This past Sunday I preached a message from I Corinthians 10:1-13.  It is a sobering passage that deals with the failures of God’s Children, Israel.  God showed himself faithful in leading them through the Red Sea, feeding them in the wilderness, and in providing water for them.  Yet they questioned Him and complained about their circumstances.  Most of them died in the wilderness (all but Joshua, Caleb and those under 20). 

The Bible says that this passage was written for our example.  It was written so we learn from their mistakes.  But, how many of us complain when we don’t have money to do something (that really isn’t a need), or that hard times have fallen upon us and we don’t know what we are going to do?  When we respond that way we are following the example of the Israelites rather than learning from their ‘bad’ example.  We need to trust the Lord through all times.  James said you are to “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” (NKJV) That takes a spiritually mature individual. 

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I am sure that when you saw the title of this blog you were thinking this would handle the theological study of sin.  However, that is not the subject of what I am writing this time.  Instead it is me attempting to say what I meant to say last night, but was not clear in my delivery.  How do I know this you might ask?  I had some lengthy discussions with some friends after the service.  I am grateful for their insight. 

Let me share some background.  Each month this year I am preaching on a topic that coincides with our verse for the month (something we have worked on for a number of years here at CBC).  This month happens to be submission.  The verses we are working on are James 4:6b-8a.  This week I was in I Peter 2:13-17 and even making some limited application through 3:7.  Of course I Peter 2:13-17 has to do with our submission to the government.  However, I was attempting to show the attitude of submission from the passage not so much the practice.  I think I put the emphasis (although not intentionally)...

Remember when you were a “kid” and you had certain expectations of say your summer vacation, a trip to an amusement park, seeing your dad on the weekend or any number of situations?  You would get so excited about whatever it was that you were going to do.  Did you ever have those expectations shattered?  It can leave a deep wound from which many will never recover. 

Now, imagine the Lord’s disciples.  Their Teacher, Master, Friend and “Savior” had just been crucified and placed in a tomb.  You get the full feeling from the disciples who were on the road to Emmaus.  They were crushed.  They expected Jesus to set up His kingdom and remove the oppressive ruling of the Romans.  He was their hope!  Now He was gone.  Or was He?  That was God’s plan all along.  That’s what Jesus spent His time explaining to them on that road to Emmaus.  He took the Old Testament and expounded it to them.  He told them what it said about “Himself.”  What a great Bible lesson it must have been. (The Word Himself describing what...

                Confidence, assurance, sureness are a few words that make us think of something that is certain.

When you are confident you perform much better.  I love to play sports.  One of my favorite sports is baseball/softball (I’m getting too old to keep up with the fast pitch game).  I enjoy playing all aspects of the game (offense and defense).  Over the years of playing I have gained confidence in my ability through hard work, patience, practice, winning and even losing (there are many lessons to be learned through losing).  However, if you placed me on a softball field with a ladies fast pitch softball team I would not be very confident. (For more reasons than the fact that I would be out of place as a man.)  Why?  Because I have never faced a pitcher who was so close to me, moving with such ferocity, and pitching a ball with so much speed from an underhand release point.  I would actually doubt my abilities in such a situation. 

In 1 John 5:13-20 we have several certainties of the Christian...

When you hear the phrase, “draw a line in the sand,” what comes to your mind?  I see that phrase as a “tough guy” kind of a metaphor.  When a line is drawn in the sand it means that you have a decision to make.  It means that you will need to make a courageous decision that comes with a high price.  It may cost you your life.

Such was the case in Exodus 32.  The Israelites were frustrated at the length of time Moses was up on the mountain.  They turned to their leader Aaron who thought quickly of a way to assuage their anger—make an idol.  So many things are wrong with both their decision making and Aaron’s.  First, no one thought of praying when they were frustrated.  Second, they forgot the God who delivered them from the hands of the Egyptians (Pharaoh’s workload and the Egyptian army). Then no one questioned Aaron’s decision to make a golden calf.  Was there not one man who would do right? 

We live in a politically correct society today.  We fear the consequences of what the world might think...

How well do you know God?  Last night my brother Joe (Missionary Pastor in Abergele, Wales, UK) brought a message on the subject of God’s glory.  It was a study in the first 5 verses of John 17.  He used an illustration of a canyon that British explorers discovered in the 1800’s.  For millennia people had no idea of the existence of this canyon.  Did that mean it did not exist?  Of course not.  It was simply not discovered.  But the fact of the existence of a canyon really has little to do with its glory (not that the fact of its existence is not important).  See its glory is in what is known about the canyon.  For instance, Joe mentioned that the depth of the canyon was so deep that if you could turn Mt. Everest upside down and place it in the canyon  you would still have over 1 ½ miles of water above the mountain.  With a fact like that you begin to understand the glory of the canyon.  The same is true with God.  The more you know about Him the more glorious He becomes.  And as you behold His glory you find...

Character is becoming one of those lost arts of our society.  People today are enamored with individuals like Rex Ryan, the brash New York Jets coach, or pop music award winners like Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson.  What do all these individuals have in common?  They have all been on the news for things that most people would not consider good character qualities. 

There is an account of a man in the book of Acts (chapters 6-7) by the name of Stephen.  He was a man of impeccable character.  It is said of him that he was of an honest report.  He was full of faith and the Holy Ghost—a spiritual man committed fully to His Lord.  He was also used of God to perform miracles for His glory.  With the knowledge and wisdom spoken of in Acts 6 of Stephen he must have been a diligent man in his study of God’s Word.  He was a man of conviction as he stood up to men of the synagogue who vehemently disagreed with him concerning Jesus.  He did not alter his beliefs due to the pressure of influential men.  What were...

Imagine going to school and students doing everything they are supposed to do.  Or, going to work and everyone is always on task—the boss never has to write anyone up for an infraction.  Or, imagine your children always doing exactly what you want them to do; they never question you when you ask them to take out the trash, nor when you tell them it is time to find something else to do other than being on Facebook. 

Many think that scenarios like the ones above are of a utopian society.  The Lord Jesus said in His sermon on the mount, “Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness.”  He also commanded in Leviticus 11 and then again in 1 Peter, “Be ye holy, for I am holy.”  When believers submit themselves to the commands of God two obvious things happen: 1) they show that they are true children of God (I John) 2) they influence others around them (salt, light, Mat. 5).  One man wrote about the Welsh Revival of 1904, “holiness was sought, not enforced.”  When we are walking in the Spirit...

The birth of a child is a miracle!  I have 3 girls, Julia, Lydia and Gloria.  Because of some complications during labor with Julia the doctors decided to do a cesarean.  Lydia and Gloria were born naturally (God knew ahead of time that our doctor would be the only OB in our area who would deliver naturally after a cesarean—He is good!). Anyone who has been a part of child birth cannot help but know it is a miracle.  God knew what He was doing.  

After each of the girls were born we looked at them carefully to see their physical traits.  We wanted to see who had Kasey’s dimples, or who had my eyelashes, or any number of other genetic traits that were passed down from us.  Most have said that they favor me which is humbling and exciting. (There isn’t a dad/husband who will cheer over that fact outwardly, but inside they are smiling big.)   We are happy that the Lord is blessing us with another child that is due in July.

In 1 John 5:1 we see that the new birth is similar to the “old” one. (Hence...

Most Christians today take the atonement for granted.  Our sins have been covered by the blood of Jesus, but the weight of that truth does not seem to set in as it might for a Jewish convert.  During our Lord’s Supper observance this past Sunday we looked at Leviticus 16 where God gave instructions to Moses regarding the Day of Atonement.  This was the one day in a year that the sins of the Jewish people were forgiven (atoned).  The details of the high priest’s responsibilities, the release of the scapegoat, and the repentant hearts of the people are all aspects of the atonement that most believers today don’t even think about.  The Israelites, under Moses’ direction, understood the importance of God’s presence and the danger and even peril they were in when they sinned against him.  The Day of Atonement was a day of pardon and forgiveness for a year.  This day was a reminder to them of God’s grace and mercy.  But every year the Day of Atonement came again and again.  And every year they would go through the same...