CARING FOR OTHERS

VIDEO LINKS TO THIS SERMON

CARING FOR OTHERS - PART ONE

CARING FOR OTHERS- PART TWO

CARING FOR OTHERS - PART THREE

Caring For Others

By Pastor Mark Taylor

“I looked on my right hand, and beheld, but there was no one that would help me: refuge failed me; no one cared for my soul.” (Psalm 142: 4)

It's always a good idea to look back over life and think about the people who have made a difference in our lives: People who helped us in a time of need.  People who blessed us: Opened new doors for us; Helped us grow; Imparted new wisdom; Made us more than we had been before.

There is someone today that needs for you to be that person to them.  God has sent them in your pathway to care for. This could include meeting physical or emotional needs.  It certainly includes sharing your faith and bringing people to Christ.  

There are some barriers that may be keeping you from being that person that God wants to use to care for someone today.

There is “The Barrier of Indifference”.  When some people see others who have a need, they say to themselves: “That is their problem and it is none of my business”.  We may not be able to “solve” their problems, but we can show them we care with kind words, a word of prayer with them, or a small act of kindness.  When someone shares a problem with us the least we can do is be a good listener and not another person who rejects them.  Selfishness or apathy is not the proper response to those who love the Lord.  He is a loving and giving God who hears you and cares for you.

God cares for us and listens to us. “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.” 

(Psalm 34:15).  

“I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.”. (Psalm 116:1).

There is “The Barrier of Judgement.”  There may be times when we see someone hurting because of wrong decisions they have made in their lives.  We may be tempted to tell them “I told you so!” or think in our minds that they deserve the consequences of their poor choices.  If you have this type of temperament, you will miss the opportunity and blessing of “caring for others”.  It is true that most people who are hurting and in need have made the wrong choices in life, and are indeed “reaping what they sowed”.  But, if you are a child of God and have the Holy Spirit in you, you will have an attitude of compassion instead of judgement.

“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” (Luke 6:37).

There is “The Barrier of Non-Involvement”.  or “Let Someone Else Do It”.  When God puts the opportunity in front of you to care for the needs of someone else, He aligned you with that person so you can help them. If you choose to walk by the person who needs your care, they may not receive help, because God has chosen you to help them.

Helping and caring for others is not a one way street.  You cannot care for someone else without God repaying you many times.“For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, by no means, will you lose your reward.” (Mark 9:41)

 “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will men put into your lap. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38).

Then there is “The Barrier of Timidity” - I’m too afraid to care or share.  Here are some of the fears that some people have when they are asked to care for someone else:

 "I am afraid I might do more harm than good."

 "I don't know what to say."

 "I may invade someone’s privacy."

 "I am afraid I might fail."

 "I am afraid I might be rejected."

When you feel fear remind yourself of God’s promises:

 "The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?" (Psalms 118:6)

 "Do not fear, for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness." (Isaiah 41:10).

Someone needs you today.  Someone needs to hear about the love of God and the Gospel Message of Jesus.  This is caring for their soul. 

There are some Christians today who need someone to care for their souls.  They need someone to remind them of how much God loves them and all the great things He has prepared for them.

“But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (I Corinthians 2:9)

Will you Care for Someone’s Soul Today?

MOUNTAIN MOVING FAITH

Mountain Moving Faith

by Pastor Mark Taylor

“If you shall say unto this mountain, Be removed, and be cast into the sea; it shall be done.  And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive." (Matthew 21:21-22)

Our prayers are more than wishes, hopes or feeble aspirations - but only if we pray with believing, faith filled hearts. That is the kind of prayer that moves mountains.

Jesus, of course, was not in the excavation business. He had little interest in relocating piles of rocks in the ocean’s depths. He was using the term mountain figuratively. Whatever mountain stands in you path, whatever obstacle blocks your way, whatever difficulty immobilizes you, the prayer of faith can remove it. This was what He was telling His disciples and is telling us today.

Mountain moving faith comes from looking at God, not looking at the mountain.  Whatever roadblock you are facing Jesus says today speak to that mountain and tell it to be gone in the name of Christ, and believe. 

Mountain moving faith only comes as we “walk” with Him.

God always answers prayer: Yet . . .

If the request is wrong, God says, “No”.

If the timing is wrong, God says, “Slow”.

If you are wrong, God says, “Grow”.

But if the request is right, the timing is right and you are right, God says, “Go!”.

For most of us the mountain is so huge, and our faith is so weak that all we can say in reply is what a father of a sick child said to Jesus.  Jesus told Him "… If thou can believe, all things are possible to him that believes.”  The father responded to Jesus

 “The father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help mine unbelief." (Mark 9:23-24).

The reason most people don’t pray is that they don’t expect God to answer their prayers in the first place. They kneel down, and talk to themselves for a while, not expecting God to speak back because they have never heard Him do it before. They get tired of hearing their own voice, wondering If God is even listening, then get up and go back to doing the same things again. The only thing they really accomplished was to ease their conscience for a while, but they haven’t touched God through faith.

You are God’s child and He wants to give you the answer to your prayer, so pray and believe that the answer is already yours right now!  God wants you to be well. God wants you to be free. God wants you to be delivered. God wants to give you the best that Heaven has to offer. He is just waiting on you to ask, in faith, without wavering.

In the Old Testament a man named Jabez prayed a prayer that changed his life and those around him.  Jabez’s prayer was simple…  “’Oh that You would bless me indeed and enlarge my border, and that Your hand might be with me, and that You would keep me from harm that it may cause me pain.”  And God granted him what he requested.” (I Chronicles 4:10).

After you pray, believe.  Forget about the past. Don’t think about all the bad things that has happened to you.   Think about God’s future for you.

“Do not call to mind the former things, or ponder things of the past. Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19).  I believe that God can fulfill this verse in you and I. He wants to make a roadway in our wilderness and rivers in our desert. I believe God for this, will you?

When you speak the mountain may not move immediately, but it does not mean things are not happening.  When Jesus spoke to the fig tree it did not died immediately, but the work was beginning at the roots and all life was removed from that tree. and when they returned the next day, the fig tree had dried up and was dead.  When you speak to your problems, believe that God is already starting to work on your mountain and it will soon be cast into the sea.

Declare that you are blessed. Tell yourself that every negative word that have been said to you, and about you, will not have any effect on you.   Expect good things and speak words of victory and not of defeat and you will see your mountains removed

According to the Bible, believers can be confident that their prayers will be answered. And many times Jesus will let us know that it was faith and belief that is the key to answered prayer. 

“Jesus said, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23)   “So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Luke 11:9)  "If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14).

God can do supernaturally for you what others cannot do.  Begin today to speak to your problems instead of speaking about your problems. Ask God for “Mountain Moving Faith” today, and you will see your problems taken away from you.

HANDFUL OF PURPOSE

HANDFUL OF PURPOSE

BY PASTOR MARK TAYLOR

In the book of Ruth God vividly portrays this principle of mercy, Godly living, and Godly giving.  In the Old Testament, under the Mosaic law, gleaning was one of the rights of the people. The farmer was forbidden of God to reap the corners of his fields.  It was to be left for the widows, the fatherless, and the poor in the land. The same thing was true of their orchards and vineyards.

Ruth is a book filled with many of what some might call "accidents" that demonstrate how God works out His purpose, on purpose, with no accidents involved.  It's a picture of God's over-abundant love for His people. We don't deserve to be His children, much less to be receive an abundant outpouring of His blessing and grace.  He is good to us because He is good, and because He loves us.

In chapter one, we see Ruth deciding to follow Naomi and to adopt Naomi's people as her people and Naomi's God as her God. "Where You Shall Go, I Shall Go, Your God shall be my God" In chapter two, we see Ruth working and serving. It's a picture of our role as believers in Christ, and God's providence to his believers though a Savior.  In chapter three, we see Boaz marrying Ruth and saving her from her suffering, and it's a beautiful picture of how Christ rescues His people from sin. Boaz, from Bethlehem, is often referred to as "the kinsman redeemer".  In chapter four, we see Ruth enjoying a bountiful reward and inheritance that she didn't earn. It was given to her by grace.

Boaz is a type of Christ in the Old Testament.  He is called “a mighty man of wealth.”  Naomi is a type of the Holy Spirit leading and guiding Ruth to her “kinsman redeemer”.  Ruth is a representation of those who do not have a relationship with God but are seeking to live right. The barley that is being dropped is the Word of God.

You and I have a Lord and Savior who can more than provide for our needs. In this second chapter of Ruth, we see this law of gleaning illustrated. The things recorded here are written for our learning and for our admonition. Indeed, all that is written in the Book of Ruth is intended by God the Holy Spirit to show us the goodness, grace, and glory of Christ, our Kinsman Redeemer.  When Boaz saw Ruth gathering grain behind the reapers in his field, he commanded them to intentionally leave some extra handfuls of grain for her. To her, she saw this as a blessing from the Lord, and it most certainly was.

Ruth received the favor of God because she was in the right field. Other people might have cast her away because of her background. However, Boaz welcomed her into his field. God's love and favor placed her in the right place and the right time. He provided the opportunity, but she still had to do the work. She still had to ask the questions. She had to take advantage of the blessing that was placed before her.

“When Ruth went back to work again, Boaz ordered his young men, "Let her gather grain right among the sheaves without stopping her. ¹⁶ And pull out some heads of barley from the bundles and drop them on purpose for her. Let her pick them up, and don't give her a hard time”.  (Ruth 2:15).

In order for God to drop handful of purpose on you, it is important that you are in the right family (being a child of God), being in the right field (God’s House), and that you are a person of right living (Ruth was a woman of virtue). In chapter 2 we are introduced to Boaz, Ruth’s kinsman-redeemer. Everything in Ruth’s life hinged upon that man who had the right and the might to redeem her. And everything in our lives hinges upon Christ, our great Boaz, our Kinsman-Redeemer, who has the right and the might to redeem our pour souls.

He drops us handfuls of His grace because there is a purpose to it. The only certainty we have about the favor of God is where it originates. The favor of God comes at different times, to different people, in different amounts but it is all the favor of God. The bible tells us that God loves us, and favors us, but does not really tell us why? We don't deserve it. We haven't earned it. We have not appreciated it, and honored it. But he loves us anyway, and favors us anyway. It's a mystery of the faith. A wonderful mystery, but a mystery nonetheless. We are his prized creation, his jewel, and that will never change.

Ruth was a poor woman on here hands and knees picking up the scraps and leftovers. It would have been easy for her to think that God was giving her the short end of the stick. But instead she saw blessing, and was given even more blessing. Ruth became the Great Grandmother of King David and ancestor of Jesus Christ. The favor of God and the handfuls of purpose you walk in today will effect and bring blessings to your lineage after you. God has it ALREADY planned out.  Ruth did not deserve the handfuls. She received because it was in God's will that she receive. It wasn't a merit award. It was simply how God wanted to do it at this time.

God has some “Handful of Purpose” for us.   “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.  Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you." (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

Find the right field where God is working.  Certainly the church is one of those places.  Small group Bible studies and fellowships are others.  The important thing is be where God’s Word is being given as “handful of purpose” for your benefit.  Be sure that Christ is in charge of the field where you are working, for it is He that drops the “handful of purpose” for you.  Be a Godly person in your life style and actions so Christ will show His favor on you.

  "DELIGHT YOURSELF in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. COMMIT YOUR WAY to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this." (Psalms 37:4-5)

ANGELS UNAWARE

ANGELS UNAWARE

“Be not forgetful to be good to strangers; for thereby some have been unaware they have entertained angels.”  Hebrews 13:2 “

God wants us to know that His angels are a matter of fact.  In Luke 1 the Bible tells us that Gabriel appeared to tell Jesus' mother Mary about the coming Savior.  In Matthew 1 and 2 God’s Word tells us that Angels spoke to Joseph in his dreams.  The angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias to tell him about the upcoming birth of his son, John the Baptist.

It is comforting to know that God has specific angels assigned to help us. We know this is true because of something Jesus said when the Lord was talking about little children:   "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven. For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost." (Matthew 8:10-11)

As strong and as powerful as the angels are, they cannot begin to compare to Jesus. Our crucified and risen Savior is Lord of all! He is far, far above all of the angels.  Jesus is greater than the angels. Jesus is Lord of all! And He is certainly Lord over all the angels.  “After He (Jesus) finished the sacrifice for sins, the Son took His honored place high in the heavens right alongside God, far higher than any angel in rank and rule. Did God ever say to an angel, “You’re my Son; today I celebrate you” or “I’m his Father, he’s my Son”? When He presents His honored Son to the world, He says, “All angels must worship Him.” (Hebrews 1: 3-6 The Message).

We need to realize that there are good angels and bad angels.  it is clear from (Revelation 12:7) and many other passages, the leader of these fallen angels (or demons as they are also called) is Satan (Matt. 12:25-27).  There was a rebellion by Satan in Heaven (a fallen angel), who, being lifted up by his own beauty, sought to exalt himself above God and rebelled (Isaiah 14:12-14). In his rebellion, he took with him one-third of the angels (Rev. 12:4). Satan, the leader of unholy angels, is a liar, a murderer, and a thief (John 10:10).

But I don’t want to spend time writing about the bad Angels, but the Good Angels.  The book of Hebrews calls angels "ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation" (Heb. 1:14). Angels minister to us in many ways, and I'd like for us to look at some of their ministries.

It is comforting to know that God may send us angels to protect, encourage, and guide us. Praise the Lord for His angels and for all the work they do for Him.

Angels Protect

Angels care for and protect believers from physical harm and give believers strength to overcome difficulties.  This world is a dangerous place, and angels can provide supernatural protection. (Daniel 6) tells the story of how an angel shut the mouths of the lions when Daniel was thrown into their den.  Psalm 91 gives us encouragement of God’s protection over us.  “For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.  They shall bear you up in their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone.” (Psalm 91:11-12).  This is not saying we will never break a leg or arm, but in dangerous situations we can pray for God’s protection and remind God of this promise.

                Angels Encourage

Angels strengthened Jesus after His temptation (Matt 4:11). They encouraged the apostles to keep preaching after releasing them from prison (Acts 5:19-20), and told Paul that everyone on his ship would survive the impending shipwreck (Acts 27:23-25). Angels encourage.  Not only can God send us brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage us, He can also send us His messengers.

Angels Provide Guidance 

Sometimes, angels give guidance so God's people will know what He wants us to do. An angel appeared to Joseph in a dream and instructed him to take Mary as his wife and to name her baby Jesus (Matthew 1:20-21).  And it was an angel who told Philip where to go in his travels so that he could meet the Ethiopian eunuch and lead him to Christ (Acts 8:26).   Since we now have the completed canon of Scripture, God may not send His angels to deliver messages as often as He did in the Bible times, however, it is possible.

The ministry of holy angels will never contradict the Bible.  The actions of holy angels will always be consistent with the character of Christ.  A genuine encounter with a holy angel will glorify God, not the angel. Holy angels never draw attention to themselves. They typically do their work and disappear.

We need to be extremely carefully not to buy into the world's perspective on angels. Our secular society presents many false views and ideas about God's messengers.  We should not pray to angels or try to contact them.  If we need help or assistance, we should pray to God, for He is the one we should talk to, not angels.  We have the Holy Spirit to teach us and lead us.  “For the Holy Ghost shall teach you.” (Luke 12:12) and Jesus said:  “But the comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My Name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”  (John 14:26).

Angels are just another resource from Heaven that God can use to show His love for us.  It is a wonderful thing to be a child of God and be under His protection, His encouragement, and His guidance.

PREVENTIVE PRAYER

“Preventive Prayer”

By Pastor Mark Taylor

“Give ear to my words, O Lord, Consider my meditation. Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray.  My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You, And I will look up. For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You.The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;  In fear (respect) of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.  For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you With favor You will surround him as with a shield.” (Psalm 5: 1-12).

Coming into the presence of God can calm the spirit and soul of all of us. The best time to pray is before you need to pray.  I would call it “preventive prayer”.  It is easier for you to ask the Lord Jesus to help you make the right decisions each day, than to ask Him to help you fix the problems you create by making wrong decisions.

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You”.   A good time to start asking God for guidance is early in the morning.  After our day gets started we are going to have all kind of distractions and commitments.  We should ask God to help us in the many decisions we have to make throughout the day.  John Bunyan, the author of Pilgrims’s Progress, said: “You can do more than pray, after you have prayed, but you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed.” Prayer enhances us and empowers us for life each day.

“You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You.The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity.”  If God hates evil then what should we do or how should we feel about it?  As a child of God, we should avoid as much evil as we possibly can and people who enjoy it.  Our Lord Jesus has told us to pray to our Heavenly Father: “Lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil.”  If we do not want to get into difficulties we should pray this “preventive prayer”.

God wants to hear your prayers and give you many blessings. In order to do this, we have to begin and end our day with asking for forgiveness of our sins and strength to overcome our sinful desires throughout the day.  Psalm 66:18-19 “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer.”

“But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;  In fear (respect) of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.”  One of the best places to practice your “preventive prayer” is in God’s House.  Today that is the “Church”.  You will find God’s mercy through hearing His Word read, sung, and preached. 

As you receive God’s mercy you should be merciful to others.  “Blessed are the merciful for they will be shown mercy.” Matthew 5:7.   If we don’t treat others right how can we expect God to treat us right and answer our prayers?

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous;  With favor You will surround him as with a shield.” 

It is God’s desire to bless you with answered prayers.  There are many things Our Heavenly Father desires to give us and He encourages us to ask. “And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.”  (Luke 11:9)  The context of this verse is not about getting everything you ask for, but that there is no request to hard for God to answer.  We call these miracles. Jesus also said to pray:  “Your will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” (Luke 11:2).  Remember that these verses are conditional in the sense that God is not going to answer “yes” to things that He knows will harm you or others.  But God’s Word also says: “You have not, because you ask not.” (James 4:2).  Again, He is talking to those who love Him and serve Him.

God is in the protection business.  There is no better insurance plan than to pray for God’s protection over you and your family.  This is “preventive prayer”.  Our Lord Jesus reminds us that:  “Satan is come to steal, kill and destroy you, but I have come that you might have life and have it more abundantly.” (John 20:31).  

If God is our refuge and strength, let us pray, asking for mercy and grace constantly. WHY? Because we need Him.  If we take refuge in God during difficult times, the outcome will be good and we will be glad.

“Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).

We use “preventive maintenance” on machinery and vehicles to keep them from breaking down.  I would encourage you to start using “Preventive Prayer” as a daily part of your life.  God will enjoy the fellowship and time with you.  You will be blessed and protected.  

WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS

“WHAT A FRIEND WE HAVE IN JESUS”

By Pastor Mark Taylor

July 28, 2013

“I have called you friends.” (John 15:15)

The whole story of the Bible is about God longing to have a personal friendship with human beings.

Facebook is a place where people can share their lives. They can talk with others, post pictures and articles they’d like people to see. And most of this sharing is done between “friends”.  Most of these “friends” you will never meet.  They might not even like you.  For the most part they are just passing through.  If you were sick in the hospital, they wouldn’t come visit you.  If you needed some money to pay a bill, they wouldn’t be there for you.  On Facebook they are called “friends”, but they are not people who love you or care about you.

Today, I want to tell you about a real friend named “Jesus”.  He is not just a “Facebook Friend”.   “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” (Proverbs 18:24).  That Friend is Jesus.  I want to tell you about a friend who loves you all the time.  “A friend loves at all times...” (Proverbs 17:17).  That Friend is Jesus.

The Bible is filled with stories of friendship; Moses and Jethro; David and Jonathan; Elijah and Elisha;Paul and Timothy; and Jesus and His twelve disciples. 

Jesus came to this earth with one purpose in mind, laying down His life for us so that we could be His Friend. “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13).  Our Friend, Jesus was also talking about us having a relationship with God because of His payment for our sins.  

His Friendship involves forgiving our faults and shortcomings.  The love of Jesus is stronger than any failure you may have committed. Jesus loves us in spite of the things that we have done. Jesus not only promises to forgive our sins but He also forgets them. He simply wipes the slate of our lives clean and then refuses to remember what we have done. 

There is nothing that you can do to make Jesus love you any less. There is nothing you can do to make Him love you more than He does right now.   But there is a way to know if you are His friend.  How can you know if you are really His friend?  “You are my friends if you do what I command.” (John 15:14).

What is it that Jesus wants us to do?  This is my command: “Love each other” (John 15:12). The condition for friendship with Jesus is the simple fact that we follow His example. We are meant to love others as Jesus loves them and as He loves us. The only way to do this is to have a personal relationship with Jesus.

The deepest desire in the heart of Jesus is to call you His friend but the choice is up to you.

He initiates the opportunity for friendship.  Jesus gives us the chance to put our faith in Him. He left heaven, became human, died for your sins, and then conquered death for you – all in an attempt to show you how interested He is in being your friend. He took the initiative!

Now the way you become a “friend” on Facebook is - one person sends out an INVITATION to someone else to be their friend. The other person can then either “CONFIRM” them as a friend or IGNORE you. If you haven’t become a Christian yet… then the question is this   Will you accept his offer, or will you ignore it today.

What Jesus is telling us here is “I invited you to be my friend… you didn’t invite me.”  (John 15:16)  “You did not choose me, but I chose you...”

He invited US to be HIS friend, that He reached out to us because we weren’t worthy to reach out to Him - then we should be humbled that He thought WE were worth His time.

Not only is Jesus my friend, but my friendship with Jesus improves my friendship with others. Jesus said “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)  It’s a repeated command, over and over again throughout the Scriptures.  Why repeat such a command?  Because it doesn’t come naturally to us. We don’t really know how to love until we’ve learned the love of Jesus in our lives.

"What A Friend We Have In Jesus"

“What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear! 

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer! 

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear, 

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer. 

Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? 

We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer. 

Can we find a friend so faithful who will all our sorrows share? 

Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer.” 

Jesus loves you today.  It’s good to be loved. God created you to be loved. There’s nothing to compare with loving and being loved. And God is the source of love.  You have an invitation from Heaven to become a “Friend of God”.

CHANGE

“CHANGE”

By Pastor Mark Taylor

There are only two that do not change.  This is comforting to know that both of these have a plan for the redemption of man and they will never change their minds about Their love for us.  God our Father and Jesus Christ our Savior.  "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19).  Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

But God does want to change us because we need it.  “Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”  (Isaiah 43:19).  When God does a new thing, that means that there are changes about to happen.  He's an agent of change.

Change is hard, yes. It brings loss, it brings sorrow, yes. It also brings opportunities for growth, for learning, for happiness. Change is neither good nor bad; it's what we make of it. Why not attempt to make meaning of it, to find a greater purpose through it? Why not meet it with the bravery that is inside us?  Remember you cannot step into the same river twice.  The water has changed.  Everything in lives changes.

People seem to be naturally resistant to change. There's a saying: If nothing needs changing, you don't need leaders  Leader’s look to see what God wants to change, and it's their responsibility to change it. Change is difficult, but it's what leaders do.  But remember: People find change difficult.  It's threatening, it's uncomfortable, and it provokes an internal reaction.  Change is all about yielding to the Holy Spirit.  Not yielding to the Holy Spirit is the most significant factor in preventing change.  It all comes down to attitude.

“No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” (Matthew 9:16-17)

In the days of Jesus they put wine and milk into skins. The problem with wineskins is that as they get older they become harder and more brittle. They aren't as flexible as they used to be. If you put new wine into an old skin, the new wine was still fermenting, which means it was releasing gases. The gases would cause the old skin to burst. If God is going to do a new thing in your life, He needs flexible skins that He can pour His new wine into.  What about you? Are you willing to let God do what He wants?

There are two kinds of change.  The first type is when things change around us and we just “learn to live with them”.  We feel that we have lost control but we try to “hang in there”.  This may happen when we lose a job, a loved one, or have major health problems.  We feel the loss and begin the grieving process.  Some people do not move into the second type of change.  If we do not move to the next level of change, our circumstances will control our happiness and limit our ability to be all that God wants us to be.

The second type of change occurs when we change with the circumstances.  This change is when our lives change. We look for a new job or we go back to school and learn a new skill.  It also happens when someone experiences a spiritual change and turns to God. The difference is we undergo a real change inside our hearts and minds.  In making any change you have to do some “soul work”.  God has planted within us a need to make meaning and purpose of our lives.  With the help of your relationship with Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit, you can deal with change in a positive and productive way.

One of the keys in changing things is to be open to the Lord’s leading  in new and different ways.  When problems are created and the things we are doing are not working, then we have to “Do Something Different”.  “If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always gotten”.  So if you want to see positive change, you need to look at change from God’s point of view.

In the process of change you cannot worry about what others think!!

You and I have to realize and remind ourselves that change is going to happen.  We are also going to experience loss with any change whether it is good or hurtful.  So we need to understand that something good can come out of change, even when it is hurtful:

Romans 8:28  does not mean that all things “are good”, but it does mean that if you will allow the Lord time, He will “work all things together” to help you with your change.  It will be for your good.  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” 

Also in change, it is important that we realize that change occurs in small steps.  It will take time, and it will take a good support system like your church to help you.  The Bible tells us that it is important that we have fellowship with each other: “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son, cleanses us from all sin” (I John 1:7).

Will you allow the Lord to help you change into a better person, a healthier person, a person who will  learn how to pray, study God’s Word, and keep His commandment to “Love One Another.”   “A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” (John 13:34).

"I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW"

“I MAKE ALL THINGS NEW”  (Rev 21:5)

By Pastor Mark Taylor

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ was present in Genesis 1 during the creation of the world.  “And God said let Us make man in Our image, and after Our likeness...So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him, male and female created He them.”  (Genesis 1: 26-27).  “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:15-18).  Because Jesus  is part of the Trinity and part of God He has the ability to create new things in you and I.

When we bring Christ into our world, HE TURNS DARKNESS TO LIGHT.

“…and darkness was on the face of the deep … Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.” (Genesis 1:2-3).  Without the light of God, without His truth, there is just darkness. People don’t know where life is taking them. They don’t know what the future holds. Everything is uncertainty and confusion.  There may be darkness all around – but wherever God commands the light, it shines.  When we bring God into our world, He turns the darkness to light. 

When we bring Christ into our world, HE TURNS CHAOS TO ORDER.

Genesis 1: 6-10. God speaks again, and this time separates earth and sky so there is an atmosphere. And then He speaks again, and the great continents of land form from the oceans. God brings everything together to become an ordered environment.

If He can organize everything from revolving solar systems, right down to microscopic organisms – and have it all working in perfect harmony together , He has the power and the wisdom to bring peace into your life, and to build the fragments into something that makes sense.

“Therefore if any person is in Christ, they are a new creation; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

When we bring Christ into our world, HE TURNS BARRENNESS TO LIFE.

Genesis 1:11-13  God speaks with creative power again, and immediately grass and herbs and fruit trees appear, and begin to flourish.  Jesus said in John 15 that the way to have a fruitful life (a life that is productive, a life that blooms) is to be “connected” to Him.   To be in vital union with Him. God’s power can transform you from barrenness to life.

When we bring Christ into our world …HE TURNS EMPTY YEARS TO FULL SEASONS.

Genesis 1: 14-18. Before God hung the sun, moon and stars, there could be no fluctuation – no ebb and flow of the tides – no changing of the days. All there could be was the passing of time.  Only God can turn empty years into full seasons.

As a Christian we still experience difficult seasons – trials and hardships (there’s the winter as well as the spring). But God makes even those times have PURPOSE. You soon learn that “all things are working together for good for them that love God and are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

When we bring Christ into our world... HE TURNS LACK TO ABUNDANCE.

Genesis 1: 20-25.  God speaks again, and the waters teem with life – every kind of fish and sea creatures.  The air is filled with birds of all kinds. Then animals – so many exotic types – they fill the earth. From lack to abundance by the simple word of God’s mouth.

God can cause the waters, and the air, and the land in our world to teem with life.  Doors of opportunity in abundance. Joy in abundance. Revelation and truth in abundance. Abundant wisdom. All of God’s richest blessings.

When we bring Christ into our world … HE TURNS LONELINESS TO LOVE.

Genesis 1:27...Adam was a fine specimen. But it was “not good” that he was alone. So God created a woman, and brought her to Adam. He saw the need, and He created the answer by the word of His mouth.

When Christ is in our world, His creative power can turn loneliness into love. God can fill your longing for love with His own self.  Then He can bring the right people into your life to give it wonderful meaning and purpose.

“He will give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;  That they may be called trees of righteousness,  The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”  (Isaiah 61:3)

Don’t you want this Creator The Lord Jesus Christ creating in your world.  Just as God created all things out of nothing, He is able to create something beautiful even from calamity and chaos.

“And He that sat upon the throne said:  Behold I make all things new.

(Revelation 21:5) 

BE ANGRY AND SIN NOT

“BE ANGRY, AND SIN NOT”

by Pastor Mark Taylor

“Be angry and sin not...do not give the devil a foothold”

Ephesians 4:26,28

Our God has feelings just like we do.  He is an emotional creator that make us in His image.  He grieves, loves, and rejoices.  There are even things that make Him angry.  “You alone are to be feared.  Who can stand before you when you are angry?”  (Psalm 76:7).  God has anger and since we are created in His image, He has created us with the emotion of anger.  The difference is that God’s anger is justified and is a righteous anger.  He does not just “lose His temper” and lash out against us or the world.  He is angry at sin.  It is His way of telling us something is wrong, and we need to get it right.

Anger is common for all of us.  But it can destroy us and hurt those around us unless it is vented in a positive and Godly way.

It is also true that “God is Love”.  “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God, and every one that loves is born of God, and knows God.  He that does not love, does not know God: for God is love.”  (I John 4:7-8).  There is no contradiction in God being love and having anger.  God’s anger is consistent with His goodness and love.  Because God is righteous and holy too, He desires for you and I to live a holy life.  “He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy.” (I Peter 1:15-16).

When something is wrong with our bodies, the brain sends messages to our body in the form of pain.  When your anger is out of control, you are in pain.  Your uncontrolled temper makes others fear you, and makes you feel guilty and lonely.  Unhealthy anger destroys the ability to enjoy life.  It robs us of peace and causes regret, guilt, same, and fractured relationships.

Our anger comes from many sources.  The chances are that adult children of angry parents will themselves demonstrate anger in hurtful ways.  And even worse, it becomes a cycle in which the next generation of children will have an angry spirit deep within them.  There is no “quick fix” to bring us to the goal where we can “be angry and sin not”.  It is a process with our Lord Jesus helping us each step of the way.

The point of this message is to give us all some strategies to overcome explosive anger that hurts us and others.

The first thing we must all do is to take personal responsibility for our unhealthy anger.  If others have confronted you and told you that you have an anger problem, maybe they are right.   You may have been raised in an abusive environment and no doubt it has had an effect on you.  But now you must say that this is my problem, and I am going to have to deal with it.  There is a song that states:  “it is not my brother, not my sister, not my father, not my mother, but it is me O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.”

Secondly, be willing to do something about it.  Life is about choices.  Anger is a learned conscious choice that can become a bad habit.  Habits are formed by repetition over a long period of time.  Anger eruptions are learned habits too.  They have been formed and developed over many years.  

Make a choice to change and with the help of God’s redeeming grace, counseling, study, a support group, or even medical treatment if needed, you can “be angry and sin not”.  Explosive anger didn’t develop over night and it is going to take some time to replace it with better responses.  We either take control of anger or it will take control over us.  Fire under control is useful, but fire out of control destroys everything in its path. “He that is quickly made angry will act foolishly.”  (Proverbs 14:17).

Our Lord certainly controlled His anger when threatened and criticized again and again by the Pharisees.  Our Lord is a model for living.  When He could convince them of their sins, He calmly and assertively told them what He thought about their sinful lives.  When   He could not make them see God’s point of view, He knew when to walk away.  If someone is trying to attack your self-worth or something you dearly believe in, you can state your position in a calm, respectful manner like Jesus did, or simply make a statement that you do not wish to discuss the matter any longer.

Another strategy to help you overcome anger that is hurtful to you and others, is to avoid being around people who are angry people.  “Make no friendship with an angry person;  and do not go with a furious person; because you may learn his ways, and cause pain to your soul.” (Proverbs 22:24).

Probably the best strategy to use in controlling your anger is to replace it with God’s love.  I think this is part of what our Lord meant when He said:  “Bur I say unto you...whosoever shall hit you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.” (Matthew 5:39).  As a child of God and as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, you do not always have to have the “last word”.  You do not always have to get your way.  And you do not have to get even.  All of these things will lead you to sin.  God’s Word also tells us: “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12:21).  When you find yourself becoming angry with someone, try to change the conversation or move the situation in a different direction so the other person is not hurt by your anger.  Avoid talking about subjects that you know will anger the other person and in turn make you angry at their response to you.  Sometimes it is best not to talk about politics, religion, or social issues with people who have opposite views from what you have.

God wants you to be happy and healthy.  Anger can cause you to loose both.  Ask the Holy Spirit today to begin working in your heart to change the way you respond to things that make you angry.  God is full of mercy and we should be also.  “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.  They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23).