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Sunday, August 16, 2020

Taking the high road

 










This morning we are at a new RV park. I'm sitting outside, before it gets too hot, with my coffee, thinking about you all. 

You know, this year has been a struggle for many of us.  For some the struggle has been similar to that of others. For others, our struggle has been unique. 

Our struggle can have either a bad or a good outcome. We choose which direction we will go. 

Hitler was an unknown wallpaper hanger in Austria. He struggled against his personal demons. He wrote his book "Mein Kampf" meaning "my struggle". 

This manifesto detailed his racist vision for a racially pure Aryan Third Reich. His demons led him down a road of atrocities,  terror and attempted genocide. 

He made a choice to give in to his struggle with his demons, while he could have chosen the overcomers path, been freed from his demons, and become a force for good. 

We each struggle against our own issues. We choose. 

Will we give in to our struggle? Or will we choose the high road, the righteous path? As overcomers. The choice is ours.

Sunday, July 26, 2020

Worship 7.26.2020 - Hope for Today and Forever!
















WORSHIP SERVICE - July 26, 2020

Relax, listen and worship with us today!





Be Thou my Vision  -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Optrm7lF16s  

Let it Rain/Healing Rain  -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccoIvchSJB0  

Shout to the Lord  -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tk5yLJbQCbI  




Hope for Today and Forever!

July 26, 2020

Psalm 38:15


INTRODUCTION


Susanville is a small but important town in the northeast of California. Dianne and I lived there ten years, as pastors and prison chaplain. It breaks our heart that the Hogg wildfire is threatening the safety of our friends, and the town as a whole.


At the same time, the coronavirus is hitting the local prisons, and from there, is spreading into the community. People are scared of what is happening.


It is a tough time for Susanville. 


But it is a hard time for much of the country as well! People are angry because of centuries of racial injustice, anxious about the possibility of contracting a tiny but deadly virus, worried about financial survival, depression is on the rise, suicides are up, and people are in pain! 


Is there hope for the future?


Today we are going to see that there is indeed!  There is hope!


BODY


First of all, what do we mean by hope?


Faith and hope are closely aligned. Perhaps we could say that hope is a longing for something or some event. And that faith adds substance to that longing in the form of confidence that the anticipated event will definitely occur.


"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1


"Hope deferred makes the heart sick: but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." - Proverbs 13:12


There are three forms of hope that can change our entire perspective on what is going on around us.


Hope for positive change


God is in the restoration business. 


God's intention for us is that we experience good! Jesus tells us, "The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." - John 10:10


When Jesus started his ministry he quoted from Isaiah to outline his mission, his manifesto: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach the gospel (good news) to the poor; he has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,  to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty  them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." - Luke 4:18-19


Jesus's ministry was characterized by preaching the good news of the kingdom of God, that a new day was dawning, and that those who believed could experience change, even in this life. 


He brought healing to the broken hearted, those enduring suffering and mental anguish, those going through grief and depression, anxiety and emotional pain.


He preached deliverance to the captives, those in held in chains of suffering by the enemy, Satan. He commanded demons to leave, he declared freedom in people's lives, he broke the powers of darkness over suffering individuals.


Jesus preached or decreed recovery of sight to the blind. He did not just heal blind people, but all manner of sicknesses (Matthew 4:23). Sickness was not God's intention for his creation, it came as a result of the Fall. When people turn to him, he offers healing in the physical realm. 


"Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up …" - James 5:14-15


He sets at liberty those that are bruised.  People with emotional wounds need healing. We have a nation of walking wounded. People who have been betrayed, abused, taken advantage of. People who have seen things no human was meant to see. People who have witnessed the atrocities of war. The pain of seeing a loved one die of cancer, an inch at a time. The pain of being violated as children. The trauma of witnessing death and suffering in our hospital wards and on the roads, and as a first responder, the horror of finding charred bodies in the wake of a wildfire. Jesus says he provides healing for the bruised among us.


And he says he never changes.  He healed in the past, he heals today (Malachi 3:6, Hebrews 13:8)


Hope for life after death


Many of us have experienced the pain of loss of a loved one. It leaves an indelible mark on us, as we experience walking alone where our journey has heretofore been shared.  This pain can feel overwhelming, like a part of you has been ripped out, like a cloud of painful darkness all around us.


Yes, we have lost the most precious person in our life. They have gone, and we must now find our way to continue our journey. But we have hope that we will see them again.  Here are some verses.


"If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change comes." - Job 14:14


"But i would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, like others which have no hope. … For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel,  and with the trumpet of God: and the dead in Christian shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds,  to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:13, 16-18


There is hope for life after death, we will be reunited with our loved ones!


There is another hope we have as well, if we are honest with ourselves.


Hope for relationship


"As Vice President, George Bush represented the U.S. at the funeral of former Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. Bush was deeply moved by a silent protest carried out by Brezhnev's widow. She stood motionless by the coffin until seconds before it was closed. Then, just as the soldiers touched the lid, Brezhnev's wife performed an act of great courage and hope, a gesture that must surely rank as one of the most profound acts of civil disobedience ever committed: She reached down and made the sign of the cross on her husband's chest. 


"There in the citadel of secular, atheistic power, the wife of the man who had run it all hoped that her husband was wrong. She hoped that there was another life, and that that life was best represented by Jesus who died on the cross, and that the same Jesus might yet have mercy on her husband." - Gary Thomas, in Christianity Today, October 3, 1994, p. 26.


There is an emptiness in the human soul.  Man was created with a deep inner need for God.  We have attempted to satisfy this hunger with toys, with drugs, with sexual addiction, with money with power and control.  


Unfortunately, each of these is only a pale, anemic, temporary substitute for the one thing that will truly satisfy our need. What we need is a dynamic relationship with our Creator, resulting in peace, knowing we are right with him.


How can we insignificant people even dare to seek such an audacious relationship?


That relationship has already been initiated by our Creator!  John tells us, "We love him, because he first loved us" - 1 John 4:19.  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." - John 3:16


God invites us into a no holds barred relationship!  He adopts us as his children (Romans 8:15, 1 John 3:1-2), with all the selfless love that goes along with that!  He sent Jesus to die, to remove the barrier of sin between him and us.  Wow! And he stands ready to welcome us (Luke 15:20). Through Jesus, we have hope for relationship with our Creator.


So how do we reciprocate?  It comes down to this: we surrender our life to him. Without him, we are empty.  But when he comes, he imparts fresh life!


Thank Jesus for making this relationship possible. Ask him to forgive your sins. Ask him to be your personal Lord and Savior. Determine to follow him, the rest of your life!


"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." - 1 John 1:9


Jesus tells you, "... Him that comes to me I will in no wise cast out." - John 6:37


"Come unto me, all year that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28


"Lord, I come to you and I surrender my life to you. Please forgive me for all my sins.  Thank you for dying on a cross, paying the price on my behalf. I welcome you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus name,  amen."


If you just prayed this prayer from your heart, you now have a relationship with your Creator! You now have hope for the future, a hope that carries you through all the good times and bad times, knowing that there are better times ahead, in this life, and in the eternity beyond.


Walking the journey with you. Have a blessed day!


Pastor Gerry


PS: If you have any comments to make on this service, or if you made a decision for Jesus today, please feel free to write to us at healingshepherd@yahoo.com. If you have anything you would like us to pray for, please email us. We commit to bring your requests before the Lord who loves you, more than you can imagine! Love you!


Way Maker  -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26jEkcGtFlM  


Tuesday, July 21, 2020

Focus, focus, focus!


It was way back in my teens.


My family had moved areas, and consequently I had to change schools.  The school I was leaving was behind on teaching the state curriculum, while the school I was now attending was ahead.  This left a considerable gap in curriculum that I had not been taught.  The consequence of this was that my grades plummeted.


What could I do to turn this situation around?


I realized this was going to take hard work.  I had to double down on the subjects in which I was behind, and study curriculum on my own.


In short, I had to focus.


God knows we need to focus.


Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”


Hebrews 12:1-2 “... let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …”


Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (wealth).”


So, what is the focus of my life?


Is the focus of my activities, God and obedience to him? Or is my focus on the cares of this world?


God says, if I center my life on him, he will take care of my needs.  God has the power to provide for his children, and what father would withhold provision from his family (Matthew 7:9-11)?


We are in an unfamiliar world right now.  The covid pandemic has turned our lives upside down.  Some of us may have contracted the virus.  Others may have family who are suffering.  We may have lost our employment.  We may be wondering about how to make ends meet.  We may be anxious.


But God says, don’t be anxious about tomorrow.  Because he is in control.  He knows our needs, and he loves his own.


Does this mean we don't need to work and take care of our families?


No, Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 5:8, if we do not take care of our family, we have denied the faith and are worse than an infidel.  So there is a balance we need to achieve in this.


However, our overwhelming focus needs to be on spiritual things, our relationship with God, not on things of this life (Colossians 3:14). Ultimately, that relationship is the treasure we seek, not physical riches.


God will take care of us.


Not just in this life, but for all eternity.  


He has prepared a place in heaven for each of his own. Nothing can happen to us that God has not allowed for or prepared for (John 14:1-3).  His purpose for our life will be fulfilled.  There is no need to fear.


Our part is to keep our focus on him.  And he will take care of us.

Sunday, June 21, 2020

Would you like a do-over?

Have you ever wished you could have a do-over?

Life throws us curve balls, things happen, and we are not satisfied, either with ourself or our circumstances.  Looking back, we may wish we could have grown up in a different place, a different family, perhaps more affluence, better school, etc.  

Of course wishing will never make anything happen.  It is good to review occasionally, even regularly, with a view to managing the path of our future.  If we want to change our future, action will be required.

Let's explore this a little.

What things do we wish had been different?  Here are some ideas:
  • Perhaps home was not a happy place.  We wish we grew up in a different family.
  • Perhaps we grew up in poverty.
  • Maybe school was a bad experience - I'm thing of deeper stuff here than whether or not we liked the classes we took.
  • Maybe we did things, or made choices in the past, that we wish we could change
  • Those words we said to our wife, husband, son or daughter.  We wish we could somehow take them back.
We cannot undo what happened in the past.  

That thing I said twenty years ago, has happened.  I cannot change this fact.  It is indelibly recorded in history.  The choices I made in my history have ongoing repercussions in my present and future.  I would like to keep the good things of my past, but somehow erase the negative things.

You know, such an erasing is possible.  In fact it is offered to each of us.

No matter what the things we have done or said, Jesus stands ready to forgive us.  

"Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow" Isaiah 1:18.  
"You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea" Micah 7:19.
"Purge me with hyssop (soap), and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" Psalm 51:7
"As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us" Psalm 103:12
"Repent (turn from your sin) ye therefore, and be converted (changed), that your sins may be blotted out" Acts 3:19

Our sins can be blotted out, because Jesus paid the price for us.  Why don't you pray the following prayer with us?

"Lord Jesus, thank you for dying on a cross for me, so that my sins could be forgiven.  Would you please forgive and blot out my sins.  I welcome you into my life as my Savior and Lord.  In Jesus name, Amen."

When we take this step, Jesus starts to transform our life, giving us purpose and a future, both in this life and the life to come.  Amazing!

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

Our besetting sin?

"Leaving behind the sin that so easily besets us" (Hebrews 12:1)

Do you have a sin that so easily besets you? A sin that you fall into time and time again? Is it time to lay down that weight and hindrance in your walk with God?

King David had such a besetting sin. That sin was lust. In 2nd Samuel 11 and 12, we are told about an incident in David's life when he caved in to the sin of lust. It is the story of David's adultery with Bathsheba, and the sins committed in attempting to cover it up, deception, betrayal, murder.

Many of us have a problem with lust. Here are some startling statistics about pornography:


  • 25% of search engine requests are related to sex
  • 35% of downloads from the internet are pornographic
  • 40 million Americans say they regularly visit porn sites
  • 70% of men aged 18 to 24 visit a porn site at least once per month
  • The largest consumer group of online porn is men between the ages of 35 and 49
  • One-third of all internet porn users are women
  • Sunday is the most popular day of the week for viewing porn (https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/process-addiction/porn-addiction/related/pornography-statistics/#gref)
  • 55% of married men say they watch porn at least once a month, compared to 70% of not married men. 
  • The following percentages of men say they view pornography at least several times a week:
  • 18-30-year-olds, 63%
  • 31-49-year-olds, 38%
  • 50-68-year-olds, 25% (http://www.provenmen.org/2014pornsurvey/)

David's incident with Bathsheba was not isolated. It was the culmination of years of sexual self-gratification. David's first wife was Michal. Then he married Abigail, then Ahinoam. Then followed Maacah, Haggith, Abital, Eglah (2 Samuel 3:2-5). This was while David still lived in Hebron, during his first seven and a half years as king over Judah (2 Samuel 2:11). He took even more women as wives and concubines when he reigned from Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:13). David was never satisfied sexually. David had a problem with lust.

Gods intention for us is that a man would have only one wife, to whom we would cleave and have a faithful close relationship, until death do us part (Genesis 2:24, Malachi 2:14-16, Matthew 19:5, Ephesians 5:31-33, 1 Timothy 3:2, 12, 1 Timothy 5:9, Titus 1:6).  When we disregard this, like David did, it has repercussions.  

This is why it is so important that we confess our sin, and repent to God for having broken God's marriage laws, and damaged our relationships till it has become the norm to divorce and remarry.  This is not God's way. His way is the way of repentance and reconciliation, not abandonment.

"Lord, please forgive us for being unfaithful to the wife of our youth, and for having indulged in sexual addiction.  Please forgive us and cleanse our minds and hearts. In Jesus name. Amen."

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Worship With Us! - May 3, 2020

Good morning everyone!  The weather is great, and we have a chance to worship together, on our laptop, phone, tablet or TV!

Join with us as we worship the God who is totally in control of this planet,  including out of control viruses!


Let it Rain - Michael W Smith - 

Do it Again - Elevation - 

What a Beautiful Name/Break Every Chain - Hillsong Worship - 


MESSAGE

Title:          Dealing with my anger
Scripture: Ephesians 4:26
Date:          May 3, 2020

INTRODUCTION
  • "A father of three won a shouting contest with a roar louder than a passing train. "If you want a war, you go!" Yoshihiko Kato shouted. The sound meter registered 115.8 decibels, louder than the racket of a train passing overhead on an elevated railroad. For that winning shout, Kato won the $750 grand prize of the 10th annual Halls Year-End Loud Voice Contest. Kato admitted that he probably built up his loud voice shouting at his children."  (Resource, Jan/Feb 1991)
  • How many of us can echo this story?  
  • How many of us have a problem with anger?
  • Statistics don't lie.  "Asked about their feelings the previous day, the majority of Americans (55%) in 2018 said they had experienced stress during a lot of the day, nearly half (45%) said they felt worried a lot and more than one in five (22%) said they felt anger a lot." (https://news.gallup.com/poll/249098/americans-stress-worry-anger-intensified-2018.aspx
  • These statistics indicate anger is a stated problem to over one in five Americans. Let  alone those who were not willing to admit to the issue.  Another statistic says that around one in three people knows someone who has an anger problem 
  • This morning we are going to examine the problem of anger 
WHAT IS ANGER?
  • Anger is a normal and natural emotion which can be triggered in different ways.
  • "Common roots of anger include fear, pain and frustration.  For example, some people become angry as a fearful reaction to uncertainty, to fear of losing a job, or to fear of failure. Others become angry when they are hurt in relationships or are caused pain by close friends"(http://www.markmerrill.com/3-ways-to-get-to-the-root-of-anger 
  • Anger itself is not a sin. It is how we express that emotion that could be sinful.
  • "Be ye angry and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil." (Ephesians 4:26)
  • We can choose to ignore the emotion anger.  But if we do this, it stays there, pent up inside.  
  • "Whenever we ignore or bury an emotion, it is buried alive. At some time and in some way, that ignored or buried emotion will express itself – physically, psychologically, or spiritually.” (http://www.markmerrill.com/3-ways-to-get-to-the-root-of-anger/)
  • Situations continue, more anger is triggered, till the pent up emotion explodes like a volcano, hurting ourselves and the people around us.  That is not God's way to deal with anger. God is a God of love, uncontrolled anger is selfish.
SO HOW CAN WE DEAL WITH ANGER?
  • Reacting angrily results in hurt feelings, pain and damaged relationships. 
  • This is not the way God would have us respond to others
  • God's way will be one that is based in love for the other person. 
  • The initial emotion of anger, however, is usually a defense against 1) the object of our fear, 2) the source of our pain, or 3) the reason for our frustration. It is not motivated by love for the other.
  • So how can we deal with these triggers?
  • 1. Replace fear with love
  • "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18)
  • When we are afraid of someone, our thoughts are centered on ourselves and how we feel. Fear is selfish. We may think the fear is justified, but ultimately it is all about me.
  • God's love on the other hand is outgoing, totally selfless. 
  • John here tells us if we truly love the other person we will not be afraid of them. "He that fears is not made perfect in love"(1 John 4:18)
  • So, learn to love the other. See them the way God sees them. See them as a brother, not an adversary.
  • 2. Forgive and let go of the source of our pain
  • There is so much hurt and pain. 
  • Many of us experienced the pain of abuse while growing up. 
  • This pain led to us building walls to prevent that pain happening again.  Our anger is a way we protect ourselves.
  • But ultimately, that anger hurts us more than the other person. It robs us of inner peace, it robs us of relationships that could have been, and it robs us of our health.
  • Gods way for us to deal with the pain, is to forgive the one who hurt us, and then let that debt go. (Matthew 6:12, 5:43-45, 18:21-35)
  • This then enables us to move on with our life. We no longer need to be angry at that person.
  • 3. Recognize others are answerable to God, not us.
  • Frustration with others usually comes from us expecting them to see things the same way we do.
  • This however is unreasonable. 
  • Each person has their own family background,  their own set of experiences, which created their own perspectives and frame of thinking.
  • We can't expect them to see everything the way we do.
  • Ultimately, they are answerable to God, not us.
  • "Who are you that judges another man's servant? to his own master he stands or falls." (Roman's 14:4)
HOW CAN I MANAGE ANGER?
  • "Abraham Lincoln's secretary of war,  Edwin Stanton, was angered by an army officer who accused him of favoritism.  Stanton complained to Lincoln, who suggested that Stanton write the officer a sharp letter.  Stanton did so, and showed the strongly worded missive to the president.  "What are you going to do with it?" Lincoln inquired.  Surprised, Stanton replied, "Send it." Lincoln shook his head. "You dont want to send that letter," he said. "Put it in the stove. That's what I do when I have written a letter while I am angry. It's a good letter and you had a good time writing it and feel better. Now burn it, sand write another." (Today in the Word, February 1991, p. 9.)
  • Another way you can manage anger is to delay your reaction. You can do this by taking a walk, do some gardening, watch a movie. Just dont respond in the heat of the moment.
  • Another way is to sit down and list the other person's good qualities and actions, so you see them in perspective
  • Finally, think about long term consequences.  Do you really want to risk destroying a relationship? 
CONCLUSION
  • Each of us is able to control our anger
  • We are able to manage our tongue and respond to other people around us with love and consideration. 
  • We are able to deal with people Gods way. 
  • We may feel this is asking too much. 
  • God says "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:27)
  • You can do this! Be encouraged!
PRAYER
  • "Lord, please help me as I face my anger and learn to react to it in the way you would. Thank you that all things are possible with you. In Jesus name, amen."

Monday, April 27, 2020

God's love inside us - Matthew 14:14

Matt 14:14 "Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick."

If we want to be used by God to do mighty things, it has to start inside us. The impetus to heal starts with compassion inside, empathy for people in their hurt and pain. This is not something you can "fake it till you make it". It comes from the inside out.

God is love (1). When we surrender to Jesus, he comes to live inside us (2), and our spirit is transformed to be like his. We are encouraged to have the same thought motivation that Jesus had (3). The sacrificial love that led him to leave heaven, become a person like us, and ultimately pay the supreme price for our total healing in spirit, soul and body (4).

How do we get that love? It is something that God shares when he makes his home in us (5).  It is the primary fruit of having the Holy Spirit dwelling inside (6). So this evidence of God's presence should be evident in the Christian life.

Now, maybe we have truly received Jesus into our life, and yet do not feel that compassion for the hurting.  How could this be?

We are a product of our heredity and our past.  Many of us have experienced emotional hurt and pain, and as a consequence built up protective walls to stop us being hurt in the future. These are not literal walls, but thought patterns in our mind. At some point we learned to shut off emotion and feeling, as a protection. As we progress through life we now find difficulty feeling and expressing emotion. 

If we are to be God's hands and feet, we need to feel his love for this hurting world (7).  This inability to feel compassion for others needs healing, if we are to move forward in God's purpose for us. How?

Jesus paid the price so we may be healed. Both physically and emotionally. 

Just as forgiveness for sin requires confession and repentance, healing of our emotions also requires confession that we have a problem, and a determination to live differently, allowing God's love to shine through.

We may need pastoral counseling to work through this.  We may feel ashamed that we, as a Christian, need help with something seemingly so basic. Please know there is no shame in changing to be more like Christ.  But it may require taking a step, reaching out for help. Feel free to contact us if you need this.  

--------------------
NOTES
1. 1 John 4:8
2. John 14:17, 23
3. Philippians 2:5
4. Philippians 2:5-8
5. Colossians 1:27
6. Galatians 5:22-23
7. 1 John 4:10-11, 20-21

Sunday, April 26, 2020

Worship Service - April 26, 2020

Welcome to the Freedom Fellowship online worship service!

"Lord, as we come together online this morning, would you please touch our hearts and help us receive all you have for us at this time!  Encourage us with your word.  In Jesus name, Amen."

WORSHIP

Please click on the following worship video links, and worship with us!



Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) -

Our God -

Do It Again -




MESSAGE

Title:     Our Heroes!
Text:     Hebrews 11
Date:     April 26, 2020

INTRODUCTION

When I was growing up, I used to devour the Sunday comic section of the newspaper!  There were all kinds of goodies there, like crossword puzzles, fun jokes (at my level!), problems to solve, tests of my observation skills.  What I especially enjoyed, was the comics, especially Prince Valiant.  I would look forward to each weeks new installment of Prince Valiant's adventures!  He was my hero!

There is something inside each of us that wants heroes.  We want someone to look up to, someone to copy, a role model for us.  As we grow older, our need for comic book heroes goes away, and yet there remains a hunger for people to look up to, role models to show us the way.


Today we are going to take a look at some of the qualities of heroes of the faith!

HEROIC SUPERPOWERS

Hebrews 11 gives a short list of some of the heroes of the faith, people like you and me!  These were flesh and blood people.  They did not have the super powers of our comic book heroes.  But they had other much greater qualities, which became evident in the fires of trial and persecution.

They had the quality of courage

Moses grew up as a prince in Pharaoh's court, was exiled for killing an Egyptian.  Forty years later, God calls Moses to go back to the place of his humiliation.  He returned not to wallow in self-pity, but to courageously stand up to Pharaoh, and lead the Israelites to freedom!  This took incredible courage!  And Moses won a place in the Hebrews 11 Hall of Fame. (1)

Daniel was captured by the Babylonians, while still a young man.  God works in his life, gives him opportunities, and then starts to speak to him in his dreams.  Daniel has to stand up and courageously speak the prophetic dreams, which then come to pass.  In doing this he makes enemies.  These opponents try to engineer his death.  Daniel is faced with a choice, continue his walk with God, or be thrown to the lions.  Courageously, he makes his choice, and is hurled into the lion pit.  That took courage! (2)

Many others are mentioned:  "And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated— the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground." (3)  

They were men and women of courage.

They had the quality of faith

This courage was not a quality they necessarily grew up with.  It may not have been a courage born of training and development.  This courage come from their faith!

This chapter, Hebrews 11 is known as the Faith Chapter.  This is because each of these heroic examples is introduced by the words "By faith [name] [what we remember them for]."  These are heroes of faith!  This is the source of their courage!

What is this faith?  This chapter explains that "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen" (4). 

This faith comes from not believing only in the physical or tangible, but also believing that things promised will happen, that the spirit is just as real as the physical.


We look at the circumstances around us and we may be fearful and scared.  But God's promise is to be with us continually, never leaving our side (5)  If we believe God to be trust worthy and faithful, we trust that he is with us in the fire, "the pestilence that walks in darkness" (6) , that he promises to provide for our needs (7) and to heal our sicknesses (8) 

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgives all thine iniquities; who heals all thy diseases; Who redeems thy life from destruction; who crowns thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; Who satisfies thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's". (9)

They kept their eyes on Jesus

Just like Peter who walked on the water to Jesus (10), in an amazing example of faith, it is when we keep our eyes on Jesus (19) that we can live the life of faith.  When we take our eyes off Jesus, that is when we focus on our surroundings and our faith falters.

Faith comes from seeing that our life is all about Jesus.  He is the author and perfecter of our faith (11).  He is the one who walks with us through everything we experience both good and bad. It is Jesus who calls us to an amazing future, both in this life and the life to come!

Our heroes of the Hall of Fame, looked beyond this life, beyond the here and now.

They looked toward a time when they would live forever in a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God (12). They were not concerned about preserving their physical life, as long as their future was assured!  (13)

These Super Heroes had special powers,  Their powers were birthed out of a vision for the future that could not be quenched, a faith that whatever God had promised was as good as done, and a courage that was not afraid of standing up for their testimony (14)!

THE SEARCH FOR SUPER HEROES

This world is searching for heroes, people who will lead them to a better and a safer future.  People are parched and thirsty for things of true value.  The fields are white, ready for harvest, but God says, where are the laborers? (15)

God is looking for super heroes, who will stand up and say "Send me!"  People who have caught the vision of the big picture, a life that goes on into all eternity, an inheritance in heaven, pure and undefiled (16).

God is crying out "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" (17)  Who will go out and fearlessly stand for me?  who will shun the pleasures of sin, for the sake of obeying the call?  Who will say, "Send me!" (18) 

Are you a super hero?  Have you been waiting quietly in the shadows, but now you itch to obey the call? To step out in courage, to fearlessly stand on the side of right, to fight the fight of faith, and to prepare a people to meet their God?

PRAYER

"Lord, I come to you today, knowing that you have been preparing laborers for the harvest.  Give me the vision, the faith and the courage to step forward and respond, Lord, send me.  Raise up an army of workers, laborers who will bring in the end-time harvest.  Let me be one of them Lord.  In Jesus name, Amen."

Let's listen to the final song again:

Do It Again -




NOTES
-------------------

(1)   Hebrews 11:24-29
(2)   Hebrews 11:33
(3)   Hebrews 11:32-38)
(4)   Hebrews 11:1
(5)  Hebrews 13:5).
(6)   Psalm 91:6
(7)   Matt 6:33
(8)   Exodus 15:26, Psalm 103:3, 1 Pet 2:24
(9)   Psalm 103:2-5
(10) Matthew 14:25-32
(11)  Phil 1:6
(12)  Heb 11:10
(13)  Matthew 16:25
(14)  Revelation 12:11
(15)  Matthew 9:37-38
(16) 1 Peter 1:4
(17)  Isaiah 11:6
(18)  Isaiah 11:8
(19)  Hebrews 12:1-2


Sunday, April 19, 2020

Worship Service - April 19, 2020

Good morning everyone! I pray you are doing great, despite social distancing and limitations on your normal activities!

However, if you are not well, please feel free to email us at freedomfellowshiponline@gmail.com. I promise that we will pray for you, and ask for the Lord's intervention in your life.

WORSHIP

Here are today's worship songs. Please feel free to just listen to them, or to sing along as you wish, wherever you may be.



The Blessing (Live) - Elevation Worship 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zp6aygmvzM4  



God of Revival - Bethel Music 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFWF9rSAWF8  



Way Maker (Live from Passion 2020) - Passion  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idJgysaRKXU  



Message Title: Let Revival Come!
Scripture: 1 Kings 17-18
Date: April 19, 2020

INTRODUCTION

It was summertime. The sun beat down mercilessly on a dry and thirsty land. Streams and pools of water had dried up, the crops had failed, and food was scarce. The population of Israel was hurting, badly. No doubt vulnerable people were dying then too, just like today.

Why was this happening? Wasn't this nation known as God's chosen people? Why had God seemingly turned his back on them? Why did it seem as though the nation was cursed by God, rather than blessed?

Today we are going to look at how God used a terrible time of hardship and turned it into blessing. There is hope for us as a nation, too.

BACKGROUND

Elijah the prophet was God's messenger to the Israelites during the reign of Ahab and Jezebel. Ahab was one of the worst kings the Israelites had had during their checkered history.

Greatly influenced by his Phoenician wife Jezebel, Ahab had spread the worship of Baal the sun-god throughout Israel. Baal worship was rampant in Israel's neighboring countries, and now this sick religion had spread its tentacles throughout Israel, God's chosen people.

Baal worship involved both men and women, and was centered around worshiping the sun, the God of fire. This was a fertility religion and promiscuity was a central part of worship. Possibly the worst part of these pagan practices, was that the people would sacrifice their children by burning them, as an offering to Baal (1).

No wonder that God forbade the Israelites to worship him like the surrounding nations did (2). Yet the Israelites had combined their worship of God, with the worship of Baal, creating a religion which was a travesty.

However, God does not give up on his people, despite the terrible things they were now doing.

So God sends Elijah to king Ahab, telling the king that God is going to impose a drought on Israel. This drought lasted three and a half years (3). The land suffered (4), and as a consequence in an agrarian society, people went hungry, there was famine in the land (5).

TIME FOR CHANGE

After the allotted time, God sends Elijah back to Ahab to announce that God was now going to cause the drought to finish - rain was coming. We see from this that God is a merciful God. The nation had not yet turned back to God, or away from Baal. Yet God said, I am going to send rain (6).

Then, having pronounced an end to the drought, God sends Elijah to call for national repentance.
Elijah calls the prophets of Baal to a show down on Mount Carmel. Elijah challenges them to an epic duel, to determine who is real - the God of their fathers, or Baal?

Elijah gets the prophets of Baal to build and altar and prepare a sacrifice, without lighting the fire. Elijah also, prepares an altar and a sacrifice. He, however, drenches the sacrifice and the altar with water, even filling a ditch around the altar with water. Now, God's prophet challenges the Baal worshipers to call on their God to send down fire from heaven. Nothing happens. They dance around the altar, cutting themselves, calling out for an answer from the sun-god. Nothing.

Then Elijah utters a short prayer. God responds immediately, sending fire from heaven onto the altar and the sacrifice. The fire consumes everything!

A CALL TO REPENTANCE

When the Israelites see how the God of their fathers responds, while the god called Baal is obviously just a figment of their imagination, they repent. "The Lord, He is the God, the Lord, He is God" (7).

God does not deal with us according to our sins (8). If God did punish us for our sins, nothing would be left of us. We murder our unborn children - 862,000 abortions in the United States in 2017 (9), around 56 million abortions each year worldwide (10). How does this compare with the child sacrifice of Ball worship? No, we do not burn them alive with fire. Instead we dismember them while their hearts are still beating, and throw them out with the trash.

Thankfully God is a merciful God. And there will be an end to the current epidemic.

It is time that we as a nation, and world-wide, turn back to God in heartfelt repentance. We have the blood of millions of unborn babies on our hands, quite apart from having left God out of our society.

We as a nation, and as individuals, need to beg the Lord for forgiveness.

PRAYER

"Lord, we turn to you on behalf of our nation and for ourselves and beg for your forgiveness. As a Christian nation we have turned away from you and slaughtered our children on the altars of convenience. We have thrown the Bible out of our public places, our schools have taught our children perverted sexual practices and abolished prayer, and we have rebelled against you.

"Please forgive our many sins, and bring the rain of revival upon this land again. There has been a drought of the Holy Spirit, please return and draw your people back to you.

"Thank you Lord, for your unending and totally undeserved mercy. Help us turn back to you. In Jesus' name, amen".




NOTES
--------------------
1. "The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm God - he is usually depicted holding a lightning bolt - who defeated enemies and produced crtops. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children. Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. At times, appeasing Baal required human sacrifice, usually the firstborn of the one making the sacrifice (Jeremiah 19:5). The priests of Baal appealed to their god in rites of wild abandon which included loud, ecstatic cries and self-inflicted injury (1 Kings 18:28)" - https://www.gotquestions.org/who-Baal.html
2. Deuteronomy 12:30
3. James 5:17
4. 1 Kings 17:7
5. 1 Kings 17:12
6. 1 Kings 18:1
7. 1 Kings 18:39
8. Psalms 103:10
9. https://www.guttmacher.org/gpr/2019/09/us-abortion-rate-continues-drop-once-again-state-abortion-restrictions-are-not-main
10.  https://www.guttmacher.org/fact-sheet/induced-abortion-worldwide