Since we turned the calendar to 2011, I have sensed the Lord leading me to preach about our spiritual growth and how we can live a mature Christian life.  We concluded a 5 part series on growth a few weeks ago and I moved to the next “logical” series on discovering our gifts.

I was pumped going into the series but when I began to study it, well, it felt like a grind.  Like I was going against the grain.  I pressed through the first week and started the series even though I didn’t completely “feel” it.  When the second sermon for the series came, I studied it and the same thing again.  Going against the grain. 

On the Sunday I was to preach that message the Lord redirected me for that Sunday morning.  While on vacation I took time to pray and meditate on what I would do with the GIFTS series.  For several weeks, I have had a message series that has been on my mind.  One that is intense and, I believe, for where we are right now.  Long story short, we will begin this new series on Sunday.

THE END series will be an in-depth look at the last days.  We will follow that series with a another series that will help us look at how to live in the last days.

Perhaps we will pick up our GIFTS series later this year, but I believe it is critical to follow my heart here.  The temptation that I face often is to preach a series that I believe would be a good follow-up to the last series.  I like to plan out where I am leading the church, but sometimes God intervenes.  The thing I am learning is to be dependent upon the Holy Spirit for what He would have me to preach.

Needless to say, I am excited to begin this new series Sunday.  It would be a perfect opportunity to invite someone lost to these services.  People are looking for answers right now.  Use this as a tool to compel them to come in.

Do you have blind faith with one eye open?

Blind faith with one eye open?  What does that mean?  Somewhere in our Christian walk we have tried to have faith but only found ourselves not wholly trusting God for the answers.  Blind faith to me is trusting God with our lives and not trying to figure out plan B if God does not come through.

In our day of modern resources we do not need to have faith like we used to.  At one point, people had to trust God for healing because there wasn’t cold medicines and remedies, for every condition known to man, available over the counter.  Insurance was not as available as it is today.  We have blind faith with one eye open!

We know God can heal but feel better if at least we try to do it ourselves by getting the cold medicine. (I am preaching to myself today).  Several years ago, I had the pleasure of experiencing an abscessed tooth.  Never have I known pain as I did then.  I was popping Advil every 2 to 3 hours and as I was lying in bed waiting for the Vicodin to kick in, I would pray, “Lord please take away the pain.”  I always have a knack for praying as a last resort.

God is a God of healing!  He is able to meet our every need, but we tend to only have extreme faith as a last resort for our problems.  I have faith!  I believe God can do anything.  I even tell others to trust God, but I often have a plan B just in case God doesn’t come through on plan A.  Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with taking medication but we should truly have complete faith that God WILL come through for us.

Jesus said to the father of a demon-possessed boy, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”  WOW!  Jesus put it plainly.  Anything can happen when we believe.  That’s Simple!  Easy for us to believe isn’t it?  Now that is what I call blind faith.  But there is only one hold back, it isn’t easy to believe sometimes.

The dad of this boy replied, “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief!”  I feel like this story was written just for me.  I believe but I still have some unbelief.    I have faith but I still like to have other options just in case.  Lord I believe but help my unbelief!

We need to ask God to help us in our unbelief.  Most people believe God can do anything.  But few can believe without a hint of unbelief.  Call me doubting Thomas if you must, but I have a problem sometimes with blind faith, but I am praying to believe with no unbelief.  I want the faith to move mountains.  I want to see God heal and provide for those in need.  “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”

I challenge you to trust God with your life.  Ask Him to help you with your unbelief.  Remember, all things are possible to him who believes.  Jesus gives us a huge promise if we will only believe.

Do you ever like to go your own way?

I remember when I was a bi-vocational pastor, I drove 60 miles one way to work and it could become a monotonous drive.  We lived in the country and there were six different ways to get to my office.  So everyday I would take a different route.  The shortest route was always the easiest but I often took the long way just to have some new scenery.  It was the way I wanted to go, not necessarily the best way.  Some of the roads I went down were old country roads that had potholes and gravel, but that was the way I wanted to go.  It was not the best way.

Sometime, this is the way we follow the Lord.  There is a better way to go, the Lord’s way, but we choose rather to follow our own paths.  The Lord’s way is the best path but we choose the roads filled with potholes and gravel rather than the perfectly paved road the Lord has prepared for us.

Jeremiah 10:23 says, “O Lord, I know the way of may is not in himself; It is not in man who walks to direct his own steps. O Lord, correct me, but with justice; Not in Your anger, lest You bring me to nothing.”

As I read this verse I was reminded of the many times I have chosen my own path only to find myself on a dead end street.  We must allow God to direct our steps.  We must not lean to our own understanding but acknowledge Him in all of our ways and let Him direct our paths.

Our problem is that we have our own ideas of how God should order our steps.  We have our own agendas and we try to fit God into what we want.  As we live this life, we want things our way and we want them now.  We want to do the things we want.  We want the ministries that we desire.

In the old movie Bells of St. Mary’s, one of the nuns proclaims, “May the Lord’s will be done.”  Another nun replies, “and may our will become His will.”  That is often the extent of our prayers; convincing God to follow our will instead of us following His.

Our prayer ought to be as Jeremiah, “Lord correct me but with justice.”  I challenge you this morning to not seek your own way but allow God to correct the way you have chosen.  Follow His chosen path.  Do not get ahead of Him or go down a road that you want to take.  Follow Jesus on the road that leads to life and abundance.  He surely has chosen the better way.

Have you ever known any fruits?

I am not talking about people but spiritual fruits. What are you displaying in your life? There are many different fruits that we as Christians should display – fruits of integrity and character, fruit of the Spirit, fruits of good works. How about your fruit? Is it good for food, or is it spoiled?

I remember a few years ago, someone gave us the most wonderful pears. He gave us a large box of them, and there was no way we could eat them all. Instead of giving them away, so someone else could enjoy them, I put them in a corner. One day, I walked into the back room of the house and noticed that they were now in the process of making fermented pear wine (if there is such a thing). They had spoiled and they were of no use to us anymore.

In our spiritual lives, it is the same way. If we shelve our fruit and become stagnant, we will spoil. Fruit is meant to be eaten, not stored.

Jesus said in Matthew 12:33, "Either make a tree good, and its fruit good; or else make the tree bad, and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit."

A tree is known by its fruit. Do people know you by your fruits or as a fruit? People should be able to see the fruits of your spiritual life. If they cannot, you have a serious problem; your fruit is spoiled. God never intended for our fruit to go bad. He expects us to flourish.

When fruit is picked off of the tree, it begins to replenish that fruit. So it should be in our lives that when we give our fruit away, it should be good fruit and it should be replenished. I challenge you to ask yourself these questions, "Can people tell that I am a Christian? What am I doing for God? Am I bearing good spiritual fruit?" Once you have your answers, embark on a new life to live fruitful and abundant.

Sometimes public speaking can have its hazards.  After all, once things are said, there is no taking them back.  Altogether yesterday was a tough day.  Running on little sleep coupled with spending a lot of time on the go yesterday, by the time church came around last night, well, let’s say, I wasn’t completely there.

That is my disclaimer for the failed illustration.  During my sermon, I was talking about being hidden in Christ and that Christ covers us.  In covering us, when the Father looks at us, He sees Christ in us.  So let me just share the illustration I used and how it came out.  Please remember, my brain was tired during my sermon

Here goes:

“This might seem like a cheesy illustration tonight, but, everyone raise your middle finger…no I mean your index finger.” 

I couldn’t look up to see if anyone followed my instructions.  After the laughter, especially my own, it was hard to make the true point of the illustration.

The truth is, it is good to laugh at ourselves, if we don’t someone else will.  Failure is inevitable.  We will not always perform perfectly.  As leaders, we should never be afraid to get back up after making dumb mistakes.  However, it might help to be a little more careful the next time.

Do you ever marvel at God’s amazing providence? That even in the midst of the storm, His hand guides you?

Joseph was a mighty man of God, set apart for the Master’s service. He was envied by his brothers because of the favor he was shown. Being filled with jealousy, Joseph’s brothers sold him to the Ishmaelites to be a slave. In turn, they sold him to Potiphar, an Egyptian ruler. From the day Joseph was born, he was shown special favor because He was the child of Jacob’s main love, Rachel. Being barren for many years, the Lord opened her womb and Joseph was born. Joseph is now an Egyptian slave, and many of us would think this is a raw deal. Let’s look at what the Bible says about this raw deal.

Genesis 39:2-4 says"The Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord made all he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight, and served him. Then he made him overseer of his house, and all that he had he put under his authority."

Joseph, a slave, was shown favor by God and in turn was shown favor by Potiphar. Even in your circumstance God can work. You might be a slave to your trials, but God can prosper and bless you where you are. After Joseph was made overseer, he was framed by a rejected adulteress, and thus Joseph was thrown into prison. (Another turn in the life of Joseph.) God blessed him when he was at home with his father. God blessed him as a slave, and now he is thrown in prison.

Genesis 39:21says, "But the Lord was with and showed him mercy, and he gave him favor in the sight of the keeper of the prison."

God now shows him favor in prison. The lesson I want us to learn is that all of us will go through hard times. There are two things we can do in trials: 1) Roll with the punches and take things in stride allowing God to work His mighty hand and bless us or 2) Become a slave or prisoner to our trials.

Joseph chose to fulfill the Scripture, "All things work together for the good to them that Love God, to them which are called according to His purpose." Joseph gave his all to God no matter what came his way.

One thing I noticed in the first text was that Joseph found favor in Potiphar’s sight and served Potiphar. In your circumstance and trial, you must hold your head up and serve God to the fullest, not allowing the trial to bring you down. God has a plan for you, and He brings you through these things to fulfill a much greater plan than the now. Think of what happens in the end. Joseph is exalted to second in the kingdom and has charge over the rationing of all the food. He was there to distribute it to Israel when the time came. Joseph told his brothers, "God sent me before you to preserve a remnant for you in the earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance."

Had Joseph not gone through all of the trials, Israel would have starved to death. Do not think of what you are going through today but to where God might be taking you. You might be the next Joseph to save a generation of God’s people. Stand strong, hold your head up high and God will fulfill His purpose in you. You are important to God.

We enjoyed a great day Sunday.  What a powerful service!  God moved in our midst and I believe lives were touched.  One person gave their heart to Christ…that’s what it is all about. 

Sunday night, we had our annual business meeting which went well.  Congrats to our two re-elected deacons, Stan and Gerald.  All of our departments shared the great things God has been doing in their ministries.

When I think about RFA, I can’t help but be excited about our future.  We are seeing growth and I believe that will continue.  God is sending new people our way and we are making preparation to minister to them and make them a part of RFA.

I am looking forward to our future.  Thanks RFA for joining us on this journey!

Since it is Valentine’s Day, here is a story that will help us see how to have a happy marriage.

“A father of five young children won a toy at a raffle. Back home, he called his kids together to let them determine which one should have the present.

"Who is the most obedient?" he asked. "Who never talks back to Mother? Who does everything she says?"

Five small voices answered in unison: "You, Daddy!"

HT: Mikey’s Funnies