1 Corinthians 10:23-24
"Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
Questionable things:
Should we or shouldn’t we participate in Halloween?
Is it ok for Christians to drink or smoke?
What kind of music should be in the church?
Different followers have come up with many contradictory answers, each with much conviction.
The answer here is everything is permissible.
In essence “Yes you may”.
May I have a pork chop when there are those who believe that it is morally wrong?
“Yes you may”.
May I have a gin and tonic with a friend even though some believe it is a sin?
“Yes you may”.
That solves the question from the I/my perspective.
But it may not be beneficial or constructive.
Beneficial is not that pork is bad for my cholesterol, therefore it would be better for me to not to eat it.
Beneficial here has to do with bearing and bringing together; to help another.
Do I have permission? Yes.
Does it benefit someone else? Will it bring us closer or keep us apart?
Now those are better questions.
Constructive?
Does it edify? Does it build the
That’s another couple of good questions.
May I …? Yes.
Should I? How will others be effected?
I will not be close to Christ when it all comes down to what’s in it for me.
Are you seeking Christ’s will . . . a good check is are you seeking the good of others?
It’s not about me
It’s all about You
It’s not about my pride
It’s all about Your truth
And so right here from the start
I open up my heart
And say Lord here’s every part
Cause it’s all about You
Jesus, Jesus
Jesus, it’s all about You
Big Daddy Weave
2 Samuel 23:39a and Uriah the Hittite . . .
This is one of the saddest verses in the Old Testament. It is also a verse that sings the mighty work of God.
David’s mighty men. 37 elite men – empowered by the Spirit to do mighty deeds to serve and protect their king.
Among them an Ammonite and a Hittite. Proof that Our Lord has and always will except any from among the nations who will put their trust in Him.
They were supposed to be enemies of
Some of their exploits are mentioned just before the list of 30. What are the exploits of these men though? Most we will never know on this side of glory.
Except for Uriah the Hittite. . .
We find the greatness of Uriah at the same time we see David at his worst.
Back in chapter 11 we see their stories come together through Bathsheba; Uriah’s wife. We find a king who wouldn’t control himself and a soldier who deprived himself of every pleasure to uphold his king and his fellow troops.
Uriah’s true strength was in his honor. In this case an honor that was greater then God’s anointed. This coming from a Hittite!
Who acted with more reverence towards his king; David or Uriah?
Who should have known better?
Who had more to lose?
Is there a Hittite of today (a non-Christian) that is acting with more honor than you?
Are there non-Christians who have more reverence towards our Lord then you do?
David learned, to late, in this instance that God is forgiving, and ever faithful.
A child died; a family destroyed; a king whose soul was rotted to nothing until he admitted his sin, focusing once again on his Lord and not his own self.
Through this sadness the Lord’s grace shines through.
It’s not too late to turn back to God. You can say at the end just like David …
`When one rules over men in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings the grass from the earth.' “Is not my house right with God? Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part? Will he not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire?
2 Samuel 23:3-5
Blessings,
Pastor Douglas
Rainier Chapel exists to fulfill the Great Commission by teaching our congregation to reach out to this generation so all may be:
· Fully devoted followers of Christ Jesus
· Fully prepared servants of the Church
· Fully prepared missionaries to the world
Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4:11-16
Goals:
1) Teach the whole Bible
a) Christ centered
b) Old Testament and New Testament
c) Systematic and expositional
d) Knowledge and application based
2) Develop a whole life curriculum with measurable goals
a) Elementary
i) Main bible characters in chronological
ii) Books of the bible
iii) Main characters in church history
b) Jr High
i) What we believe and why
ii) Spiritual disciplines
iii) Spiritual gifts
iv) Church service
c) Sr High
i) Christian worldview
ii) Evangelism / witnessing
iii) Missions / outreach
iv) Church leadership
d) Adult
i) Spiritual disciplines for the family
ii) Spiritual gifts
iii) What we believe and why
iv) Church leadership
3) Strengthen support of and participation in missions
a) Increase congregations knowledge of who our missionaries are
b) Encourage involvement in local missions
i) AWANA
ii) CEF
iii) Union Gospel
iv) Young Life
v) Care-Net
vi) Community outreach
c) Encourage short term foreign missions
4) Increase church and community service
a) Find service areas appropriate for age and training
b) rack/acknowledge involvement
i) Food Bank
ii)
iii) Library
iv) Lions/Rotary/Kiwanis
2 Samuel 22:31-32 New Living Translation
“God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true.
He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.
For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?
In his life David learned to trust God’s word.
Although David had failed at times the Lord never wavered from what He had said.
Nothing has changed in three thousand years… Our Father has continued doing exactly what he promised to do.
His children still need to learn to trust His word.
Our Lord’s promises were not just for those bible people.
He has plenty of promises for all of us today also
Here are just 5 out of 41 that
Answers to prayer 1 John 5:14
God’s protecting care 1 Pet. 5:6–7
Spiritual fullness John 6:35
Victory 1 John 5:4
A heavenly home John 14:1–3
When we learn to trust the Lord as David and others have then we also can say along with David…
For who is God except the Lord? Who but our God is a solid rock?
Blessings,
Pastor Douglas
1 Corinthians 3:10-15 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
A humbling thought for each of us.
The Day will bring Christ in judgment towards the ungodly, which we like to hear about. It also comes with a testing for those in Christ; not one of our enjoyable thoughts.
What each one of us works for and adds upon Christ Jesus’ work of the Cross and Resurrection will one day be tested.
One simple test . . . Fire.
Much of what we put effort and importance to will be vaporized in a moments flash; gone for all eternity.
Church buildings will be gone.
Books, Cds, tapes, dvds- all gone.
Devotions, Worship, Service, Prayers, Sacrifices, Witnessing, and Love will remain.
On that Day we are left with rewards and ashes.
What are we laboring to build?
Will it stand the test, is it fireproof?
Blessings,
Pastor Douglas
1 Corinthians 1:22-24
Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
“Show us something and we’ll believe”.
What more was Jesus to show, to prove.
They were there because they saw the miracles, the day before he made a meal for thousands from a young boys small lunch.
“Not enough show us more”!
Jesus discusses his body and blood and says that’s enough.
Most left.
Today the cross is behind us… but still there are those who say “Not enough show us more”!
“Give us some special sign of your presence; then we’ll believe you are here”.
Greeks- those who want to look skilled and sophisticated – important enough for Gods attention. Why not? The world sees their sophistication and abilities. They’re on most people’s A list.
They want a gospel that brings out their importance.
Jesus told us to die to ourselves but they think others need to die to their desires and “needs”.
They like a Jesus that brings prosperity and political clout.
The called – They live by the Death. Their power is in a cross.
“Whatever grace is extended to me today is because of what Jesus did back then”.
The world doesn’t find them worthy; they know their worth is in Christ
The world calls them “morons”; the Father calls them “Sons”.
The world overlooks them; God chose them, called to them, sought them, redeemed them, and made them His family.
Which group do you fit into?
Is Christ enough for you today?
FUN & MENTAL
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