. Sometimes we as Christians act as the child on the floor we think that we know better than god as to where we should go or what we should do. Sometimes God has to reach down and grab our hand and drag us across the floor on our butts to get us back on the right path. Just as the woman did not want to drag her child god does not want to drag us.

Judgement of Others Part 3

Today I continue my series on judgement. Im going to cover allot of ground today As I wrap up the series today.

Joh 8:1-11 KJV  Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.  (2)  And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.  (3)  And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,  (4)  They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.  (5)  Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?  (6)  This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.  (7)  So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.  (8)  And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.  (9)  And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.  (10)  When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?  (11)  She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

I look around the world and notice that too many Christians are picking up that stone and throwing it in the name of Christ who clearly would not throw it. Prejudice in any form is judgement and judgement is a sin. Do you bare ill will to another person because of the race they may be, the church they attend, there age (whether it be young or old), the country they come form or how they came to be in your country or there sexual orientation? Have you ever looked at someone and said that person is a sinner? Think about this;

Rom 3:23 KJV  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; We are all born with sin and through Faith in Jesus and repentance we are forgiving of our sins. From that Day Forward we should work to share the love of Jesus. We will never rise above the evil in today's world by sharing a word of prejudiceness and condemnation of sinners. We must share and practice the ways of Love, Hope and Forgiveness.  For god so love the world that he gave his only Son so that we would not perish but have every lasting life. He did this without exception.

Judgement of Others Part 2

Judgement is a hard thing to give up and so often is a deep rooted part of  Prejudice. Today I am going to start with Educational Prejudice. Is it better to have a pastor that has gone to Seminary School or one who is mentored by another pastor? While I do believe that Training of some sort is important to a new pastor the type of training is put forth by god. In some settings Pastors that go to Seminary school are looked down upon they are judged to have too little real world experiences to be a good minister. The opposite is judged by those who are pastors who have never gone to Seminary School. The person does not have the knowledge of the bible that come through seminary schools give.  This can pass out of  christian setting and applied to people who look at a person doing a job who has not gone to school to learn his trade, Saying "he doesn't know what he is doing he didn't go to school for it" or " She just got out of school she doesn't know how things work in the real world" We should never judge a person based on what we might think they know Rather we should look at the quality of their work.

If you were to look at my Education you will find out that I Dropped out of high school, didn't finish Collage and have never attended Seminary School. If you were to base your choice as to whether or not I am a good minister on them facts you would likely come to the wrong choice. But when you look at my life as a whole you will find out that my father was a pastor and he shaped my life to become a minister someday. My first ministry was a prison out reach with my father. There I learned not to judge people for the place life has let them to be. That sometimes we all mess up and life and its how we handle that mistake in life that shapes who we are. In many groups in my life I have served as a chaplain. I am filled with the Holy Ghost and each day in my life god shows me what he needs me to do and I follow that instruction. Don't judge other based on a few facts you know learn the whole story and except them for what they are. God has a plan for every person, and its my not be what you think it may be.