Victory Today and Hope for Tomorrow!

Some of you may have noticed that we have not uploaded a sermon or a Bible study in a few weeks. I want to apologize for that. We had a recorder that was on the blink and needed repair. 

The good news is we now have it back and ready to use in transferring mp3s to the website for you to listen to at your convenience. This means you can listen to such sermons or lessons on the website. An added benefit is you can download the mp3 right to your computer or mp3 player. Then you can take the recording with you to listen to while in your car, exercising, or at some other time. Please take advantage of this and let us know what you think!

Finally, we are glad to know that we have the recorder back in time to start on the first letter of the alphabet as we emphasize the Holy Spirit’s realm in the believer’s life! Look forward to approximately 26 sermons and 26 Bible studies on that topic! We want you to understand the role, dynamic, experience, and relationship Holy Spirit in your life. Most of all we want you to have a full experience that is up to date to enhance your Christian Life and testimony!

Hope to see you in church this Sunday!

As I look forward to, and think back on this great play, I admit that I have a staggering feeling! From the first time it was presented at VT it has been one of the greatest presentations we have ever done.

The people that attend Victory Temple have made this one of the most anticipated times of the year. As we practice and reflect upon the play and it's story we have a lot of fun. But the fun gives way to a deep sense of what we focus on all year long. The narrative of Jesus' passion is the basis of our commitment to live differently than we did before we heard the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

The story is the most compelling story ever told! God came in the flesh and then Jesus offered up himself as an acceptable sacrifice for all of mankind. It seems that the Holy Spirit anoints our frail efforts every single year. 

Even though none of us are professional actors, the caliber of the play does not disappoint those that attend year after year. The scenes before and after the core of the play are interchanged from year to year with other imaginative sub stories that help build the anticipation toward the climatic portrayal of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Do yourself a favor and make sure you attend at least one of this year's presentation. What better way to complete the celebration of this season and your faith!

How Did Jesus Pray?

(Our great example)

Luke 22:³⁹ Coming out, He went to the Mount of Olives, as He was accustomed, and His disciples also followed Him. 

• He prayed often-Notice it was his custom. It was his habit. He was regular. It was a vital part of his life. Dr. Paul Cho says Jesus went from one place of prayer to the next. You have to make this a habit, because you won’t do it automatically at least not at first.

• He prayed privately - If most of your prayer life is not behind the scenes then most of your prayer life is to be seen. Jesus prayed more in private than he did in public. Mark 12: 38-40, Mt. 6:6 The huge berg seen that sunk the Titanic was only the tip. No matter what your public prayer life is like, it should only be the tip. It will sink the devil’s ship! Talk about Tebow!

• He had a place. You can pray anywhere. But, perhaps you need a place (a time, a geographical spot, an attitude). You need to know when you get to the place. This helps with consistency and gives a sense of value to a spot!

• He prayed to the Father (Yahweh) ...in Yeshua’s name (Jesus). He prayed fervently. He prayed in faith!!

• He prayed the will of God-The right motive. Review Wed. night. On petition prayer you need to know the will of God. On a prayer of consecration or dedication you need to defer to God’s will...since you don’t know it.

• His prayer life influenced others - Luke 11:1 This shows that there can be some value to your public prayer life or at the very least the knowledge by those around you that you are a person of prayer.

• He prayed dying - Have you ever heard someone say, “If it’s the last things I do, I’ll or you’ll....?” You could say that the first thing Jesus did when he got up in the morning was pray. You could also say that the last thing that Jesus did before leaving earth was pray! (Luke 23:46)

As the Pastor brought another great message on courage that the Lord had showed me it is like a gift that has to be taken to battle fear grab it and use it (2Chr 15:8) And when Asa heard these words, and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and put away the abominable idols out of all the land of Judah and Benjamin, and out of the cities which he had taken from mount Ephraim, and repaired the altar of YHWH, that [was] before the porch of YHWH. Chazaq is main hebrew word and part of the meaning is to to seize boldness. I believe 2012 is a year we will have the opportunity  to rise up and seize boldness and to be of good courage against the enemy of fear that wants to defeat us. 

Wayne Pugh, a personal friend of mine, was preaching for us, he delivered one of his most memorable and practical messages: Start Where You Are, Use What You Have, and Do What You Can! The biblical character referred to was a man named Shamgar. 

Shamgar doesn’t get much press time in the Bible. Like a number of stories, his is kind of tucked between the pages for the person that is a reader or a seeker to find. Even then the point might well escape casual reader of scripture. The scripture reads like this: After Ehud, Shamgar son of Anath became judge. He delivered Israel by striking down 600 Philistines with an oxgoad. Judges 3:31 (HCSB)

Brother Pugh showed how that no matter who we are, where we start, or what we have, we can make a difference. Excuses are blown away because everyone that decides to can make this kind of effort. Often motivation levels are low because self esteem is low. But when we read stories like this we realize that we need to get rid of our "stinkin’ thinking’" and chose to get out there and do what we can. We know that if we do what we can with what we have in obedience to God, God will bless it.

There will always be excuses for not giving our all or doing our best. We look around and compare ourselves to others who are seemingly more successful by some perceived standard. The Bible says that such comparisons are not wise (2 Cor. 10:12). Everybody can be somebody. Everybody has something to offer. Everyone should be a contributor.

You don’t have to wait to get started. Start where you are. Go to those that you are associated with. Go to those who are in authority and offer to serve. Don’t expect to be given a high profile job (at least not at first). Be willing to work behind the scenes. Be willing to take on a support role. The faithful few are tired. They need help. They need role players. They need people that care about the team. They want to meet up with people that want to share a mutual goal and a mutual objective. You are one of those people!

Use what you have. Don’t wait till you get your iPad2. If all you have is notebook paper, start with that (understand this was just an illustration). If all you have is a pair of pliers, use them. The old song says, “If I had a hammer, I’d hammer in the morning...etc.”. But the problem is he didn’t. However, he probably had something. What do you have? Use it.

Do what you can. What you can do is needed. There might be someone else that can do it, maybe not. But either way, your talent, your ability, and your energy is valued and can synergize the process. So get started. Be a doer of the Word and not just a hearer.

Shamgar did an awful lot with the oxgoad. Some would have waited for a better day, for a better piece of equipment, and for a better opportunity. Don’t wait! Get started.

One last thing. If Shamgar knew he would only get a verse in the Bible, he might not have even tried. But the fact is he is mentioned in the Bible...the most read book of all time. Don’t worry about your press time. You will get credit with whom it counts the most, the Heavenly Father.

Complaining has been going on since Adam when he complained to God about the woman God gave him!

In our reading today the Israelites cried out to God about Pharaoh and their circumstance. This kind of travail and anguish comes up to God as petition of faith. He is compelled by His own nature to respond to his children. Moses was raised up and sent in for deliverance. As they approached the Red Sea they saw Pharaoh’s chariots once again bearing down on them. They again cried out to God? Again we could say that they complained. But notice it was to God.

After they crossed the Sea and God took care of the Egyptians, I believe there was a time of thanksgiving and exultation. 

Then they came to a place where the waters were bitter called Marah {Remember that Naomi wanted to be called this after she came back from Moab (bitterness is the acid that destroys its own container)}. Here the complaining began and lasted until they all died in the wilderness! If we complain enough we can bring to pass that which we complain about. Complaining only makes things worse. We see that the Israelites kept accusing Moses and God in their complaints of leading them into the wilderness to die. Ultimately they got what they kept complaining about . Remember that complaining just makes things worse. Really bad! Really!

Let’s look at their early experiences after crossing the Red Sea on their way to the wilderness of sin. At Marah they had the opportunity to be bitter or sweet. Their spirit could become sour or could remain fresh and vibrant. There is always a choice to be made during a trial. Whenever circumstance are not to our liking. We can express that in varying degrees in many ways. Sad thing is that we often begin to sulk and complain.

God’s mercy keeps him from immediately allowing anything more come upon his people in the short run other than the internal and immediate inherit consequences of complaining like maybe high blood pressure and indigestion. 

God showed Moses a tree that they threw in the water. That will preach. But the water was made sweet. Recognizing Jesus sacrifice will always sweeten our situation and give us the patience to wait for God’s blessing. So we can thank God for the tree or we can complain. I say thank God for the tree (the cross)!

Now that we have just about finished The Story (of the Bible) in less than one year’s span, we have something to build on! We can refer to points in The Story as we preach and teach going forward. Each person should be able to give a short version of The Story. In other words, as a Christian you should know the basic order of events that led to Calvary and since. You should understand how you fit into God’s story, that, in fact this story unfolded with you in mind. If you think back you can see how you fit into the story as it progressed and how it applies to your life today. Let me encourage you to use The Story as a frame of reference for doing life going forward. Let it be a motivator as you worship Jesus. Let it be the catalyst that prompts you to witness to those round about you. Thanks for taking the journey with me! If we take it to heart, we will go “up” in His-Story!!

In light of the “Occupy” Movement that has recently been in the news, I was reminded of Luke 19:13, where Jesus shares the parable of the talents. In the King James Version of the Bible the instruction offered to those given the different amounts of talents to “Occupy till I come.” Of course almost every other version uses an entirely different word or phrase. But, the meaning is essentially the same. One word that is related to the word “occupy” is the word “occupation.” Thus in most versions some form of business is used in the place of “occupy”, i.e. trade, invest, be busy, etc.

There are other connotations of the word “occupy.” But I find it ironic that there are those in the church that think that they should just take up space or pass time until the Master returns. In Luke 19:13 there is a premium on making the best use of the time given. We can become spiritual bums or we can be active in the kingdom of God. Live for God! Do the business of the Gospel.  Basically there is no room in the kingdom for the lazy person (Matthew 25:26; Romans 12:11).

Perhaps you can find a veiled hint for those that feel that they should camp out in public and make noise in the hopes of bringing some kind of change. But, I really want to focus on Christian people who seem to think that once they get saved that they can shove their hands in their pockets and basically slouch around until the Master (Jesus) comes back. 

In Luke 19 one of the three given talents did basically that. He buried the one talent that he was given rather than risk it (work)! He blamed that on the master’s demeanor. But, the one given the five talents and the one given the two were busy (occupying) and doubled what they had by the time the master returned. 

When the master returned, the one that had maintained the one talent had to give it to those that had been busy. A good work ethic under the directive of the Master is always going to be rewarded by the Master. 

In this case the Master is Jesus. He is going to reward those that lived productively for him not those who have their hands in their pockets. So let’s be sure we interpret and apply the instruction “Occupy” properly. Don’t take up space! Get busy!