"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Genesis 1:1

     The basic premise of the Bible is that God created the universe and everything in it. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." (Genesis 1:1) In addition to speaking the whole world into existence God also divided things, "God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night." (Genesis 1:3,4) God created the world, then He defined it, and in doing that He established basic laws. We call creation, and the laws God established "nature." What we see around us, what we experience is what God has made. When He created man, God made distinctions "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." (Genesis 1:27) God say's in the Bibles that there is a natural use, a purpose that is given to man and woman. 

     In Romans chapter one Paul speaks about two sins of definition in the context of creation; idolatry, and homosexuality. "Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man--and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things…  Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men…" 

    Idolatry is the sin of defining God as something He is not. Homosexuality is the sin of defining man as something he is not. The basis for Paul's two pronged attack on idolatry, and Homosexuality in Romans one is based on the creation account of Genesis 1:26, 27  "Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
  
 Often times the revulsion we feel towards the act of homosexuality drives our response to homosexuality. But rather then judge another person we should be turning them to God and teaching them that God made them, and so they need to look to God for their identity. The first sin at it's root was all about self definition. Adam and Eve sought to define themselves apart from God's clear law forbidding them to eat of the tree of "the tree of the knowledge of good and evil" (Genesis 2:16, 17) Today, at it's root the sin of homosexuality is the sin of self definition.  

  The consequences of sin are hard, accordingly pity and sadness should be emotions we feel much more strongly for homosexuals then revulsion. As followers of Christ we should seek to manifest for them that which according to Romans 1:31 they do not have; "love," "forgiveness," and "mercy."

   

"For as the heavens are high above the earth, So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;" Psalms 103:11

The fundamental truth of this verse is this: The distance that separates the Heavens from the earth is boundless, and so is God's mercy. 
The concept of comparing the Heavens high above the earth, and the character of God is not foreign to the Scriptures. 

"Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon." Isaiah 55:7
Why will He "abundantly pardon?"
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8

The things God does man will never be able to fathom. 
Gods ability to forgive is immeasurable in comparison to ours. 

 "As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him." Psalms 103:13
God's concern for us is a parental concern.

"For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes." Psalms 103:14 
God understands us in all of our sinfulness, and still forgives us. 

The point is this;
The more we look at ourselves the more dissatisfied we become.
But when God looks at us, He understands everything completely, and says "I still forgive you."  
That's the kind of God we have. We may not understand it, but we can still be thankful for it. 

God's forgiveness is rooted in His character, not His plan. God has a plan, and forgiveness is part of that plan for believers, but forgiveness does not come from the plan, it comes from God's character. The purpose of God's plan is to teach us His character.

The Power of Unanswered Prayer

Much of what we learn about prayer from mainstream Christianity today deals with Power. The word "Power" is code for being a "successful" person, getting what you want, and claiming a life for yourself. 

We forget our Lord Jesus Christ's most fervent and genuine prayer, was not answered. 

    Matthew  26: 39-44 "He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done." And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy. So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words." 
   
    Mark 14:36  "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me."

    Luke 22:41,42  "He withdrew about a stone's throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 'Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.'"


    Hebrews 5:1-9  "For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness. Because of this he is required as for the people, so also for himself, to offer sacrifices for sins. And no man takes this honor to himself, but he who is called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but it was He who said to Him: "You are My Son, Today I have begotten You." As He also says in another place: "You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek"; who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him," 

1.) Christ can Identify with us, He Himself had a need, a strong desire (not experience death, and separation from God.) Christ's need was genuine, and what He was asking for was good. He knew God  had the power to meet His need, and could meet His need, (Mark 14:36 "Abba, Father," he said, "everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me.") Through all of this Christ never staked His belief that God was good on God's answering of His prayer. (Luke 22:42  "take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.'")

2.)  Even though God did not grant Jesus His desire He heard Him.  Hebrews 5:7 "...and was heard because of His godly fear..." It's important we know God hears us. Christ was not heard because He was praying fervently, or because of the number of prayers, but "...because of His godly fear..." If you fear God, God will hear your prayer, but that does not mean He will give you what you ask. 

3.) God put's limits on us, so that we learn He is God, and we are not. This is how we learn Obedience. Obedience is expressed when we put ourselves under some one else's will, not ours. He is God, and we are not. Prayer should bring us to this realization.  Hebrews 5:8,9  "though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered." 

4.) God is less concerned with our want and desires, as He is with our learning to be a obedient child of God. Hebrews 5:9 "And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,"

5.) God used an Act of obedience to complete Christ's work on this earth. Our salvation was completed because of an unanswered prayer between two members of the Godhead. The point of prayer is for God to get what He wants, not to give us what we want. Hebrews 5:9 "And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him," 

6.) Our savior can understand our desires when we ask for something that we do not have, because He has been there Himself. This should draw us closer to our Savior in prayer. Hebrews 5:1,2  "For every high priest taken from among men is appointed for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. He can have compassion on those who are ignorant and going astray, since he himself is also subject to weakness."

This week I would like to talk about prayer from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 "rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks..."

Paul wants his readers to pause after the statement "rejoice always", and ask: "How do I 'rejoice always?' 

Paul's answer to this question is by "praying without ceasing." 

1.) There is great joy in spending time in prayer with God:

Psalm 16 11 "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Psalm 43:4 "Then will I go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God."

Psalm 21: 6 "Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence." 

2.) Praying leads to Rejoicing and Rejoicing leads to Thankfulness. 

"pray without ceasing" leads to "rejoicing always" which leads to "in everything giving thanks..."


3.) God loves to see Gratitude, because when you are grateful, you are expressing joy with what He gave you. 

 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

Gratitude is pleasurable to God, and stirs Him to shower you with more joy. God wants us to enjoy what he gives us, because it gives Him pleasure to see us enjoying His gifts, just as it gives a father pleasure to see his children enjoying the gifts he gives them. 

Luke 11:13 "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" 

As our church moves to become more intentional about meeting together for the purpose of prayer a lot of exciting possibilities are opening up. I was thinking about starting an online discussion on the topic of prayer, and possibly posting some videos answering questions, and bringing up some points for discussion during the week.

This week we talked about prayer from Luke 11. 

Luke 11:1-3 "Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples."  So He said to them, "When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.  Give us day by day our daily bread." 

I made 2 simple points. 

1. Jesus teaches His first desire in prayer is that God should be lifted up.  

 "Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come.Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven"

All of our affections, our desires should be for God's glory above all other things.

2. Jesus teaches us that Gods desire is to give us good gifts.

 "Give us day by day our daily bread...For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish?  Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?  If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" 

Our faith (our confidence in God's promises) should push us on to boldly approach God, and ask him to work powerfully in our lives. 


Hebrews 4:16 "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Ecclesiastes

The Book of Ecclesiastes outlines the futility of life "under the sun." Truly man's life is brief and seemingly meaningless according to the author.

For more please listen to the Audio "Ecclesiastes" listed under "Audio."

Oh, God You are my God. (ps.63)

Psalm 63
Authorship/Date: This Psalm was written by David during his son Absalom's short lived rebellion (2 Sam 15.)
Context: Psalm 61, 62, and 63 bear a common theme of closeness, and fellowship with the Lord.
Structure:
A. David's desire for God (v.1)
B. David assurance of God's power over Him (vv.2-3)
C. David praises the Lord (vv.4-5)
A.David's desire for the Lord (vv.6-8)
B. David's assurance of God's power over his oppressors (vv.9-10)
C. David praises the Lord (v. 11)
Details: David set's his affections on the Lord in the midst of trials. His confidence in God's power strengthens and refreshes him. We must learn to do the same.

For more, or to listen to the rest click on the link to the right under "sermons."