MINISTRY NOTES

Week of November 1, 2009

Hi Everyone,

Praise God. Rose has gone back to college to finish her education and to supplement her grants, etc., sometimes she picks up some work part time. Recently she was doing some work at that fancy U.S. Arabian Championship horse show and got them to donate over a hundred beautiful mums (many colors) and some other plants to our Church. She made multiple trips bringing them to the Church and then helped plant them. As we praise God, please pray that God will help us water them. (ps - it is worth driving by to look)

Marriage Workshop Moment

To refresh what you have learned in our Workshop or entice you to experience our Workshop

"Remember, all marriages can be better, if you use what you learned."

People don't just fall out of love. Their feelings of love get crowded out over time by poorly handled disagreements and arguments. It takes a lot of positive statements to offset one negative statement. Becoming one as God said we could (Genesis 2:24) is difficult when people in a marriage are afraid of rejection or even criticism. When you get angry, it is never helpful to threaten divorce. Being selfish can destroy a marriage. Jesus discourages us from being selfish in Luke 9:23. It is good to consider your spouse when you read Jesus words in Luke 6:31 (TEV) "Do for others just what you want them to do for you." Remember that how you communicate and handle conflict is crucial for how your marriage will go. If you see selfishness in your self or in your spouse, with prayer, God can help improve your marriage. Pray for God's will to be done in your marriage, daily. Remember Jesus said in Mark 10:27 (NIV) that "…all things are possible with God."

Understanding the Message:

What I share in the message is what I believe God wants me to share. All the direct quotes from God are highlighted in royal purple. Of course the words of Jesus are in red. Rather than follow some made up doctrine, remember that Jesus said that every thing He said (Jn 12:49) and everything He did (Jn 14:31) comes from God. All teachings and all opinions should be supported by what we learn from God or Jesus.

Message:

Who do you follow?

Jesus tells us that He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth and as a result directs us go and make "…followers…" 1or disciples, of all peoples or nations. The question I would like you to consider is followers of whom? The obvious answer is Jesus and yet Jesus' whole ministry was focused on leading us to God. When Jesus told us that "… No one comes to the Father except through Me."2, yes Jesus is important but He was communicating how we come to follow God. If we follow Jesus, He will lead us to God. Jesus purpose is to do what God wants9 and direct people to God. Can we skip Jesus and just follow God? No! We go through Jesus to God.

What about our Jewish friends? First let me remind you that Jesus was Jewish and most of the people He ministered to were Jewish. Jesus quoted or referred to the Tanakh (the Old Testament) around a hundred times during His ministry. A high percentage of Jews are what might be called secular Jews just like a high percentage of Christians are nominal (or secular) Christians. Converting a secular Jew to be a secular (or nominal) Christian will probably not increase their chances of going to heaven.(remember Jesus tells us that most people won't make it to heaven7) Be like Jesus and encourage Jews to know God better and be closer to God. Remember Jesus said no one come to Him unless God draws them8. As a Jew gets to know God better, God can draw him to Jesus.

I used to go by a local gambling casino when I was running that had a sign that read "We Know Why You Play". I assume it is to win money. For many people, we know why you pray. In casino's people pray to win money. The main reason most people pray to God is because they want something. Some people tithe (give 10% of what they get) in hopes of getting blessed by God3. I've noticed that some people try it for a while like for a few weeks or even a year and then fall away. God knows our heart and even if we are giving out of obedience to God the blessings may be slow to come. In my personal experience when we started tithing we got blessed immediately for a few years and we went through a period of lacking for over 15 years. I could really relate to Job during that time. I have joked about it is no problem because if your income is only $5,000 in a year then you only give $500. It didn't seem very funny at the time when our income was below the poverty level but we were faithful and God is more than faithful. And a few years later, we became debt free and God just keeps blessing. Imagine how much money you would have, if you were debt free.

When we really want something from God, we ask for it or pray. Jesus tells us that the most effective praying is to ask in His name4. There are people who pray to Jesus or to the Holy Spirit or to a dead person, hoping they will pass on the message but Jesus makes it clear that we only pray to God. When we pray in His name Jesus is not asking for us or passing on a message but Jesus tells us that God responds to us because of our love for Jesus4. If you are just saying the words "in Jesus' name" and don't really love Jesus, God will not be deceived, any more than if you tithe trying to manipulate God. When we ask in Jesus' name we are telling God that we are one of Jesus' people who love Jesus.

When we become followers of Jesus we will discover that we are becoming followers of God. Jesus reminds us "… The Lord our God is the one and only God"5. Do not be fooled by so-called Christian doctrines that make Jesus a deceiver by claiming He is God on earth or saying He is God in the flesh. When you hear such statements, ask your selves, "Whom was Jesus praying to, all those times He went out to pray?" Those doctrines imply Jesus is a liar when He says, "…I am God's Son"6. Follow Jesus and He will lead you to God.

I would like to think that most people are interested in going to heaven. I am reminded of a story of a Sunday School teacher who asked everyone that wanted to go to heaven to raise their hands. One child didn't. After class she asked him privately, why he didn't raise his hand. He replied that he promised his mommy that he would come straight home after Church. Although it is humor, most people are more concerned about their present life than God. Unfortunately, if threatened with death, most people would deny God and Jesus in hope of staying alive. God speaks well of people who do not "…love their lives so much as to shrink from death"10. Jesus tells us that the way to get to heaven is to follow God11. Do not neglect Jesus because He is the one who is going judge you in the end, if you followed God12. As you follow Jesus who will lead you to follow God, remember when you want something, to pray to God the way Jesus teaches us and seek God's will. God knows what is best for each of us13!

Let's pray,

"Hey God, help us to be in YOUR will and to remember to ask for YOUR will to be done when we want something. Help us to follow YOUR will when we give to YOU and when we have desires. Thank YOU God for YOUR will being done in our lives. Thank You in Jesus name, amen."

1. Matthew 28:19 (ICB)

2. John 14:6 (NIV)

3. Malachi 3:8-10

4. John 16:26-27

5. Mark 12:29 (TLB)

6. John 10:36 (NIV)

7. Matthew 7:13-14

8. John 6:41

9. John 4:34

10. Revelations 12:11 (NIV)

11. Matthew 7:21

12. John 5:27

13. Matthew 6:10