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Written by Jim Gerlt
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Tuesday, 04 August 2009 09:50 |
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Who are the people who make the biggest impact in your life? Are they the critics, the ever negative people, or are they the encouragers? Unfortunately, the negative people in my background have influenced me in more ways than I want to acknowledge. My default attitude is one of negativity, and I hate that about myself. I get sucked in to negative conversations so easily—sometimes even start them—YUCK!
The people I most want to be like “when I grow up” are the encouragers. I desire to be a “wherever” person rather than a “whenever” one. (Some people are a blessing wherever they go; some people are a blessing whenever they go.) Actually, this is my/our role as members of the Body of Christ. Hebrews 3:13 reads, “But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”
Most of us fail to realize the impact we have on others. We don’t realize how our words influence. A kind word goes a long way today—we don’t hear enough of them. So today, I’ve had a wake-up call to be an encourager. And, by reading this blog, so have you (sucked you into this one, didn’t I?).
Before you log off, let me give you a real word of encouragement. Sunday I spoke on the adequacy of God and emphasized how we can have freedom from guilt through Jesus. The author of Hebrews wrote in 3:5, “Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant….” (When he said “His house” he was referring to serving God.) No mention of Moses’ taking things into his own hands and killing an Egyptian. No mention of his wilderness wonderings for so many years before God called him to lead His people. No mention of his disobeying God and striking the rock for water. NO MENTION OF MOSES’ SINS. When God forgives, He forgets.
Celebrate, child of God. You have been forgiven and your record expunged before God. Don’t let Satan pull you down into the muck and mire of guilt over things God no longer remembers. This is a blessed day—celebrate and encourage someone. |
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Knowing God--He is Adequate |
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Written by Jim Gerlt
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Monday, 03 August 2009 13:18 |
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The latest message on the attributes of God was, “He is Adequate.” The definition for adequate I used is: sufficient in quality or quantity to meet a need. Our God is more than adequate to meet our needs. His adequacy plays out in our lives the following ways:
I. BECAUSE GOD IS ADEQUATE I CAN FIND PEACE. Vs. 31
Our sign—north side—says, “FIND PEACE.” Here’s the reason we can find peace. If God is for us, who can be against us?
Please note this is NOT a universal promise to everyone. It IS a promise to the followers of Jesus Christ.\
When Paul writes “for us,” he’s making a reference to the covenant relationship followers of Jesus Christ have with God. It can’t be broke. God is our advocate and is for us. We have made peace with God through Jesus Christ.
II. BECAUSE GOD IS ADEQUATE I AM GIVEN CONTENTMENT. Vs. 32.
…how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?
Contentment is a gift from God. No matter how much “stuff” I might accumulate it won’t provide me contentment. God has created us with a God-shaped hole in our lives that only He can full.
III. BECAUSE GOD IS ADEQUATE I CAN BE RELEASED FROM GUILT. Vs. 32-33
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? Who is he that condemns?
The evil one seeks to destroy my joy in the Lord and one way is to continually remind me of my sin. If he can get me to dwell on my failings, he can derail my effectiveness as a servant of the living Lord. But because God has declared me forgiven, there’s no need for me to dwell on the sins that God has forgiven and forgotten.
Psalm 103:12 (NIV) tells us …as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. Have you ever wondered why the psalmist used the east/west and not the north/south coordinates? I found out why. If you fly north long enough and cross the North Pole, you will begin to fly south. But, if you fly east and continue circumnavigating the globe, you’ll never stop flying east and begin flying west. The east and west never meet.
IV. BECAUSE GOD IS ADEQUATE I HAVE SECURITY. Vs. 35-39.
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? If you read the passage you’ll find Paul presents every scenario possible and always declares that nothing can separate us from Christ. We are secure in Him.
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Written by Jim Gerlt
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Wednesday, 29 July 2009 09:35 |
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Band aid, Kool Aid, Gator Aid, farm aid, air raid—air raid? (Oops, taking off in the wrong direction with that one. Sorry!)
Let’s try again: band aid, Kool Aid, Gator Aid, farm aid, financial aid, aid for victims of Hurricane Katrina and Rita, aid for the victims of the latest disaster, aid for AIDS…the list grows longer almost daily. What about aid for those of us trying to live godly lives? Is there any help? Any hope?
Actually (the favorite word of my two 3-year-old grandchildren), there is. Hebrews 2:18 records, “For since He Himself (referring to Jesus) was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid (YEAH!!!!!) of those who are tempted.”
Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”
It’s mid-week, weary Pilgrim, the time when the crud of our culture begins to build up on us like barnacles on a ship, slowing us down. You began the week with your spiritual batteries charged and ready to take on the world. The batteries are running down now. Go to these two passages of Scripture to get your mid-week recharging. God won’t allow you to be tempted beyond your ability to endure and Jesus actually comes beside you in the temptation to help you say, “NO!” Not a weak, “no” but a roaring
“NO WAY!”Hold fast, we’re in this together. And, we’re not alone.
Just a few thoughts for your Wednesday. |
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Written by Jim Gerlt
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Tuesday, 28 July 2009 08:17 |
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While reading in Philemon this morning I was reminded of what a security conference speaker said last year. He said—actually challenged us—to Google our church and our own name. He said we should do it every month. The reason I was reminded of it while reading the letter to Philemon is because Paul basically gave a Google report of Philemon. He wrote, “I hear of your love, and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all the saints….” Paul gave a glowing testimony of Philemon throughout the letter. “For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” Toward the end he mentioned, “Having confidence in your obedience….”
It’s been several months since I Googled my name—will do it later today. Maybe I’m reluctant to do this exercise because I’m afraid of what I will find—or more accurately, afraid of what I won’t find. I don’t think I’ll read glowing comments about my love and faith or that the hearts of others have been refreshed through me. There probably won’t be any record of my obedience to Christ.
Oh, I didn’t mention that the reason the speaker challenged us to Google monthly was so that we could correct mistakes we found about ourselves. I’m still breathing and the blood is pulsing through my veins (hopefully unrestricted by plaque and cholesterol buildup) so I have time to make some changes to my Google resume.
What am I saying? What Google reports doesn’t concern me nearly as much as what God would report about me. But then, I’m not sure God would write about me what Paul wrote about Philemon. Since I’ve not assumed room temperature yet, there’s time to make some changes in God’s Google account of me. Guess what? The same is true for you. Our life’s not over, we still have time to write the final chapter of our life. |
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Knowing God--"He is Faithful" sermon review |
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Written by Jim Gerlt
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Monday, 27 July 2009 13:10 |
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In case you were absent Sunday, here’s the outline from sermon eight in the sermon series, “Knowing God.” This week’s topic was “He is Faithful.” The message was based upon 1 Corinthians 10:1-13. Here are the main points of the message.
- God is faithful with His presence.
Vs. 1 …were all under the cloud…. THEOPHANY—visual appearance of God. It was God’s presence in the wilderness that protected them. He’s always with us even though we don’t always “feel” like He’s there.
2. God is faithful in providing leaders.
Vs. 2 …They were all baptized into Moses….
Strange quotation, don’t you think? Not making Moses a god. As they passed through the waters of the Red Sea, they broke the ties with Egypt and were now dependent upon God through Moses. God sent Moses to be their earthly leader. God always provides leaders for His people. When God gets ready to something big, He sends a baby to grow to fulfill that role. Whenever we have a baby dedication, we should ask, “Is this the child God has sent for a big work?”
3. God is faithful to meet our needs.
Vs. 3-4 They all ate the same spiritual food [4] and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
Manna, quail and water were provided in the wilderness. God always provides for us, often using unconventional methods.
4. God is faithful to provide instructions.
Vs. 6-11 Now these things occurred as examples, to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.
God recorded Israel’s experiences for us to learn from and to serve as a direction for us. We need to read the directions.
- God is faithful to help us avoid trouble.
Vs. 13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
6. God is faithful when we’re in trouble.
It would be a hollow message if I had to quit at the previous truth and declare that God drops us when we’re in trouble. Truth is God sent His son to take our punishment for us. We can receive God’s forgiveness by believing in His Son, asking for forgiveness from our sins and sinful nature, and turning to live a life of obedience to Him. This is magna-hyper-good-news-on-steroids good news. |
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