Monday Morning Thoughts 03/21/2016

Monday Morning Thoughts – When the disciples walked the road with Jesus on that Palm Sunday 2000+ years ago they didn’t understand what was going on. John 12:12-18 tells us it was not until must later their understanding caught up to their experience. Many times we are confused about our situation, but through faith one day we will understand. In this weeks message Pastor Bob helps us understand When Experience Precedes Understanding.
https://youtu.be/la9ybnS2mBQ



Monday Morning Thoughts

Have you ever had one of your kids say, “Their touching me!” We all like our space, but Jesus desire for His church was not to be close enough to touch but to be one in heart and mission. This weeks message is from John 17:20-23 where Jesus prayed for His church to be one as He and the Father are one. 
 
Blessings,
Pastor Bob
 

https://youtu.be/Af3Wzl4WGEc



Monday Morning Thoughts

Have you ever watched the TV show on the Discovery Channel called Dirty Jobs?  In the show the host volunteers to do dirty jobs that help make a civilized society operate.  Somebody has to do it, right?  Jesus left his followers some work to do.  In this week’s passage John 14:12-14 Jesus tells us “ Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing.”  The work Jesus left us to do is not necessary dirty, but it is impossible in our own strength.  The work Jesus left us to do is to point people to the Father.  In chapter 14 Philip told Jesus to show us the Father and that will be enough for us and Jesus replied ” Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.”  Every word Jesus spoke, every action He took, every attitude of His heart was to reveal the Father.  This is the work Jesus has left us to do, to reveal the Father to a lost world.  Below is a link to this week’s message. 
 
Blessings my friends!
Pastor Bob
 


Monday Morning Thoughts

We don’t like ugly.  When we see things that are unsightly our first response is to look away.  Sunday we looked at the parable Jesus told about the rich man and the beggar named Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31).  Lazarus, full of sores and starving for food, was laid at the gate of the rich man in hope he would receive some kind of help.  Basic help like… food, water, medical attention, shelter.  Our natural tendency is to look away from ugly and difficult situations.  The rich man acted very natural and looked away not making any effort to help.  Jesus told the story to illustrate the calling of God’s people to look at the ugly of the world and not turn away, but to take the love of God to the sores of the world.  God puts people at our gates who suffer from the sores of life for us to apply the healing power of the Gospel.  This week let’s look for the ones God puts at our gates, let’s not look away but let’s bring the love of God to the broken of our world.
 
God is good!
Pastor Bob

  



Monday Moring Thoughts

Happy New Year!  Yesterday we looked at the story of the Wise Men and their search for beauty in Matthew 2:1-12.  The Wise Men wanted to find the one born King of the Jews because they realized He was the long awaited King of Kings, and that His kingdom would never end.  They ignored what others said, they paid no attention to their discomfort, their only goal was to find the King and worship Him.  Then as an automatic response to their worship they opened up their treasures and gave gifts.  A long time ago I heard the statement, “Loving equals giving,” meaning we give to what we love.  That was the experience of the Wise Men and I have found it to be true in my life as well.  I’m attaching two links below to an audio testimony from Bob Hoots who has been called miracle man.  Bob died on the operating table but God in His sovereignty brought him back to life.  In His testimony he tells about waking up with a song on his mind.  The name of the song was “I Wish I had Given Him More.”  This week let’s join the Wise Men and bow at the feet of Jesus and worship Him, and surrender our lives giving everything to Him.  Part one,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3X7g4dN6ADo, part two https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suB51_tNJxs

.

Blessings My Friends!

Pastor Bob

P.S. Don’t forget our Holiness Bible Conference with Dr. Jesse Middendorf starts Friday night at 7:00, see you there.



Monday Morning Thoughts

Have you ever looked at a problem and said, “Someone should do something about that!”  In Matthew 25:31-46 Jesus tells a story about those who did something.  They didn’t just leave the job for someone else; they fed the hungry, visited the one in prison, provided clothes for the needy…  It’s easy to say there are problems in the world and then go on our way without doing anything about them.  The opportunity for the Christian is to bring the peace of God into a dark world.  The angelic choir that announced the coming of Christ said, “On earth peace to those on whom His favor rests (Luke 2:14).”  This week let’s bring the peace of God into our world and touch lives for Christ!  We don’t have to do something big to make a difference.  Jesus said even a cup of water given in His name changes the world.

Let’s make a difference!

Pastor Bob



Monday Morning Thoughts

The countdown is on… we just completed week two of the Advent Season. This week we looked at Gabriel’s proclamations to Mary, Daniel and Zachariah. The end conclusion was the Good News of Jesus Christ is for everyone. Daniel was a great Old Testament prophet (Daniel 9), Zachariah was a priest in Israel (Luke 1:17), and Mary was just a common girl from a remote village called Nazareth. God uses all people who will allow Him to have His way in their lives. The apostle Peter says this in Acts 10:34-35 “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.” Praise the Lord, the old has gone, the new has come!
 
Blessings everybody,
Pastor Bob


Monday Morning Thoughts

This past Sunday we looked intently into the Lord’s declaration of Abraham to be righteous found in Genesis 15:6. Abraham was concerned the Lord’s promise to him would not come to pass. God had promised to make Abraham unto a great nation, the problem was Abraham was well into his 90’s and didn’t have a son. God took Abraham outside and told him to count the stars. It must have been one of those brilliant clear nights when it would be an impossible task. God then told Abraham “So shall your off spring be”, and Abraham had faith in the Lord’s promise and the Lord counted him righteous. There are three places in the New Testament that deal directly with this passage of scripture; Romans 4:22, Galatians 3:6, and James 2:23. These passages teach us (especially James 2) that faith in Jesus Christ is not just a mental exercise, but is a new birth that changes what we do and how we live our lives. After this encounter with God, Abraham continued in faith and was even willing to sacrifice his son, his only son, on an altar. This week as we pause to give thanks to the Lord, thank Him for His promises, and let faith in Jesus Christ change your life!

Thanking God for each of you!

Pastor Bob