Jesus told us “the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve.” This reality alone sent the disciples into a state of confusion. How in the world could this be possible? Jesus also said, “He who is least among you all – he is the greatest.” (Luke 9:48) In this world’s thinking, more often than not, we put ourselves first ahead of all others. With a puffed out chest, many do what they do for the notoriety, fame, rewards and adulation of peers. But, “NEWS ALERT!”, we are nothing compared to the One we need to be like. Most everyone seems to “like” Jesus. But they don’t really understand. You don’t just “like” Jesus as you would a “friend” on Facebook or other social media. By the same token, you don’t just “unlike” Him as you would a friend simply because you disagree with Him. We need to “be” like Him. Some attempt to silence the teachings of Jesus by seeking for themselves and omitting and twisting His words. They change the meaning because what He said doesn’t settle well in their souls. Not serving themselves is the greatest wall they cannot get over – they can’t get over themselves. The way of Jesus is the path of servant hood. This is not a test to see if we deserve better. It is God offering us the best of Himself and the best of life. Jesus calls us to the servant way because He was and is a servant to all of us. References: Romans 12:3, 9-13 (Listen to entire sermon below.) If you have never put your complete faith in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, why not believe what God's word says and call on Jesus Christ to save you right now? Click here and let us show you how you can KNOW JESUS.
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Life is a series of decisions…to STAY FOCUSED, we need to know how to make wise decisions at every turn on the road of our journey with Christ. If you rely on your feelings, impulses, or worldly desires, you can’t stay on track. Our ways don’t work just in case you haven’t noticed. Don’t get me wrong, you still have a free will. You can choose to do what you want but, eventually, it will not go well! The way to live FOCUSED on God is spelled out in Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Direct your path) In order to be focused, you have to be CENTERED. If your priorities are based on your purpose and your purpose comes from a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, you will be able to stay focused. Let’s review the four things for focusing your life mentioned in Proverbs 3:5-6:
Focusing your life results in… Direction for your life! AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT. The end process of dependence, dedication, discipline, and discernment is the LIFE WE YEARN FOR…ONE WITH DIRECTION, PURPOSE AND FOCUS TO IT! So, you see, we are not just floating around in a sea of uncertainty. God promises to direct your path. He’s just saying…Stay Focused Honey, Stay Focused. (Listen to entire sermon below.) If you have never put your complete faith in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, why not believe what God's word says and call on Jesus Christ to save you right now? Click here and let us show you how you can KNOW JESUS. We are currently witnessing the military takeover of a sovereign nation by a standing army that has no identifying flag or insignias on their uniforms. This mystery military arrived in Ukraine in military trucks with Russian license plates. The Russian leader, Vladimir Putin, says there are no Russian troupes in Ukraine. The soldiers even cover their faces with masks and bandanas to hide their identity. Isaiah 22:7-8: Your choicest valleys are full of chariots, and horsemen are posted at the city gates: The defenses of Judah are stripped away. How can you fight an army who cannot be identified; to whom could you turn for help and safety? How would you know where their allegiance is? Cannot the same person hide in plain sight once his mask is off! This is the work influenced by the great deceiver of deceivers himself. The people do not know who they can turn to— they are indeed caught in a trap. Psalm 5:8-9: Lead me, O Lord in your righteousness because of my enemies; make straight your way before me. Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction. Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit. Is it clear to the world that you are a Christian, a Christ follower, or do you look so much like the world that no one knows where your allegiance lies? Is Jesus Christ your “commander?” Is it evident to others that Jesus is the one you serve? We were rescued from the kingdom of darkness and brought into the Kingdom of Light. Now, we are the light of the world and wear garments of righteousness. Do not hide or hold back.—be a searchlight! When people see you, what do they see? Wherever you go, do they see that light shining; do they see good works of the Holy Spirit of God? Pray to hear and do what Jesus commands; let that light shine forth and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16: You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Listen to entire sermon below.) If you have never put your complete faith in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, why not believe what God's word says and call on Jesus Christ to save you right now? Click here and let us show you how you can KNOW JESUS.
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Through His creation of dogs and other animals who find a kinship with mankind, the Lord gave us some wonderful examples of how we should live. There is a direct lesson in love, loyalty and patience found in these beautiful creatures that we can learn and follow. Open your heart to God’s love and be a willing student. Like Christ, we should have a servant’s attitude born out of love. But, as humans, we are often weak. Rather than trust our God-given instincts and directions, we often go against them and selfishly serve only ourselves. Let the Master teach you the ways you can glorify and honor Him. Trust, honor, love and obey our Master Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:13, “for it is God who works in you to will and act according to his good purpose.” [Be sure to view the video below that was referenced in Pastor Ted's message.] If you have never put your complete faith in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, why not believe what God's word says and call on Jesus Christ to save you right now? Click here and let us show you how you can KNOW JESUS.
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Jesus, immediately after performing the miracle of feeding multitudes with five loaves and two fish, compelled His beloved disciples to launch out to sea to get their spiritual “sea legs.” We understand this nautical term as meaning the ability to walk on board a ship with steadiness especially in rough seas. Jesus knew their journey would be perilous and life threatening and, therefore, went off by Himself to pray and intercede for them. Perhaps it was calm when they departed, but when they were about 3-4 miles out to sea by themselves at 3-6 a.m. and darkness was all around, they encountered a violent and vicious storm with waves battering their boat. Jesus, knowing their perilous situation, came to them walking on the water intent on saving them all. Peter was so bold to ask, and then was granted permission by Jesus, to come to Him on the water. He was so full of confidence! Here I come, Jesus! His focus was on Jesus alone—not on the water. But at some point, he looked away from Jesus, down at the water, maybe thinking it was incredible that he was actually walking on it in this raging storm. This was when he lost his focus and began to sink. However, like you and me today, we know in our hearts and minds that Jesus will never leave us nor forsake us, but too often we look to the storm, our faith lacking, and we begin to sink. We find ourselves under a “sea of circumstances” and not looking to Jesus who lifts us above these battering waves of fear and doubt. Perhaps our “sea legs” are in need of more training like Peter’s and the disciples with him. When Peter cried out to Jesus to save him, like we must do, Jesus reached out and took hold of him and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” And when they got into the boat, the wind stopped. See Matthew 14:13-33. All God’s people will also be sent out in our world today (the sea of life) to be trained and disciplined—to trust Him and have faith in Him in every circumstance we may encounter. R. W. Schambach, for more than five decades, boldly declared, “You don’t have any trouble—all you need is FAITH IN GOD.” If you have never put your complete faith in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, why not believe what God's word says and call on Jesus Christ to save you right now? Click here and let us show you how you can KNOW JESUS. Hudson Taylor was an English missionary who served in China–51 years! He was constantly encouraging people to put the Lord first and spent his life sacrificing his comforts and his dreams to bring the word of truth to the lost. Even though he came from a Methodist and Baptist background, he developed his work as non-denominational welcoming all groups. He started the China Inland Mission which brought 800 missionaries to China, established 125 schools and directly resulted in over 18,000 conversions to Christ. He worked tirelessly against the opium trade there and became one of the most significant Europeans in China in the 19th century (1800’s). Mr. Taylor adopted wearing native Chinese clothing even though this was rare among missionaries at the time. [From Hudson Taylor’s (1832-1905), A Higher Calling–quotes in the public domain.] What about you? Do you have an “anything-goes” attitude toward serving God? Would you:
Follow along with the audio of the sermon to hear “…the rest of the story.” Audio: (Click forward button below to play audio of message and/or download file. Message originally recorded on 2/15/12.)
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