Before someone can experience the joy of good health, they may need to hear of their physical malady and actively engage in a prescribed treatment. This is true of our spiritual lives as well.
This sermon takes a look at Psalm 51:1-6. It focuses upon the way in which sin, if it is left unresolved, will destroy us like an aggressive cancer. But, if we take God's Word seriously and engage in the prescribed treatment, spiritual health and joy are on the way!
To view the sermon, simply click here.
In my "Read Through the Bible Plan", I'm once again going through the first few books of the Bible. In them, God makes it clear that sin is to be dealt with harshly.
At first glance, it may seem that God is unspeakably mean in His instruction concerning sin. Yet, when we realize that the Bible also warns that "the wages of sin is death", we realize why God wants us to stay away from sin. Among other things, it's for our own good.
A good parent understands this. If a parent of a young child saw them playing in a road with a lot of traffic, their love for their child would demand that they threaten serious consequences if they played in the road again. Failing to provide serious consequences for a child who could potentially die from their poor choices would call into question the parent's love for their child.
Since God loves us, he threatens serious consequences when we sin. Any good parent would.
Ok. This will probably turn out to be a post that absolutely no one reads. That's fine. It will allow me a chance to reflect ... and maybe even vent ... without having to worry about how others react to one of my pet peeves.
Let me begin by saying that I LOVE my mobile device. (Very few folks actually have a simple phone anymore.) I track my schedule, my tasks, my workouts, my weight, my calorie intake and so much more on my mobile device.
In fact, I've had a few people in past year point out how much time I spend looking at it and tapping on the screen. Even though my life is essentially managed by my mobile device, I try not to spend too much time on it when I'm in the presence of others. I don't always succeed in this endeavor.
Isn't it ironic that one of my pet peeves is when someone gives priority to their mobile device when surrounded by others? (So, I guess I'm saying that I don't like it when people do the same thing that I'm guilty of. Talk about a speck in someone else's eye and a log in my own!)
This morning, I was in a waiting room and observed a man and woman talking about someone who was undergoing surgery. It seemed as if the conversation was going at full throttle when the gentleman's phone rang. He didn't excuse himself from the conversation. He didn't apologize for the interruption. He simply stopped in mid-sentence, answered his phone and acted like the lady in front of him didn't even exist as she stared in disbelief.
Talk about rude! Very clearly yet without a word, he stated that the woman who he was chatting with was not as important as the person who was calling on his phone.
Rude as it may be, I've understood the power of the phone for quite some time. Many years ago, I worked a job in which I frequently needed to converse with my manager. Unfortunately, there were others that needed to talk with him as well. So, I could either wait in line and talk with him after the others finished ... or I could realize that the phone had power. I chose the latter. I quickly made my way to another phone and called him. He asked the person in front of him to wait a few moments as he answered my call and dealt with my concern. After I essentially cut in line, my manager hung up the phone and got back to the others.
I wouldn't do such a thing now. I'd like to think that it's because I've grown in my walk with the Lord and don't want to play a part in something that would devalue others.
So, even though it's a struggle, I try not to spend too much time on my mobile device when in the presence of others. If my phone rings and I'm talking to someone else, I will usually allow it to continue ringing unless it is my wife or sons. My wife always talks priority. And, if my sons are calling, usually something needs to be addressed quickly (like forgetting to pick up Zach from band practice until 30 minutes after it was over.)
Besides, when I'm talking with someone and refuse to answer my phone so that I can continue chatting with them, I suspect that it gives them a sense of value. That's a good thing, right?
Wait a second... I'll be right back. My phone's ringing...
Saint Augustine once said: “Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.” That's profound! Ultimately, all of our searching to fill the void inside each of us is met in a relationship with our Heavenly Father.
Exodus 33 gives us a glimpse into a moment when God allowed Moses to experience Him. From that, if we can draw principles of how we can experience and enjoy God, too. But, it is our hope that this sermon not only provides the principles but fans into flame a passion to experience our great God!
To view the sermon, click here.
What does it mean when the Bible says that God is holy? What does God's holiness mean for you and me? The answers to those questions may be much more relevant and rewarding than you think!
In fact, any substantial movement of God among His people has always included this truth. Listen to this sermon as Pastor Matt points out that the holiness of God means that:
1) God is set apart from sin
2) God is set apart from His creation
3) Jesus sets us apart for God
To view the sermon, click here.
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On June 13, 2011, my family was vacationing in a church member's condo on the Atlantic Ocean a few miles north of the Kennedy Space Center. We had been to NASA once before but enjoyed it so much that we wanted to visit again. So, we hopped in the car and made the trip.
As we made our way through the complex, we visited the IMAX theater and saw some Hubble telescope pictures of the universe. Through the technology of 3D, we 'traveled' through space to visit stars and galaxies thousands of light years away. We saw pictures of former astronauts. We viewed life size models of rockets and moon vehicles. We also read posters and plaques that contained the rich history of NASA.
But, there was one 'machine' that was the crowning achievement of NASA. It was the Space Shuttle. The incredible technology of that machine and it's massive power are enough to cause an overwhelming sense of awe to overcome anyone who watches it launch.
While we were there, we took some pictures of our boys near some Shuttle models. The picture to the right shows a 5 years old Joseph standing in front of a fiberglass model. It sure looked a lot like the Space Shuttle on the outside but everyone knew it wasn't the real deal. There were no tiles on the underside of the glider. The 'windows' on the glider were obviously just decals. But, it looked enough like the Space Shuttle for Joseph to enjoy posing with it for a picture.
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Then, we saw another Space Shuttle model that had an opening in the right side that allowed people to enter it and look around. It looked much more real! It appeared to be life size. The windows for the cockpit were simply painted on but it had tiles on its underbelly that made it's appearance seem much more authentic.
Yet, even this space shuttle wasn't real! NASA couldn't take it to the launch pad and send it into space. It had the appearance of reality but it clearly lacked the power.
But then, we took a bus ride to a tower near Launch Pad 39A. We took quite a few flights of stairs and then saw a breathtaking scene! Space Shuttle Atlantis (STS-135) was sitting on the launch pad. It would be the very last Space Shuttle to be sent into space.
You can't see it too good in this picture because it was also covered up to protect it from the weather until launch day. (Click on the picture to the left to increase it's size. The top of the orange main fuel tank is visible.) Yet, the scene brought an overwhelming sense of awe that the fake Shuttle models we had seen earlier in the day just didn't produce.
Why? Because the Space Shuttle sitting out on the launch pad was the real deal and it had raw power. It wasn't a fake. It didn't just appear to be real. It was completely authentic! And it had the power to prove it!
Christianity is like that. There are some whose 'religion' is just about appearance. They just put on an outer show to impress others. They try to live a good life, at least good enough for others to think highly of them. Yet, they lack the real internal power to live out a life pleasing to the Lord.
Followers of Christ are supposed to have power. Romans 1:16 says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believers..." Yet, the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy and warned him in 2 Timothy 3:1-5 that in the last days of earth's history, people would "(have) the appearance of godliness, but denying its power..." (v. 5)
That simply means that in an increasingly sinful world (see verses 1-4), there will be those who appear to be followers of Jesus who have never truly been saved. Outwardly, they appear godly. But inside, there has been no heart change. They haven't turned their back on sin and surrendered their life to Jesus. The Holy Spirit is not within them bringing about powerful, life change to make them more like Jesus.
When you boil it all down, that's really how you and I know if we're saved. It's not whether we act like a Christian and everyone else thinks we are saved. It's whether we have the power of Jesus working inside us to make us more like Him. If we don't, we'll never spend eternity in Heaven.
Those fake Space Shuttles were really useless when it came to taking the ride into space. Yet, the Space Shuttle Atlantis was the real deal. It had incredible power at work inside of it! A few days after I took the pictures of it sitting on the launch pad, it took the ride into the heavens much like the video below of a Space Shuttle Atlantis launch I took four years previous.
So ... are you the real deal? Is your "Christianity" only about externals? Are you content that you attend church periodically, put money in the offering plate, offer up a couple of short prayers throughout the day, spend a few minutes in your Bible, etc. Or is your Christianity vibrant because you are enjoying walking through this life with God's Holy Spirit inside of you providing the power to enable you to become more like Jesus?
The answer to that question determines whether or not you will one day, when you walk through death's door, launch into the heavens!
So your spiritual life has grown stale? It's been awhile since your time in the Bible has really been fun? It's been far too long since you've actually enjoyed praying? You feel unable to overcome the temptations in your life? And you sense that there's GOT to be more to the Christian life than what you're experiencing?
This sermon shows the relevance of Isaiah 6:1-8 as the answer to how we get right with God. It is the pattern that God has used through the centuries to bring individuals and groups back to Him. It's how we get our joy and effectiveness back.
Click here to view the sermon.
Did you know that it is quite possible that Jesus could remove His hand of blessing from a church even if it was 1) theologically correct, 2) busy in ministry, and 3) enduring persecution for their faith? It is in Revelation 2:1-7 that we realize just how important it is to maintain our first love for Jesus. If we don't, nothing else really matters. This sermon delves into why it is so important to fan into flame a passion for Jesus.
This sermon was preached at Westside Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky on April 28, 2013. The occasion was "Call Sunday", the day that the pastoral candidate, Matt Ellis, preached for Westside. At the conclusion of the service, the congregation voted to call him as their pastor with a 99.5% vote.
To view the worship service in its entirety, click here.
Before someone can experience the joy of good health, they may need to hear of their physical malady and actively engage in a prescribed treatment. This is true of our spiritual lives as well. 
In my "Read Through the Bible Plan", I'm once again going through the first few books of the Bible. In them, God makes it clear that sin is to be dealt with harshly. 
Ok. This will probably turn out to be a post that absolutely no one reads. That's fine. It will allow me a chance to reflect ... and maybe even vent ... without having to worry about how others react to one of my pet peeves. 
Saint Augustine once said: “Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.” That's profound! Ultimately, all of our searching to fill the void inside each of us is met in a relationship with our Heavenly Father.
What does it mean when the Bible says that God is holy? What does God's holiness mean for you and me? The answers to those questions may be much more relevant and rewarding than you think!.jpg)
On June 13, 2011, my family was vacationing in a church member's condo on the Atlantic Ocean a few miles north of the Kennedy Space Center. We had been to NASA once before but enjoyed it so much that we wanted to visit again. So, we hopped in the car and made the trip..jpg)
.jpg)
Then, we saw another Space Shuttle model that had an opening in the right side that allowed people to enter it and look around. It looked much more real! It appeared to be life size. The windows for the cockpit were simply painted on but it had tiles on its underbelly that made it's appearance seem much more authentic. .jpg)
So your spiritual life has grown stale? It's been awhile since your time in the Bible has really been fun? It's been far too long since you've actually enjoyed praying? You feel unable to overcome the temptations in your life? And you sense that there's GOT to be more to the Christian life than what you're experiencing?
Did you know that it is quite possible that Jesus could remove His hand of blessing from a church even if it was 1) theologically correct, 2) busy in ministry, and 3) enduring persecution for their faith? It is in Revelation 2:1-7 that we realize just how important it is to maintain our first love for Jesus. If we don't, nothing else really matters. This sermon delves into why it is so important to fan into flame a passion for Jesus.