Philippians 3:1-4 [+/-]Philippians 3:1-4 [3:1]Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you is no trouble to me and is safe for you. [2]Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. [3]For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh-- [4]though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: (ESV)
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Do you know that God wants the fullness of His joy flowing in and through you? The Bible teaches us that when we give our lives to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to live inside of us and one of His tasks is to produce in us and through us the fruit of the Spirit. Notice that the word “fruit” is singular. Paul lists nine items here or three groups of three. The center one in each group is the focus of each group so that in the first grouping: love, joy, and peace; it is joy that God desires and develops in us as among the first and finest expressions of His presence and power at work in us. He wants to experience and to express His joy. Jesus would remind us that He came so that His joy would be in us and that our joy would be complete. This section in Philippians shows us what is required if we are going to experience and express the joy that is ours as believers.

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 Case Studies in Conversation - Born from Above [20:56m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

John 3 [+/-]John 3 [3:1]Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2]This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." [3]Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." [4]Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" [5]Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6]That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7]Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' [8]The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." [9]Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" [10]Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? [11]Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. [12]If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? [13]No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. [14]And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, [15]that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. [16]"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. [17]For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. [18]Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. [19]And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. [20]For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. [21]But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." [22]After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. [23]John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized [24](for John had not yet been put in prison). [25]Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification. [26]And they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness--look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him." [27]John answered, "A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. [28]You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, 'I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.' [29]The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. [30]He must increase, but I must decrease." [31]He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. [32]He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony. [33]Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true. [34]For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure. [35]The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand. [36]Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. (ESV)

What does it really mean to be genuinely Biblically Converted? This is part of the series Case Studies in Convention, a continuing Wednesday Night Study. Pastor Al continues going through the book of John, exploring even deeper with regards to our being Born Again. More detailed imagery with Nicodemus; which give so much more insight into the dialog between Jesus and Nicodemus, and his real questions, and what they meant.

For those following these discussions on Wednesday evenings, while similar in content, each week goes a little deeper into the book of John, and he stories within.

So many “diseases” have only come into being in the twentieth century, many of them, in fact; since the end of World War II. It is very common for us to hear today about ADD, ADHD, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Bipolar disorders etc. that have not been around for long. Now I know that the argument is that they have been around a long time, we were just not able to understand what they were. That is an argument that can be made but it at least begs the question of the evolution of intellect. That argument requires us to assume that we are more insightful in our understandings than we once were. Look at our culture and you will be hard-pressed to make that conclusion make sense to almost anybody. I am not arguing and would not that some of these “diseases” are real; what I would argue is that they are as much caused by and conditioned by our culture than they are chemically constructed. It is arguable that we are not born with them nor genetically programmed to “get” them as much as they get us due to the kind of contexts in which we live out our lives.

One “disease” that has been around a long time, however, is what the Puritans called “spiritual depression” and the ancient desert fathers referred to it as the “dark night of the soul.” What both assumed was its reality and its spiritual character. They did not see it as a condition to be cared for medically; they saw it as a “disease” of the spirit that could only be treated by spiritual means. Its symptoms included a sense of despair that would not dissipate and a sense of dread that would not depart. It caused people either to want to sleep and sleep or not to sleep at all. People in the desert or dark night were without a clear sense of direction. And there was definitely an absence of joy. These ancients knew that this condition could leave as suddenly as it came or it could tarry for days or weeks. But they knew that the remedy was from the Spirit of God through the Word of God. And they knew that such a dark night could even be a gift from God.

As a pastor I often find myself fighting spiritual depression the week after Easter. That Sunday is hard for me. As filled with joy as it is because of what we are celebrating, it is equally filled with grief for me because of what I see. I see people in church that Sunday that I most likely will not see again until next Easter. There they sit: unmoved and unmoveable. They sing the songs, close their eyes during the prayers, and listen politely during the preaching. They come in unsaved and walk out the same way. My heart is conflicted. I rejoice over the great celebration; I grieve because those who joined the celebration that day unless they repent will be outside the wedding feast on the last and great day. The end result for me is that usually by Tuesday of the day after Easter, I hit the skids! I plunge to the pit. I am drug down into despair. I was there last night and this morning. I did not want to rise today. I had the “mully grubs.” But I knew what to do.

So, I sought the Lord and He heard my cry. I read the Word and He did draw nigh. I sat before Him to seek His face, He lifted me up and He brought me His grace. Oh, the dark night is Satan’s ploy, but the risen Jesus lifts the veil, and brings me His joy. I may not dance nor sing for a day, but He lifts me up and sets me on His way. He is a great God and a mighty King, Hallelujah to Him, Let His praises ring. So, when you are in the night and cannot sleep, your heart is heavy so that your eyes do weep; look up toward heaven and wait before the Lord, Open the Bible and listen for His Word. He will come to you; He will not fail; He will bring you what you need when upon His Name you call. Dark nights become bright lights when the Lord breaks through.

 

 A Little Walk with Jesus [33:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Luke 24:13-35 [+/-]Luke 24:13-35 [13]That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, [14]and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. [15]While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. [16]But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. [17]And he said to them, "What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. [18]Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" [19]And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, [20]and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. [21]But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. [22]Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, [23]and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. [24]Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." [25]And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26]Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" [27]And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. [28]So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, [29]but they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. [30]When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. [31]And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. [32]They said to each other, "Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?" [33]And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, [34]saying, "The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!" [35]Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. (ESV)

He was dead. And it was not just any kind of death. It was the most shame- filled and suffering filled form of death known during those days. It was shame filled because it was reserved for the very worst of the worst kind of criminals and it was full of suffering because what brought death was the interminably slow process of suffocation as the sufferers lungs filled with fluid and as he pushed up to breathe the pain from his nail-pierced legs was excruciating; the only thing worse was when he couldn’t stand that pain any longer and relaxed only to be suffocating again. The Romans had put Him there because of treason; they taught that there was only one king and only one kingdom and that kingdom was Rome and that king was Caesar. It was Rome, right or wrong; to be a good citizen of Rome was considered the most clear expression of being a child of God. But Jesus stood against such a perverse and pagan perspective. He taught that there was a greatest king and a greatest kingdom and no matter where we live on earth those who belong to God are citizens of the heavenly Kingdom to which we give honor as we seek to obey the King of heaven.

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 Case Studies in Conversation - about being Born Again [22:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

John 2:23 [+/-]John 2:23 [23]Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. (ESV)
; John 3:1-14 [+/-]John 3:1-14 [3:1]Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2]This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him." [3]Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." [4]Nicodemus said to him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" [5]Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. [6]That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. [7]Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' [8]The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." [9]Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" [10]Jesus answered him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? [11]Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. [12]If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? [13]No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. [14]And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, (ESV)
; John 4 [+/-]John 4 [4:1]Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John [2](although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), [3]he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. [4]And he had to pass through Samaria. [5]So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. [6]Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour. [7]A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." [8](For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) [9]The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?" (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) [10]Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." [11]The woman said to him, "Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? [12]Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock." [13]Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, [14]but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." [15]The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water." [16]Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come here." [17]The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; [18]for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true." [19]The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. [20]Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship." [21]Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. [22]You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. [23]But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. [24]God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." [25]The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things." [26]Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he." [27]Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you seek?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" [28]So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, [29]"Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" [30]They went out of the town and were coming to him. [31]Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, "Rabbi, eat." [32]But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." [33]So the disciples said to one another, "Has anyone brought him something to eat?" [34]Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. [35]Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, then comes the harvest'? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. [36]Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. [37]For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' [38]I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor." [39]Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." [40]So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. [41]And many more believed because of his word. [42]They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." [43]After the two days he departed for Galilee. [44](For Jesus himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown.) [45]So when he came to Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him, having seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the feast. For they too had gone to the feast. [46]So he came again to Cana in Galilee, where he had made the water wine. And at Capernaum there was an official whose son was ill. [47]When this man heard that Jesus had come from Judea to Galilee, he went to him and asked him to come down and heal his son, for he was at the point of death. [48]So Jesus said to him, "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe." [49]The official said to him, "Sir, come down before my child dies." [50]Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. [51]As he was going down, his servants met him and told him that his son was recovering. [52]So he asked them the hour when he began to get better, and they said to him, "Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him." [53]The father knew that was the hour when Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." And he himself believed, and all his household. [54]This was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee. (ESV)
& John 6 [+/-]John 6 [6:1]After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. [2]And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. [3]Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. [4]Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. [5]Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" [6]He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. [7]Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little." [8]One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, [9]"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" [10]Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. [11]Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. [12]And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, "Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost." [13]So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. [14]When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, "This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!" [15]Perceiving then that they were about to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew again to the mountain by himself. [16]When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, [17]got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. [18]The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. [19]When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. [20]But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." [21]Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. [22]On the next day the crowd that remained on the other side of the sea saw that there had been only one boat there, and that Jesus had not entered the boat with his disciples, but that his disciples had gone away alone. [23]Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks. [24]So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor his disciples, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum, seeking Jesus. [25]When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, "Rabbi, when did you come here?" [26]Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. [27]Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." [28]Then they said to him, "What must we do, to be doing the works of God?" [29]Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent." [30]So they said to him, "Then what sign do you do, that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform? [31]Our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'" [32]Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. [33]For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." [34]They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." [35]Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. [36]But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. [37]All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. [38]For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. [39]And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. [40]For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." [41]So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." [42]They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" [43]Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. [44]No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. [45]It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me-- [46]not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. [47]Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. [48]I am the bread of life. [49]Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. [50]This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. [51]I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." [52]The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" [53]So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. [54]Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. [55]For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. [56]Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. [57]As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. [58]This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever." [59]Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum. [60]When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" [61]But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? [62]Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? [63]It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. [64]But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) [65]And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." [66]After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. [67]So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" [68]Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, [69]and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." [70]Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." [71]He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him. (ESV)

What does it really mean to be genuinely Biblically Converted? This is part of the series Case Studies in Convention, a continuing Wednesday Night Study. Pastor Al further reviews the image of being “Born Again” and what that really means.

The Gospel of John is different from all the other Gospels in many ways. It is not written chronologically. It is put together in a way that shows us precisely who Jesus is, so that when we commit to him, we know to whom we are committing. In the end of his Gospel, John 20:30-31 [+/-]John 20:30-31 [30]Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; [31]but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (ESV)
he shows his true purpose in the manner of which he wrote John – By believing in Him as the Son of God, and that by believing, you will have life in His Name.

 

 the Recipe for Revival [47:41m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

2 Chronicles 7:13-1 [+/-]2 Chronicles 7:13 [13]When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, (ESV)

The Sunday night studies are a chance to take a closer look at the Word of God. Tonight’s study was on Revival, what it is, and where it comes from. Pastor Al reflected upon 3 particular revivals that have stood out through the many years. One of the keys is humility, as illustrated in the above verse. Pastor Al explores the other tangible keys that come together so perfectly to bring on a true spirit of revival.

This message includes some individual testimonies; which will help you see how God touched the lives of some of our own members last week during the revival.

 

 Supper Time [31:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Revelation 19:1-10 [+/-]Revelation 19:1-10 [19:1]After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, [2]for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants." [3]Once more they cried out, "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever." [4]And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" [5]And from the throne came a voice saying, "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great." [6]Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, "Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. [7]Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; [8]it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure"-- for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. [9]And the angel said to me, "Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb." And he said to me, "These are the true words of God." [10]Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, "You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God." For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (ESV)

I spoke a couple of weeks ago about some of the changes in the landscape of the life of the church that have happened in the twentieth century. I spoke specifically of the emergence of privatization: my relationship with God is between me and God; compartmentalization: my relationship with God is about my relationship with God expressed in worship but not expressed in work; and individualism: my relationship with God is my relationship with God and in order to be fulfilling it does not have to be connected with others and particularly to those who are in the church. These changes were real and revolutionary but they came into the church on the winds of change in our society so that they were considered normal rather than abnormal. And these changes were contiguous with another reality that emerged in America after World War II that produced a powerfully positive environment that was at least one of the reasons that these other changes were neither challenged nor questioned

Learn more about this message by downloading the sermon notes here!

What a week! I must admit to you that coming into revival this week I had a keen sense that the church at 853 Liberty was already in the early stages of revival. We had seen such wonderful response in our FAITH ministry and particularly to the Prayer walking and packet distribution over the last few weeks, the spirit in our worship for the past few weeks had been anticipatory in nature and the First Family Ministers had done a dynamite job in getting their families together for prayer. I knew that God was up to something good; I just did not know how good it would really be.

We had not had a revival in several years. The last one we had was discouraging to me for a number of reasons although it was shortly after that time that God began to move in a mighty way in the church. Whether God used that revival to trigger that move or not, I do not know. That is one of those secret things that belongs to the Lord. So, coming into this week; although I could sense something going on that was good, I was still a little leary.  What is going to happen really?Boy, was I blown away. Praise God.

I have been a participant in many revivals over the years. I have been preaching since 1970 and for many years have been in churches that scheduled one or two per year. That is a lot of meetings. Over those years I can say based on what I understand revivals to be:I have been a part of only two real revivals. This week was the second time. Prior to that I was a part of revival that got to the end and we would not stop; we kept going. I was the pastor of the church and the preacher for the revival. We went in one week having 60 in Sunday School to having 140. We had no room to meet for Sunday School. We literally had a Sunday School Class meeting in the gazebo in the cemetery (it was the oldest bunch in the church so that if anything happened to them during Sunday School, they didn’t have far to go–just kidding), but we did have a class meeting there. It was wild and wonderful. And this was the second one.

What is our response to what has happened?Let me suggest a few things:first, don’t seek to capture and control God; it is like seeking to capture and control the wind.  Peter made that mistake at the Transfiguration. Praise God and move on. Give Him glory and go toward where He is wanting to take us. Second, move forward in faith. This revival is all about God and what He wants to do in us and through us. What is that?Let’s launch toward it. Third, do not forget that when the emotional elements are eliminated, the real results of revival are what remains behind. If nothing happened but emotion (and I do not believe that; something very real and very much “God” happened to me and in me this week and it was emotional!) then that needs to fade and be forsaken, but if the emotional expressions were the outward manifestations of inward changes then those changes will not only remain, they will grow.

It was a great week for me. I loved every minute of it. Magnificent music. Rich worship. Good, sound preaching. To God be the glory.

 

 Revive us O Lord! Wednesday - 6 pm [33:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Act 16:25-34 [+/-]Acts 16:25-34 [25]About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, [26]and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. [27]When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. [28]But Paul cried with a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." [29]And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. [30]Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" [31]And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household." [32]And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. [33]And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. [34]Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God. (ESV)

At tonight’s concluding revival service, Evangelist Phil Waldrep taught about this great story of the faith of 2 men – Paul and Silas, who experienced great pressure from the results of sharing God’s message of Grace; yet they sought to get full of Jesus, and they prayed, and sang praises to God at a very dark hour of the night. This powerful witness pleased God, and brought a new family into fellowship with the Living God!  This was a wonderful message, and this has been a wonderful time of reviaval for First Baptist Church, as many lives have been touched!

 

 Revive us O Lord! Tuesday - 7 pm [40:43m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Luke 15:17-31 [+/-]Luke 15:17-31 [17]"But when he came to himself, he said, 'How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! [18]I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. [19]I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' [20]And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. [21]And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' [22]But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. [23]And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. [24]For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. [25]"Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. [26]And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. [27]And he said to him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' [28]But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, [29]but he answered his father, 'Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. [30]But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!' [31]And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. (ESV)

Tonight’s message was a very powerful message revolving around the prodigal son. Evangelist Phil Waldrep taught how this parable gives wonderful insight into ways to effectively love our own prodigal children, and encourage the ones struggling with the pain involved.

Phil had 2 questions he brought to God regarding prodigal, or wayward children, after hearing the questions asked to answer again and again,

1. what did we do wrong?

2. what can we do now?

God led Phil to interview 30 people, who were either prodigals or who came back to God, and shares some wonderful insight in this evening’s message. This is a great message, that you’ll want to review, and gain great insight base on God’s Word.

Sorry… we had a cd error, and didn’t get to record tonight’s message. It was in incredible time of worship!

Please join us on Tuesday evening!

 

 Revive us O Lord! Sunday - 6 pm [35:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

2 Kings 6:1-7 [+/-]2 Kings 6:1-7 [6:1]Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. [2]Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there." And he answered, "Go." [3]Then one of them said, "Be pleased to go with your servants." And he answered, "I will go." [4]So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. [5]But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed." [6]Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. [7]And he said, "Take it up." So he reached out his hand and took it. (ESV)

If you weren’t able to listen this morning in person, you can catch this mornings message here. Evangelist Phil Waldrep taught tonight, after sharing some funny insights on Seniors…. (:00 – 9:00) and a personal testimony to his call to Evangelism. (9:00 – 16:00)

Phil then shared from the 2nd book of Kings, about a story that has had significant relevance to his calling, and to every believer as well. (16:00 -35:29) As one of the Prophet Elisha’s son’s was effectively cutting down a tree for a larger dwelling place, he suddenly realized that his ax head had fallen off, into the river, and his cutting effort was no longer effective. Phil realized that he had lost his ax head as well, and God revealed to him that his ax head was a loss of joy when he lost his love for praying alone with God, and his love for God’s Word.

 Our Prayer Life is a direct reflection for our love for God

This is a very encouraging message, if you missed it, please listen!

 

 Revive us O Lord! Sunday - 11 am [30:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Hebrews 3:8 [+/-]Hebrews 3:8 [8]do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,
, Hebrews 3:8 [+/-]Hebrews 3:8 [8]do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness,
& Hebrews 4:7 [+/-]Hebrews 4:7 [7]again he appoints a certain day, "Today," saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts."
& Psalms 95 [+/-]Psalm 95 [95:1]Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! [2]Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! [3]For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. [4]In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. [5]The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. [6]Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! [7]For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, [8]do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness, [9]when your fathers put me to the test and put me to the proof, though they had seen my work. [10]For forty years I loathed that generation and said, "They are a people who go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways." [11]Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They shall not enter my rest."

If you weren’t able to listen this morning in person, you can catch this mornings message here. Evangelist Phil Waldrep taught about hearing God’s voice, and how many harden their hearts when he speaks. It was an awesome time of worship, make sure you come to the next service (tonight)!

Please don’t hear this as a complaint, it isn’t. I love what I do and quite frankly have to make myself take a break from it. But I have been so swamped lately that taking any kind of break was just out of the question. It wasn’t all because of “church work” either; I accepted the responsibility to teach an eight week Introduction to the New Testament course at the Guido School of Evangelism in Metter; that requires a fair amount of preparation due to the extent of the material and the length of the course: too much material for too short a time frame. At the same time that this is going on I am in the process of completing an on-line course on “The Ministry of Preaching” for Brewton-Parker and am in the beginning phases of preparation for a course on the Major Prophets that I will teach (hopefully) this Fall in Kenya. Additionally, the expansion of Penfield from one campus to three has required time and energy (I am privileged to serve as chairman of the Board of Directors for Penfield) and trying to give what support I can to Brad Hambrick at Crossroads where I serve as chairman of that Board. I am “board” to death! Well, with all of the above in addition to normal responsibilities has left me with no time. But yesterday I took a day off. Cleaned house. I love doing that. Instantaneous results from what is done; very much unlike ministry. I assembled all that I needed for taxes and even enjoyed doing that, sitting at the kitchen table with Southern Gospel cranked up! I read. I rested. I only went to the office for an hour. Wow. It was so good. Everybody needs that from time to time.

I read more of what Thomas Watson had to say about the godly man. He hit a very tender spot with me. He says that a godly man is a thankful man. And then he connects this to the life of prayer. Watson argues that our prayer life is a barometer for our gratitude for the grace of God and argues that by this measure, most of us are not grateful. Most of our prayers, he says, are petitions to God for what we want or need, or for the needs and wants of those who are close to us. He calls this “prayer in which we act like men.” He calls the prayer of thanksgiving in which we ask for nothing but spend our time just giving thanks and praise to God, “the prayer of angels.”

Listen to this stunning section from Watson: “Thanksgiving is the more divine part of prayer . . . A godly man expresses thankfulness in every duty and in every condition. He will be thankful as much in adversity as in prosperity. A gracious soul is thankful and rejoices that he is drawn nearer to God, though it be by the cords of affliction. When it goes well with him, he praises God’s mercy; when it goes badly with him, he magnifies God’s justice. When God has a rod in his hand, the godly man has a psalm in his mouth. The devil’s smiting of Job was like striking a musical instrument; he sounded forth praise: ‘the Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.’ When God’s spiritual plants are cut and bleed, they drop thankfulness; the saints tears cannot drown their praises.” Isn’t that good stuff. Read it. Reflect on it.

One other note. I knew this would come eventually but a court in California ruled against a home-schooling couple this week that they could no longer home school their children because they lacked the educational credentials to do so. The ruling came out of nowhere and shook the homeschooling associations in California. It will be most intersting to follow this story with its extremely profound implications for our culture as we face the future. Please understand this: the public school system in our county is a rarity. It is very special. We have solid administrators who love the Lord and want to honor him in what they do. Anne teaches at a school where prayer and Bible reading is a part of faculty meetings, but this is not the norm. The norm for the public school across our land is an evolution based, truth devaluing and morally relativistic system of instruction that assumes the brain as blank slate that needs to be filled with the right information now defined as something entirely different than what was taught when I was in school. You can read all the details about this event at albertmohler.com See ya Sunday.

 

 Case Studies in Conversation, a continuing Study [25:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

James 2:19-20 [+/-]James 2:19-20 [19]You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder! [20]Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? (ESV)

What does it really mean to be genuinely Biblically Converted? This is part of the series “Case Studies in Convention”, a continuing Wednesday Night Study. Pastor Al goes back to the book of James again tonight. Abraham was faithful to God, and the works that he was called to do, and that he was doing (offering a sacrifice of his son Issac on the alter) were a manifestation, , an expression of his faithfulness to God, and his faith was made complete. He believed in God, and because he believed in God, he submitted himself to God fully. In doing that, he demonstrated that he belonged to God.

I love the Puritans. Used to think that they were prudish people. I imaged them as the Amish of Pennsylvania on prunes. It wasn’t an inviting image. But then at the urging of some of my mentors, I began to read them. Now I devour the puritans. I am reading right now a book by Thomas Watson called The Godly Man’s Picture. Watson as the Purtians are prone to do provides a list of twenty-four characteristics of the godly man. They are: nah, wouldn’t do that to you. But one of the characteristics of a godly man that he does list is prayer. Let me give you just some tid-bits from his section on prayer.

“God comes down to us by His Spirit, and we go up to Him by prayer. He then addresses the question of how we can know that our prayer life is being shaped by the Spirit of God. He gives these guidelines: we can know because we pray out of a keen intimacy with God because we know that we know Him. We can know that we are praying in and by the Spirit of God because we desire to commune with God. We can know because of the inner groanings that grip us and drive us to pray: “it is not so much the gifts of the Spirit as the groans of the Spirit which God likes . . prayer is compared to incense. Incense without fire makes no sweet smell” (I like that). He adds further that we can know that we are praying as directed by the Spirit of God because our hearts are broken before God because of our own needs and the needs of others. Further, he says that true prayer is believing prayer: we believe in the God to whom we are praying and we trust Him fully. He says, “praying without faith is shooting without bullets. I like that one too. And he continues. But his work shows the depth of the devotion of the Puritans. They combine in a way that is so refreshing the rigor of an understanding of the Word of God with the vigory of a heart that has been set on fire by God. They are always helpful to me.

What is your biggest issue in your journey with Jesus? I started thinking about this the other night when Don and I were talking about the “Spanish Church.” It is not growing. So many Spanish speaking people in our county and this church is not growing. I immediately began to think of ways that we could help them in terms of outreach, advertising, etc. Then it hit me: Al, when is the last time you prayed for them? When is the last time that you just brought this to me and trusted me to do what I am going to do with that church? I was convicted.

My biggest struggle in my journey with Jesus is the life of prayer. Prayer for me is precious and sacred and reaches far beyond the life of intercessory prayer. Please hear me: intercessory prayer is necessary and it is surely biblical. We are commanded to pray for one another (James 5 [+/-]James 5 [5:1]Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you. [2]Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten. [3]Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days. [4]Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts. [5]You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self- indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. [6]You have condemned and murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you. [7]Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. [8]You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. [9]Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door. [10]As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. [11]Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. [12]But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation. [13]Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. [14]Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. [15]And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. [16]Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. [17]Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. [18]Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit. [19]My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, [20]let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. (ESV)
) etc. But I sometimes think that this is the only praying that we do and for far too many it becomes the most important kind of praying. The model prayer of Jesus makes it plain that the priority in prayer is the praise of God because He rules and reigns and the plea for God to bring His heavenly Kingdom upon the earth which I do believe implies that we are to be a part of that process. And we cannot be and will not be unless we are going deeper and further in our relationship with Him. We must pray talking to God as child to a father he or she loves and trusts so that we can grow in our relationship with God.

I love to study. Opening the Bible in digging into God’s Word is not a problem for me. You already know how much I love to read and doing that is a delight for me. Working with others in times of joy and sadness is a blessing to me and teaching/preaching is such a reward. But I know that the wellspring of it all are those private times with the Father. Bowing my heart before God not only to talk but also (and maybe far more necessary) to listen. I struggle with prayer. There are times to me when it seems that, dare I say it; that I am not doing anything when I pray. Did you get that? Therein is the problem. I am “doer.” Are you? I want to see results. Do you? Prayer is sitting at the feet of a sovereign God and admitting that I am helpless. It is acknowledging my devotion to Him and my dependence on Him. It is not wringing my hands in His presence but opening them to Him knowing that whatever gets done that is worth doing is because of what He does. And that is why it is hard for me. I want God to do, but I want to do too but the most important thing that I can ever do is to do what is necessary in prayer so that when I do and what I do is done in the complete and conscious awareness that if He does not do then what I do is not really worth doing at all. Do you and I get that?

at Botsford Baptist Church
Saturday, March 29 from 10 a.m. until noon.

This event is open to all girls of Hephzibah Baptist Association grades 1st through 6th grades.

March 11 – First Baptist Church of Wrens
Judy Shafer, missionary from Stapleton serving
with the International Mission Baptist Board in South Asia
will be our Speaker.

a Meal will be served at 6:00 with Program at 7:00