Lifting Up Feeble Hands

Isa 35:3, “Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees.”

Heb 12:12-14, “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:”

Has anyone here when you first got witnessed to that you were told that if you gave your life to Christ all your troubles would go away?

I recall in my early walk that a preacher stood up and shared all the benefits one received for a life given for the Lord, I remember him saying especially among Apostolic that had lower rates of sickness, cancer was seldom seen, marriages were better, and even said that as Christians we don’t see Alzheimer occurring in our ranks.

Well, I’m hear to say to you today that sadly that is not entirely true.

I at times in my life have become angry with God because things didn’t go the way I wanted them. My perspective of this Christian life was that everything was supposed to be perfect, my roses would never have thorns, I would have this special protection over me that would prevent rain from falling on my head, I would never have car problems, if I brought my kids to church every service that they would be perfect angels and that Everything I would touch would have the Midas touch and turn to gold.

That perspective is completely wrong and really ignorant of those who have gone before and suffered as Christians in the past and today.

But you know what I am blessed beyond measure and it has nothing to do with what I possess. this is still is the best decision one can make in one’s life. 1Jn 2:25, ‘And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.”

In our first text in Isaiah this scripture is the promise of the restoration of Israel. At the time of Isaiah’s writing the norther Kingdoms were already taken by the Assyrians and captive, Judah is under the reign of Hezekiah who attempted to bring religious reform to that part of Israel.

Isaiah 35 and 36 are the promise of hope that will one day come to the nation of Israel.

We to live in hope 1Pe 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”

Have you anytime in your life lost hope? Did you fell that couldn’t lift your hand up because you had lost all strength? Did your knees become so weak that they couldn’t hold you up?

Sometimes we need to admit that we need to have help, not just the help from God but from one another.

When the Israelites were in battle with the Amalekites this happened.

Exo 17:11-13, “And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands were heavy; and they took a stone, and put it under him, and he sat thereon; and Aaron and Hur stayed up his hands, the one on the one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua discomfited Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”

 Us men can be pretty prideful, hey how you doing? I’m doing just fine we say, but is that true? When I received the Holy Ghost which I share many times one of the things that happened as I was done on my backside was that I had my hands up in the air and after awhile they grew tired and happily those around me grabbed onto my arms and lifted them up for I have no idea how long. Hallelujah!

In the 2nd set of verses in Hebrews interestingly the author here is talking about chastisement, something we all enjoy, right, the author tell us that discipline will assist us in growing strong and mature, then this verse is in the transition that when thing happen don’t continue on moping and looking like you sucked on a lemon, but pick your up set a straight path for you feet with your eyes fixed on Jesus Christ.

More than once, I have come to the altar with weak knees and feeble hands and would not leave until I was strengthened in the Lord!

We need each other more now than ever, well I can find Jesus wherever I go, because He is not confined to any building or any organization so why do we have church?

Heb 10:22-25, “Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

I don’t know about you but I need encouragement at times and if I don’t I need to be an encouragement to someone else. I love family and even with all its warts and sometimes… I’m proud to call you my family

In several of the psalms it tells us to lift up our hands to him, 1Timothy 2:8, “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.”

But what happens when life has beaten you do, when it is hard to lift those arms to give glory to the creator of all things?

When my daughter passed away from cancer over eight years ago, I was at that point. I wasn’t angry with God but I was very disappointed and to lift my hands wasn’t something I was ready to do, I even skipped several services at it was difficult for me to face others.

When I did finally muster the courage to go to church as I was sitting at the sound booth, I felt as the worship team was leading worship that I had to come to the altar and I stood there I slowly lifted my arms amidst the tears flowing down my face. Others gathered around my praying with the laying of hands and I was truthfully better after.

But that wasn’t it, several years later my wife and I attended a CeCe Winans concert at the time the song, “Goodness of God” was becoming very popular, I loved that song and waited anxiously for her to sing it. When she got to the song the whole church was standing and ready to worship with her. I soon lifted my hands and the tears once again came pouring out and further healing from all that hurt occurred, Jesus indeed has always been faithful, Jesus is always been so so good!

There is healing in lifting your weary hands to the King of Kings!

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Misfits are Welcome Here

In 1964 I was a mischievous 6-year-old and in that year for Christmas a movie was without the aid of AI or CGI or even computers have been aired every year since then.

Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, like It’s a Wonderful Life, Frosty the Snowman and later The Christmas Story have been part of the America Christmas for decades now and even generations.

I know Rudolph was the star but I kind of leaned to Yukon Cornelius, the most quoted saying by Cornelius, “Didn’t I ever tell you about Bumbles? Bumbles bounce!”

There was also this island owned by King Moonracer, can anyone name some of the toys there?

Charlie in the box

Train with square wheels

Spotted elephant

A water pistol that squirted jelly

A cowboy who rides an Ostrich

Bird that didn’t fly but swam

Boat that cannot float

Airplane that couldn’t fly

Dolly the rag doll for Sue

A blue bear with feathers

A scooter for Jimmy

A winged bear

What a bunch of misfits!

I’m proud to be classified as a misfit

1Pe 2:9-12, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.”

The world likes to divide, they divide by culture, nationality, color of your skin, social status, the way you talk and so on. But in the church Galatian 3:26-29, “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”

This does not mean that we are all the same in talents, gifts, and knowledge, Romans 12:4-8, “For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.”

We at Janesville Apostolic Ministries encourage all to use the gifts they have, no matter how large or how small, the idea of just being someone who comes to church sits themselves down in a pew and never says or does anything is not what we are about.

Many here have been discouraged by churches in the past from stepping out, not here, some have been kicked out of churches or been forced to leave by leaders and others who didn’t value or encourage the.

We misfits are not all meant to be pastors, teachers, evangelist, prophets and apostles, not everyone operates in the gifts of the Spirit listed in 1 Corinthians 12, not all of us can sing well, or play in instrument, but that does not keep you from being involved somewhere. You maybe a misfit but your Gods misfit!

You don’t have to look very far in the Bible to see that God throughout history of the bible used misfits.

Moses a murderer who was afraid to speak was chosen by God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt

Jeremiah who told God he was too young to prophecy to the kings of that day

Rahab a harlot helped the Israeli spies

David the forgotten son was chosen to be king of Israel

The Apostles themselves were a bunch of misfits chosen by Jesus to carry the New Testament message throughout the world, you had fishermen, a tax collector among this group.

The Apostle Paul who said he was born out of time in relation to be a witness of the risen Lord after the Resurrection, 1 Timothy 1:12-15, “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

I believe that some of you who have come to JAM recently have are here for a reason and I know that in the process of healing spiritually you may need a little time before you are willing to make the step out

But I reassure you that you are among fellow misfits who Jesus Christ is using us above and beyond anything that we could have imagined. I know a lot of your stories and you know mine, “I’m just a nobody trying to tell everyone about somebody who can save anybody”.

You not what is the greatest thing about being a bunch of misfits?

It takes the competition out of it, Rom 12:3, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”

The only competition we may have is who is the greatest servant among us, Mat 20:25-28, “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

Gal 6:2-3, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.”

Gal 6:4-6, “But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.”

Gal 6:9-10, “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.”

We are strangers (misfits) in foreign land….

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Hope

1 Corinthians 13:13, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

Right smack in the middle of these three is the word “Hope”!

When we think of what the word “hope” means in our vocabulary we often think of something that can convey doubt.

It is defined in the Miriam/Webster dictionary as a verb; to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or be true

hopes for a promotion

… all doctors can do is prevent dehydration, wait for the disease to run its course, and hope for the best.

As a noun; desire accompanied by expectation of obtaining what is desired or belief that it is obtainable

came in hopes of seeing you

a new medical treatment that has given hope to thousands.

There are 4 thoughts when it comes to man’s understanding of “Hope”,

Realistic; based on reason and reality

Utopian; hope for a better future achieved by action and goals

Chosen; conscious and deliberate decision to maintain hope despite circumstances

Transcendent; looking beyond current circumstances to find meaning or hope in a higher power

That is not what the word means in the bible!

Hebrews 11:1, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Amplified, “Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed), and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what cannot be experienced by the physical senses].”

We can look to the Old Testament and see the prophets, Israelites looked longingly to see the Messiah with hope!

Micah 7:7, “Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me.”

They were willing to die under extreme hate for this promise instead of surrendering that hope, Hebrews 11:32-39, “And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:”

Hope is a powerful concept, Luke 2:23-32, “And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people; A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

We do not know how many times this man came to the temple hoping to see his savior or how old he was…

But he never gave up the hope of what the Holy Ghost revealed to him!

We that have surrendered our lives to Jesus Christ live in hope every day, Romans 8:24-25, “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.”

I live in that constant hope, it’s what keeps me continuing on this walk with Him, I know Jesus is preparing a place for me and will be coming back to take those that have been born again to that place. Have you seen this place? No! but I know its there because of the Hope that is in me.

It’s the knowledge that “He will never leave me nor forsake me” that is this source of hope.

Rom 15:13, “Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.”

We recently got two new kittens; they both have Cerebellar Hypoplasia or as sometimes “Wobbly Cats”. They don’t seem to be able to go in a straight line, need help eating, going to the bathroom, and make lots of messes.

You know what? That describes me to a tee, I don’t always go in the direction I want or God wants for my life, I make messes out of a lot of things, these kittens also need to be with us it seems all the time, they know our voice, they know when we are in the room. I want to be just like that, I want to be close to Jesus all the time, and I definitely want to know His voice!

Isa 43:1, “But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

In this season of Christmas let’s keep our hearts filled with the hope from knowing our savior Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners and give us a life everlasting with Him!

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Tis the Season

Galatians 4:1-5, “Now I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; But is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”

As we just changed our calendars to November as well as our clocks back one hour many of us are starting to look at this as the beginning of the Holiday season.

We will soon here Christmas music in the stores and radio stations.

If you have shopped at Hobby Lobby anytime in the last 3 or 4 months you saw that Christmas décor was be putting up quickly and by now most of the stores in our area have Christmas displays.

Many places as well as Amazon have had pre–Black Friday sales so you pretty much have to live in a cave to not notice that “Tis the Season” has started.

 In a few weeks we have Thanksgiving in which was made a proclamation by President Lincoln in 1863 in attempt to unify our union during civil war times, but it wasn’t officially the 4th Thursday of the month of November until 1941.

We also know that this wasn’t the first thanksgiving that our country celebrated as several Presidents announced days of thanksgiving prior and for you history buffs in 1621 in Plymouth Massachusetts a group of English colonists and the Wampoang people got together to celebrate what many call the first thanksgiving.

But again, this isn’t what we should call the first thanksgiving, Psalms 100:1-5, “A Psalm of praise. Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

1Ch 16:34, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Eph 5:18-20,  “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

1Th 5:16-18, “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 

For us Christians and really everybody thanksgiving shouldn’t be a day to be celebrated one day a year but an everyday event!

So “Tis the Season” then becomes all about Christmas!

As a child I think one of the best times was when we received an item in the mail that became the central theme of the next coming weeks.

Yes, the old Sears or JCPenney catalog, soon these catalogs were filled with pieces of papers marking one’s favorite pages. We made lists of the things that we would find under that tree on Christmas tree. With two brothers and a sister by the time Christmas came it looked as if these catalogs had been laying around outside for years as pages were ripped, folder over, these wrinkled covered catalogs.

As I got to adulthood however feeling of “Tis the Season” turned to I owe, I owe, it’s off to work I go and I grow cynical of the holidays as family responsibilities grew more and more busy, you had to be on the ball to get the latest fad for the kids like the cabbage patch dolls, the Teddy Ruxpin or tickle me, Elmo.

Fortunately for me over the years “Tis the Season” transitioned to Jesus is the reason for the season and I grasped the real purpose of the Holidays.  I came to realize the gifts are cool and who doesn’t love the expression of a child when he or she opens up that package you so perfectly wrapped for them.

But, it’s about family, and that Jesus, Gal 4:4, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,” 

Its been said the Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies of the Old Testament and they include prophecies concerning His birth such as Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” His place of birth, Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

that as a baby he would end up in Egypt, Hosea 11:1, “When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.”

Mat 2:13-15, “And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.”

December 25th is the day we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior…

Rom 5:1-8, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

John 3:16 “Tis the Season”

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Make a Difference

Most of us desire to have purpose in our lives especially as Christians and the word tells us why we were created.

Eph 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

Rom 8:28, “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.”

I hope you have that desire in you that makes us want to serve Him and if we do, we must have that desire to serve others.

Mat 25:31-40, “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

In the parable of the talents before these verses it tells us that God has put in investment in our lives and to the ones that use those talents for “His” purpose He says this, Mat 25:21, “His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” 

Often, we think that God won’t notice what we have done unless it makes some big impact but that isn’t the case, it’s often the things that nobody ever notices that make the greatest impact for the Kingdom of God.

When we look at the bible account of Naaman we have one particular verse that notice, 2Ki 5:1, “Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the LORD had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.” 

We seldom look at the following two verses, 2Ki 5:2-3, “And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy”

There would be no healing of this man Naaman without this little maid.

How about the feeding of the five thousand +?

Joh 6:5-7, “When Jesus then lifted up his eyes, and saw a great company come unto him, he saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat? And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little.” Now two hundred pennyworth wasn’t of particularly of great value, about $32, but it might have been all they had at that particular moment.

 Joh 6:8-9, “One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?”

Joh 6:10-13, “And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would. When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. Therefore they gathered them together, and filled twelve baskets with the fragments of the five barley loaves, which remained over and above unto them that had eaten.”

Do you find it interesting as I do the neither one of these persons name was not mentioned in the miracles but without them the miracle wouldn’t of happened as we have witness of in the word of God.

When I look around in this room I see a room full of people that “Make a Difference”.

Many of our functions at JAM could not be accomplished if it wasn’t for you making a difference. Just being here it makes a difference to many of us.

Jud 1:20-22, “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference:”

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Jesus Loves Me This I Know

Jesus loves me….

One of the first songs that we learn in Sunday School is you had the opportunity as a child to attend.

John 3:16-17, “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. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Unfortunately, we have a growing population that no longer believes that even those that attend church.

In Ken Ham’s book already gone which is a couple years old the Barna Group was asked to survey many churches young participants and found that 61% of them once they reach their 20’s will leave the church. We often put the blame on the colleges who have for the most part have become increasingly anti-God, pro-socialist in their teachings. When asked when they had made that decision, close to 40% developed doubts about Christianity in middle school, 43.7% in high school, only 10.6 began having doubts in college.

Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Jesus loves me so…

Amos 8:11-12, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it.”

You say, how can that be, we have bibles everywhere, we can listen to it, we have more and more “Christian” movies, you can watch a sermon anytime, anywhere, we even have apps on our computers and phones!

Let me ask you this, are the majority of the messages good fundamentally sound bible messages? The people sitting and hearing those messages have very little knowledge of the word…we have preachers proclaiming that they are just like God, we are to be prosperous, I even heard a man from the pulpit claim God ask him to forgive Him.

Hosea 4:6-9, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their glory into shame. They eat up the sin of my people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. And there shall be, like people, like priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings.”

Jesus loves me this I know….

We have a society today that can’t accept God’s love, the age-old question lingers on that if “your” God is such a loving God why is there so much suffering in our world?

Just two weeks ago we had the shooting at Annunciation Catholic church in Minneapolis where 2 were killed at 21 others were injured. You had several politicians come out at tell us that prayer wasn’t the answer, Jen Psaki said, “enough with the thoughts and prayers” Mayor Jacob Frey said, “Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now, these kids were literally praying…”

Genesis 6:5-6, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

Matthew 24:37-39, “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

Jesus loves me this I know…

This book, “the bible tells us of the love of God, psalms 136:1, “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Romans 5:8, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

2Co 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

John 3:16

Jesus loves me this I know…

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God has a Plan

Throughout our lives we have and will make plans for many things in life, some are easy such as what are you going to wear today or eat to ones that are life changing such as a job, a marriage, where you plan to live and so on.

The greatest plan we make is the decision to either follow the Lord or do things our own way.

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

We that are watching today or have gathered here this day have made that decision and we have decided that God’s plans are far better for us than our own.

This book is a glimpse into Gods plan for mankind since the creation in the Book of Genesis to the New Heavens and Earth in the Book of Revelations.

At the fall of man in the garden of Eden God made a plan to restore man to Himself, Genesis 3:15, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.”

Joh 3:16, “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.” 

Gen 6:5-7, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.”

Gen 6:8, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”

God then found a man in Abraham to separate himself and who God would call His friend, the father of many nations, and of all believers, Romans 4:11, “And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:”

God then rose up the nation of Israel through Abrahams grandson that His plan of the redeemer would come through.

All the plans of the redeemer came into fruition when a young lady named Mary became impregnated by the Holy Spirit and brought forth a child 2000 years ago in the city called Bethlehem.

The religious of the day never could understand Gods redemption plan and this is why they could not accept Jesus as the Messiah, John 10:19-20, “There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him?”

The entire Old Testament pointed to God planning to one day to take upon flesh, dwell among us, to one day suffer, die on a cross, then three days rise again with the keys of death and hell in His hands!

Revelations 13:8, “And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Because of this plan we are a chosen generation, 1Pe 2:9, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:” 

Do you believe God has a plan for you?

June 27th the chaplain of Mercy hospital called mentioning that someone there was looking for a church that believes in divine healing. Soon after I was contacted by this persons aunt and made it a point to go visit to pray with her. On Sunday July 6th I felt that we should take the whole church they to pray over her so we had a short service and paraded through Janesville to see and pray for her. Several of us visited her here and there to pray and encourage her as others prayed and fasted.

The week of July 27th it seemed things were taking a turn for the worse, it seemed that plan we thought God had for her was not going to happen the way we thought, Isaiah 55:8, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”

July 30th the aunt messaged me that her niece was taken to the hospital, she was in a lot of pain and unresponsive and I continued to pray Isaiah 53:5, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

July 31st I was told informed me that they were calling the family together and it seemed that would be the discussion of end-of-life plans.

But God had a plan!

August 1st came and things changed, I received word that this lady was awake, eating and drinking, that she had declared that she wasn’t going anywhere and claimed healing by the power of God.

Monday August 4th My wife and I went to visit her and witnessed that she was very alive, and shared how God had opened doors for her and thanked the church for our prayers and that she would be coming to a service as soon as she was up and moving!

God has a plan!

Proverbs 16:3, “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.”

Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Trust, Acknowledge, go with it!

God has a Plan!

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Have You Received?

Acts 19:1-7, “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve.”

Reasons we don’t receive!

Act 2:39, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

Need to Hear!

Rom 10:13-17, “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Fear!

2Ti 1:6-7, “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 

James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

Comforts and Teaches us!

John 14:26  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. 

Intercedes for us!

Rom 8:26, “likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” 

Makes a way!

Rom 8:8-11, “So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.”

Desire!

Matthew 5:6 promises, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Mark 9:23  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?

When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

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It Can’t Happen Here

Isa 62:6, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence,”

Gen 12:1-3, “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.”

Israel is approximately the size of New Jersey yet it is on the national news nearly every day, mostly in a negative way.

Israel is not a Christian nation as Christian only make up 1.9%, Muslims make up 19% and Judaism is 73.5%

But they since the days of Abraham to today they have a special place in the heart of Jesus as this book deals with the Jewish people throughout its writings.

Deu 7:6, “For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”

Deu 7:1, “When the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, and hath cast out many nations before thee, the Hittites, and the Girgashites, and the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites, seven nations greater and mightier than thou;”

We also understand that Israel also suffered many times in history from under Pharoah who made them slaves and had for a time to control their population had the male children thrown into the river Nile. Also, when times of disobedience to God came under captives from various kings like Nebuchadnezzar. Even in the time of Christ the nation Israel was under the rule of the Romans who ruled with an Iron fist.

Emperor Nero who was certifiable blamed the Christians (most of them were Jews) for the Great fire in 64AD and burned Christians as human torches or were torn apart by beasts in amphitheaters.

In 1933 we had a man appointed Chancellor of Germany that would probably be remembered as one of the most evil men in History to date.

WW2 started in 1939 and Germany had plans to conquer most of Europe and without the US intervention it may of. Part of that was to wipe out the Jewish race as well as any other peoples that didn’t fit his idea what the perfect race should of consist of. The Jewish population was 16 million at start of Hitlers campaign after he was done the population was 11 million and today is 15.8 million.

It Can’t Happen Here!

2Ti 3:1-7, “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, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 

2Ti 3:13, “But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”

In the last 100 years evil men have cropped up throughout our World Stalin killed more than 20 million of his own people, Mao Zedong contributed 78 million deaths, Pol Pot of Cambodia killed 1.7-2 million people in 3 short years.

But that Can’t Happen Here!

Isa 5:20  Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! 

Antisemitism!

from the River to the sea…

Sarah Milgram and Yaron Lischinsky, Free Palestine…

There is a time coming…

In Ezekial 38 and 39 the Bible tells us that Gog and Magog will come against Israel and NO nation comes to her defense, in Daniel 9:27, “And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.”

Mat 24:21  For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. 

Mat 24:22  And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened. 

Don’t Say, “It Can’t Happen Here!

We are also seeing an attack on the Christian church as we are being seen as out of touch with the real world.

Did you hear about what happened is Seattle?

Next Sunday is Pentecost Sunday when the disciples of Christ tarried in Jerusalem for the promise…you don’t have to tarry

Jer 29:13  And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

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From the Fields to the Mansion

Happy Mothers Day!

Mother have always been important part of the family structure and in society today many have become the MOST important as one of the fastest growing families are ones with a single mother.

47% of single mothers are black, 25% Hispanic, 14% white, and 8% Asian.

63% of black children live in single parent homes who mostly are in their 30’s and 40’s and half have never been married.

75% of single mothers work fulltime but the poverty rate for single mothers is much higher than single fathers or married mothers and less that 25% of single mothers receive any support.

1Ti 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

Mothers are worth their weight in gold and we celebrate them today!

We see many mothers mentioned in the word of God, from Eve who sadly was the first mother to bury a child. And we also remember our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who was born of the virgin Mary who also experienced the heartache of seeing her child crucified for us, Luke 1:30-31, “And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” 

Luk 24:1-6, “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,”

Luk 24:10, “It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.”

We remember the mother of Moses, Jochebed, who had the faith to put her son in a basket to be saved by pharaohs daughter.

We can think of Abrahams wife Sarah have her son Issac at the age of 90. Hannah the mother of Samuel, 1Samuel 1:10-11, “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. And she vowed a vow, and said, O LORD of hosts, if thou wilt indeed look on the affliction of thine handmaid, and remember me, and not forget thine handmaid, but wilt give unto thine handmaid a man child, then I will give him unto the LORD all the days of his life, and there shall no razor come upon his head.”

1Sa 1:24, “And when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bullocks, and one ephah of flour, and a bottle of wine, and brought him unto the house of the LORD in Shiloh: and the child was young.  And they slew a bullock, and brought the child to Eli.”

In the NT we have in Paul’s salutation to Timothy 2Ti 1:3, “thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day; Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.”

Thar brings me to the account of Naomi and Ruth when Elimelech and Naomi leave Bethlehem because of a famine and with their two sons Mahlon and Chilian reside in the land of Moab.

The two sons marry Moab woman Oprah and Ruth, the father dies and then the two sons die which prompts Naomi to return home,

Ruth 1:6, “Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.”

Ruth 1:7, “Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.“

Ruth 1:8, “And Naomi said unto her two daughters in law, Go, return each to her mother’s house: the LORD deal kindly with you, as ye have dealt with the dead, and with me. The LORD grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept. And they said unto her, Surely we will return with thee unto thy people. And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands? Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;  Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the LORD is gone out against me.”

Ruth 1:14, “And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law. And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: Where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if ought but death part thee and me.” 

It didn’t take long for Ruth to get noticed by Boaz

Ruth 2:10, “Then she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground, and said unto him, Why have I found grace in thine eyes, that thou shouldest take knowledge of me, seeing I am a stranger? And Boaz answered and said unto her, It hath fully been shewed me, all that thou hast done unto thy mother in law since the death of thine husband: and how thou hast left thy father and thy mother, and the land of thy nativity, and art come unto a people which thou knewest not heretofore.”

and Naomi of course encouraged Ruth to pursue Boaz and with a little wrangling with a closer relative to Naomi the impossible happened, Ruth 4:13, “So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.” 

Now by itself this is a fantastic Mother Days story of the faithfulness of a mother-in-law and the love of her daughter in law but it doesn’t end there!

Ruth 4:14, “And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him. And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it. And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.”

Ruth indeed went from the Fields to the Mansion

Through these two mothers the blood line of our savior was continued and the love is recorded in history forever…Happy Mothers Day!

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