Author: Mojo Ministries

Someone once asked me, if I could only have one book of the Bible, which one would I take?  Though I would certainly hate to part with the Gospel of John, or even the Psalms,  I would have to say, I would take the Book of Romans.

The theme of the Book of Romans is the Righteousness of God.  It is divided by sections:

• The Righteousness Required by God
• Righteousness Revealed in Christ,
• Righteousness is Received by Faith,
• Righteousness is Realized as we Walk in the Spirit,
• Righteousness was Rejected by the Jews,
• And Righteousness is to be Reproduced in the Life of the Christian.

And right in the middle of all that, we have Romans chapter 8.  It begins with No Condemnation. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

It ends with No Separation.  “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.  Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come.  Nor height, nor depth, nor any creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

But I want to draw your attention to verse 34, and I want to show you what I think was the source of Paul’s joy, and what I believe is the source of our Joy.  Cause I’m gonna tell you folks, there comes a time in the life of every Christians when you are gonna have to hold on to your joy – cause you can lose it.

When I was in the military, I would see folks that where down and discouraged, and I would tell them, “Hey, grab a hold of your boot laces and pull yourself back up.”  But life has taught me, there are just some times when you can’t pick yourself up by the boot laces.

Verse 34 says, “Who is he that condemneth?  It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who IS even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.”

Paul said in Phillipians 4, “Rejoice in the LORD always, and again I say rejoice.”  Now why in the world would he say that, cause you can’t have joy all the time?  And Paul certainly knew that.

• He was shipwrecked;
• In perils of the sea, perils of the wilderness, perils of false brethren;
• In labors more abundant;
• 5 times received 40 stripes,
• He was Stoned,
• Imprisoned;
• Near death often;
• He was cold, he was hungry and he was weary;
• And above all that, the care of the church!

Yet Paul says in Romans 8:18, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Paul was always Rejoicing.  And I think I found in verse 34 what made Paul rejoice.  He said, “Who is he that condemneth?  It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession FOR US.”

I don’t know about you, but I can say that for Joe Moore, I still stumble and fall at times.  And every time I do, I can see the devil going to God the Father saying, “Look at ole Joe fall AGAIN.  He doesn’t deserve Your love, and he doesn’t deserve Your grace.  He doesn’t deserve Your mercy.”

And I’ll tell you folks, if I had to stand on my own merit, I’d be in a world of trouble.  But thank God I have and Advocate with the Father – Jesus Christ the Righteous.  And every time I stumble, and every time I fall, and every time I come up short, Jesus steps in and says, “Dad, I took care of that!”

• Every time I go to Him and say, “Lord, I failed you again.” He says, “I Know.”
• “Lord, will you forgive me?” He says, “I did.”

There is a story in the Bible about Onesimus.  Onesimus was a slave of Philemon.  Onesimus ran away from his master, and sometime later, while he was on his journey, Onesimus cross paths with the Apostle Paul.  Onesimus got Saved.  Later, Paul was sending him to Philemon, and he wrote and said something along these lines:

“Philemon, I’m sending some people to you.  But Philemon, when you receive them, I want you to receive them as if you were receiving me.  If you’re my co-laborer, receive them like you would me.  Give them the respect you’ve given me.  Don’t be mad at him, and if he owes you anything – put that on my account!”

Now, let’s bring that over into the spiritual realm.  And I can see Jesus, sitting at the right hand of God, making intercession for Joe, and I imagine Him saying something like this:

“Father – DAD – I know he ain’t much.  I know he’s done you wrong.  But when he comes to You, I ask you to receive him as if you were receiving Me.  Dad, I paid for his sins.  If he owes you anything – put that on my account!

“Who is he that condemneth?  It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession FOR US.”

Let me conclude with this thought.  Isaiah 61:10 begins by saying, ““I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness . . .”

• Maybe you and I can’t rejoice over our circumstances – But we can “GREATLY Rejoice in the LORD.”
• Maybe we can’t rejoice over failed relationships, or failed partnerships, or failed business attempts, but, we can “Greatly rejoice in the LORD.”
• Maybe we can’t rejoice over some of the decisions we’ve made in life, but we can “GREATLY Rejoice in the LORD.”

Isaiah is saying here, “I will greatly rejoice.”  He was saying, “From the depths of my soul I will rejoice.”  “MY joy shall be in my God.”

• “Down in the depths of my soul, I’m gonna rejoice that I’m a Child of the King!”
• “Down in the depths of my soul, I’m gonna rejoice that I have a place at the King’s table.”
• “Down in the depths of my soul, I’m gonna rejoice that my name’s written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.”
• “Down in the depths of my soul, I’m gonna rejoice that I’ve been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb!”

I heard a story once a long time ago about a Presbyterian Church.  They were not allowed to shout, clap hands or say AMEN in the church.  So, one day, the Pastor brought helium filled balloons to everyone in the service, and said to them that if they felt God speaking to them during the service, they were to let the balloons go.  Through the service, Balloons starting flying up in the air.  By the time the service had ended, only about 1/3 of the church still had balloons.

What I am saying is, some of you need to just let your balloons go!

If you are reading this, and you are Child of God, you have something to rejoice about, no matter what your circumstances are.

You and I have the Garmet of Salvation and we are covered with the Robe of Righteousness.

When the Jews chose their Passover Lamb, for 14 days it was isolated under close inspection.  It was examined thoroughly to see:

• If there were any flaws
• If there were any imperfections
• If there were any blemishes.

And the reason for the close inspection was simply that this Lamb had to be without spot or blemish according to the Law.

In Matthew 22:15-46, you see Jesus, our Passover Lamb, being thoroughly inspected by the critics, who are seeking every possible opportunity to find a flaw, a blemish in Christ.  They are doing everything they can to pierce the purity of Christ’s Armor.

There are basically three groups here doing the questioning, yet not a single one of them was able to find a single kink in His armor, as verse 46 says, “And no man was able to answer Him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions.”

1. The first group was the Herodians – These were the politicians of Christ’s day who were concerned with the relationship between the church and the state;

2. The Sadducees (who were the liberal theologians) – they denied the resurrection of both the spirit and the body.  The put a theological question to Christ concerning the resurrection.  And of course question shut them down by stating that God was God of both the living and the dead;

3. Then there were the Pharisees (they were the religious “right”) – they wanted Christ to pick one commandment that stood out above all of the 375 commandments in the Torah, and then they wanted Him to tell them why it was the most important.  His reply was, “ Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind.”

After Jesus answered all their questions, He then put a question to them that would end all their questions.  He said in verse 42, “What think ye of Christ?  Whose son is He?”

Now that I’ve given you the background of the text, I’d like to ask you a question:  What Think Ye of Christ?  Whose Son is He?

Every person reading this has an opinion about Christ.  You have heard of Him.  You have read about Him, about His life and Ministry, as well as His miracles.  We have read about His death on an Old Rugged Cross and of His resurrection from the Grave on the Third Day!

History (or HISstory) records for us that He did in fact live on this earth for 33 ½ years, and somewhere in the depths of your soul you can’t help but think of Him.

And folks, if you have the wrong thoughts of Him, and the wrong relationship with Him, you are not only in trouble in this life, but you’re in trouble for all eternity.  On the other hand, if you have the right thoughts of Him, then you are building on a foundation that cannot be moved.  On Christ the solid Rock I stand, ALL other ground is sinking sand.”

If you are going to have the right opinion about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, then you must base your verdict on the facts, the evidence, Knowledge and understanding.

And in order to help you do that, I would like to turn this into an eyewitness court appearance based on Scripture. So, let’s gather the facts – let’s weigh the evidence and see who Christ really is.

So, as in any court room, let notice both the witnesses for the Prosecution and the Defense:

THE WITNESSES FOR THE PROSECUTION

The Pharisees

1. They were definitely against the Lord.
2. They neither accepted Him or His message.
3. In fact, they likened Christ to Beelzebub.
4. So we would like to ask them, “Is it true that while Jesus was dying on the Cross in Matthew 27:42, that you said:  “He saved others; He himself He cannot save?”  YES, THAT IS TRUE, WE DID SAY THAT.
5. That’s good.  Ladies and gentlemen of the court, I would like to take just a                  moment to remind you why Jesus came in the first place.  Luke 19:10 says                Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost.”  So it is true – HE                couldn’t save Himself.  In order for you and I to live, Christ had to become our          sacrifice.  He had to make a choice!

I Now Call Judas Iscariot

1. This is the one who betrayed Christ with a kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane.
2. This is the one who betrayed Christ for 30 pieces of silver.
3. Now here he is in our witness box.
4. Judas Iscariot, what do you have to say about this matter?
5. I HAVE BETRAYED THE INNOCENT BLOOD!
6. Judas, did we hear you right?  Are you saying that the one you betrayed with a          Kiss for 30 meager pieces of Silver was innocent?
7. I HAVE BETRAYED THE INNOCENT BLOOD.

I Now Call the Judge Himself – Pontius Pilate

1. Now he is the one that ordered Christ to be scourged, beaten, stripped of His              clothes and nailed to a tree – crucified.
2. Pilate, is it true that the Blood of Jesus is on your hands, that you gave the                  order to crucify Him?  YES.
3. And Pilate, what were your findings concerning Christ? “I FIND NO FAULT IN HIM!” (and folks, you won’t either!)
4. So Pilate, you “Find no fault in Him,” yet you turned Him over to be                  crucified anyway?  YES.

Now I’d Like to Call the Centurion to the Stand

1. This is the man that actually carried out the orders of Pilate.
2. This is the man that drove the nails into the hands and feet of Jesus.
3. He was one sitting there casting lots for the garments of Christ.
4. He is the one who hoisted the Cross into the air and the one who thrust the                  spear into the side of Christ.
5. Mr. Centurion, is it true that you are the one that actually crucified Christ on              the Cross?
6. It is true – I was there.  I saw the three hours of darkness fall on the land;           I heard Him as He cried out “IT IS FINISHED.”  I watched them take His                 lifeless body off the Cross and bury Him in a borrowed tomb.  Yes Sir – I               was there.”
7. Centurion, What Think Ye of Christ? I think “Truly, this was the Son of God.”

THE WITNESSES FOR THE DEFENSE

Simon Peter

1. The bold one; the boisterous one; the blaspheming one.  This one that denied              Christ 3 times.
2. Peter, there was a time when you denied Christ 3 times right?
3. YES, THAT IS CORRECT.
4. Peter, What Think Ye of Christ?
5. I think, “There is none other name under Heaven given among men,                       whereby we must be saved!”
6. I think “He is the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Now Let’s Call Doubting Thomas to the stand.

1. This is the one who stated to the other disciples, “Except I take my finger and               poke it into the print in my Lord’s hand. Except I take my fist and plunge it                     into His side – I will not believe!”
2. Thomas, What Think Ye of Christ?
3. “He is my Lord and My God!”

We could also call to the stand this morning that great cloud of witnesses from               Hebrews 12:1, and I believe if you were to ask them what they think of Christ, they             would say in unison – “WORHTY IS THE LAMB OF GOD.”

So, What Think Ye of Christ?  This court scene was only a mock scene – or as they call it in Law School – a Moot Court.  Yet, every one has to answer that question for ourselves.

What Think Ye of Christ?  We will either confess Him or we will reject Him.  Our destiny depends on how we answer that question.  I believe the Lord would desire that we all  say like Peter – HE IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD!  Or, like Thomas – HE IS MY LORD AND MY GOD!?

God loves you, but He will not override your will, so let me close by asking you someone asked me many years ago:  WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH JESUS?

In his first Book to young Timothy, Paul begins giving instructions on doctrine, on theology – he is reproving him for the sake of the ministry so that Timothy “might be thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”  But in 2 Timothy, Paul begins to exhort young Timothy, he begins to encourage him, to admonish him, so beginning in verse 1:

“Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,  2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. 3 I 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; 4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; 5 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. 6 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.”

As Paul is admonishing, encouraging, and motivating young Timothy, he says in verse 6 to “Stir up.”  Now this is the only place in the New Testament where this is used in such a manner.  In the Greek, this gives a picture of a fire that once burned brightly, that once gave warmth, and heat, and light and illumination.  But, for whatever reason, the fire has now burned down and you can no longer see the flame, and all that remains are the ashes.

Now this word “Stir Up” makes reference to taking a stick, or something that can be driven down into the ashes, something that can push down deep in the ashes until you’ve reached the live coals underneath, and then you begin to stir and stir until you have moved the live coal’s to a place where you can once again ignite the fire that once burned there.

Now this is what Paul is speaking of when he is speaking to young Timothy when he said, “Stir up the gift of God that is within thee.”  It has reference to a burning fire.

Now, when I’m talking about the fire, I want you to understand what I’m talking about.

I believe, that as a young 6 year old boy, sitting in a Sunday School class at 4^th Street Baptist Church nearly 50 years ago, when I knelt down and asked the Lord Jesus to forgive me of my sin and to be the Lord of my life – I believe instantly 2 things happened:

1. I believe Jesus Christ came into my life to stay;
2. The Holy Spirit came to live inside of me.

I didn’t have to pray for it more; I didn’t have to beg for it more; I didn’t have to do a list of things to get it.  I believe it came with accepting Christ – it was a package deal AMEN!  You GET JESUS – YOU GET THE HOLY SPIRIT.

I just believe when I asked Jesus to come into my heart and forgive me of my sins, the Holy Spirit took up residence inside of me and set my soul on fire!  Maybe this is what Isaiah refers to when he says, “It’s a fire shut-up in my bones.”

And can I say, I haven’t always been what God intended me to be all these many years.  I have failed God; I have disappointed God, I have gotten out of “THE WAY,” BUT I’m glad thank God He’s never left me nor forsaken me.

• He’s still there;
• And the fires still burning AMEN!

Now, I’m not talking about False Fire – we see enough of that; I’m not talking about something that’s just a show, something that’s “put-on.” I’m not talking about “strange fire,” and I’m not talking about “Wild Fire.”

I’m talking about a Heavenly, Holy, Biblical fire of God that burns inside the child of God because the Holy Spirit dwells there.

My momma and daddy got a divorce when I was 5 years old.  My momma originally got custody of me and my brother, however, she really didn’t want us.  So, we spent a year going from house to house until my mom’s family convinced her to give custody to my daddy’s mom, my Grandma Moore.  So, at 6, we went to stay with Grandma.

Now, in my grandma’s house, she had an old wood-burning stove in the living room.  Now, I don’t know if I am that old, or we were just that poor – but we also had a hand water pump in the yard.  So, I will never forget that old wood burning stove.  This many years later, it is amazing to look back and see the lessons in life I learned from that stove.  Things like:

1. Fire keeps you warm – good to know God is near Amen.
2. Fire Purges – when it’s burning right, it will keep bad things away;
3. Fire lights and illuminates – I’m glad the fire burning in me lets me know what God wants me to know.

I have learned that some of the greatest lessons in my life have come from some of the simplest things in my life.  And I like things simple AMEN.  Now I didn’t say STUPID things, I said SIMPLE things – and there is a big difference.

One of those lessons was this – no matter how good of a fire you started, or even how much wood you put on it, sometimes:

YOU GOTTA STIR THE FIRE

Back in chapter 1, verse 6, Paul says, “I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.”

Grandma used to have us boys fetch the wood for the wood-burning stove and to stoke it.  So, whenever it was my turn, I would fill that stove full of wood, even to the point I would have to kick it to cram all that wood in there.

But, sometimes I learned that no matter how much wood I put in that stove, sometimes it just didn’t get the house warm.  What I discovered, and my grandma taught me this, sometimes, you gotta grab the poker and stick it down in those embers and stir things up a bit to get things settle down to where that fire would catch.

You know what I’ve discovered in my Christian life?  Sometimes, I just need a good “stirring up.”

You know, I grew up in a generation where most medications when I was a child came in liquid form.  On every one of those bottles they had stamped on them “Shake Well Before Using.”  You know why, because the medicines would settle, and in order for it to be used effectively, it needed everything mixed together well.  So you’d have to shake things up a bit.

Sometimes, I think God ought to stamp on our foreheads “SHAKE WELL BEFORE USING.”  Cause sometimes, even though we started a good fire, and we stoke that fire and spend time in God’s Word, sometimes, we just get settled in:

• We are not excited like we used to be;
• Things aren’t going quite like they used to;
• Somethings wrong, and sometimes we can’t figure out what it is.

Sometimes friends, you just need to get down to the altar and ask God to reach down into the depths of your soul and just “Stir you up.”

What I’m saying folks is that sometimes, we just get so busy, we get so caught up in the things of our lives that we start to lose the fire inside of us.  We just need to ask God to “Stir us up.”

I don’t know about you, but I want that fire to burn like it’s supposed to burn amen!

That’s what Paul told Timothy.  And by the way, I’m guessing Timothy was probably a pretty spiritual guy.

Father, helps us to “stir up the gift within us.  In Jesus name.

For years, Kim and I have enjoyed riding Hwy 11.  We have thoroughly enjoyed riding the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We love riding to Lake Lure and Black Mountain.

One of the most beautiful rides we’ve done is to Helen, GA, and that was one beautiful ride I tell you.  When we went around that lake, the views were absolutely breath-taking.

And as I thought about that trip this past week, I couldn’t help but think about one day sitting in heaven, relaxing by that calm, crystal sea!  My friends, I don’t think the half has yet been told about the splendor of Heaven!

“Well, Brother Joe, what’s it going to be like up there?”  I don’t know, but I think we’re going to Like it up there!

I think we’re going to rejoice in the Eternity of our Comfort.

To know that there will be no end to the joy we’re experiencing will be eternally comforting!

You and I know that in this lifetime, we have experienced good times and bad times.  And folks let me tell you, I have had some good times in my life – and I’ve had some bad times.

I have been on the mountain top with God I tell you.  However, most of us know, when we’re on that mountain top, we are usually thinking in the back of our minds, “I wonder when the bad times are coming?”

But think about when we get to heaven, and we’re having the best time we’ve ever had – to know that it will never end – I Just Think We’re Going To Enjoy Living Up There!

I think we’re going to rejoice in the Ending of our Course.

To know that you and I are done with the struggles in this life will certainly be reason to rejoice!

Paul, at the end of his life, while sitting in a Roman Prison, takes a pen and paper and begins to write young Timothy these words:

“I am now ready to be offered.  The time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course; I have kept the faith.  Henceforth, there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous judge shall unto me at that day, but not to me only, but to all those who love his appearing.”

Paul was saying:  “Lord, I done everything you’ve asked me to do.  I fought as hard as I could.  I wasn’t perfect, but Lord I gave it all I had.  Lord:

• It wasn’t easy;
• I wasn’t always pleasant;
• It wasn’t always “joy unspeakable and full of Glory,

“But Lord, I have fought a good fight, I finished my Course, I have kept the faith!”

I believe when Paul entered into Heaven, I believe he heard the Lord say, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.”

Folks, I think we’re gonna like living up there!

I think we’re going to rejoice in the Endurance of our Commitment.

You and I will be able to rejoice that we’ve completed the commitment we made to Christ.  When you and I get to Heaven, I don’t think we’re going to regret one single minute of our lives we spent serving the LORD.  I believe we will be truly grateful for the day Jesus Christ became our Lord and Savior.

I heard a song once that said, “If you don’t like shouting – don’t get on the cloud with me.”

Folks, that’s about how I feel this morning as I think about Heaven!

Can you imagine what the first day in Heaven is going to be like?

• You realize there are no more storms in your life;
• You realize there is no more separation in your life;
• You realize there is no more difficulty or disasters;
• When there’s no more “church” drama;
• When you realize you actually made it????

Can you imagine waking up that first morning in heaven and realize you have no more back pain, or leg pain, or head pain, or cancer, or parkinson’s or alzheimers???

“And he shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes.”

Folks, I just think we’re gonna like living up there!

My grandson Lucas is fanatic for all things “Transformer.”  With that thought in mind, I write this blog so that one day, when he has been down the road a little further, and been around a little longer, he will understand what it means to be “transformed.”

Romans 12, verse 1 and 2 says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

“I beseech you therefore brethren . . .” That word “beseech” is translated in the Greek to mean “beseech.”  But, another way you can also translate this word is to mean “I Beg you.”

Now, if you believe the Bible is the inerrant, infallible, precious, powerful, and inspired Word of God, that every dot and every tittle was God-Breathe, then you have to agree with me that it is not the Apostle Paul who is doing the begging here.  It is God Himself who is begging us.

When you think about that, and you think about the implications of that, that a sovereign, omnipotent  God felt the need to beg us to do anything, just blows me away.

So, what He has to say here is important, it is vital, for God Himself to say, “I Beg you therefore by the mercies of God.”  Folks, that means that you and I need to pay attention, we’d better not miss this.

Now, I would like to think that in my Christian life and in my Christian walk, that God would never have to beg me to do anything.  I would like to think that whatever He commands me to do, that I would readily do it.  I would hope that He wouldn’t have to “beg” me, yet the Bible says, “I Beg you; I urge you; I beseech you.”

Not only might this be important, but it is probably something that is not easy to do.  He says, “That you present you bodies to Christ, a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.”

“That you present your bodies a living sacrifice.”

As most of you know, in the Old Testament, under the Law, they sacrificed and obeyed that Law.  The animal and it’s blood were shed as a one-time sacrifice and then that animals life was over, he couldn’t give anymore service.

NOW, when we come to Christ, and we are dead in our trespasses and sin, and we’ve been resurrected to new life in Jesus Christ, we are to become a “living sacrifice.”  This doesn’t end at our salvation, but only begins at our salvation.  God leaves us here and allows us to become a “living sacrifice” daily to Him.

And then He says, “And this is your reasonable service.”  Have you ever considered what reasonable service is?  Well, my wife put this in perspective for me a few years ago.

For 13 years, I worked on various projects between between Iraq and Afghanistan.  Kim worked with me for a few of those years, and in fact, we meet in Baghdad.  But, through most of those years, I have encountered a lot of people that have told me to make sure I convey to my wife, that they appreciate the sacrifice she makes in order for me to be able to do the things that I do.

So, one day, Kim and I are talking an I tell her that so-and-so wanted me to tell her that they appreciate the sacrifices she makes for me to do what I do.  And do you know what she said to me?

“Joe (of course she calls me Precious) – it is not a sacrifice for me to support what you are doing for our family, and what you are doing for our church – it is my “reasonable Service.”

You know something, God will never ask us to do anything that is unreasonable.  We may not understand it; we may not like it, and we may not want to do it – But HE will never ask us to do anything unreasonable.

And then we get into verse 2, which I believe is the subject matter at hand.  This is what He is begging us to do; this is what’s so vitally important:

“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

So this is what is so important, this is what God is begging us, urging us to do.

If you ask me what the greatest need, and what I believe is the most important need of our churches today, what I believe every preacher needs, what I believe Core Team member needs, what every deacon needs, what every elder needs, and what every member sitting in our church’s need – what I need myself is this:

That we somehow learn daily, to become less like the world, and become more like Jesus.  That is the greatest need that I have, and that is probably the greatest need that you have.

This is what God is begging us to do – to somehow, not to be conformed, or made like the world, but to become less like the world and be transformed by the renewing of our minds, to be transformed into the image of Christ.

You see folks, this is a process.  When Christ saved us, He cleansed us, He made us whole, and then we began the process of sanctification which is a day-in and day-out process.  This is how we become less like the world and more like Christ.

And if that is our biggest need, and if that is what God is begging us to do, then I think it is important that we address this process right here in Romans 12.

Now, as I’ve already said, whatever God is begging us to do is not an easy thing to accomplish.  And the reason He is begging us is because there are a lot of things trying to keep us like the world.

Please understand today that Satan is not going to help us be like Christ – he’s going to do everything he can to make us be like the world, to be conformed to the image of the world.

And guess what, the world is not going to help us transform into the likeness of Christ either – the world wants us to be conformed to the world!

And I’ll tell you why – because when you and I live a Christlike life before them it makes their lives look more sinful.  You wanna know why your co-workers aren’t as excited about your faith as you are?  Because it forces them to see their sin for what it really is.  That’s why they want us to be like them!

And I’ll tell you something else, my flesh is not going to help me be like Christ either.  My flesh keeps wanting to pull me to the world, to keep me conformed to the world.

Please understand this, we have a daily battle within our flesh.  And when you think you’ve overcome the world and you got everything in check . . . you are in for a big surprise.

Paul said “There’s a battle going on inside of me.  The flesh wars against the Spirit and the Spirit wars against the flesh;  So much so, that some days I don’t do those things I should do, and the thing I should not do, I find myself doing.”  That is a paraphrase now – so just understand that.

Church, if the Apostle Paul had that kind of battle going on, then I assure you, we have that kinda battle going on.  And my biggest problem is that my body is possessed by this big ole biker redneck!  Now most days I am able to keep him beaten down.  But some days, when I’m tired and beaten down, when I’ve spent more time in a day with aggravating people than I should have – some days, that redneck biker climbs right back out of me.

What I am trying to tell you, what I’m trying to get across is that this process of transforming ourselves to be like Christ is not easy, and it’s not something we can do in a day – it’s gonna take a lifetime.

So, how do we become less like the world and more like Jesus?  There was a time when I would preach these two verse, and then I would go to other places in the Bible to find the verses I wanted to support the points I wanted to drive home.

And nearly every time, without exception, that I have heard anyone preach on these 2 verses, they typically do the same thing.  And I’ll tell you why.  We wanted to take these two verses and talk about the “OUTWARD things:

• How you’re hair ought to be;
• How your clothes ought to be;
• What kind of jewelry you can wear;
• What kind of music you should listen to.

All these things on the OUTSIDE.  So we’d find verses to support what WE wanted you to understand.

I’ll tell you what I’ve discovered over the past 40+ years of being a Christian:  I’ve seen folks that have been in church for years, they sing in the choir, they teach Sunday school, they sit on deacon boards, and you look at their outward appearance:

• They dress right (whatever dressing right is);
• They have nice hairdo’s (whatever nice hairdos are);
• I mean they look the part.

Everybody thought they were super spiritual, only to find out they were not even saved to begin with.  Outside, they look like a Christian, but inside they were dead.  So, I’ve learned it is possible to clean up the outside without ever touching the inside.

So, I’m gonna tell right now upfront, I don’t really care about what you look like on the outside anymore – I’m concerned about what you look like on the inside.  If you are right on the inside, God will have you dress and act the way He wants you too – not the way the preacher wants you too.

Now, it’s easy to run all over the Bible and cherry pick verses to support my pet-peeves, but, since God is begging us here in Chapter 12, I figure it’s probably a good idea for me to stay right here and share what He has for us out of this chapter.

So look with me if you will at verse 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; . . .”  Now that alone is enough to cause a whole lot of preachers to scurry off to other verses in the Bible.

And as we read on down a little further into the chapter, we discover how we are all members of one body, and though we are not all the same, we’re members of the same body – the body of Christ.

And then he begins to talk about some things that go right on with what He’s begging us to do in verses 1 & 2.  These are things that we are to accomplish, things we are to work on if we are to become less like the world and more like Christ.

Now, I can’t possibly give them all to you in one sitting, so I’m just gonna point out 3 simple things – and maybe the reason I am pulling these three is because they are probably the 3 areas of my own life that I have to work on the most.  These are the things that remind me that I have not arrived yet.  Now I am going to get these 3 things from verses 8, 9 and 10.

Notice with me in verse 8, and remember now, we are talking about being less like the world and more like Jesus:  “Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: (NOW NOTICE THE FIRST THING)  he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity;”

Down through the years, I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about people’s Christianity by the way they give.  And I’m not just talking about money here, I’m talking the attitude of giving; their philosophy of giving.

The Bible tells us here that we are to give with Simplicity.  Another interpretation of that this passage is simply this – to be a generous giver.

What is the world’s philosophy of giving?  The world’s philosophy is this:

• Give only if you have more than you need already;
• Give only if you’re not going to miss it when it’s gone;
• Give only if you’re going to get something in return;
• Or give if it’s going to make people indebted to you.

That’s the way the world gives – but I’m grateful today that’s not the way God gives.  I think the two greatest examples of giving in all eternity is first.  God the Father.  How did He give?  Well, He gave us the best that He had.  He didn’t give us some angel, He gave us His Only Begotten Son.  He didn’t have to, but He chose to.  There’s no greater giver than the Father.

But the second greatest example of giving is the Son Himself.  Well, what did he give?

He gave us His life, “For no greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for a friend.”

Somehow, someway, I’ve got to learn how to give like God gives, and like His Son gives.  To give with Simplicity, to give generously.  And do you know what that means?  It means that sometimes, God’s going to ask you to give when you can’t figure it out on paper.

And I’m not just talking about tithing here, I’m talking giving of your time, or your talents.

Several years ago, Kim and I prayed and ask God to help us to give like He’s given to us.  I asked God not to help us try to figure it out, just simply trust and give with a generous heart.  And I’ll tell you something, it’s easy to give away things you don’t want – the world can do that.

But if you start giving with a generous heart, I promise you that God will begin transforming your life into the image of His Son.

God has given me more than I could ever give to Him.  And I will tell you folks, I am not where I need to be in regards to giving with simplicity, but I’m a lot more like Christ now than I used to be.

Not only do we need to Give with Simplicity, but look at verse 9:  “Let love be without dissimilation.”

That word “Dissimilation” means “Hypocrisy.”  “Let love be without hypocrisy,” or “Love with a genuine love.”

So, what is the world’s philosophy on love?

• First, the world doesn’t even know what love is;
• The world thinks that lust is love;
• The world says love those that love you;
• But, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to;
• You don’t have to love those that hurt you;
• You don’t have to love those that have done you wrong.

But, that’s not what God says.  God says, “Yes, love those that love you,” but He also says, “Love those that despitefully use you.”

We are to love those that love us, and we are to love those that don’t love us.  And I’ll be the first one to tell you, there are some people that are just hard to love.  But God says, we’ve gotta love them anyway.

No wonder preachers run away from these verses, cause these are the things we don’t want to talk about.

Over the past 15 years, God has been teaching me a lot about love and how I am supposed to love others, and the plain truth of the matter is, if I am going to love God the Father the way I am supposed to, and if I am going to love God the Son the way I am supposed to, I’ve gotta learn to love you the way I am supposed to.

And again, I am definitely not where I need to be in this area of my life, But I’m a lot more like Christ in this area than I used to be.

If we are going to be more like Jesus and less like the world, then we’ve gotta learn to love without hypocrisy.

We come to church, in our little safe haven, and we sing about love, we talk about love, we tell people in church we love them, then we leave church and go have the very people we say we love for lunch.

The Bible says we are to “Love without hypocrisy.”

And finally, look at verse 10, “In honor, preferring one another.”

Now here’s the world’s philosophy on this:

• If you want to get where you want to be, it’s ok to step on as many people as you need to to get there;
• It’s OK to lie and cheat and steal from someone, if it works for your benefit;
• It’s OK to put somebodies light out if it will make your light shine brighter.

But, that’s not what God says.  God says we are to be honest in all our dealings.  We are to treat people the way we want to be treated.  We are to do unto others as we’d have them do unto us.

This means that you have honor, you have graciousness in dealing with others.  Because in honor, in graciousness, I am to prefer others.

Isn’t that what Jesus did when He went to the Cross?

• He who knew no sin, had no sin;
• He who was innocent;
• He who was without guilt.

But in honor, He preferred us and took our place on Calvary’s Cross so that we would not have to die and spend eternity in a devil’s hell.

Now friends, that’s the greatest example of graciousness, “in honor preferring others,” that I know of.

• Give with Simplicity;
• Love without Hypocrisy;
• In honor, preferring others.

These are the things that work on the inside.  These are the things that will transform your life into the image of Christ.  These are the things that will make you less like the world and more like Jesus.

I pray that it is the desire of everyone reading this blog to be transformed – to be less like the world and be more like Jesus!

This past Sunday, one of the lessons in our small groups was concerning our personal testimonies and how if we don’t share it – then it’s not a testimony.  Matt Batterson wrote, “If we don’t share our testimonies, we are robbing God of the glory that He deserves.  And we aren’t just holding out on God; we are holding out on those who need to hear it.”

Then our lesson mentioned Peter and John from an account in Acts 4:13, which I would like to share a few short thoughts on.

“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marveled (THEY WERE ASTONISHED); and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13)

Every time I read this verse, or hear this verse, I can’t help but stop and meditate on it.  To take this verse in its context, Peter and John are appearing in court before the religious leaders of the day – the Pharisees and Sadducees.  They are standing before the most highly educated men of their day and giving an accounting (a testimony).

The men that are questioning them know that they are not educated men, they know that they are not trained in Theology, yet they conclude: That They Have Been with Jesus!

I got to thinking about that and I ask myself, “To the church family that I serve, to the community that I am trying to reach, when I have had conversation with them and leave, will they say of me ‘Joe has been with Jesus!”

And I want to challenge every one reading this blog – now you think about the people you’ve come in contact with just today:

• The people at home;
• The people you passed on the roads;
• The people you saw at the store or the gas pump;
• Your neighbors.

When you left, I wonder if they could say of you – “Now that is someone that has been with Jesus!”

I believe when you got around Peter and John:

• You could smell the aroma of Jesus;
• You could see the radiance of Jesus;
• You could feel the presence of Jesus;
• You could hear the voice of Jesus.

I don’t know about you, but I sure want my life to radiate Jesus.  I want all that I come in contact with to say, “Joe has been with Jesus.”

You know what?  I come to you with the realization that there are millions of people, all over the world, who are waiting:

• They are waiting to see if you and I understand that their souls are just as precious to God as ours;
• They are waiting on us to obey a command;
• They are waiting for us to tell them how they can know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior;

And believe it or not, there are people, right here in our great nation, who are waiting – they are waiting on God – and they are waiting for us.

I think we have come to a sad place in our churches where we so frequently have to be reminded of what we are here for.

Our mission is to be a witness – to take the Gospel Message (The Good News) to the ends of the earth.

Hebrews 11 and verse 8, “⁸ By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.  ⁹ By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: ¹⁰ For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.”

Now Genesis 12, beginning in verse 1 (and reading through 4a), “Now he 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: ² 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: ³ 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. ⁴ So Abram departed . . .”

My pastor, many years ago while I was stationed at Ft. Bragg, NC was one of the godliest men I have ever known.  He invested a lot of time in me – and kinda reminds me of how Paul invested in young Timothy.  And thinking about how much my pastor had invested in me, it brought to light one of the concepts our Pastor, Clayton Houchins, has introduced to our church, and that is that each person should invest their time on one person inside the church and one person outside the church.  Now why in the world would he want us to invest in someone?  Well, because we have an expiration date.  What happens to the ministry when we are gone?  How do we plant ministries if we have not trained people to lead those ministries?

But back to my pastor.  Randy loved singing choruses.  I asked him one day how many he knew, and he stated that he probably knew hundreds of them.  And then he said, but one of my favorites is LET US GO ON!

Let us go on, and on and on, let us go on!

Let us go on and on and on – Let us go on!

Soon every conflict will be past, Jesus will come again at last!

Look for the dawn, Victory is won – Let us go on!

As I thought about what my role is as a Christian, and in preparing this blog around that thought, I couldn’t think of a better title than this:

JUST KEEP GOING

The Bible tells us that Abraham was one of those men who just kept going, and going and going!  Now, I don’t know if Abraham enjoyed singing choruses, but I do know he is part of that Heavenly Host – and I believe he would say to us “Just Keep Going!”

And by the way, I’m just old fashioned enough to believe that you and I ought to keep going, and going, and going until the Trumpet sounds!

So what was it that made him tick?  What was it that kept him going for God?  What was his driving force?

WELL, FIRST OF ALL, HE KNEW GOD

In Galatians 3:6, the Bible says, “Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.  7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.  8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed.”

God wants us to know that Abraham heard and believed the Gospel.

Now there are many things I do not know, but you can write this one down:  NOBODY CAN KEEP GOING FOR GOD IF THEY DO NOT KNOW GOD!

The greatest day in anybody’s life is the day they hear and believe the Gospel!

I don’t know what language was used to reach Abraham, nor do I know who it was that reached him, but what I do know is he HEARD THE GOSPEL.

And God has given you and I a great charge to preach the Gospel to every creature!

The Bible tells us in Mark 13:10, “And the gospel must first be published among all nations.”

I believe what God wants of us is for us to KNOW HIM AND TO GET THE GOSPEL TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH.

Now, we don’t ever know what it is going to take to move someone, but, what we know of Abraham is that there was a day that he HEARD the Gospel, and accepted Christ as his personal Savior.  We don’t know all the details of how that happened, but we know it happened.  Somebody shared it with him!

And that’s what God wants.  He wants us to KNOW HIM!  So, as the old preachers would say, what you and I need to know is TO KNOW, THAT WE KNOW THAT WE KNOW!

But, not only did he  KNOW GOD, HE BEGAN HIS JOURNEY WITH GOD

The Bible tells us that God called Abraham and told him to “Get thee out of thy country” and “So Abraham departed.”

DO you realize that Abraham was 75 years old when he began his journey?  Can you imagine God calling someone at 75 and asking them to do something for Him?

Let me share a truth that someone once shared with me:  Christians are ageless when it comes to the work of the Lord!

Can you imagine God calling a 75 year old man?  We think somebody has to be in their 20’s or 30’s to do something for God.  You don’t believe me – read what 80 percent of our churches are looking for in a pastor:

• Young, so he can reach our kids,
• Has a young wife and children of his own;
• 4 years of college from and accredited institution;
• 3 more years of work in a Master of Divinity Program;
• 5-10 years of pastoral experience at a Senior Pastor level,
• And must be in his 20’s or 30’s!

And all the while, God is saying, “I Just want you to GO.”  And you know what, It’s never too late to start the Journey with God!

When I was pastoring in Lancaster many years ago, we had this older lady named Mrs. Horton.  One Sunday Morning I was preaching about surrendering your all to Christ, and she made her way to the altar, with her walker.  With tears in her eyes she said to me, “I came to the altar this morning to surrender my life to full time service!”  Though I was very excited to hear someone surrendering their all, my initial thought was, “LORD, I haven’t heard you call me to take on another person on the ministry team yet?”  Then she said, “Pastor, since I am retired, I feel that God wants me to devote my time calling the people in our church and encourage them.’

Folks, it’s NEVER too late to get started for God AMEN!  It’s never too late to do something for God!

I’ll tell you folks, we’re never going to reach the world with the Gospel unless God’s people get involved in it.

An old missionary by the name of Bob Hughes had a sermon titled “I’ve Sat Where They Sat.”  And one of the things he says in that sermon , and whether someone said it before him, I don’t know, but he said in this sermon  “Who needs a calling when you have a command?”

All of us are under the command of God, “GO YE THEREFORE . . .”

Can you imagine what would happen in our churches if the people in our churches who are commanded to go would obey the command?  We have convinced the people in the Pew, that the work of the Lord is for a chosen few!

But that’s not true.  The Work of the Lord is for all God’s children – we are all commanded!

Abraham believed that God had more for him in his life.  Abraham was not willing to die before he was dead.  Abraham believed that God had something for him in his life!

In Genesis 12 :2 the Bible says, “And I will make of thee a great nation.”  Abraham not only understood that God had more for him in his life, but he also understood that God needed him.

Now, it is hard for me to grasp that God would need anything.  But Luke’s Gospel chapter 19:31, as Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, he sent the disciples to get a colt.  And He told his disciples, “Now somebody is going to come and ask you what you are doing – and I want you to tell them this”  THE LORD HATH NEED OF HIM.”

Can you imagine:

• The God who owns a 1000 cattle on a 1000 hills and the hills the cattle are standing on;
• The God who owns all the silver and all the gold and all the wealth of the world;
• The God who owns the earth, and the fullness thereof and they that dwell upon it;
• The God who can meet all of our needs according to HIS riches in glory;

To think that same God needs US is hard to imagine!

Many, many years ago I read a story in a Daily Bread devotion that talked about a farmer working in a field.  When I first read it – I didn’t get it.  In fact, it didn’t even set well with me – that’s probably why I remember it all these many years later.  But this farmer is standing looking over his crop with a friend and he says to the friend, “Man, I sure did a good job with this field.”  The friend replied, “You mean GOD did a good job with this field.”  The farmer said, “NO, I meant I did a good job with this field, cause you should have seen the shape it was in when God gave it to me.”

Folks, listen to me, the only way God’s plan is going to be accomplished is through YOU AND I.  GOD NEEDS YOU!

WHO NEEDS A CALL WHEN YOU HAVE A COMMAND.  The world is waiting to see how much of a difference you and I can make for God!

Abraham travelled with God – he had a starting point – a point where he BEGAN.  And you know the Bible says in Philippians 1:6, “. . . He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:”

What God has begun in your life and in my life keeps going, and going and going – So Just Keep Going!

What kept Abraham Going?  Well, He Knew God and He Travelled with God:

BUT ABRAHAM DIDN’T LET FAILURE AND DISAPPOINTMENT DETER HIM.

You know as Abraham was on this journey following God, the Bible records for us that there was a famine in the land.

• Abraham could have gotten angry at God and decided not to follow any further.
• He could have said, “Well Lord, why did you bring me here.”

And when Abraham got to the place God wanted him, he had to do a lot of work.  Listen folks, we have this false impression that we want to go to a prepared place – when in fact, we should be preparing places.

Jesus went to heaven to prepare you and I a place, but He left us here so we could prepared places for others to come to Know Him!

But I’m telling you, there’s a lot of places across America where there is a famine in the land!

• Where God’s word is not being preached;
• Where God’s people are not sharing the Gospel.
• Where people want to hear about God and need to hear about God – but He is no- where to be found.

One of the greatest mission fields in the world is right here in America.  People have come here from all over the world, and they have come with their gods, with their religion, with their own beliefs – and they are now in a place, that for the first time – they can hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

So Abraham got to where God had taken him, and there was a famine in the land – “and he went down to Egypt.”  I don’t know why Abraham did all that he did, but I have to think that some of the decisions he made was because of discouragement and disappointment.

Abraham could have quit there, but the Bible says, “He kept going – looking for a city.”  He didn’t let discouragement and disappointment deter him from getting to the place God wanted him to be!

Folks, God wants us to GO.  He said, “Go, and lo, I am with you, even until the ends of the earth.”

And it’s a good thing God goes with us and not for us.  Let me show you how this works:

“God, I’d sure like to see a planted in my neighborhood.”

God says, “OK, I’ll go with you.”

“Well God, I sure would like to see a church planted in the Middle East,”

“OK, I’ll go with you.”

“Lord, I wish somebody would tell my kids God loves them.”

“OK, I’ll go with you.”

We spend so much time waiting on God, when the truth is God has been waiting for us.  And while we’ve been waiting – the world is dying without God!

We sit at church fellowshiping with one another, and talking about all the good things God has done for us.  We get burdened for the lost, and we say, “They need the Lord.”  We see how America is falling apart without God and we pray that God will do something about it.  “Lord, want you do something in America?”

And God says, “I’ll Go with You.”

• “YOU GO – I GO”
• “Who You Speak with, I’ll speak with”
• “Who you work with, I’m gonna work with.”

When you are in a restaurant, and you say to the waitress, “God loves you.”  You know what God does?  HE BEGINS A WORK.

You see, there was a time in Abraham’s life where he came to know God.  Then he realized that God had more for him in his life.

Let me ask you a question?  Do you believe God has more for you in your life?

Abraham had some disappointments and some discouragements, but he got back on tract and Just Kept Going!

Do you know the greatest lesson that Abraham taught to his family?  It wasn’t that God had blessed him so much, but that God wanted to use Abraham and he would walk with him every step of the way.  So, many generations later – I have come to know Christ as my Lord and Savior because someone determined in their life that They were Just Going to Go On and On and On for God!

Hear the Lord of Harvest sweetly calling

Who will go and work for me today?

Who will bring to me the lost and dying?

Who will point them in the narrow way?

Millions now in sin and shame are dying,

Listen to their sad and bitter cries.

Hasten brother, hasten to the rescue,

And quickly answer, ‘Master, Here and I!’

Father, help us to JUST KEEP GOING!  In Jesus’ Name. Amen

Psalm 145, verses 14-21 are the text for the message, but I want to take the time to read the entire chapter, because it holds so many wonderful truths.  Psalm 145 is perhaps one of my favorite Psalms.  And if you’ll notice, it is entitled, “David’s Psalm of Praise!”  So, we can gather from this Psalm that not only was David the author of it, but he took a particular pleasure in this Psalm.  I believe it was a Psalm that was close to David’s heart.  David begins by saying:

Verse 1, : I will extol thee, my God, O King;  Extol means “to Lift up, to set on high, to exalt.”  I will extol thee, my God, O King; And I will bless Thy name for ever and ever.  I like the way David starts out.  He just says, “God, I want to lift you up.  God I want to praise you.  God I just want you to know how wonderful you are to me.”

Verse 2, “Every day (EVERY DAY) will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.  ³ Great is the Lord, (Now it just seems like David is starting to pick-up momentum here and I can almost hear his voice rising as he praises the Lord).  Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.  ⁴ One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.  ⁵ I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.  ⁶ And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: (that word terrible here means awesome or wondrous acts) and I will declare thy greatness. ⁷ They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.  ⁸ The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy (aren’t you glad for that Amen?).  ⁹ The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.  ¹⁰ All thy works shall praise thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. ¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;  ¹² To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.  ¹³ Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.”

And now we pick up our text in verse 14, “ The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.  ¹⁵ The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.  ¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.  ¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.  ¹⁸ The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.  ¹⁹ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.  ²⁰ The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.  ²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.”

David begins this Psalm by praising God and lifting Him up, and as the Psalm goes along, the momentum keeps rising and rising into this crescendo of God is an awesome God, and David is recognizing the wondrous acts God has performed in his life.  He recognizes how gracious and compassionate God is and how He “upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.  And he ends the Psalm by saying, “and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.”

• This truly is a Psalm of Praise;
• This truly is a Psalm of Exhaltation;
• This truly is a Psalm of how great and compassionate our God is.

But I want to pick out the last few verses of this Psalm and ask you an Ice Breaker Question:  “WHAT DO YOU NEED?”  I want to show you how you and I can find strength when we are weak, how you and I can find encouragement in the hard times, in the weak times of our lives.

Does it ever seem to you in your Christian life that you lay on the ground in defeat more than you stand on your feet in victory?  I think we all go through times like that in our lives where it seems the devil is always getting the best of us.

We have all experienced those times in our Christian lives where we just seemed weak.  Jesus recognized we would have those periods of time when He said in Matthew 26:41, “The spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.”

• And you and I understand that;
• You and I have been through those times when we’ve been weak;
• You and I know what it is when the “spirit is indeed willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Now how is it that you and I can find encouragement in those times in our lives?  How can you and I find Courage when we are Discouraged?  How can you and I find strength when we are weak?

The Bible was written for humanity, so we can assume the Bible was written for the weak, the fallible and the helpless.  He Bible is full of stories where great people of God had moments of weakness:

• Abraham, the Father of all nations, lied to the Pharoah of Egypt;
• Isaac, Abraham’s son, follow in his footsteps and made some of the same mistakes;
• Jacob, was deceiptful and shallow at times,
• Moses lost his temper;
• Job wrestled with pride;
• Elijah had a bout with self-pity.
• Samson laid his head in the Lap of Delilah and got a haircut in the devil’s barbershop;
• David took a coffee break on the rooftop of lust.

Yet the Bible tells us, Abraham was the friend of God; Moses lead God’s people out of bondage from Egypt; Job was a man who was perfect and upright, David was a man after God’s own heart – and yet these great men of God had moments of great weakness in their lives.

And the Bible is full of story after story of how great people had great weaknesses.  A large portion of the Bible is written to fallible, discouraged and weak people.

Can I say that although my God is “set on high,” although my God is above all, and my God is all-powerful, He is an awfully big God, I’m glad that when God looks at my humanity, when God looks at my weaknesses, I’m glad He doesn’t get mad about it but He takes the time to show me grace, and compassion and tender mercies.

Psalm 103:13, 14 says, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.  ¹⁴ For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”

• I’m glad that God knows I’m human;
• I’m glad that God understands my frame;
• I’m glad that God knows there are times in my life when I’m discouraged;
• I’m glad that God understands there are times when I am weak.
• I’m glad that He understands that He formed me out of dirt;
• And I’m glad He doesn’t expect much more out of me than He expects out of dirt!

“For He knoweth our frame, and He remembereth that we are dust.”

The promises that God gives us in His Word, are not given to us to do willfully what is wrong, for we are “not to use our liberty as an occasion to the flesh,” But these promises are for those that are striving and fighting for what is good and what is right, even though at times we may falter and fail and be bowed down.

• There are times in our Christian lives when we are bowed down;
• There are times when we do falter;
• There are times when we do fail;
• There are times when we are discouraged;
• There are times when we are weak;
• There are times when we are broken;
• There are times when we are in the valley;
• There are times when we feel are prayers aren’t being heard.

But I’m glad that God is not only my God when I’m on the mountaintop, or when I am strong, or just when I feel like am being successful in my walk – But I’m glad He’s my God in my weak times as well.

I’m glad that we have the promise in His Word, that, “The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

So for just a few minutes, let me lay out some truths from this passage that I believe will help us when we go through these hard times in our lives.

THERE IS A PROMISE TO HOLD YOU.

Verse 14, “The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

As you and I are travelling along in our Christian lives, trying to live righteously, trying to live for God, and trying to be “A light set on a hill,” there are times that we falter and fail, times when we fall, times when we are weak.  But GOD NEVER DOES!

• I’m glad that when I fall – God does not fall;
• I’m glad that when I fail – God does not fail;
• I’m glad that when I am discouraged – God is not discouraged;
• I’m glad that when I am weak – God is not weak.

“The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

I’m glad that God’s love for me never fails and He promises to Hold me when I do!

Notice God’s Sovereignty in the Fall – “THE LORD.”

Verse 14 begins with the words THE LORD.  That means He is sovereign, He is all knowing.  He is in control of everything that happens in this universe.  Even though God doesn’t want you and I to stumble, and fall, I’m glad that when we do, He can take our failures, or weaknesses and use them as part of His Sovereign plan.

Sometimes there is a Directing Purpose in our Fall

Sometimes God has a direction He wants us to go, but we decide we want to go our way, so God allows us to go and have our legs taken out from under us.  And as we are laying there looking up in the face of an Almighty God he then says tenderly, “Now will you listen to me and go the way I want you to go?”

Sometimes there is a Delaying Purpose in our fall

Sometimes we are going full speed for God.  We are moving too fast, we are going wide-open and sometimes God has to slow us down a little, so He will allow us to fall.  Sometimes we move so fast we don’t have time to listen to God.   You and I can get to going along so fast sometimes that we can miss some things that are important.

God has a Sovereign Purpose in the Fall.  Failures build character.  It is through our failures and weakness that you and I learn to rely on God.

Notice God’s Stability in the Fall – “The LORD upholdeth all that fall . . .”

When we stumble and stagger – I’m glad God is sure and stable.  I’m glad we have somebody to turn to, somebody to lean on in our times of weakness.  There’s somebody alongside of us, somebody to help us.  And although He is there with us to hold us up, sometimes we fall.  But thank God we don’t have to stay there.

Anybody ever watch wrestling?  One wrestler will get the other on the matt, and when both shoulders hit the matt, they begin a 3 count.  The only way you could lose the match was to be counted out.  As long as you were able to keep one shoulder up, you were still in the match.  The only way to lose was to stay down for the count.

That’s how it is in our Christian lives.  We are going to stumble and fall sometimes, but the only way we are going to lose is if we stay down.

Notice God’s Strength in the Fall – “and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

You see Disappointment does not mean wrecked!  God is in the disappointment.  We may go through times when we disappoint ourselves, when we disappoint our families, when we disappoint one another – But God’s desire is not to raise up you and your sin, but to raise YOU up out of your sin, out of your failure, out of your disappointment, and to make you something for Him in-spite of your weakness!  God’s grace is not a license for us to fall, but it is good to know that when we do falter, when we do fall, His strength is there to pick us back up.

Sometimes it is after our fall that God does the greatest work in our lives.

• Samson – did more in the last moments of his life than he did his entire life combined.
• David – even after committing adultery and murder was still a man after God’s own heart;
• Peter – denied Christ 3 times, yet 40 days later turned his world upside down for the cause of Christ and thousands were saved on the day of Pentecost;
• John Mark – disappointed Paul on an early missionary journey and Paul had no use for him from that point on. But in Paul’s last letter, he instructed Timothy, “And bring John Mark with you, for he is profitable for the ministry.”

The devil may have convinced some of you here today that your sin was to great, you fell to hard, God has no use for you – but I’m telling you, your best days for the LORD may just be ahead.

I’m glad that because Satan desires to Sift us, the Savior is there Interceding for us.  I’m glad we have somebody to go to.

I don’t think we should ever let a fall keep us down – I think that would be an insult to the Power of God.  I think it would be a poor testimony before the world.

“The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.”

I’m glad there is a Promise to Hold Me.

THERE IS A PRESENCE TO HELP ME

Verse 18 says, “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.”

What a Promise Amen.  Not only does God promise to Hold you, but He promises to Hear you every time you call.

God wants us to know that He is going to be there when we need Him time and time again.  Let me show you two things in this verse:

His Close Abiding- “THE LORD is nigh.”

The word “nigh” is a synonym of the word “near.”  And I often wonder why God just doesn’t use the word near, and I think it is because this word also has a different meaning.

You could say that everybody in this room is near to me, because you are in close proximity to me.  But not everyone is nigh to me.  Nigh also means “within reach.”  So, though everyone here today is near to me – no one is nigh to me – EXCEPT ONE.

And what a joy, what a privilege, what a promise that God is within reach!  “The LORD is nigh.”  He is close by – He is within reach!

I can’t get the Apostle Peter off my mind lately.  We all know how Peter denied Christ 3 times before the cock crowed.  We all read how that when they brought Jesus out, he look upon Peter – he didn’t say a word – He just looked at him.  We know how that Peter ran out an wept bitterly.

Can I tell you what I think that look said?

“Peter, I know you failed, I know you faltered, I know you messed up – But Peter, you don’t know it right now, but very soon – you are going to turn your world upside down.  So Peter, I just want you to know that I will be with you, I will be in close proximity, I will be in arms reach!  PETER, I WILL BE NIGH TO YOU!”

• You going through a rough time in your walk?
• You going through the fiery furnace in your life right now?
• You having troubles in your Christian life?

Reach Out! Because the LORD is nigh!”  He is within reach!

His Constant Attention- “THE LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon Him.”

I’m glad that God hears me when I pray.  There is a promise that God will constantly be attentive to our prayers.  He is aware of our needs and He knows how to meet our needs.  God is constantly attentive to what is going on in my life.  Because, “The LORD is nigh unto all who call upon Him.”

• So when we fall;
• And when we fail;
• And when we struggle;
• And when we are weak,

There is a God who says, “I am within reach and I am constantly attentive to your needs.”

I remember my daddy teaching me how to ride a bicycle.  I remember starting out with training wheels, trying to get the feel of how the pedals worked.  Once I did that, the training wheels came off.  I remember as I started pedaling down the Drive way for the first time without training wheels, my daddy had his hand on my seat keeping me steady until I got the hang of it and then at some point, he let go and I was pedaling on my own.  But daddy stayed close by to catch me if I fell.

As I started getting the hang of it, daddy went and sat on the porch (he didn’t go inside), he stayed where he could watch me.  And every time I fell, He would come flying off that porch to help me get back up.

Isn’t that how God is?

There is a Promise to Hold You – “The LORD upholdeth all that fall”

There is a Presence to Help You – He is close at hand and attentive to your needs

THERE IS A PROVISION YO HEARTEN YOU

I like that word hearten.  It means to “inspire,” to “encourage.”  Look at a few of these verses with me for just a moment:

“¹⁵ The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.  ¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.  ¹⁷ The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

Now verse  ¹⁹ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.  ²⁰ The Lord preserveth all them that love him:”

God is there to provide for us on our journey.  He is there to inspire us, to encourage us on our life’s journey.  He said:

• When you are weak, “I will be there to hold you up.”
• When you fall, “I will be there to pick you back up.”
• And for the rest of my journey, He is going to be nigh, just a call away.

Notice two things in these verses.

A Supply of my needs – “Thou givest them their meat in due season”

I read a commentary this morning that made a statement that blew me away.  He said “He that feeds the birds will not starve His children.”

You and I can trust that God is going to supply our need in due season.  Refreshment, encouragement, nourishment – all are on the list of needs He supplies.

• Do you need encouragement today? – There is a Provision to Hearten You
• Do you need Refreshment for your soul? – There is a Provision
• Do you need to be Nourished? – There is a Provision

What is it this morning that you need?  God said He will “supply all your needs.”

But not only is there a Supply of my Needs, there’s a:

A Satisfaction of my Desires – “¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing”

Now, this goes beyond the things that we need, and starts getting into some things that we want.  Things that we desire God to do in our lives.  God is saying here, “Not only can I supply your needs, but I can also Satisfy your desires – because everything you want or need can be found in Me!”

Now, if my “want” is not in His will, He has the power to change my “want.”  But if our “want” is what God wants for us in our lives, then God said He’s going to give it to ya.

There is a Provision to Hearten.  What is it that you desire God to do in your life today?

Conclusion:  So, here we are, we are riding down the road of life, and we get a flat tire.  Who do we go to too get it fixed?  We’re riding along and the chain comes off – who do we run to too get it fixed?

God said, I will Hold you, I will pick you up when you fall.  I’m going to be right there with you, and I’m gonna provide for you.  What do you need?

Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to Extol you, to lift you up on high, to exalt you, to set you above all others.  To think that a God that is set above all would take the time to come so low to meet us where we are is one of the greatest acts of Grace I can think of.  Thank you O God for thinking of us; Thank You for loving us; Thank You for meeting us where we are, and God thank You for leading to where You want us to be, in Jesus Name – Amen!

Luke Chapter 22, Let me say upfront, we are going somewhere in the blog, so stay with me. “³¹ And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: ³² But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. ³³ And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. ³⁴ And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.”

All of us, I’m sure, are fully aware of Peter’s denial.  We are aware of Peter standing by a fireside, and cursing and swearing, and denying that he even knew the Lord Jesus.

In these verses, Jesus predicted that Simon Peter would deny Him.  Now, Peter did not know what the next few hours held in store for him – BUT Jesus did!  Jesus said, “The cock shall not crow this day, before thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me.”

So here is the Lord, He is in this room with His Disciples.  They are preparing for observance of the Feast of the Passover, and He is instituting what you and I know as “The Lord’s Supper.”  John chapter 13 is a parallel account of this event, and in John 13, we find Jesus and His disciples in this room and in verse 1 of John 13, the Bible says, “. . . having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.”

• Jesus knew that Simon Peter was about to fall;
• He knew that before the night was over Simon would curse and deny Him 3 times;

Yet, even though Jesus knew that he would deny Him, the Bible says “He loved them to the end.”  I’m glad that I can say that even though my God knows all about me – He loves me anyway!

• He knows my faults;
• He knows my failures;
• He knows my past failures;
• He sees my future failures;

YET HE LOVES ME!

• He loves me when I’m right;
• He loves me when I’m wrong;
• He loves me when I’m in;
• He loves me when I’m out;
• He loves me when I’m up;
• And He loves me when I’m down.
• He loves me when I’m good;
• He loves me when I’m bad.

He loves me from Everlasting to Everlasting! “He loved them unto the end.”

But I submit to you that not only did Jesus Predict that Simon Peter would fall, but He Prepared Him for the events that were about to unfold.  Well, just how did He prepare Simon Peter?

FIRST, HE PREPARED HIM BY GIVING HIM A COMPANION 

Look at Luke 22:7-8, “Then came the day of unleavened bread, when the passover must be killed. 8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.”

Jesus knew that preparing for the Passover would take time, so He said:

• Peter, I want you to go and prepare for the Passover;
• And John, I want you to go and prepare for the Passover.

Remember now, I believe that everything Jesus did, He did with a purpose.  He NEVER did anything accidentally or coincidentally.  Everything He did, He did with Purpose.  He said, “I know always the things which please the Father.”

• When walking on water pleased the Father, He walked on water;
• When spitting on the ground pleased the Father, He spat on the ground.

So Jesus says, “John, I want you to go, and Peter, I want you to go and ya’ll prepare the Feast for the Passover.”

I believe Jesus knew that Peter was about to fall, and when he did, He was going to need a friend.  So Jesus was Preparing Peter by giving him a Companion.  Here is John, the strongest disciple, with Peter, who was about to fall.

• Jesus knew, that when Simon Peter fell, He didn’t need someone to come by and step on him;
• Jesus knew he didn’t need someone to come by and ridicule him;

Jesus knew that when Simon Peter fell, he was going to need a friend.

• Somebody that would help him up;
• Somebody that would pick him up.

And by the way, do you realize this was a bond that lasted?

• It was Peter and John that ran to the Tomb;
• It was Peter and John that stood before the religious rulers who said of them, “these men are definitely ignorant and unlearned, BUT there is no doubt about it, THEY HAVE BEEN WITH JESUS.”
• It was Peter and John that said while being threatened to keep their mouths shut, “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard;

Jesus knew Simon Peter was about to fall, so He prepared him by giving him a Companion.

HE PREPARED HIM BY GIVING HIM A CLEANSING

Now, I told you that John 13 is a parallel of the Passover, and in John 13, as they are preparing that Table – which by the way, represents the Cross.

• It was on that table that the broken bread lay, which represented the Body of Christ that was broken for us;
• It was on that table that laid the wine that represented the blood of Christ that was shed on Calvary’s Cross.

And the Bible says, that after Supper, after they had partaken of the Bread, that represented the body that was broken for us, and after they had taken of the wine, that represented the blood that was shed for us:

After Supper, Jesus rose up, laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself, taking on the role of a servant, Jesus began to wash the feet of the disciples.  No doubt this embarrassed the disciples.  To see their Lord, and Their Master assume the role of a servant, cause listen to what Simon Peter says, “LORD, dost thou wash my feet?”

But listen to what Jesus says, “What I doest now, thou knowest not, but thou shalt know hereafter.”

I don’t know about you, but I have walked through some valleys and I have been through some storms, and I believe if I could hear the Lord speak, He would be saying, “What I doest now, thou knowest not, but thou shalt know hereafter.”

I believe Simon Peter simply said what all the others were thinking.  “Lord, thou shalt NEVER wash my feet.”  Jesus said, “Simon, if I don’t wash your feet, you can have no part with me.”

Simon said, “Well Lord, in that case, just wash me all over then.”

So, after Jesus washed Simons feet, He asked, “Do you understand what I’ve done to you?”  and Obviously the answer is “NO, I don’t understand.”

So I can see Peter, he’s outside by the fire, a lady says, “Well I know you are from Galilee, your speech gives you away, You are one of them.”  Peter begins cursing and swearing and denying, and about that time, the Bible tells us that the doors open and Jesus was lead outside.  Jesus looked upon Peter, but He didn’t say a word – He didn’t have to.

I believe Peter ran away in the darkness to get alone, as the Bible says “he wept bitterly.”  I believe he was probably saying, “LORD, I didn’t understand then – but I understand now.”  “LORD, my feet are dirty.”

Folks, we need to get a picture of this, because I’m gonna tell you right now, You and I as Christians, as long as we are living here on this earth, there is never gonna be a time that we do not sin.  But if you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you, You can’t sin and enjoy it.

Peter ran out into the night and wept bitterly.  But Jesus already knew, and Jesus had already washed him, even before he fell.  Oh, can I say I am glad that Jesus washed me knowing that I was gonna get dirty.

• Jesus Prepared Peter by Giving him a Companion.
• Jesus Prepared Peter by Giving him a Cleansing;

BUT JESUS ALSO PREPARED PETER BY GIVING HIM A CONVERSION

“Simon, Satan hath desired you that he may sift you as wheat.”  Why do you think Satan was so interested in Simon? Well, I believe it may be because of what happened in the Upper Room back in Matthew 16, when Jesus asked “Who do you say that I am?”  And Peter said, “Thou art the Christ, the son of the living God.”  And Jesus responded, “Upon this ROCK I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”  And “Simon, I am giving you the keys to the Kingdom.”

Peter held the Key and Satan knew it.  If you study the Book of Acts, you will find,

• It was Peter that unlocked the Door in Jerusalem;
• It was Peter that unlocked the door in Judea;
• It was Peter that unlocked the door in Samaria;
• And it was Peter that unlocked the door to the “Uttermost parts of the earth.”

“Simon, satan hath desired you that he may sift you.”  Satan wants to walk all over you.  He wants to trample you.  He wants to stomp you in the ground.”

“BUT – I HAVE PRAYED FOR THEE”

Nearly 20 years ago, I was sitting in the Preachers chair up on the Podium of New Life Free Will Baptist Church in Lancaster, South Carolina.  We had a pretty big crowd, and I remember looking at one of the members, Marty Starnes.  And God laid on my heart that He had a bigger plan for Marty’s life.

After the service, I simply asked Marty, “What are you waiting for.”  I prayed for him, that he would lay his life on the Altar and ask God to use him.”

I knew for Marty, “Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: ³² But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.”

As grains of wheat are being sifted, the outer shell of the wheat is being broken, so the grains can be used.  Little did we know that after 18 years of both Marty and I being  sifted, after being trampled on, after being stepped on, after being broken – that our faith has failed not – and we are now Strengthening the Brethren!

Now I can see Satan, out by the fire that night, trampling Simon Peter under his feet.  Every time Simon would deny Christ, Satan would stomp a little harder.

But I can see Jesus in the background.  He’s saying, “Go ahead Satan, stomped a little harder, grind a little harder. BUT, when you’re done, after you’ve broken that hard outer shell – I’m gonna take that grain of wheat inside – I’m gonna make some bread and feed the Brethren!”

CONCLUSION:  Now I have no doubt, there are some reading this blog are going through the fire.  Satan is stomping all over you.  He is breaking you – he is breaking your home, he is breaking your life and He has convinced you that you are no good anymore.

Can I just say to you that out of that brokenness, God has been preparing you by Giving you a Companion – He has given you the church to be there to help you when you fall, to help pick you up.

He has prepared you by Cleansing you.  Jesus, who knew no sin, became the propitiation or my sin.  I deserved the death on Calvary’s Cross, but He took my place.

But He has prepared you by Converting you.  God can take the remains of that broken hard shell and use what is left over to do great works for Him.

I believe that when Jesus looked at Peter that night by the fireside – I don’t think He was looking at Peter’s failure (He already knew Peter would fail).  Rather, I believe He looked forward in time to the Day of Pentecost and could see Peter preaching and 3000 people being converted.

You remember when Mary and the others went to the tomb on the third day, and before the SUN had ever come up, the SON had already gotten up.  Two men adorned in white apparel asked them “Why seek ye the living among the Dead?  For He is not here, but has arisen.” Then they said, “Go and tell the disciples, AND PETER, to meet Him in Galilee.”  Have you ever asked your self why they didn’t just say, “Go and tell the disciples?” or “Go tell the disciples, and John?”  After all John was the strongest spiritually of the group.

I can see Simon sitting in the corner of that room, his face swollen from crying.  I know he asked himself 10,000 times over “How could I have done such a thing?” “How could I have ever failed Him so?”  And after Mary came into the room and said “The Lord wants to see you in Galilee,”  He was probably thinking, “He wants to see John and the others, but there is no way He wants to see me – not after what I’ve done.”

Can you hear what the church would have been saying about Simon Peter the next morning?

• Well, did you hear what Simon Peter did last night? I knew he wasn’t saved;
• Well, I never did trust him no way;
• Others would say, “Well that does it with me, I wouldn’t walk across the street to hear that man preach.” Not after what he did.

Wouldn’t it be something if we could recognize sin in our own filthy hearts as quickly as we recognize it in others? It will be a great day in our churches when we can recognize the sin in our own lives like we do in everybody else’s lives.

All I am saying is that if God only used the people that deserved to be used – HE wouldn’t be using anybody!

Aren’t you glad Jesus didn’t feel that way?  Mary came running into that room and yelled “HE’s Alive! He’s Alive! And He said for you to come meet Him in Galilee.  AND PETER, He said to be sure to tell you He wants you to come too!”

Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: ³² But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

• Joe, Satan has desired to have you;
• All those reading this blog, Satan has desired to have you.

“BUT I HAVE PRAYED FOR THEE, THAT THOU FAITH FAIL NOT!”

It was termed “The Unsinkable Ship,” but on April 15^th, 1912, the Titanic hit an iceberg in the cold, icy waters of the Atlantic Ocean, and over 1500 people lost their lives.

Now, the Titanic was the most advanced ship of it’s time.  The engineers that designed this ship designed it with 16 watertight compartments.  These compartments were designed so that if it hit an iceberg, it could survive a strike to 4 of the compartments and still make it safely to its’ destination.  However, when it struck the iceberg, 5 compartments were damaged by the iceberg.

Now, we can say that there is not a lot of difference between 4 and 5:  No, only One, but ONE can make all the difference.

In 1982, the North Carolina Tarheels were playing the Georgetown Hoyas for the NCAA Championship game, and with 17 seconds remaining on the clock, the Hoya’s were leading the Tarheels by a score of 62-61.  The Tarheels had gained possession of the ball and were throwing inbounds.  The ball was thrown to a little unknown player – number 32 – Michael Jordan.  With 17 seconds left, Jordan took the shot and made the score for the Tarheels 63-62 over the Hoyas.  The Tarheels won the National Championship game by one point.  You say, “Well, there is not a lot of difference between 63 and 62.”  No, there isn’t – but again – ONE CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE.

I believe what our Country needs today, and what our community needs today, and what our church needs is ONE person that will determine in their heart that they are going to be THE ONE.

Notice with me first of all:

ANYBODY CAN BE THE ONE

It always amazes me that God’s thoughts are not our thoughts and God’s ways are not our ways.  I like what I Corinthians 1:27 says, “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;”

• I like the fact that God can use the simplest things in life to confound the most complex;
• I like that God can take what you and I consider to be weak to defeat the strong.
• I like the fact that “When others see a shepherd Boy, God may see a King.”

Let me share with you some people that God used in the Bible because they made up their minds they were going to be THE ONE:

GIDEON 

In Judges 6:33, the Midianites and Amalekites have gathered to defeat the children of Israel.  But what they didn’t realize is that God had prepared the heart of an unknown servant by the name of Gideon.

• Gideon defeated the Armies of the Midianites and Amalekites;
• Gideon tore down altars of Baal and restored the Altar of God;
• Gideon took an Army that God reduced from 32,000 down to 300 and defeated an Army of 135,000.

And all this came because in Judges 6:36, Gideon said, “God, if thou wilt save Israel by mine hand, as thou hast said.”

Gideon shows us that BY FAITH, anyone with tremendous disadvantage and difficulties can overcome them determining as Gideon did, “LORD, I WANT TO BE THE ONE.”

BARAK 

In Judges chapter 4 and 5, we find that Barak, the military commander for Israel defeated the Canaanites in a great battle.  He was a Man of War that made up his mind “God, I want to be the One!”  And because he did, he is forever recorded in the Hall of Fame of Faith in Hebrews Chapter 11:32.

DEBORAH 

Deborah is also found in Judges chapter 4.  Before Israel had a King – they were ruled by Judges.  Deborah happen to be the only female judge (and prophetess).  And the reason she was is because when all the men cowarded down – Deborah said, “LORD, I will be the one.”

SAMSON 

Samson is found in Judges 13:1-16:31.  Samson was the strongest man that ever lived in the Bible, yet he was morally weak.

Early in Samson’s life he had defeated a roaring lion.  He then had a great victory over the Philistines.

However, Samson was a lot like us, though he had won some great battles for God, he did not live consistently by faith.

Samson, this mighty warrior, laid his head in the lap of Delilah, he got a haircut in the Devil’s Barbershop – and he lost his strength and was captured by the Philistines.

Samson had his eyes plucked out and was chained to a grinding meal.  But in the last act of Samson’s life, he destroyed more of the enemy of God than he ever did before.  Why?  Because Samson made up his mind, “God, I know I’ve let you down.  Lord, I know I am not worthy.  But Lord, I give you what is left of my life because God, I WANT TO BE THE ONE!”

SHAMGAR

The name “Shamgar” is taken from a man to whom a total of 42 words is devoted to in the Bible – yet, what a mighty 42 words.  Shamgar’s story is told in only two verses – Judges 3:31 and Judges 5:6.  We find in these two verses that God used an unlikely source to impact an entire nation.  We know that Shamgar lived about 3000 years ago in the land of Canaan which is called Palestine today. The Bible says that Shamgar “killed six hundred men of the Philistines with an ox goad and he also delivered Israel.” Judges 5:6 tells us that he lived in difficult times not unlike the difficulties we face today.

Historically speaking the Philistines would terrorize a people through raiding parties of ten and twenty soldiers.  Israel had no military or viable judicial system at the time. Shamgar was a farmer with only a farm tool for a weapon.  An ox goad was a wooden pole approximately six to ten feet long with a point on one end and a flat chisel-like iron blade on the other.  The point was used to prod the oxen pulling a plow and the blade was used to clean the plow-share.  The ox goad would be about six inches around on the blade end.  This implement would be fairly awkward to use as a weapon.

What does all of this have to do with our ministry?  Jay Strack and Pat Williams wrote a book titled “The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar”. God used that book to impact my personal life at a time when I was trying to figure out after all my failures after all my disappointments – “What now?” The Three Success Secrets of Shamgar” are simply this:

1. Start where you are.
2. Use what you have.
3. Do what you can.

Shamgar committed all that he had and all that he was to the one true God. God used an ordinary man, an awkward tool, and limited abilities to impact an entire nation. When something is completely given into God’s hand for His use He will cause it to go further than it is supposed to go and do things it is not supposed to do.  Shamgar made up his mind that He was going to start where he was, with what he had, and was going to do what he could for the nation of Israel – because he determined “God, I want to be the One!”

The foundational essence of Church 247 is simply this – to meet people where they are and take them to the place God wants them to be?

JABEZ

Jabez is a man we find tucked away between a list of some 500 names in I Chronicles chapter 4:9-10, and these are the only verses in the Bible about Jabez.  But the truth is, it doesn’t matter if he is mentioned anywhere else in the Bible – he is mentioned here – which means that no matter how unknown or obscure or insignificant you think you are – GOD KNOWS YOU AND HE KNOWS YOU BY NAME.

What we learn from these two verse is that his mother named him Jabez- which means “Son of sorrow.”  Now, from every outward appearance, there should have never been a pause in Scripture to share about this man Jabez, yet if there was any man in the Bible I would like to mold my life after – it would be Jabez. You see, Jabez is not known for:

• Orating any great sermons;
• He is not known for singing any solo’s;
• He is not known as a leader of his people or a mighty king.
• He is not known for fighting any great battles for Israel;
• Or winning any great victories.

But what he is known for is praying a prayer that God answered!  Folks, I believe Jabez determined in his personal life – GOD I WANT TO BE THE ONE!

DAVID

Now we come to David.  Here is David, a shepherd boy, who been on the backside of the mountain, spending time with God.

• It was on the backside of that mountain that David had killed the Bear;
• It was on the backside of that mountain where David had killed the lion.

In I Samuel 17:22-42, we learn that David delivers food to his brothers and hears this Philistine by the name of Goliath defiling the name of his God – and he was not gonna sit by and take it.

• After pleading his case to his brothers;
• After pleading his case to the soldiers of Israel;

David finally pleads his case to King Saul.

In verse 36, after being told what he can’t do, David says, “Thy servant slew both the lion and the bear:  and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them, seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.”

As King Saul tried to clothe David with his armor, David threw it aside, and as that Philistine came at David with his sword and spear and shield – David came at him “in the name of the Lord of Hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.”

David slung his rock and took that Giant out and then ran upon him and cut off his head.  He left that giant laying there as bird food!

Why?  Because David made up his mind, “LORD, I WANT TO BE THE ONE.”

And folks here is what I want you to understand about Being the One:

• God can use and underdog like Gideon or a Mighty General like Barak;
• He can use a man or a Woman – like Deborah;
• He can use you all of your life, or He can use the left-overs of your life – like Samson;
• He can use a farmer with no formal training or weapons of warfare to defeat God’s enemies or a man that is nothing but Sorrow;
• God can use you no matter what your age is, just as He used a little shepherd boy like David.

God simply requires faithfulness from you and I and a determination in our own life that “God, I want to be the one!”

ANYBODY CAN BE THE ONE!

ALTHOUGH ANYBODY CAN BE THE ONE, MOST WANT BE THE ONE

I’m reminded of Matthew 7:21-23 which says, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”

I think of the Rich Young Ruler in Luke 18:18-23:

“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? ¹⁹ And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. ²⁰ Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. ²¹ And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up. ²² Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. ²³ And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.”

This rich young ruler was not willing to give-up what he had to gain the ONE THING he needed!

I Think About Judas Iscariot. 

Judas Iscariot was a disciple of Christ.  He kept the books for ministry.  He had every opportunity to turn his world upside down for Jesus Christ – yet, as a friend and companion to our Lord – he betrayed Him with a kiss.

I wonder how many of us betray Christ in our daily lives?  Judas could have been the One – But he wasn’t!

The Pharisees and Sadducces.

• They looked religious;
• They acted religious;
• They talked religious
• They hung around the Temple.

Yet, although they knew the Word of God – they did not know the God of the Word.

The sad truth is, Although anybody Can be the One – most people want be the One!

SO, HOW DO I BECOME THE ONE?

I am grateful today that God doesn’t just diagnose our problem, but gives us a remedy.

I would suspect that deep in every person’s heart here there is a desire that God might use him. That is a normal and a proper desire. There is no thrill like the thrill of being used of God. There is nothing that remotely approaches, in terms of excitement, satisfaction and fulfillment, the consciousness that a person has been the instrument in the hands of the Almighty God to do some of his work — to change the direction of someone’s life, perhaps, to prevent an injury, to resolve an argument, to answer a challenge, to heal a weakness, to rebuke a ruler, or to turn a nation.

In II Timothy 2:20-21, God gives us His remedy of How to be the One!  “ But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour. ²¹ If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.”

You have to Purify Yourself – Purge Yourself.

Listen, God want do that for you.  He provides the cleansing – but He will not purge you.  When you are outside working on your motorcycle and you get grease on your hands and arms – you go to the sink when you are finished and you wash with soap and water – or grease remover.  You did not do the cleansing – the washing materials did – but you used what had been provided!

That is the principle Paul is teaching us here.  I John 1:9 says, “IF we confess our sins, HE is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to CLEANSE US from ALL unrighteousness.”  The cleansing has been provided, but we have to choose to use what was provided!  Hearing the Word of God is not enough – you have to apply the Word of God.

Not Only Purge Ourselves – We Must Consecrate ourselves.

That is a word that has a permanence about it: One is permanently set aside/sanctified in God’s mind for useful purposes, for thrilling, exciting, adventurous discoveries of being used by God.   When you determine to be the One – you then become useful, profitable, and effective. God can then use you in ways that accomplish something for His kingdom purpose!

Finally, We have to be READY!

I heard a story about a college football player that was in his last game of his last year of college.  Though he was on the team, he had never gotten into a single game.  As they were preparing for the final game, he begged his coach to put in him the game.  The coach said, “Let’s see how the game goes.”

Well, when they got to half-time, their team was behind by 3 points and nothing the team did seemed to work.  That young man put his helmet on and began pacing up and down the sidelines, ensuring that his coach saw him.  Finally, the coach put the young man in the game!  On the very first play, he took a hand-off from the quarterback and went 40 yards down field before being knocked out of bounds.  On the next play, he beat out his coverage and caught a pass in the end-zone that won their team the game.

After the game, the coach came to the young man and said, “Son, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone play with so much heart.  What is it that made you play like that?”

The boy replied, “Well Coach, you know my momma died when I was just a baby and I was raised by my daddy.  Well, my daddy only wanted two things out of me – 1) that I would go to college, and 2) that I would play football.  Well, my daddy was blind, so I knew he would never see me play football.  But, last week, my daddy died, so I know with him in Heaven, this would be the first and last time he would get to see his son play football – and I didn’t want to let my daddy down!”

Folks, I believe our Heavenly Father is watching us from Heaven, along with such a great cloud of witness – so let us play the game well – and one day, we will hear our Heavenly Father say, “WELL DONE THY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!”

I wonder who reading this post will say this prayer (with me), “Lord Jesus, I am going to start right now, where I am, with what I have and do what I can for Your glory, Because “GOD I WANT TO BE THE ONE!?”