Morning Thought with Pastor Tim

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Jumping to Conclussions

Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said, “Will the Christ come out of Galilee? Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was? John 7:41-42

Those that wanted to deny Jesus as Messiah did it based on the scripture – the lineage and birthplace.

What they failed to do was to get all the facts about Jesus Himself. They supposed He was born and raised in Galilee, not knowing of His birth in Bethlehem so many years ago.

They judged Him by what they knew, not by the facts!

Jumping to conclusions seldom leads to happy landings.

Throughout the day I can hear a bit of conversation here and another bit there. I will always come to some conclusion based on what I hear.

Or I see someone act a certain way. Perhaps they are stumbling around while walking. I may think they are inebriated when they may actually be having a reaction to cold medicine.
Often my conclusions are wrong.

There are a lot of people today that have come to a conclusion about Jesus based on partial information – a little bit of a sermon here or a part of a Bible verse there.
But when you read the entire Bible you will get the entire picture.

It will change your life. The more you read – the more you will change.

Abba, I want to know more about You. I want to know all about You. I want Your word to continue to change me and those around me. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Praise The Lord

I don’t normally watch a lot of church services on TV but somehow I ended watching the Praise & Worship of one of those televised services.

The music was great – don’t get me wrong. And I don’t mean any offense by what I say but I thought it was over produced.

The lights flashed on and off in a strobe effect while colored lights alternated bright and dim. The singers backed up and did some little choreographed dance move.

While I watched I could see genuine worship in the audience and the team itself. And perhaps the person with their finger on switch that was flipping the lights on and off was also praising the Lord in this way.

While it was entertaining, the thought came to me “does God want to be entertained or praised?”

The answer is always in His word.

Ps 150
Praise the Lord!

Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp! Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes! Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!

Yes indeed, the Lord should be praised in all things.

However I have discovered you cannot choreograph praise.

It is spontaneous. It is not planned out. It is not timed. It is eruptive. It comes from inside your heart and soul to touch the face of God. It spreads. It’s contagious. It takes different forms.

Raised hands will praise the Lord as well as silent weeping. Standing will praise the Lord as well as falling face down at the altar. You can praise Him while sitting or prostrate on the ground.

You can praise Him in the best suit or dress and praise Him in torn jeans.

There are times when I’m on the praise team and spontaneous worship begins to happen. While we practice our songs – we never practice praise or worship. It just happens.

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Assembly

Ps 26:5 I have hated the assembly of evildoers,

Just as Christians assemble together in a church – evildoers also assemble together.

All it takes is some commonality between them. It doesn’t matter if it’s a gang or a gathering of terrorists.

Why do people gather at a bar? To drink, to get a buzz, and even to get drunk. Do you find non-drinkers gathered drinking in a bar? Not likely.
Do you find a non-gang member gathering with the gang or a non-terrorist grouped with the terrorists? Not likely!

Like minded people gather together.

The like-minded men of Sodom gathered at the house of Lot. Gen 19:4
A gang of at least 42 young men gathered together and made fun of the prophet Elisha. 2 Kings 2:23, 24
Demetrius gathered together his fellow idol-makers. Acts 19:23-34

So who do you gather with?
What type of people are you like minded with?
Are you getting together for something honorable, evil, or just “fun”?
And is your fun honoring God?

Abba, I love gathering with your people, whether it’s in church, at work, or in my home. I abhor the gathering of those that seek to do evil but I know that Jesus died so they may also have forgiveness, salvation, eternal life, and gather together with Your people also. YES&AMEN

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Fruit of the Spirit

Gal 5:22-23 the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Over the weekend we had the Fruit of the Spirit VBS. During the first song I remember someone saying, “That’s what I need; self-control!”
My response was you start with love!

The fruit of the Spirit is a staircase.

What you will need first is love! You cannot have kindness or gentleness without it. You can’t have joy or peace if you have hate.

Love is the key – the first step to the fruit of the Spirit.

Self-control is last on the list. Before you will attain it completely you will have to have things like patience, faithfulness, and gentleness. Self-control is not possible without them.

The great thing is the fruit of the Spirit is not dependent on others. You can have it without any help and despite any opposition. It’s all about your personal relationship and availability to the Holy Spirit.

John 15:8 By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Abba, I want to be an orchard of good fruit for You! In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Get back to spiritual basics

This morning I was up at 3am and turned on the TV. Wagon Train was on and I tuned in just in time to hear this old man pray. It was quite a prayer. At the end of it he received an answer to his prayer and shouted, “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord!”

The show was filmed in 1961 and I thought how far we have gone off the straight and narrow path.

That became a subject last Wednesday evening. The American church and American Christian has become too sophisticated and has strayed away from God.

Other nations around the world are responding to the Gospel and seeing the evidence of the miraculous power of God.

I have heard testimonies of healings; even those being raised from the dead. None of these stories originate in the USA.

The word of God tells us why.

Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.

The TV show from 1961 praised God in the dialogue. TV today curses Him.
Indeed we have left our first love.

Rev 3:17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked —

It is time for the American church to return back to the basics of God. Back to faith. Back to believing. Back to living in the bounds of Christianity!

Abba, in Jesus name I want to live in the Spirit and not in the physical! I want to return to the simplicity of the faith. YES&AMEN

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Remove the boundary of sin!

Sin can be embarrassing. There are things you do that you just don’t want anyone to know about.

You create a boundary that holds in sin. You believe it is safe. You believe it is secret. No one knows.

God knows. His word tells you what to do with it.

James 5:16 Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

God says you shouldn’t bind yourself to that sin but loose yourself from it.

The confession of sin is one of the hardest acts you will ever do. I know because I have done it before. I discovered that God’s promise of healing far outweighed my fear of embarrassment.

One other thing I’ve noticed. Confession of sin will loosen others to also confess.

Don’t keep things to yourself – no matter how embarrassing.

If your marriage is haven’t problems share it with your church. If you’re addicted to porn, it’s embarrassing but confess and start healing. If you can’t control your mouth then confess it and start healing.

I know this may step on some toes but one thing I just don’t understand is the unspoken prayer request. In my opinion it sounds like something embarrassing. I’m not saying just blurt it out. Use some discretion and get some healing.

Abba, Your word is healing. Following all that You say is meant to heal and complete me. Teach me Your ways, in Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Camp Lesson – Boundaries

The lesson at church camp was about boundaries. It’s a subject that touches the youngest to the oldest. Each of us has a boundary.

One teacher put “Caution” tape around the seats where the class would be held. The boys stood around and looked at the tape and tried to decide what to do.

Finally one boy lifted the tape, went under it, and sat down. Another boy followed suit. And another and another until they were all sitting down.

Prov 22:28 Do not remove the ancient landmark which your fathers have set.

That’s the way it continues to be with God’s word – it has given boundaries that should not be crossed and slowly, one by one, they have been.

The line has been crossed when it comes to the abortion, same sex marriage, and the respect of God.

Once the boundary has been crossed or moved it is extremely difficult to return.

Do not cross the boundaries Father has given. Others will but you must keep yourself from doing it. When you stand before God and give your account, He isn’t going to accept the excuse that everyone else was doing it.
That didn’t work with your parents – it won’t work with Him either.

Abba, help me to see the boundaries You have given and not cross them. Give me the strength to encourage others to stay also. In Jesus name, YES&AMEN

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Light in the Darkness

On Wednesday night at church camp a storm rolled in just as the preaching started. The lights flashed once and a few moments later went out completely.

It didn’t take long for 455 people to get noisy in the near pitch black room. Some were a little disconcerted about what to do. Others were a bit nervous because of the dark.

The speaker calmed everyone and gave many something to do – get out your cell phones and turn on the light.

A majority of the congregation had a cell phone and did just that. It was one of the most awesome services I have ever witnessed.

Alter call brought many forward to pray and seek God.

It is written let your light so shine before men, Matt 5:16

Each born-again believer has the Light inside them – a light that needs to shine in the darkness of this world.

Your Light drives away darkness and calms the fear of those that see it.

Share the Light of God’s word with someone today!

Abba, I will let my light shine today. In Jesus’ name, YES&AMEN

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God’s Prescribed Sacrifice

“It is only by obedience that we understand the teaching of God.” ~Oswald Chambers

Gen 15:17 And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.

Abram obeyed God and had taken the five sacrifices and prepared them.

This obedience became a reassuring teaching from God – teaching involving the future of his descendants. (Gen 15:13-16)

Then a firepot and burning torch went between the pieces.

The pieces were the complete blood sacrifices the Law would prescribe. Those sacrifices would be offered by the priests.

In this text, God, Himself, burns the sacrifice…

…which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. Col 2:17

1 John 3:16 He laid down His life for us.
Heb 7:27 He did once for all when He offered up Himself.

For all the sacrifices that mankind can offer, it is the one offered by Christ, the complete Sacrifice, that satisfies the Father.

No matter what trouble may come, the Father will fulfill His promise to deliver His people.

That promise is yours when you accept God’s sacrifice for you – His own Son!

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

YES&AMEN

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The Complete Offering

God’s word is not always easy to understand. For years I avoided the following, never preaching or teaching on it.

But God’s word is meant to be understood. It is given so we can know the fullness of the Father.

Gen 15:9-11 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three-year-old heifer, a three-year-old female goat, a three-year-old ram, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, down the middle, and placed each piece opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds in two. And when the vultures came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away.

The greatest proof of God’s promises is found in the text and those that follow.

Sacrifice is important to God.

According to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. Heb 9:22

The sacrifices of Adam, Noah, Abram, and all before Sinai, were done without the demand of the Law.

In Abram’s case, he brought every blood sacrifice allowed by the future Law. The complete set, as it were.

Jesus is the complete sacrifice. He did what the heifer, goat, ram, turtledove, and pigeon could not do – satisfy God.

Satan wants to take that away, like the vultures. He doesn’t want you to know or depend on the offering of Jesus.
He wants the world to be confused, divided, and confrontational over Jesus.

Break through the confusion and misunderstanding. Read God’s word and let the Holy Spirit reveal the truth, in Jesus name, YES&AMEN!!!