BE OF GOOD CHEER!

Scripture: John 16:33
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Introduction: John Smith, a soldier in Iraq during the last war, wrote home about his experiences, saying:

“We got hit by an Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) today… My brothers-in-arms, Iekar (eye-car) and Kohail, were walking out to inspect a civilian car when it exploded… They both were blown back about 100 feet or so… The hilarious part is when they got up, they started yelling and laughing… Iekar came back screaming, ‘Yee-Haw! I’m still alive! Praise God Almighty, I’m alive!’ He had the biggest smile in the world on his face… When he got back, he asked me to help him do something… I said sure, and he asked if I would pray to God for thanksgiving with him...”

John, a new Christian, ended his letter by thanking God for the opportunity to pray with an Iraqi and by saying, “Jesus has been the BEST companion over here… He listens to my every prayer and answers me every morning with renewed strength and a clear mind…”

Message: I just got back from an out of town speaking engagement…It was in a little town called “Bonneau, SC…

Saturday night they had a “Sportsman Banquet…” It was a big cookin where they had all kind of good food…Shrimp, fish, turkey etc… and on Sunday they have two services, one at 8:30 and the other at 11 oclock…

God blessed me with the honor of speaking at each of these services…It was a great time for me…I shared my testimony…I just told what Jesus had done in my life…I did my very best to get across to each one there, that no matter what the question or problem, Christ is the answer…That in Him we each can find the peace and joy that we are searching for in life…

I always love to go to different places and meet new people…

There is always a special sound man to fix up the sound equipment so everyone can hear the preacher or the speaker…There is always some one who leads the choir…always some one who can really sing…but there is also the people in every church that have the same ole problems…drugs, sickness, adultery…depression, the list is endless…just add something to the list that you know about and it can be found in every area…

Each town I go into, no matter where it is, I gain knowledge that people all over have the same problems…

I do my best to let people know or at least wake them up to the fact, that we are in a war 24/7…Satan never rest… He is always trying to pull someone down to his level…He likes to pick on the weak, sometimes innocent prey…Satan is a liar!!

So here again, I want each one who reads or listens to this, to know that we’re in the combat zone of life, faced with satanic IEDs and demonic snipers every day…but listen to the words of Jesus Himself…

Jesus said, “In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

If Christ has overcome the world, and we are His, and He is ours, then we can put on His promises for our daily battle…We can become an “Overcomer with Jesus…”

We can have a peace that passes all understanding…

The Upper Room Discourse of our Lord is found in John 13–17, and the last sentence of chapter 16…His last sermon, He gives us several principles for inner peace…

1. In Me You May Have Peace: This is perhaps the most powerful phrase in the Bible— “In Me...” It was Paul’s theme… He used the phrase “In Christ” about 100 times… It refers to union with Him…

Suppose I saw a bottle on the shore… Unscrewing the top, I walked over to the sea, filled the bottle up with water, screwed on the top, and tossed the bottle into the surf… The water would be in the bottle, and the bottle would be in the water… When we confess Jesus Christ as Lord, He comes to live within us by the living water of the Holy Spirit, and we are in Christ…

2. These Things I Have Spoken: Our sense of inner peace grows from trusting His words… What did Jesus mean by “these things?” In the greatest sense, we can claim the entirety of the Word of God… In another sense, Jesus was thinking of all the teachings He had given His disciples since He called them by the shore of Galilee… Specifically, “these things” refer to the Upper Room Discourse… John 13–17 are remarkable chapters because Jesus spoke them in an atmosphere of incredible tension, yet His message was one of supernatural peace…

3. In the World You Will Have Tribulation: John 16:33 goes on to issue a warning… Our inner peace, which is based on our union with Christ and grows as we trust His words, will be assaulted by the world…(Combat Zone)… Jesus promises that we’ll have problems in the world… Opposition… Persecution and satanic attacks… Misunderstandings, hurts, heartaches, and many things that challenge our faith…

4. But Be of Good Cheer… I Have Overcome: But Jesus did not end His teachings there… Here is the last thing He said before His prayer in chapter 17, the concluding sentence of three years of ministry, the last syllables of the last sermon He preached prior to Calvary: BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD…

He was saying: “I’ve come into the world and lived here for thirty-three years without sinning so I can serve as an innocent, sacrificial victim whose blood can atone for the sins of the world… I am going to lay down my life willingly and I will take it up again… The grave cannot hold Me, death cannot keep Me, and I’m going to burst from the tomb like a fist through cardboard… I have overcome the world…”

Conclusion: If Jesus Christ has overcome the world, He can overcome our anxieties and make all things work together for good in our experiences…

Whatever tribulations we face… He is the great Overcomer,

Our peace is in Him…

It’s reinforced by His words...

It’s assaulted by the world, but He says to you:

Be of good cheer. I have overcome the world…

JESUS, THE REAL DEAL!

1 John 1:1-4

I want to talk to you about a letter from John (not to be confused with the Gospel of John)... John, of course, was one of the disciples of Jesus to the first century church... John had heard about false teachers and a growing cult called Gnosticism and wrote his letter to help the church members distinguish between real Christianity and counterfeit Christianity...

This line between truth and falsehood is blurred in our society... We pick up newspapers and read touching stories and later find out that the stories were complete falsehood... We are used to politicians making us promises to get our votes, only to forget those promises once they get into office... Political ads regularly take quotes out of context to try to influence the voting public... We are so used to seeing realistic dramas on television that we often find ourselves forgetting that what we are watching is just pretend... People stand up and make passionate arguments and we simply accept that what they are asserting is true is actually true...

This carries over into issues of faith... It seems like every day someone is developing a new religion... Most of these religions contradict each other... In other words, it is impossible for them all to be true...

Let me give you some everyday examples... You can’t be pregnant and not be pregnant at the same time... You are either one of the other no matter how passionate you are... If two doctors come out of surgery and one says your family member is dead and the other doctor says, he is alive, the one thing you know for sure is that they both can’t be right even if they are both passionate and sincere...

It is the same thing with faith... Jesus says He is the only way to Heaven... Islam says it is the only path to Heaven... Mormonism says that only those who hold to the teachings of the book of Mormon will rise to the highest Heaven... These could all be false, of course, but they can’t all be true... They are contradictory... People say, “We are all headed in the same direction...” No, we’re not... Some are walking with God, some are walking away from Him...

In this life before us we are on a quest... We want to discover the true God, the true way to life beyond the grave, and we want to understand what it means to be a real (as contrasted with pretend) follower of Jesus Christ... So let’s begin... John begins his letter to the church with these words,

KJV. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete.

Often when I am introduced to someone for the first time I don’t pay as much attention as I should... I nod, shake someone’s hand, and great them warmly... However, I’m not really paying attention... Within a matter of a couple of minutes (sometimes seconds) I can’t remember their name... (I am trying to do better)

In a similar way, it is easy to miss the significance of the early words of a book in the Bible, especially the letters... We are so eager to get to the “meat” that we miss the foundation that is laid in the first words... We so want to get to the “practical stuff” that we sometimes overlook the doctrinal or theological foundation that the practical stuff is based on... That is especially true in this letter from John... So let’s take our time and hear clearly what is being said...

Christian Faith is Historical Rather than Imaginary:
The first thing John tells us is that the Christian faith is based in fact, not fiction...

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life..

John testified that this Jesus he proclaims is someone he saw, heard, looked at, and touched... Jesus was a real person, who lived at a real time in history...

Understand how significant and important this is... John is reminding us that he is not sharing some philosophy or personal view point he’s come up with... This is not some theory that he is bringing forward... He is telling us what he saw and learned from the Jesus of History.

Today there are thousands of people who have embraced Scientology... Tom Cruise, John Travolta and others are betting their lives on the theories of L. Ron Hubbard... Hubbard wrote a book called Dianetics... When people began to embrace the book, Hubbard wrote others and eventually developed a complicated (and bizarre) set of beliefs... There is nothing verifiable in his theories... These are the imaginations of a man...

The same can be said about the Book of Mormon... It gives us information about various people for whom we have no historical record... You have probably heard the commercials that tell us that Jesus appeared to people in America... However, there is no evidence that any such thing happened...

Christians don’t have to put their brains in neutral to follow Christ... Right at the beginning of his letter, John wants us to know that He is going to tell us about a real person... We can check John’s facts with history... We can check facts about Jesus with other historians; even secular historians...

John drew a number of conclusions about Jesus because...
· He saw Jesus heal the sick, restore sight to the blind, and make the lame walk
· He listened to the wisdom of His words
· He was with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration
· He was in the boat when Jesus walked on water and again when He calmed a raging storm with a word
· He was present when he took the five loaves and two fish and fed nearly 10,000 hungry people.
· He was there at His crucifixion and remembered that Jesus had predicted it would happen
· More than anything, He saw the resurrected Jesus. Three days after He was dead and buried, John was having dinner with Jesus! He had a chance to question Him and learn from Him those forty days after His resurrection.

As a result of what John witnessed and heard from Jesus he drew some conclusions about this real person, Jesus... He tells us that Jesus is “The Word of Life”... It’s a familiar phrase for John... In the opening words of His gospel he wrote,

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)

When John calls Jesus “The Word” he is saying in kind of a shorthand that Jesus is the One who fulfilled the promise of God... He is the One who expresses the heart of God... He reveals the mind of God... Notice what else John says,
· Jesus is eternal (He was in the beginning)
· He is God
· He is the Creator of the Universe
· He is one who gives light and life

John isn’t asking us to believe his theories... He’s asking us to believe his eyewitness testimony...

Christian Faith is Relevant rather Than Phony...

But there is a second truth. John wrote,
The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us...

John writes to tell us about eternal life... That subject is difficult... It is mind-boggling... But it is not irrelevant...

Every one of us is going to die some day. We all have a sense (or at least a hope) that there is more to life than just what we see and experience now... As we stand at the bedside of someone who is dying, or at the grave of someone who is about to be buried, we want to know, “Is this all there is?”

If this life is all there is, Solomon is right: “Meaningless, Meaningless, it is all meaningless.” (Ecclesiastes 1:2)

There is no real justice and there is no reward for doing what is right... There is no real motivation to do anything of value...

Imagine playing an entire season of a sport but having no wins... You would have no motivation to get better, to practice, or to sacrifice...

Imagine having a job where everyone was paid exactly the same wage no matter what job you were given to do... The custodian and the CEO were paid the same; the Doctor and the patient were paid the same; The result would be resentment, laziness and poor quality of labor...

John tells us that he has the evidence that this life is not all there is... The evidence is the life, death and resurrection of Jesus... John tells us that Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life, no man comes to the Father, except through me.” (John 14:6)

If there is an eternity beyond this temporal life that we are now living, then knowing about eternal life is of the utmost importance... This is the most important issue of our lives! This is not superficial information; it is vital, practical, and life changing...

Christian Faith is Personal rather than Academic..

John tells us something else that is important... He tells us that his experience with the Word of Life and his confidence regarding eternal life is something that we too can experience...

We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ...

I love the way the contemporary paraphrase THE MESSAGE captures this opening passage from John...

From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in—we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands. The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen! And now we’re telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us. We saw it, we heard it, and now we’re telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ. Our motive for writing is simply this: We want you to enjoy this, too. Your joy will double our joy!

Christianity is not just a class where you learn a bunch of facts... The message of Christ offers us a chance for a new beginning... John’s passion is for us to know the Jesus that set Him free...

The message of salvation is a message of forgiveness for acts of rebellion and lack of concern for God... It is a message of hope to a person who is broken because of failure... It is a message of healing to those who have been victims of life’s dark side... It is a message of life to those who are watching the gradual decay of their physical frame... ... It is a declaration of value for those who feel worthless... It is a message of a love that exceeds any love we have ever known...

John is not simply interested in us merely learning his story... He wants us to meet the Jesus that changed his life and the life of millions since... He shares what He saw, heard, and touched so that you and I might come to trust the Savior with our lives...

Conclusion:
A counterfeit Christian—and they are common—is something like a counterfeit ten-dollar bill...

Suppose you have a counterfeit bill and actually think it is genuine... You use it to pay for a tank of gas... The gas station manager uses the bill to buy supplies... The supplier uses the bill to pay the grocer... The grocer bundles the bill up with forty-nine other ten-dollar bills and takes it to the bank... And the teller says, “I’m sorry, but this bill is a counterfeit.”
That ten-dollar bill may have done a lot of good while it was in circulation, but when it arrived at the bank it was exposed for what it really was, and put out of circulation...

We can live our lives and have everyone believing that we are a child of God... We can try to live decent and good lives and even help people... However, when the Lord, who alone determines our eternal destiny, looks at our lives, it won’t matter a whit what other people have thought of us... He will know whether we are real or counterfeit; whether we are followers or pretenders... Jesus said, “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ ‘Then I will tell them plainly, I never knew you. Away from me you evildoers!” (Matthew 7:22-23)

So at the beginning of our study on how to be a Real Deal Christian, let me ask you a key question: On what do you base your faith? Are you building your life on an illusion?

Have you examined the facts?

Are you being scammed by the imagination of men?

Have you dismissed the Bible and Christianity without ever reading the Bible and examining the evidence?

I extend to you a challenge that is different from that which you will find in any of the modern religions of today... Most religious systems say things like, “you just have to believe” or “you need to do what is right for you” or “just do what we tell you to do (because we have enlightened knowledge)”.

Most contemporary religions will not tell you not to study their founder... They are aware that even the best of men are only men at best...

Christianity is different... It says, Study the life of Jesus... See if His life matches the claims about Him... Hear his words... Check out the facts... Take time to look at the evidence for the resurrection... Christians are not afraid of serious and honest study...

It was Paul who wrote, “If Christ has not be raised, then our faith is useless.” (1 Corinthians 15:17) I

If Jesus is the truth, He will stand up under any scrutiny... If He is not what He claims to be, then you shouldn’t follow Him...

Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca once had a great ad... He said “If you can find a better car, buy it!” I would like to say right now, if you find a better Savior, follow him...

If you will honestly and objectively examine the life of Jesus I believe you will discover that He stands out above all the pretenders... If you commit your life and put your hope in this Jesus for forgiveness and eternal life, you will be changed... And if you will listen to what John tells us in his testimony; if you take this message to heart and not only listen in the classroom of the sanctuary but put his counsel into practice it in the laboratory of your daily life; you will discover that Jesus is the Real Deal...

You will have a new confidence in your faith... You will not only share the truth but you will DECLARE the truth...

You will see with new eyes... And faith will become the most practical thing of all. ..

But don’t take my word for it. Find out for yourself.

rngffc

THE CHEER FACTOR!

Scripture: Matthew 14:22–33, especially verse 27“

Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid..."

Introduction: “Be of good cheer” is a mighty powerful phrase… It was more than an acknowledgment or causal greeting… It was an authoritative blessing, a commandment, and promise—all rolled into one… It literally meant to take heart, to take courage, to take cheer, to deliberately banish the emotions of gloom and doom and choose instead to let the joy and strength of Jesus shine through…

Some translations say: Cheer up!

The word “Cheer” means cheerfulness, optimism, joyfulness, and liveliness…so to cheer up means to have confidence, and be alive with hope and a positive attitude…

There’s was a popular television program called “Fear Factor…” So with that in mind, we will, think of this story under the title “Cheer Factor….”

There are four factors here that, joined together, can make us cheerful people…

1. The Multitude Factor… Now most of us know that the word, “Multitude,” means huge number, or massive amount or mass or crowd…For you and I it could be a group in our Sunday school class or whatever…but…There’s got to be purpose and meaning in our lives if we’re going to have good cheer... For Jesus and His disciples, that meant ministering to the multitudes... Look at how Matthew tracks Jesus... (4:25; 5:1; 8:1; 8:18; 9:8; 9:36; 12:15;; and 13:2)…

Those multitudes represented the millions whose lives He intended to change… For us to uphold joy and fulfillment in life, we’ve got to reach the multitudes… That may involve a large ministry… It might mean a small ministry, which, unknown to us, will have large results... It’s not enough to earn a paycheck, to enjoy a vacation, to buy a new car, to play video games, and go to movies… We’re placed here to make a difference, and God intends for each of our lives to have significance…

2. The Solitude Factor… Solitude means…privacy, isolation, and seclusion… So here’s the balance... We need frequent breaks from the multitude, time alone with ourselves and with God…Time alone with our wife or husband, someplace away from the same old, same old…

Going some place from time to time for privacy or personal isolation or seclusion is a good thing as long as we don’t stay gone…It is very important to maintain a good balance in our lives…

To much church is no good, not enough church is just as bad…To much leisure time is no good…We must strive to keep our lives in balance…It’s not easy…

I spoke at a men’s event one night and I used a four foot level as a visual tool, saying as I balanced it in my hand, that we need to balance things out in our lives…Later after the event was over, a gentleman came up to me and said, “Mr. Graves, you are so right about the balance thing…” I asked him what he meant and he told me he had to sell his bass boat because he was spending to much time out in it and it was starting to effect his marriage…so it was either the boat or the wife and he made the right choice and got rid of the boat…It’s not that we need to get rid of the things we do for pleasure, but balance is a must if our lives are to be full and joyful…

Notice how Jesus safeguarded His time alone (Matt. 14:13, and 14:21-22..

3. The Fortitude Factor… The word “Fortitude,” is a good word…it means strength, courage, guts, staying power, and stamina…it means determination…and determination means, strength of mind, will power, resolve, purpose…it means true grit…So to have fortitude means to have a steadfast determination…We must have this feature, and listen… …

The right kind of fortitude comes only from the faith we have in Christ… because we know He will rescue us from the storms of life…in His time…

So while Jesus was up on the hillside enjoying leisure time with the Father, the disciples were in crisis, and this brings us face to face with this third factor in having a cheerful attitude... The fortitude factor…

In Roman times, the night divided into various watches… The fourth watch comprised the hours between three and six in the morning… Jesus allowed His disciples to struggle for a prolonged period in darkness and distress… He didn’t solve their problem instantly… The Lord sometimes lingers and delays and watches, from a distance, praying for us in the mountains as we struggle on the stormy sea below…

He’s more interested in developing our faith than He is in relieving our distress, and He wants us to be strong in grace and in faith and in Him… The Bible tells us on thirty-four different occasions to be strong… We can’t be strong in our own strength, but we can be strong in His strength…

We can be strong in the promises… We can be strong in grace (see Deut. 11:8 and 31:6; Josh. 1:9; 2 Chr. 15:7; Is. 35:3–4; Dan. 10:19 and 11:32; 1 Cor. 16:13; Eph. 6:10; and 2 Tim. 2:1)…

Jesus came to them on the water, walking across the waves, stepping on the whitecaps as though they were stepping stones… And as He approached the boat, He shouted above the surf these words that have echoed down through the ages throughout the storms of life to you and me:::: Be of good cheer! It is I: Don’t be afraid!

Whatever your storm, whatever your gale, whatever your struggle, you have total access through His grace to those same three short, simple phrases…… Be of good cheer! It is I; Don’t be afraid!

We must walk with a steadfast determination!

4. The Gratitude Factor… How does the story end? It ends with thanksgiving, praise, worship, and admiration…appreciation…thankfulness, and gratefulness…and that’s what gratitude is…

Then those who were in the boat came and worshiped Him, saying, “Truly You are the Son of God…”

Let’s freeze- that picture, and let’s go back one hour and freeze- that picture, too, when the disciples were at their moment of desperation…

Put the two pictures side-by-side…

Three o’clock: Exhaustion and Fright... Four o’clock: Exaltation and Expectation… Three o’clock: Anguish and Adversity… Four o’clock: Wonder and Worship…

The secret of great faith is knowing at three o’clock that four o’clock is coming, and reacting accordingly... It is replacing worry with worship, and doing so by faith, learning to trust Him not just during the storm but, even after the storm passes by…

Conclusion: Faith is being of good cheer at three o’clock because we know Jesus will show up in His timing and make all things work together for good…That is the faith that remembers the promises of God…Romans 8:28,"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose..."

A STORMY POEM!

As they fought through the storm and faced roaring seas…
Each fell and shouted…… OH LORD PLEASE…

Exhausted and frightened, they battle the rain,
The wind, the waves, always enduring the strain…

Till finally their nerves could stand it no more;
And their strength was all gone and their muscles were sore…

But up on the mountain top Jesus could see!
Every white-capping wave on the rough Galilee…

Christ straddled the billows like a carpet of sod,
He came to their aid with the power of God…

They worshiped Him then, with rejoicing and awe…
For the marvels He did and the wonders they saw…

But better to praise Him with the storm at its worst…
By remembering His power and promises first…

“Be of good cheer! It is I;…Do not be afraid…”


Who will you trust as you face the storms of this life? If you trust in your self alone your boat will be rolled over in the storm and you will drown…But if you learn to trust Him, before, during and after the storm…your boat might still sink but someone with a steady hand will reach down and lift you up, dry you off and put you in the place He has been preparing just for you…praise the Lord…amen…

rngffc.

SEVEN STEPS FOR TRUSTING GOD AS WE GROW OLDER!

My wife asked me to do a short devotion tonight at our group practice...She started a small praise music group about a year ago...We go into other churches and sing...We have been to a few, assisted living facilities...really we would probably go anywhere if asked, if it involved singing praises to the Lord...anyway...about the devotion...really this is a message to each of us because God's Word is full of encouraging things to learn and to live by...

She asked me to do it earlier this afternoon and practice starts at 5:45...I opened up my Bible and it opened to Psalm 62...There in God's Word are these seven things we can trust God for as we grow older..

Now don't get me wrong...this is not just for old people because no matter how old you are, you are getting older...right, right...so here we go...

Scripture: Psalm 62, especially verses 1–3
Truly my soul silently waits for God; from Him comes my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved... How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.

Aging is an issue we all face, for every day takes us closer to the last day of our lives...

Will God be faithful to us in the end of life as He was in the early part of life? More importantly, will we be faithful to Him?

Psalm 62 gives us David’s seven-step program for trusting God as we age...

1. Wait Silently Before God Each Day (v. 1). Spend time every day in silence before God... I’m interested in that phrase “wait silently...” It’s the same Hebrew term as in Leviticus 10:3 about Aaron after the death of his two sons... The older we get, the more difficult it is to get into the habit of spending time with God each day... So, if you’re moving toward old age (and we all are), the first step is to wait silently before God every day... That means you’re not going to complain to God when things don’t go the way you think they should... You’re going to hang on and let God do His work... All this depends on how much you trust the character of God (v. 5b)... God is our expectation...

2. Cling to Something that Doesn’t Change (vv. 2–6). When things are rapidly changing around you, you need to cling to something that doesn’t change... It’s like holding on to a bar or a tree or something when you’re in the middle of a windstorm... You have to hang on to something that isn’t going to change... God is our rock... As things change around you, think of His faithfulness... Cling to Him because He is the One you can trust in the middle of the storm... The storm comes in older age with regard to pain... It comes with regard to the loss of friends or family members... The issues of age can be a great deterrent to faith, but faith can be a great deterrent to the issues of age...

3. Don’t Be Shaken in Your Faith (vv. 3–7). Maybe you’ve lost the dearest on earth to you... You’re living alone now and asking yourself, “Has God abandoned me? I’m worried about the kids because they don’t seem worried about me...” Suddenly, you find yourself shaken in your faith like an old shed tottering in the wind... Take time every day to be silent before the Lord and let Him minister to you... While you’re doing that, hold on to God... Cling to Him as you would cling to a rock wall in a storm... While you’re doing that, don’t be shaken in your faith... That’s difficult advice, but good advice... Confidence is always the antidote to the jitters... Where you’re shaken in your faith, confidence in God is the answer... Verse 7 says God is our salvation, glory, rock, and refuge.

4. Trust Him at All Times (v. 8). Learn to trust God in every issue you face... Some of the issues we face in aging are different and more difficult than the issues we faced when we were younger... But trust God at all times... We trust God when we have confidence in His character to do what He has promised to do... Learn to trust God regardless of what comes to your life...

5. Pour Out Your Heart to Him (v. 8). What does this mean? We have good examples in the stories of Hannah who poured out her burden in the tabernacle, and Hezekiah who spread out a threatening letter in the temple... It means being purposeful and passionate in prayer...

6. Don’t Let Money Ruin Your Old Age (v. 10). At verse 10, David changed the subject dramatically and began talking about money... Isn’t this an aging issue? Most people think it’s the lack of money that ruins their golden years, but David said, “If riches increase, do not set your heart on them” (see 1 Tim. 6:17ff).

7. Keep Working for Heavenly Rewards (v. 12). The last thing David has to say in Psalm 62 is, “Don’t let up on earning heavenly rewards just because you’re getting older.” Work doesn’t stop at retirement... There are still things I can do, and there is still work for me to do... As long as I’m alive and have breath, there is something I can contribute to the kingdom of God...There is no retirement in the real Christians life...

Conclusion: I have to make sure everything I do has eternal benefit or there’s no reason for me to do it... That’s why I think we start every day at the Judgment Seat and work backwards from there... God can be trusted when we’re eighty or ninety just as much as when we’re eight or nine or eighteen or nineteen... Those of us who walk with Him age gracefully as we prepare for our eternal reward...

To age gracefully doesn't mean that we want have pains in places that we never knew were there, but it means, we learn to trust God more each day as we get older as the pain of this world increases...

May God bless all who read these words with His Salvation...May He be your hiding place in time of storms, May He always be your defense in times of battles, and may His glory surround you and lead you to His Heavenly refuge...

rngffc

ACCEPTING YOUR VALUE...

ACCEPTING YOUR VALUE!! Matthew 10:29-31, (29) are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. (30) And even the hairs of your head are numbered. (31) So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Introduction: Jesus said that God is aware of everything that happens even to sparrows, and you and I are far more valuable to Him than they are... / We are so valuable that God sent His only Son to die for us... / Because God places such value on us, we need never fear personal threats or difficult trials... / These can’t shake God’s love or dislodge His Spirit from within us... / But this does not mean that God will take away all our troubles... / The real test of value is how well something holds up under the wear, tear, and abuse of everyday life... / Those who stand up for Christ in spite of their troubles truly have lasting value and will receive great rewards.

A) What God sees!!

1) God’s eyes are never shut... /He sees everything... /Everything that happens in the whole world, God sees... /He sees us when we are doing well... /He sees us when we are doing things we should not do... / He knows our every move. ../

His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me... / Praise God,

2) I know that there are most times consequences to pay when we do things that are against God’s will... /I also believe that God is not dwelling on our faults...

(Illustration: Father & Son, at football game...) / God sees our good moves... /God focuses on the things you’re doing (right now ...) He sees the best in you, because He knows what we are capable of... /You may not always control your temper as you know you should... /Or you may slip and say things you wish you hadn’t said... /Seek forgiveness from God and from anyone you may have offended, but don’t go around beating yourself up, living in condemnation... /As long as you are pressing forward, you can hold your head up high, knowing that you are a “work in progress” and God is in the process of changing you... /He’s looking at your good moves...

3) I’m not saying this to condone wrongdoing, but the truth is, we all have areas in which we need to improve... /We can’t become so focused on our faults that we cease to enjoy who God made us to be... /You’ve got to be happy with who you are right now and accept yourself, faults and all...

4) An important factor in seeing you God’s way is to understand your natural sense of value, whether you make the right moves or the wrong moves... /Too often we focus on our faults, weaknesses, past mistakes, and failures...

Rejection and other painful experiences steal our self-esteem and make us feel unwanted and insecure.

((LISTEN:))

5) Our sense of value cannot be based on our achievements, how well we perform, how somebody else treats us, or how popular or successful we are... /Our sense of value should be based solely on the fact that we are a child of the Most High God... /As His unique creation, we have something to offer this world that nobody else has, that nobody else can be...

6) It’s vital that you accept yourself and learn to be happy with who God made you to be... If you want to truly enjoy your life, you must be at peace with yourself... /Many people constantly feel badly about themselves, they are overly critical of themselves, living with all sorts of self-imposed guilt and condemnation... /No wonder they’re not happy; they have a war gong on inside, they’re not at peace with themselves... /And if you can’t get along with yourself, you will never get along with other people... /The place to start is by being happy with who God made you to be...

B) Learn to Be Happy with Whom God Made Us To Be:

Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

1) We may not be perfect—nobody is!! /Sure, we’ve got some flaws—all of us do!! /But to be truly free, we must have a healthy respect for ourselves in spite of those “Imperfections.”/

Some people are always putting themselves down. “I’m so slow.” “I’ll never break these bad habits.” /“I’m unattractive.” /“Look at my nose; what am I ever going to do with my hair?” (I have not figured out yet what happen to mine!!)

2) Don’t be so hard on yourself!! /Certainly, there may be some things in your life that your aren’t happy about; you may have some habits you need to break. /But remember, God is not finished with you. /He’s in the process of changing you. /(Sanctification)

3) The Scripture says we are God’s workmanship. /The word workmanship implies that you are not yet a finished product; you are a “work in progress.” / Throughout our lives, God is continually shaping and molding us into the people He wants us to be. / (We have to be a willing vessel...) /

One of the keys to future victory and peace is not to be discouraged about your past or present while you are in the process of being, “Completed.” (Boat Ill. Scrape, putty, paint etc.)

a) New Living Translation says, “For we are God’s masterpiece. /He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”

b) Define Masterpiece: 1) An outstanding work of art or craft. / 2) The greatest work as of an artist or “Creator.” /Now stop and think about that for a moment. / How valuable are we to God because we are His Masterpiece? /

c) He created us in His image. /He has plans for us. /Plans to give us hope and a future, plans for good and not calamity... /Plans that empower us to be a worker in His Kingdom work... / (The benefits from this job are out of this world.) /

He cares so much for us until He never stops working on us or in us to make us better... /He provides all we need... /Not all we want, but what He knows, we need.../He loves us so much until He provided payment for a price we could not pay, (the payment for our sin.) /

He provided His Son, Jesus to die on the cross, as payment for our sins. / Then, as we are growing into His image, He provides an Instructor or Guide to help us along the way when we start getting of course. (Holy Spirit)

4) The Bible indicates that we go from glory to glory as we are being transformed into God’s image.

2nd Corinthians 3:18, And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the LORDS glory, are being transformed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory, which come from the LORD, who is the Spirit.

5) Whether you realize it or not, right now God is moving you onward toward greater things... /The path of righteous gets brighter and brighter.

Proverbs 4:18, “The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”

6) When we work with God, each new day can become a new bright start... /When we walk in His righteousness, we shine like the first gleam of the early morning dawn... / As we trust Him and grow in Him, we become brighter and brighter... Jesus said, “You are the light of the world.”

7) When we are tempted to get discouraged, we need to remind ourselves that according to God’s Word, our future is getting brighter... /If we trust Him, we are always on our way to a new level of glory... /

8) Often it seems like we have a long way to go, but we need to look back at how far we have already come... /We may not be everything we want to be, but at least we can thank God that we are not what we used to be. ..

C) Our Value is Natural:

1) This value is not something we have earned; without a doubt, we cannot earn it... / God built value into us when He created us... / To God, we are His ultimate creations... / That means we can stop being obsessed about all of our faults... / Every person has some weakness... / Even the great men and women of the Bible made mistakes... / They all had shortcomings, but that didn’t stop God from loving them, blessing them, and using them to accomplish great deeds for Him... / Besides, we need to learn how to keep our flaws in perspective... / You may think there is a lot wrong with you, but there is also a lot right with you. (God sees our good moves)

2) The great news is that God knows everything about us, both good and bad, and He still loves us and values us unconditionally... / God does not always approve of our behavior... / He is not pleased when we go against His will, and when we do, we always suffer the consequences and have to work with Him to correct our thoughts, words, actions, or attitudes... / And while we should work to improve in the areas where we fall short, nothing we do will ever cause God to love us less…or more... /His love is a constant you can depend on...

3) Understand, your value in God’s eyes never changes... / Some people want us to think that the moment we do something wrong or get off course, God gets his big marker out, crosses our name off His list, And says, “I knew they couldn’t do it. I knew they didn’t have what it takes...”/No, God is a forgiving God.../He is a God of second chances... /

No matter how many times you fail him or how many mistakes you make, your value in God’s eyes, remain exactly the same. (God did a wonderful thing, he took all my sins away)

4) Imagine that I handed you a new, crisp $100.00 bill... /Would you want it? /Probably so! Suppose I crumbled it up so it wasn’t quite as good looking as it was the day it came from the mint.../ Would you still want it? /Sure! But wait, what if I took it out in the parking lot, through it on the ground, and stomped on it until the picture on the bill was barely perceptible... /It’s now dirty, stained and soiled... / Would you still want it?

5) Of course... / Why? / Because it is still valuable despite the rough treatment it has experienced... / $100.00 is $100.00.../ It doesn’t lose its value simply because it has aged, it is not as pretty as it once was, or has taken some bumps and bruises and life...

6) That’s the way God sees each one of us... / We all go through challenges and struggles... Sometimes we feel like that hundred dollar bill all crumbled and soiled... / But just as that hundred dollar bills still has a value, we do too! /In fact, we will never, ever lose our value... / Our value has been placed in us by the creator of the universe, and nobody can take it away from us... /

7) Don’t let other people, systems, or circumstances influence your estimation of your value... / You may have gone through some hard times, painful experiences in which somebody mistreated you, used you, or rejected you... / Maybe your husband or wife walked out on you and you went through a bitter divorce... / Maybe a good friend turned on you for no reason, and you now feel alone and worthless.../

Maybe you felt rejected as a child, and you are living with feelings of guilt and shame... / Perhaps you have even convinced yourself that the negative things that happened in your past are all your fault...

Maybe you feel that you deserve nothing but heartache, pain, guilt, and condemnation;
Listen, nothing could be farther from the truth.

D) God Knows Your Value:
Matthew 16:26, What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul!

Reading this verse tells me that the value of a mans soul is worth more than the whole world... /

1) I talking to a young man, who had suffered severe rejection as a child... / His parents constantly beat him down verbally, telling him that he was never going to make it in life: that he’d never amount to anything... /Day after day, those destructive words pounded into his thoughts and his subconscious mind, destroying his self image and his sense of value. /He told me later how he believed the root cause of this problem was the fact his parents had hoped for a baby girl... / They had told him they were greatly disappointed when he was born... /Seventeen years later he was still living with tremendous guilt and shame... /And for what? /Being born! /Sadly he was convinced that he was to blame for all the heartache in his family... / That he was the reason his parents were so unhappy; that he had done something wrong... / He felt his life was one horrible mistake...

2) He had been battered with the words of his parents for so long, until he began to believe what they said was the truth... / My advice to him was that we cannot allow our self-esteem and our sense of value to be determined by how other people treat us or what they say about us...

3) For this young man and for each of us,, we should always remember that God is our heavenly Father and accepts us even if everybody else in this world rejects us... / We are His special Masterpiece, we are part of Him and He is part of us...

4) I love what the psalmist said in Psalm 27:10, “Although my mother and father have rejected me, the Lord will take me in and adopt me as His very own child.” /

God will never reject you. / He always accepts you. /

Don’t allow the rejection of other people to cause you to reject yourself. / By the way, we are not what people say we are, we are what God says we are.

5) Maybe you live or work with somebody who is emotionally abusive, always putting you down and criticizing you, telling you what a terrible person you are... / Let that misinformation go in one ear and out the other... / Constantly remind yourself, that you are made in the image of Almighty God... / Remind yourself that He has crowned you with glory and honor, that you are God’s own masterpiece. / Don’t let other people play games with your mind, deceiving you into thinking that your value has diminished.

6) You may feel that your ambition has been dashed by the choices you have made or the choices imposed on you by others... / You may feel trapped in a rut, but there’s hope!! /

God wants to restore your sense of value... /

David wrote in Psalm 40: 2-3, “God has lifted me out of the horrible pit and He set my feet upon a rock and He put a new song in my mouth.” /

God truly wants to put a new song in your heart... / He wants to fill you with hope... / He wants you to know that He loves you more than you can imagine and He can turn your dashed dreams into something beautiful...

E) God determines Our Value and Our Future:

1) No matter what we think, God knows the real deal. / He knows just what we are worth... He knows just what He wants us to do... / Often, we have our own future planed out and we think we don’t need any help... /

The Bible tells us that God has plans for us... / Plans for hope and a future. / Plans to prosper us with everlasting life. / If we do our best to follow His will, we will be doing the things in life that He would have us do.

2) I Recently heard again, the timeless story, “The Tale of Three Trees.” / This fictitious children’s story relates the lofty ambition of on olive tree, on oak tree, and a pine tree... / Each of these trees had a great dream to become something special in life... /The olive tree had dreamed of becoming a finely crafted treasure chest... / It wanted to hold gold, silver and precious jewels... /

One day a woodsman chose the one olive tree, out of all the trees in the Forest, and cut it down... /The olive tree was so thrilled... /But as the craftsman began working on him, the tree realizes they weren’t making him into a beautiful treasure chest, they were making him into a manger, to whole food for dirty smelly animals.../ Heartbroken, his dreams were shattered... /He fell worthless and demeaned...

3) Similarity, the oak tree dreamed of becoming part of a huge ship that would carry important Kings across the ocean... / When the woodsman cut down the oak, he was so excited... / But as time went on, he realized the craftsmen weren’t making him into a huge ship... / They were making into a tiny fishing boat... /He was so discourage so disappointed...

4) The pine tree lived on top of a high mountain... / Its only dream was to always stand tall and remind people of God’s great creation... / But in a split second a bold of lighting sent in down onto the ground the destroyed its dreams... / The woodsman came and picked it up and carried it off to a scrap pile...

5) All three of these trees felt they had lost their value and they’re worth... / They were so discouraged, so disappointed... /Not one of their dreams had to come to pass... /But God had other plans for these trees... /

6) Many Years later, Mary and Joseph couldn’t find a place to give birth to their little baby boy... / They finally found a stable, and when Jesus was born they placed Him in a manger made from, you guessed it, the olive tree... / The olive tree had wanted to hold precious jewels, but God had better plans, it now held the greatest treasure of all time, the Son of God... /

7) A few years went by, and Jesus grew up... / One day He needed a boat to cross to the other side of the lake... / He didn’t choose a large, fancy ship; He chose a small, simple fishing boat make from the oak tree. .../ The oak tree wanted to carry important king across the ocean, but God had greater plans... / The oak tree now carried the King of Kings and The Lord of Lords..

8) A few more years went by, and one day some Roman soldiers were rummaging around in the pile of scrap wood where the discarded pine tree lay... / The pine tree just knew they were coming to cut it up for firewood... / But much to it surprise, they cut only two small pieces out and formed them into a cross... / And it was on this pine tree that Jesus was crucified.... / That tree is still pointing people to God’s love and God’s compassion to this very day... /

The Point of this classic story is clear: all three thought they had lost their value, that their stories were all over, yet they became internal parts of the greatest story ever told.

God knows your true value, he sees your potential... / You may not understand everything you are going through right now... /

But hold your head up high, knowing that God is in control and He has a great plan and purpose for your life... /

You’re dreams may not have turned out exactly like you hoped, but the Bible says the God’s ways are better and higher than our ways... /

Even when everybody else rejects you, remember, God stands before you with his arms are open wide... / Always sitting on the front porch with His arms open wide!!!!

He always accepts you just like you are... /

God sees your good moves... /

You are his prized possession... /

No matter what you go through in life, no matter how many disappointments you suffer, your value in God’s eyes always remains the same... /

You will always be the apple in His eye...

God will never give up on you, so don’t give up on your self...

Genesis 2: 15. “The LORD God took man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”


ACCEPTING YOUR VALUE: "For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God preordained before the creation of the world..."



Thanks.

Rev…Robert N. Graves. Sr.
Fisherman for Christ
July 14, 2008

HOW TO BECOME A WARRIOR LEADER!

First... We must know, beyond any doubt that we are at war 24/7…Satan wants to destroy you, your family, and all that you have…In other words; he wants to destroy your holiness…complete annihilation is his goal…

Satan wants to put to death all that you love…

Ephesians 6:12, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places…”

The word, “Wrestle,” used of hand to hand combat, emphasizes the personal and individual nature of spiritual warfare waged against each local church and Christians… “Flesh and blood,” refers to humanity…

Such is not the church’s adversary…Instead she opposes (rulers), (authorities), spiritual wickedness, (wicked spiritual beings) that is fallen angels, demons, and Lucifer himself…

Second... We must know there is only one thing that is perfect at converting the soul of man…

Psalm 19:7, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple…”

Have you broken the Ten Commandments? The Biblical definition of sin is transgression of the Law…

The four functions of God’s Law for humanity are,
1) Romans 3:19, says that it stops the sinners mouth from justifying itself, in other words the law will stop the sinner from justifying himself and saying, “There are plenty of people worse that I am…”

2) 3:20, the law makes the whole world realize that they are guilty…

3) brings the knowledge of sin… AND

4) Galatians 3: 24 says, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith…"

So the Law acts as a schoolmaster to bring us to Christ…
By comparing ourselves to the Law of the Lord, we will see & know that we are sinners, because we all have broken God’s law…Liar, thief, adultery in our heart because of lust…

Third.... We must understand that we are guilty and must pay the penalty imposed by the Righteous Judge…If we do not realize and admit our guilt in breaking God’s law, “Then the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us, which are being saved it is the power of God…"

James 2:10 says this, “For whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all…”

God’s standard of acceptance is perfection…

Fourth... We must know that God will not forgive us, just on the basis of our repentance alone or even on just having a contrite spirit…
But if someone pays your fine, then God will forgive you on the basis that your fine has been paid…

2000 years ago, Jesus Christ paid the price for the sins of the whole world…

The Bible says "He was bruised for our iniquities…" God made Him who knew no sin, to be sin for us…Jesus Christ took the punishment-

--John the Baptist said of Jesus…”Behold, The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world…”

Jesus Christ has paid our fine and rose from the dead…He defeated death—and if you will repent and trust in Him by faith, God will forgive your sins and grant you ever lasting life on the basis that Jesus Christ paid your fine by taking your punishment…

Every thing has already been done to secure your salvation…the rest is up to you as an individual…today is the day of salvation…To become a real Christian is to become a Warrior Leader for Christ…

Hells best kept secret is that we have plenty of time…
We don’t have plenty of time, time is running out…
I would venture to say, that someone here today is saying to himself, there is no hurry, I have plenty of time…150,000 people die each day…sooner or later our number will come up…

There is only one way to pay the fine imposed on each of us for our sin…

The Way is Jesus…because He is the Way the Truth…and the Life… No one comes to the Father but by Jesus~!!!

Rev...Robert N. Graves, Sr.

DEATH CHECK

I recently read an article about a pastor who had been diagnosed with terminal cancer…The doctors had told him that his time was very limited and to get his house in order…

Now I realize that many times when human doctors give out such a theory as this, they are basing it on human knowledge… which is not always wrong, but what does the Holy Doctor say…He says, “walk by faith…not by sight…”

Now I know it is hard to walk by faith when you have been told you are dying and it want be long and your life here on earth will be over…

This man in this story did what I guess many of us would do, he started to do a self check of his life…I know I would do this if someone had told me my life could be over soon…But listen to this, each one of us, has no guarantee of tomorrow…Shucks, for that matter we don’t even have a guarantee that we will make it through this day, this hour, or this minute… …

These “death check,” questions are very serious questions, but I want to say that they should not just be questions that we ask when we have been given a death date…Listen, we all have a death date and a person does not need to have terminal cancer to keep that appointment with the death doctor…

Here are the questions that we should ask ourselves, not just in bad times but each day…each minute…each second…

1) Am I really dead to self and alive to Christ?
2) Can I really say that to live is Christ, and to die is gain?
3) What difference has my life made?
4) Has my life really mattered?
5) What will they say about me when I am dead and gone?
6) What will my wife think?
7) Will I have made a difference in the lives of my family, especially my children?
8) Do I spend too much time doing things that are not important?
9) What is really important?
10) Did my life really make any difference at all?
11) Am I really trying to help others more that my self?

I believe the most important question that we should ask is this…What will God say about me? (Matt. 7: 21-23).

Right now God already knows the answer to all of these question…But if your are able to read this or hear it, then you still have a chance to make adjustments in your life and actions…You have the privilege of serving a God who is a Father of second chances…Actually He is the God on many chances…

Do you need another chance? If so, now is the time to make the adjustments that are necessary…As for me, I have already started looking at myself and doing my best to bring my life into line with the will of God…If we each will do this, “seek God’s will for our lives,” the answer to all the questions of life will start to come into focus…It is not always easy, but if we walk by faith we will always be able to get a “life enhancing Prognosis” from the only Doctor that matters…

Oh, by the way, the Pastor who was given a death date, has been healed by the power of God…He is still preaching, still teaching and still, like the rest of us, has a death date only know by the giver of life Himself…God Almighty…