Where Are The Nine?

                                                                           by Pastor Mark Taylor

                                                                                   July 9, 2021

And Jesus answering said, “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, except this stranger. And He said unto him, Arise, go your way: your faith has made you whole” (Luke 17:17-19).

Leprosy (today known as Hansen’s disease) is a chronic bacterial infection that affects the nerves and skin of the arms and legs, and can cause blindness, muscle weakness, and kidney failure.  It is the oldest known disease from about 600 B.C.  Naaman, a Syrian Commander of the army, in 2 Kings 5 was the only person healed of this disease in the Old Testament (Luke 4:27).  The Bible says “He was a mighty man of valor, but a leper.”  The next recorded healing of this disease was done by our Lord Jesus in Luke 17:11-19.  Both of these were miraculous and immediate.

The leprosy was a disease which the Jews supposed to be inflicted for the punishment of some particular sin, and to be, more than other diseases, a mark of God’s displeasure; and therefore Christ, who came to take away sin, and turn away wrath, took particular care to cleanse the lepers that asked for mercy.

 

The spiritual lesson in this sermon is that when the blessings come, don’t forget to be thankful to our Lord Jesus.  “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto Your name, O most High” (Psalms 92:1).

Notice, there were ten lepers who came to Jesus to be healed, but only one returned to thank Him. The others took their healing and went on their way.  Our Lord asked: “Were there not ten cleansed?”  People often ask God for help, but fail to be thankful.  

Of the many who receive mercy from God today, there are very few that return to give Him thanks.  Ingratitude is often included in lists of sins.  “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,…” 2 Timothy 3:1-2.   Ingratitude partially caused cost the children of Israel 40 years in the wilderness, and resulted in the rich young ruler rejecting eternal life.  

The “One Thankful Person”, took the time to return to Jesus to thank Him.  He started out standing “afar off”, but now he was on “his face at His feet, giving Him thanks”.  He started out asking for mercy, and now he “glorified God with a loud voice”.  Those who have received mercy from God should publish it it others.  Their praise to God will encourage others and lead them to trust Christ.   Jesus took notice of the grateful return of the “One”.  He also took notice of the ingratitude of those that were sharers of the mercy that did not return to give thanks.  In coming back to give thanks, he gave glory to God and recognized our Lord Jesus as God.  It is never too late to come back and be thankful.

 “Where are the nine?”     Will you be the one thankful person?

How can we give thanks for what He has done for us?  Actions speak louder than words.  Luke 7: 37-50   “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loves little.”  Luke 7:47

How can you be thankful?

“By Him, then, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name” (Hebrews 13:15).

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God.”  Philippians 4:6

“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  John 14:15

“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”  1 Thessalonians 5:18

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgives all thine iniquities; who heals all thy diseases; Who redeems  thy life from destruction; who crowns thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.  Who satisfies thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.”  Psalms 103:  2-6

“He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.”  Psalms 111:4

Will you be the one thankful person to our Lord Jesus today?   

The Love of God

“THE LOVE OF GOD” 

By Pastor Mark Taylor - June 22, 2019 - Sonia’s Home Group

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”  (John 3:16)

The world population as of April 2019  is 7.7 billion  and the percent of those who call themselves Christian is only. 33.35%.  This means 67% of the world has not heard of,  or decided not to receive the love of God, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

So if the "Love of God" has been revealed to you and you have accepted "The Love of God", you need to be thankful to our Heavenly Father.

THE LOVE OF GOD IS UNIVERSAL  

“For God So Loved The World...”.  The Greek word for world (kosmos) is defined as “the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ.” This is the world that God loved. It doesn’t say that God loved all the good guys. Or that God loved all the Jews. Or that God love all the saints. It says, “For God so loved the world.”

So God’s love clearly isn’t based on our spiritual condition or our moral predisposition. It isn’t based on our behavior or our attitude toward him. Rather we see here that God’s love for mankind is universal and unconditional. He loves everyone. And this is one of the things that sets him apart from every other god held up by every other world religion.

This does not however exempt any of from the consequences of our sins and wrong choices. "Be not deceived (make no mistake in your thinking), God is not mocked, for whatsoever a person sows, that shall they also reap." (Galatians 6:7).  We must keep in the context of God's love that He hates sin because of the harm it does to His children.  He does not hate the sinner, but the actions that robs them of the blessings He wants to give to those He loves.

This also means that His love continues to be given to you unconditionally.  “There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make God love us less.”  Christianity uniquely claims God’s love comes free of charge, no strings attached. No other religion makes that claim. 

THE LOVE OF GOD IS SACRIFICIAL

“For God so love the World, that He Gave..”    He loved us by giving, by serving, by sacrificing.  We learn something important about the nature of true love. Some people think they love others because of what those people do for them or how they make them feel.   God shows us that true love has nothing to do with what you can do for HIm, but everything to do with what He can do for you.

THE LOVE OF GOD IS VALUABLE

“For God so loved the world, that He gave, His Only Son...” 

Here we see the value of the Father’s love for us. Not only was He willing to give, but we see here that He was willing to give the only Son He had. When you give to someone out of your abundance that is one thing, but when you give your all, that is quite another. 

How many times have you heard or even said yourself: “I can’t give you that because it’s the only one I’ve got.” God didn’t have a back up. God didn’t have a spare. But He loved us so much that He was willing to give us the only Son He had.

THE LOVE OF GOD IS IS PERSONAL

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son...”

God’s love is not only universal, unconditional, and valuable, it is a personal love.  A love given to each of us individually, one at a time.  He gave His love to individual people, not to governments, nations, or religious organizations.

One of the reasons God saved you is because He is fond of you. He likes having you around. He thinks you are the best things He ever created. If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If he had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, He is ready to listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and He chose your heart.

GOD’S LOVE IS AVAILABLE TO ANYONE

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever would believe in Him...”

The really good news about God’s love is that it is not limited to a select few.  Nor is it difficult to obtain.  The love of God is accessible to “whoever believes” in Jesus – the only Son of God. 

God has come down to our level. Not in the sense that He has lessened His holiness or lowered His standards. But only in the sense that He has made His love accessible to the average, ordinary person like me and like you.

GOD’S LOVE IS FOREVER

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life”

God’s goal in sending his Son from heaven to earth was not condemn you are to show you how bad you are, how unworthy you are or how hopeless you are. God’s only desire in sending His Son was to show you His love and draw you into a love relationship with Himself. Jesus didn’t come into the world in order to rebuke you. He came to rescue you. He didn’t come to criticize you. He came to cleanse you. He didn’t come to punish you. He came to pardon you. He didn’t come to destroy you. He came to deliver you.

Our response to this wonderful gift of love from God to us should be to accept it and love God back.    Romans 10: 9-13

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Our response of love should be to live a life that would be pleasing to The Lord.  Jesus said: "If you Love Me, Keep My commandments." (John 14:15).  "If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love." (John 15:10).

What are those commandments?    “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.”  (John 15:12)

When our Lord was asked: What is the greatest commandment?  He said:  

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, With all your soul, With all your mind, And with all your strength.  This is the first commandment,   And the second is like it  in that you should love your neighbor as yourself." (Mark 11: 29-30).

Love is an action verb.  You love God with your life and not with just words.

"My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth."  I John 3:18

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."  (I John 4: 7-8)

The Importance of Belonging To A Local Church

The Importance of Belonging To A Local Church

2 Corinthians 8:5 “…but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”  The church offers you something you cannot get anywhere else.

Why Have strong relationships.

1. We were created for connections.
2. Connections balance our lives.  By yourself you will leave an unbalanced life.  The Bible has 58 “one another” in the New Testament.
3. Connections give us strength, emotional, spiritual, and physical.

The relationships that will last forever are those built in the family of God - the Church.  The one thing that will last after this world is over is the church. (Romans 12:2).  Church is not an event you attend, but a group you are a part of.  We are connected to each other.

What a Church is like in metaphors (pictures)., a brick in a temple, a family member in a family, a vine to a branch.

1. It connects me to God’s eternal temple.  I Corinthians 3: 16 “ Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?”  Ephesians 2:21 -22 “in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord,  in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”  The word together is key.  

Lessons from building - you cannot build it with one part. all the parts have to fit together,  a part is useless until it is connected. By yourself you cannot be used.  a part for the house needs to be inside the house not outside the house.  We are connected to hold each other up.1 Timothy 3:15 “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground (foundation)  of the truth.”  The Benefit : I get support and stability.  Small groups are a way to get this support.

2.  Second Benefit:  I get life and growth. It Connects me to Christ body. Ephesians 1:22-23 “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,  which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”  Ephesians 4:25 “Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.”  Romans 12: 4-5 Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,” for we are members of one another.”   The church has many parts, God loves diversity. every part of the body is needed to make the body complete.  we each have a different work to do,  we need each other.  I cannot fulfill God’s purpose for my life by myself.

People say I need Jesus but not the church.  Colossians 2:19  “ and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.”  Just as your body is connected, we must be connected in the church.  You only grow by being connected to the church.  You can make temporary change but you need people to make long lasting change.

 Second Benefit:  I get life and growth.

3.  It connects me to the power of Jesus. John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”  This is our organic connection.  One wire can keep your car from moving. John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.”  Connections makes us productive.  Your life impact will be determine by the connections you make.  The fruit comes from the root.  This is the kind of fruit you will produce if you are connected:

Galatians 5:22-23  “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”  Third Benefit:  I get God’s power to Change.  There are some problems you will never get rid of along, only in community being connected. Having others praying for you, holding you accountable and supporting you.

4. Fourth Picture:  It connects me to God’s Family.  A Christian without a church family is an orphan.  Somebody chose you to be apart of their family when you left the hospital.  You need a church family. Romans 8:16 “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”  “1Timothy 3:15 “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church (family) of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”  Your number one priority in the family of God is to love the other members.  1 Peter 2:17 “Honor all people. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king.”  Colossians 3:14  “But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” (Most important love each other).  Love is what holds the family together.

Fourth Benefit:  I am loved and accepted.  People need to hear your story and they need for you to hear their story.

2 Corinthians 8:5 “…but they first gave themselves to the Lord, and then to us by the will of God.”  

A church family helps you to connect to God, to others, to the truth, with yourself to use your gifts and abilities , fulfill your life mission.  The church will outlast every kingdom and  business.  

*Sermon Notes From Pastor Rick Warren.

A Season of Life - Springtime

SEASONS OF LIFE – SPRING

Pastor Mark Taylor 

“But this I say, He which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully.

(2 Corinthians 9:6)

Following the turbulence of winter comes the season of activity and opportunity called springtime.  It is the season for entering the fertile fields of life with seed, knowledge, commitment, and a determined effort.

Spring does not care if you sow or sleep, nor does it care if you plant abundantly or sparingly.  God has given you the wisdom to rise from your comfortable chair and enter the fields at the right season.

The springtime in your life offers you the opportunity to enroll in a class, to have the courage to change either an occupation or residence, or perhaps even to change your mind about something or someone.

Springtime can enter your life when ever you are ready, but timing is important.  Do not allow springtime to pass while you sit idly by and others are planting their seeds.

To take full advantage of the spring in your life, you must begin to rid your soil of the weeds and rocks of worry, doubt, or pessimism.  It is the fertilizer of faith and enthusiasm that will overcome the worst forms of weeds.  The Lord allows flowers to start over every spring and he will allow the same for you:

“And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 6:28-30 KJV)

Plant more seeds this year.  If you gave a small amount of money to the work of the Lord last year, give more this year.  If you attended church only a few times last year, attend more this year.  If you gave a small amount of your time last year ministering, give more time this year to the Lord.  If you spent a small amount of time and effort in helping your church, invest more this year.

“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” (James 2:26)

Faith provides us with a multiple reward.  For each cup planted, a bushel is reaped,  for every good idea given to another, many shall be given to us in return,  for every act of kindness and love, a life of love will be returned, for each seed of encouragement given to another, encouragement will be given.

A kernel of corn produces its own kind.  A seed of doubt, or fear, or distrust place in the mind also produces after its own kind.  The price, or effort of thinking thoughts of love, prosperity, or self-confidence takes no more effort than to think thoughts of hate, poverty, or self doubt.  Only the rewards are different.

Springtime says “Here I Am!”.  I will provide the warm weather and the fertile fields, but you will have to decide if you are going to plant or not, and what you will plant.  The act of planting during the spring requires that we exert effort and discipline.

Each day is given to us as a new season of spring.  The thoughts, deeds, dreams, and efforts of today will provide tomorrow’s harvest.  To neglect the opportunity given to us this day is to delay our better harvest tomorrow.

There will be no better day, no better opportunity, no better springtime, no better time to begin than the current moment.  Life is truly a constant beginning, a constant opportunity, a constant springtime.  We need to have the faith of a child.

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” (Galatians 6:9-10)

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)

Loving One Another With Acts Of Service

                                                  

Love One Another With Acts of Service

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.” (John 15:12)

There are many ways to “love one another”.  You can love one another with words of encouragement.  You can “love one another” with spending time with each other.  You can “love one another” by giving gifts.  You can “love one another” with physical touch.  I would like to share with you another important way to show your love for others.  this is called “Acts of Service”.

“Jesus said: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22: 36-40, Mark 12:31, Luke 10:27).

Acts of service, is doing things for others that you would want them to do for you. Our Lord and Savior said this: "Therefore, whatever you want people to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12).  You can show your love to others by doing things for them.  Love is not just a feeling, it is action.  “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue only, but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:18).

“Acts of service” is something the Lord Jesus Christ both demonstrated and taught us to do. “So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.” (John 13:12-14).  Today, in our society, we do not demonstrate or love for each other with this custom,  but there are many ways we can “wash each other’s feet” through loving each other with tangible acts of love and service.

Many people are locked into “gender” gaps and “generational” gaps which identify and limit them in the types of service that they are willing to give to those they love.  For instance, some men will not wash the dishes, because their dads never washed the dishes.  They view that service as something the wife should always do.  Some women feel that it is the husband’s job to take out the trash and wash the car.  When we allow ourselves to think and live the way our parents did, we limit our capacity to show our love to others with acts of service.  “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.” (Philippians 2:3). 

“Remember there are no rewards for maintaining stereotypes, but there are tremendous benefits to meeting the emotional needs of those you love.”  You may do a lot of things right, but if you don’t do it with love, you will not meet the needs of those who need your love. “And though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

Loving each other with acts of service is not limited to the husband and wife relationships.  This command of “loving one another” applies to our friends, fellow Christian brothers and sisters, children, and grandchildren. It is a love language that should be spoken by each of us to each other.  Love is a choice and cannot be demanded or manipulated.  “Each of us must decide daily to love or not to love each other.  This is true in all our relationships.

One of the best ways to express our love to the Lord is in “acts of service”.  “Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing.” (Psalms 100:2).  This includes attending worship services, giving, praying, and giving testimonies of His goodness.  “Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalms 107:8).

Below are some simple “acts of service” we can do for each other and the Lord:

 Be at church to show your love and support for each other and the Lord.

 Visit the sick and home bound, and those in nursing homes.

  Prepare some food for someone who has lost a loved one or who has just had surgery and is at home sick. Use your gifts and abilities to serve the Lord and others within the church. (teaching a class, watching the nursery, sing in the choir, repairing, cleaning etc.).

 Find a mission work outside of the church you can devote time to or donate  money to help in their work for the Lord.

 Ask others and the Lord the question: “Is there something I can do for you?”

Write a note or make a phone call to let them know you are “there for them”.

  Invite someone to your home for a meal or take them out and pay for it.

You may feel that no one else has expressed the love language of “acts of service” toward you, and you may question why you should.  Remember, love is something you do because the Lord has already done it for you. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).  Demonstrating your love for others is not a matter of them deserving it or not, it is a matter of God’s grace in you.  “We love Him because He first loved us.” (1 John 4:19). Express to your loved ones that it is a way you feel loved when they do things for you.  One practical way to do this is for two people or a family to write down two to three things they can do for each other to make each one feel more loved.  You can show your love for God by showing your love one another in “acts of services”. "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."    (John 13:35).  It is a testimony to your family, your friends, your church family, and most of all to your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.”  (1 John 4:7).

I am following our Lord Jesus” command by feeding hungry families in Africa, India, and Honduras.  Please look at my website for videos and information on my mission work. taylorglobalmissions.com .  I will be going to Honduras in July with the goal of feeding 5,000 people.  I would appreciate your prayers.  

Setting Personal Goals

Setting Personal Goals

“According to your faith let it be to you” Matthew 9:29

Your goals are about your future potential.  If you don’t have goals for your life, you will just coast through life and others will make you apart of their goals  

1.  Goal setting is both spiritual and practical. All successful people set goals. 

Jesus had goals: “My goal is to do what the One Who sent Me wants Me to do. My goal is to finish the work that He gave Me to do.  Paul had goals: “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind me and reaching forward to those things which are ahead.”  (Philippians 3:13)

There is only one you and you were created for a purpose.  You have unique fingerprints, DNA, and gifts and abilities.  Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”  Find your purpose and set goals to reach it.

2.  Goals are statements of Faith.  Hebrews 11:6  “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”  Setting goals does not cost anything.  The main difference between a dream and a goal is that a goal has a dead line in which you set to accomplish it.

3.  Goals focus your energy.  I Corinthians 9:26 “I do not fight as one who beats the air”.  Goals keep you from wasting your time.  The world is full of distractions and time wasters.

4.  Goals keep you going when you don’t feel like it.  Psalms 146:5  “Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, Whose hope is in the Lord his God.”  Long term goals keep you from staying discouraged with short term setbacks.  Everyone fails.  Learn to fail fast.

5.  Goals build character.  God is more interested in who you become than what you accomplish.  You will never become the person you want to be until you intend to be that person.

6.  Good goals will be rewarded.  When you reach your goal you are going to be rewarded on Earth and in Heaven by God if they are accomplished with the right methods and motives.  Revelation 22:12  “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

When you get ready to set a goal - ask these questions:

1. Will this goal honor God?

2.  Is this goal motivated by love?  God is not going to bless a goal motivated by greed, guilt, competition, ego, or pride. John 14:10, 12  “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love… This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

3.  Will this goal require depending on God to accomplish?  Proverbs 16:9   “A man’s heart plans his way,  But the Lord directs his steps.”

If you want God’s help to reach your goal you will need these three things:

You will need God’s Holy Spirit.  Zechariah 4:6  “Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”

You will need God’s Word to guide you: Joshua 1:8  “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you[a] shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.”.

You will need God’s People to support you.   Ecclesiastes 4:12  “Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”